Hybrid utility vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11370266-B2
Application number	US-201916414217-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2019
Priority date	May 16, 2019
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

A cooling assembly for a hybrid vehicle includes a first cooling system configured to cool an engine and a second cooling system separate from the first cooling system and configured to cool a plurality of electrical components. The second cooling system is configured with a first method of cooling at least a first electrical component and is configured with a second method of cooling at least a second electrical component. The first method of cooling is different from the second method of cooling.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling assembly for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:
a first cooling system configured to cool an engine; and
a second cooling system separate from the first cooling system and configured to cool a plurality of electrical components including at least a low-voltage component and a high-voltage component, and the second cooling system includes a first cooling fluid path configured to cool at least the low-voltage electrical component and the high-voltage electrical component, and includes a second cooling fluid path configured to cool at least the high-voltage electrical component, and the first cooling fluid path is different from the second cooling fluid path,
the first cooling fluid path is a fluid-based cooling path configured to circulate ambient air having a first rate of cooling along an air flow pathway, the low-voltage components and the high-voltage components positioned in the air flow pathway such that the low-voltage components and the high-voltage components are directly cooled by a flow of air through the air flow pathway, and
the second cooling fluid path is a fluid-based cooling path configured to circulate liquid having a second rate of cooling different from the first rate of cooling.

2. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second cooling system includes at least one cooling plate configured to receive cooling fluid, and the at least one cooling plate is positioned intermediate the first and second electrical components.

3. The cooling assembly of claim 2 , wherein the high-voltage electrical component is cooled by both the first and second cooling fluids.

4. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second cooling system includes an air intake positioned along a first lateral side of the hybrid vehicle and a fan and a heat exchanger positioned along a second lateral side of the hybrid vehicle opposite the first lateral side, and the fan is configured to cooperate with the air intake for operation of the first cooling fluid path and the fan is configured to cooperate with the heat exchanger for operation of the second cooling fluid path.

5. The cooling assembly of claim 4 , wherein the air intake of the second cooling system defines a first air intake and the second cooling system further includes a second air intake angled relative to the first air intake.

6. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the air flow pathway defines an air intake at an upstream end thereof, the low-voltage electrical component positioned adjacent the air intake.

7. The cooling assembly of claim 6 , wherein the high-voltage electrical component is positioned within the air flow pathway downstream of the low-voltage electrical component.

8. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of ground-engaging members;
a frame assembly supported by the plurality of ground-engaging members;
an operator area supported by the frame assembly and including an operator seat and a front passenger seat;
an engine operably coupled to the plurality of ground-engaging members;
an electrical assembly operably coupled to at least one of the engine and the plurality of ground-engaging members, and the electrical assembly including at least one high-voltage component and at least one low-voltage component; and
a cooling assembly including a first cooling system fluidly coupled to the engine and a second cooling system separate from the first cooling system and fluidly coupled to the electrical assembly, and
the second cooling system includes an air intake on a lateral side of the hybrid vehicle, the air intake providing an inlet to a first cooling fluid path, and the at least one low-voltage component is positioned adjacent the air intake and in the first fluid cooling path,
the second cooling system is configured to receive ambient air through the air intake and flow the ambient air across the low-voltage and high-voltage components via the first fluid cooling path, and
the second cooling system further includes a second cooling fluid path configured to cool the high-voltage components.

9. The hybrid vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the second cooling system includes at least one cooling plate positioned intermediate the at least one high-voltage component and the at least one low-voltage component.

10. The hybrid vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the at least one high-voltage component is a motor controller and the at least one low-voltage component defines at least one battery.

11. The hybrid vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the motor controller is cooled by the ambient air from the first cooling fluid path and liquid cooling from the second cooling fluid path.

12. The hybrid vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the at least one high-voltage component is positioned downstream of the at least one low-voltage component along the first cooling fluid path.

13. The hybrid vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the second cooling system includes a housing having an inner volume and an outer surface, and the housing is configured to receive components of the electrical assembly within the inner volume and is configured to support components of the electrical assembly on the outer surface.

14. The hybrid vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the outer surface of the housing is configured to support a connection assembly for electrically coupling an external device to the electrical assembly of the vehicle.

15. The hybrid vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the electrical assembly includes a plurality of inputs configured to operate the vehicle in a plurality of drive modes, and the plurality of inputs is positioned within the operator area and angled toward the operator seat.

16. The hybrid vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the frame assembly includes a lower frame assembly and an upper frame assembly coupled to the lower frame assembly, and the upper frame assembly includes parallel members which are configured to receive an accessory mount thereon, wherein the accessory mount includes an accessory surface and an adjustable clamping assembly configured to translate between the parallel members.

17. The hybrid vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the accessory mount is positioned generally above the operator area.

18. The hybrid vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the adjustable clamping assembly is configured to apply pressure to at least one of the parallel members.

19. The hybrid vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the accessory surface is positioned above the parallel members and the adjustable clamping assembly is positioned between the parallel members.

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Borud Eric J
• Markstrom Jeremy M
• Thomas Michael A
• Miner Greg B
• Matko Christopher P
• Eichenberger Jeremy R
• Bracht Bradley A

Classifications

• B60K11/06

  with air cooling · CPC title

• B60K11/02

  with liquid cooling · CPC title

• B60H2001/00928

  comprising a secondary circuit · CPC title

• B60H1/004 Primary

  for vehicles having a combustion engine and electric drive means, e.g. hybrid electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60K11/00 Primary

  Arrangement in connection with cooling of propulsion units · CPC title