Motor vehicles – Power – With means to guide and/or control air for power plant cooling
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-27
2004-11-30
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Motor vehicles
Power
With means to guide and/or control air for power plant cooling
C180S068200, C180S068300, C180S069200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06823955
ABSTRACT:
The entire right, title and interest in and to this application and all subject matter disclosed and/or claimed therein, including any and all divisions continuations, reissues, etc., thereof, sold and set over by the applicant(s) named herein to Deere & Company, a Delaware corporation having offices at Moline, Ill. 61265, U.S.A., together with all rights to file, and to claim priorities in connection with, corresponding patent applications in any and all foreign countries in the name of Deere & Company or otherwise.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to vehicles used to mow grass and similar vegetation and more specifically to an air intake screen used with such vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Vehicles such as commercial mowers are commonly used for extended periods in warm climates. Since these vehicles typically utilize liquid cooled engines, they have fans and radiators for cooling the liquid. Similarly, they generally use hydraulic oil to power lift cylinders and related power needs on the vehicle. This oil is also cooled by passing it through an oil cooler.
As the blades of the implements drawn by the mower cut grass and similar vegetation, the drier cut grass particles and similar foreign materials become airborne. Typically air intake screens are provided in front of the heat exchangers, that is the radiator and oil cooler, to minimize the build up of such foreign materials on the heat exchangers and the consequent effect on the cooling of the water and oil. These intake screens also serve to minimize the amount of foreign material being drawn into the engine combustion system.
It has been common to place air intake screens directly in front of the cooling fan and heat exchangers at the rear of the engine compartment. Generally these screens are oriented vertically. Since the dust and airborne particles are more predominate near the cutting decks and lower portions of the mower, such placement frequently results in the screens becoming filled with foreign material, thereby requiring frequent servicing.
One attempt in reducing the accumulation of material on the screen of a front mount mower was to place the screen at the front of the engine compartment and directly behind the operator seat. While this located the screen further from the dust and swirling airborne materials at the lower portions of the mower, it still used a smaller screen which resulted in frequent cleanings.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an air intake screen for use with a mower that extended the time between required cleanings. Further, it would be desirable to provide an air intake screen that provided sufficient filtered air for the liquid coolant radiator, the oil cooler and the engine combustion system.
It would as well be desirable to provide an air intake screen that reduced engine overheating, hydraulic oil overheating, and lost time for screen cleanings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Toward these ends, there is provided a tubular air intake screen that draws air in throughout its 360 degree exterior surface. The screen is placed above the engine compartment to minimize exposure to the dry grass particles and similar foreign materials generated by the mower blades. The screen is sealed at its forward end and open at its rearward end to funnel filtered air to a vertical duct work that leads to a fan and engine air intake duct. The fan moves filtered air over the liquid and oil heat exchangers.
With the present invention, a large volume of filtered air is available and the cleaning cycle for servicing the screen is substantially extended.
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Hall Stanley Kermit
Harber Neil Vincent
Henson Robert Alan
Jaramillo Jennifer Lynn
Witwer Jeffrey David
Deere & Company
Johnson Brian L.
Phan Hau
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