Shroud for fan-cooled internal combustion engine

Field of the invention:

The present invention relates to cooling system of internal combustion engine for motor vehicles and more specifically it relates to a novel and improved construction for a cooling fan shroud to adequately cool the motor vehicle engine.

Background of the invention:

Motor Vehicles, such as motorcycle, scooter and three wheelers employ internal combustion as prime movers. Internal combustion engines generate enormous amount of heat during operation. To cool and protect engine, engine-cooling systems are provided. The engine cooling system may include a fan and a shroud in case of an air-cooled engine. Air cooling system rely on flow of fluid over the engine casing through a fan which directs cool ambient air across the engine with the support of the shroud structure. Shroud means are employed to guide the air and improve the efficiency of the fan and to prevent the recirculation of air. But inefficient engine performance and failure of engine components have been observed due failure of heat transfer from the engine.

Refer to Figure 1 for demonstration of Prior art and elucidation of demerits involved with it. Figure 1 exhibits an engine block (400) enclosed in shroud (100). The said shroud (100) also includes a centrifugal fan (300), air inlet (200) and air exhaust (500) openings. The engine block (400) is often transversely mounted relative to the direction of vehicle movement, to facilitate the cooling of engine. But in the instant case the engine block mounted in transverse direction relative to the movement of vehicle as well as, it is enclosed in a shroud (100) equipped with a centrifugal fan (300) for engine cooling. The centrifugal fan is mounted on the magneto rotor (not shown in figure), which runs along with the engine. The centrifugal fan (300) sucks an axial air feed through air inlet (200) and transmits it, in radial direction in the shroud (100). The transmitted air flows through a conduit structure portion of shroud (100). The conduit structure portion of the shroud (100) guides the air to pass over the engine block. While passing over the engine block (400) the cool ambient air extract the heat and comes out of the air exhaust (500) opening. But the cooling effect produced by this kind of system tends to be inefficient and insufficient for the engine. These kind of air-cooled engines are crippled with several adversaries, such as significant pressure drop in shroud, lower cooling efficiency and huge losses due to friction. Another demerit, which makes this system more taxing for both customers and manufacturer, is that the shroud is a single integrated component, hence difficult to mate and fit.

Hence to eliminate the inadequacies in the prior art, the present invention provides shroud for a fan-cooled internal combustion engine that addresses the lacuna in the prior art and facilitates easy assembling and fitment.

Summary of the invention:

The subject of the invention is a shroud enclosing an air cooled engine, equipped with an axial fan and further provided with air inlet and plurality of air exhausts.

Briefly, the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises of two structural members, divided along the ordinate axis. The structural member on the left side is equipped with an axial fan and air inlet. Member on the right contains the plurality of air exhaust. When both the structural members are affixed together, forms plenum volume for the designated air-cooled engine. The construction of the present invention allows it to rectify numerous lacunas of the prior art and various structural characteristics of the present invention season it to serve array of objectives for which it had been formulated such as the plurality of air exhausts and axial fan allows the present invention to perform at higher efficiency. Further the axial feed and exit of air resolves the pressure drop problem.

The primary object of the staged invention, in the view of aforementioned demerits, is to enhance the efficiency of the cooling system and at large contribute to increased engine efficiency. Another significant object of the present invention is to exterminate the pressure drop predicament present in the prior art. Further secondary objects, of the newfangled device is to curtail the path of air to sustain energy level of air and smoothen the process of fitting, mating and dismantling.

The forgoing, along with further features and advantages of the invention, will be seen in the following disclosure of a presently preferred embodiment of invention depicting the best mode contemplated at this time for carrying out the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings:

Figurel Schematic layout of the cooling system in accordance with the prior art.

Figure2 Schematic layout of the cooling apparatus in accord with preferred embodiment.

Figure 3 Displays a set of drawing, where Figure 3(a) is a side view of the left side structural member and Figure 3(b) is the perspective view of the same.

Figure 4 Displays a pair of drawing, where Figure 4(a) is a side view of the right side structural member and Figure 4(b) is the front view of the same.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment of invention:

This invention is to provide an effective as well as an efficient cooling system for an air-cooled internal combustion engine. Hence to achieve the objects aforementioned, an embodiment of the present invention is described in farthest detail along with the drawings.

