Cooling device for vehicle components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10995847-B2
Application number	US-201815895644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2018
Priority date	Feb 21, 2017
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a cooling device connected to components of a motor vehicle. The cooling device influencing a fluid flow moving past the vehicle components. In one example, a system may include a cooling device positioned below an oil sump. The cooling device may feature an apparatus such that a fluid flows between the apparatus and oil sump. The cooling device may also be positioned below a transmission housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drive unit for a motor vehicle having:
a motor with a motor oil sump;
a transmission with a transmission housing; and
a cooling device including a flow-guiding apparatus and a fastening apparatus, wherein the cooling device extends from a first end of the motor oil sump and to a second of the transmission housing opposite the first end of the motor oil sump, and the cooling device is fastened by the fastening apparatus;
the flow-guiding apparatus is arranged spaced apart from the motor oil sump and the transmission housing such that a cooling fluid may flow between the flow-guiding apparatus and the motor oil sump in a first section and the flow-guiding apparatus and the transmission housing in a second section, and a gap in the flow-guiding apparatus allows air flow to enter the flow-guiding apparatus between the first section and the second section.

2. The drive unit of claim 1 , wherein the flow-guiding apparatus has a planar shape and the planar shape bends at least once to vary a distance between the planar shape and the motor oil sump or the transmission housing.

3. The drive unit of claim 1 , wherein the flow-guiding apparatus is composed of metal.

4. The drive unit of claim 3 , wherein a distance between the first section of the flow-guiding apparatus and the motor oil sump varies, a distance between the second section and the transmission housing varies, and the variations in distance change with bends in a planar shape.

5. The drive unit of claim 4 , wherein the planar shape transitions at a bend from an orientation parallel with the motor oil sump or transmission housing to an orientation where a distance between the flow-guiding apparatus and the motor oil sump or the transmission housing decreases as the planar shape extends in a direction of the cooling fluid flow.

6. The drive unit of claim 4 , wherein a bend in the planar shape forms a spoiler edge which increases the distance between the planar shape and the motor oil sump or the transmission housing.

7. The drive unit of claim 6 , wherein the spoiler edge creates vacuum pressure.

8. The drive unit of claim 1 , wherein the motor oil sump and the transmission housing have ribs which fit within grooves of the flow-guiding apparatus.

9. A cooling device for a motor vehicle:
the cooling device positioned below a motor oil sump, and the cooling device including a flow-guiding apparatus and a fastening apparatus;
the flow-guiding apparatus extending along and arranged spaced apart from the motor oil sump, the flow-guiding apparatus formed as a plate comprising one or more bends and each bend changing the orientation of the plate relative to the motor oil sump;
a first portion of the plate arranged parallel to or extending toward the motor oil sump, and a second portion of the plate extending further toward the motor oil sump relative to the first portion;
the fastening apparatus connecting the cooling device and the motor oil sump such that a cooling fluid may flow between the flow-guiding apparatus the motor oil sump; and
ribs extending downward from the motor oil sump and the ribs fit within grooves within the flow-guiding apparatus.

10. The cooling device of claim 9 , wherein the flow-guiding apparatus includes two sections, a first section below the motor oil sump, and a second section below a transmission housing, and a gap between the first section and the second section allows cooling fluid to enter between the sections.

11. The cooling device of claim 10 , wherein the flow-guiding apparatus is a metal sheet, and
in a third portion, the plate is oriented such that a distance between the flow-guiding apparatus and the motor oil sump or transmission housing increases as the plate extends in a direction opposite the cooling fluid flow.

12. The cooling device of claim 11 , wherein in a fourth portion, a distance between the flow-guiding apparatus and the transmission housing increases as the plate extends in a direction of the cooling fluid flow.

13. The cooling device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more bends in the plate are formed to reduce downforce.

14. The cooling device of claim 9 , wherein each side of the groove and each side of the rib form face sharing contact.

15. A cooling device for a motor vehicle:
the cooling device connected to a transmission housing;
the cooling device including a flow-guiding apparatus and a fastening apparatus;
the flow-guiding apparatus formed as a plate extending along the transmission housing such that a cooling fluid may flow between the flow-guiding apparatus the transmission housing, and the plate comprising two or more bends which change an orientation of the plate relative to the transmission housing;
grooves within the plate of the flow-guiding apparatus which receive ribs of the transmission housing; and
the fastening apparatus connecting the cooling device and to planar shaped ribs extending from the transmission housing.

16. The cooling device of claim 15 , wherein a second section of the flow-guiding apparatus is further connected to a motor oil sump, and
the flow-guiding apparatus includes cooling fluid inlets positioned between the second section of the flow-guiding apparatus and a first section of the flow-guiding apparatus connected to the transmission housing.

17. The cooling device of claim 16 , wherein the flow-guiding apparatus is composed of plastic and includes rounded contours.

18. The cooling device of claim 15 , wherein the flow-guiding apparatus extends from a front of an engine to a rear of the transmission housing.

19. The cooling device of claim 18 , wherein the flow-guiding apparatus is a single component.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Gralka Bernhard

Classifications

• B60K11/06

  with air cooling · CPC title

• F01M2011/0025

  with heat exchangers · CPC title

• F01M5/002

  Cooling · CPC title

• F01M2011/0058

  Fastening to the transmission · CPC title

• F01P9/04 Primary

  by simultaneous or alternative use of direct air-cooling and liquid cooling (F01P9/02 takes precedence) · CPC title