Amphibious vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10279639-B2
Application number	US-201615557984-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2016
Priority date	Mar 19, 2015
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

An amphibious vehicle according to the present invention includes a vehicle body, a traveling portion which causes the vehicle body to travel on land, a propulsion portion which causes the vehicle body to travel on water, a power portion which provides power to the traveling portion and the propulsion portion, and a cooling portion which cools the power portion. The cooling portion includes a first cooling source introducing portion which takes in air from the outside and a second cooling source introducing portion which takes in water from the outside. The second cooling source introducing portion includes an opening which takes in water. The opening is opened on a rear side of a center of gravity of the entire vehicle body and in a draft portion in an outer surface of the vehicle body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An amphibious vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a traveling portion which causes the vehicle body to travel on land;
a propulsion portion which generates a propulsive force in water and causes the vehicle body to travel on water;
a power portion which provides power to the traveling portion and the propulsion portion; and
a cooling portion which cools at least the power portion, wherein:
the cooling portion includes a first cooling source introducing portion which takes in air from the outside as a cooling source and a second cooling source introducing portion which takes in water from the outside as a cooling source,
the second cooling source introducing portion includes an opening which takes in water and the opening is disposed to be exposed in a side view of the vehicle body and opens on a rear side of a center of gravity of the entire vehicle body and in a draft portion in an outer surface of the vehicle body,
the propulsion portion is a water jet mechanism which generates a water jet as a propulsive force,
the water jet mechanism includes a water jet channel through which water flows and an impeller disposed in the water jet channel and configured to rotate with power from the power portion,
the water jet channel includes an inlet port which takes in water from the outside, and
the inlet port of the water jet channel and the opening of the second cooling source introducing portion are disposed at different positions in an outer surface of the vehicle body and the second cooling source introducing portion is an independent passage from the water jet channel.

2. The amphibious vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the opening of the second cooling source introducing portion is provided in a range of the rearmost ¼ of the entire length direction of the vehicle body.

3. The amphibious vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the traveling portion includes a plurality of wheels including a rearmost wheel; and
the opening of the second cooling source introducing portion is disposed on a rear side of the rearmost wheel.

4. The amphibious vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the traveling portion includes a plurality of wheels having a drive wheel and a driven wheel, a crawler belt wound around the plurality of wheels, and a movable support arm which supports at least a part of the plurality of wheels to be movable in a vertical direction;
the movable support arm is displaceable between a first state in which at least a part of the wheels is supported in a first position in a vertical direction and a second state in which at least a part of the wheels is supported in a second position which is on an upper side relative to the first position with respect to the vehicle body; and
the opening of the second cooling source introducing portion is disposed at a position which is closed by the movable support arm when the movable support arm is in the first state and at a position which is not closed by the movable support arm when the movable support arm is in the second state.

5. An amphibious vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a traveling portion which causes the vehicle body to travel on land;
a propulsion portion which generates a propulsive force in water and causes the vehicle body to travel on water;
a power portion which provides power to the traveling portion and the propulsion portion; and
a cooling portion which cools at least the power portion,
wherein the cooling portion includes a first cooling source introducing portion which takes in air from the outside as a cooling source and a second cooling source introducing portion which takes in water from the outside as a cooling source;
the second cooling source introducing portion includes an opening which takes in water and the opening is open on a rear side of a center of gravity of the entire vehicle body and in a draft portion in an outer surface of the vehicle body;
the traveling portion includes a plurality of wheels having a drive wheel and a driven wheel, a crawler belt wound around the plurality of wheels, and a movable support arm which supports at least a part of the plurality of wheels to be movable in a vertical direction;
the movable support arm is displaceable between a first state in which at least a part of the wheels is supported in a first position in a vertical direction and a second state in which at least a part of the wheels is supported in a second position which is on an upper side relative to the first position with respect to the vehicle body; and
the opening of the second cooling source introducing portion is disposed at a position which is closed by the movable support arm when the movable support arm is in the first state and at a position which is not closed by the movable support arm when the movable support arm is in the second state.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Shinichi
• ONOUE Mitsuo
• Matsunaga Takashi

Classifications

• B63H2011/081

  with axial flow, i.e. the axis of rotation being parallel to the flow direction · CPC title

• B60F3/0015

  comprising tracks specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B63H11/08 Primary

  of rotary type · CPC title

• B60F3/00

  Amphibious vehicles, i.e. vehicles capable of travelling both on land and on water; Land vehicles capable of travelling under water · CPC title

• B60F3/0053 Primary

  Particular devices for gas circulation, e.g. air admission, cooling, watertightness · CPC title