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and clear from following description read in conjunction with accompanying drawings (i.e.
Figure 2 to 4) in which reference numerals designates same element. On of the preferred embodiment is shown in Figure 2 to 4.

Figure 2 exhibits a planned pictorial view of the preferred embodiment. Referring to numeral 99, which designates the shroud on figure 2. The said shroud (99) encompasses the plenum volume (610). The plenum volume (610) encloses engine block (400). The said shroud (99) comprises of, a pair of structural members, an axial fan (110), air inlet (210), air exhaust (510).The said pair of structural member essentially includes a left side structural member(310) and right side structural member (410).Left side structural member (310) includes an air inlet (210) with an inherent filter sieve (710) (not visible in figure 2) at the left end of the said left structural member (310), said air inlet (210) feeds air to an axial fan (110). An axial fan (110) draws its air feed through an air inlet (210). The air is further supplied axially to the plenum volume (610) by the said axial fan (110). The said plenum volume is an enclosure formed by affixing left side structural member (310) and right side structural member (410), where the engine block (400) is situated. The right side structure member (410) having plurality of air exhausts (510) on its right periphery.

Further it is desirous to fortify the understanding of the current invention beyond any doubt and hence Figure 3 & 4 are cited for illustrating the structure of pair members and elucidation of their characteristics and intrinsic worth. Figure 3 had been displayed as a set of drawing, where Figure 3(a) is a side view of the left side sectional member and Figure 3(b) is the perspective view of the same.

Referring to Figure 3(a), an air inlet (210) is provided to give air feed to an axial fan (110). The air feed is supplied by axial fan (110) to plenum volume (610).

To expound the filtering of the current invention Figure 3(b) is featured. Figure 3(b) advertises the filter sieve (710) fitted on the air inlet (210). Further Figure 3(b) shows a half of the plenum volume (610) accommodated in left side structural member (310).

As prominently displayed in Figure 4(b), are the multiple number of air exhaust (510) with variable geometric profile on the right extreme of right side structural member (410). Whereas Figure 4(a) depicts the air exhaust (510) and shows a half of the plenum volume (610) accommodated in right side structural member (410).

The invention is described in connection with preferred embodiments, it is understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all the alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A cooling apparatus for an internal combustion engine comprising:

a shroud essentially having, an axial fan, a pair of structural member, an air inlet and plurality of air exhaust;

an axial fan having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending blades; said axial fan is placed subsequent to the air inlet and is contained by left side member of the shroud;

a pair of structural member forming plenum volume for engulfing engine block, essentially includes, a left side structural member containing the said axial fan and have an air inlet of designated shape on the left periphery of the left side structural member, and on the right periphery of the left side structural member is provided with coupling means to attach it with the right side structural member, the said right side structural member is provided with coupling means on the left periphery to attach it with left side structural member, and on the right periphery of right side structural member air exhausts placed;

an air inlet protruding from the left periphery of the left side structural member, having an optimal clearance for axial fan placed ahead of it, said clearance is to direct cooling air towards axial fan, contour of the clearance area is preferentially in accord with axial fan size and have an filter sieve;

the plurality of air exhausts positioned on the right side structural member in multiplicity and in variable profiles.

2. The cooling apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said axial fan axis is substantially coaxial with said air inlet axis.

3. The cooling apparatus as claimed in claiml restricts and shields from impurities and dirt particle from entering the plenum volume.

4. The cooling apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, is having variety of air exhausts of variable geometry.

5. The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said shroud generally made of polymer resin or may be made from other suitable engineering materials.

6. A structural member assembly comprising:
an axial fan having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending blades; an air inlet protruding from the left periphery of the structural member, having an filter sieve; an optimally enlarged clearance area in the air inlet for axial fan placed ahead of said air inlet;

a plenum portion to accommodate an internal combustion engine for cooling.

7. A structural member as claimed in claim 6, is placed adjacent to the internal combustion engine, for making the cooling apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, a compact and a low pressure vortex arrangement.

8. A cooling apparatus for motorcycle substantially as herein described in claim 1 and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings