Cooler for a marine transmission gearbox

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016265649-A1
Application number	US-201615000126-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 19, 2016
Priority date	Mar 10, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cooler for cooling a marine transmission gearbox by a cooling fluid. The cooler ( 1 ) comprises a cooler housing ( 2 ) which is made of plastic and a heat sink element ( 3 ) which is arranged at least partially inside a cavity ( 39 ) of the cooler housing ( 2 ) so that the heat sink element ( 3 ) is in contact with the cooling fluid, during operation. The heat sink element ( 3 ) is attachable to the gearbox housing ( 4 ) of the marine transmission gearbox in such a way that heat is transferable from the gearbox housing ( 4 ), via the heat sink element ( 3 ), to the cooling fluid. A marine transmission gearbox with such a cooler ( 1 ) is also part of the present invention.

First claim

1 . A cooler for cooling a marine transmission gearbox by a cooling fluid,
wherein the cooler ( 1 ) comprises a cooler housing ( 2 ) which is made of plastic and a heat sink element ( 3 ) which is arranged at least partially inside a cavity ( 39 ) of the cooler housing ( 2 ), so that the heat sink element ( 3 ) is in contact with the cooling fluid, during operation, and the heat sink element ( 3 ) is attachable to the gearbox housing ( 4 ) of the marine transmission gearbox in such a way that heat is transferable from the gearbox housing ( 4 ), via the heat sink element, ( 3 ) to the cooling fluid.

2 . The cooler according to claim 1 , wherein the cooler housing ( 2 ) and the heat sink element ( 3 ) form a closed inner space for the cooling fluid flow inside the cooler ( 1 ) between an inlet connection ( 15 ) and an outlet connection ( 16 ).

3 . The cooler according to claim 1 , wherein a sealing ring is arranged between the heat sink element ( 3 ) and the cooler housing ( 2 ).

4 . The cooler according to claim 1 , wherein the heat sink element ( 3 ) comprises at least one rip ( 11 , 12 ) to increment thermal convection from the heat sink element ( 3 ) to the cooling fluid.

5 . The cooler according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one rip ( 11 , 12 ) is oriented in a direction of the flow of the cooling fluid.

6 . The cooler according to claim 1 , wherein the heat sink element ( 3 ) is made of aluminium, aluminium alloy or red brass.

7 . The cooler according to claim 1 , wherein the heat sink element ( 3 ) is salt water resistance surface treated.

8 . The cooler according to claim 1 , wherein the cooler housing ( 2 ) comprises an inlet connection ( 15 ) and an outlet connection ( 16 ) for the cooling fluid which are formed integrally with the cooler housing ( 2 ).

9 . The cooler according to claim 1 , wherein the cooler housing ( 2 ) is an injection moulded part.

10 . The cooler according to claim 1 , wherein the cooler housing ( 2 ) comprises at least one hole ( 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ) to fasten the cooler ( 1 ) to the gearbox housing ( 4 ) by at least one fastening bolt ( 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ).

11 . The cooler according to claim 10 , wherein the cooler housing ( 2 ) comprises at least one compression limiting element ( 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ), adapted to avoid damage to the plastic cooler housing ( 2 ) caused by fastening force of the fastening bolt ( 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ).

12 . The cooler according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one compression limiting element ( 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ) is a metal bushing.

13 . A marine transmission gearbox with a gearbox housing,
wherein a cooler ( 1 ), for cooling the marine transmission gearbox, according to claim 1 , is attached to a gearbox housing ( 4 )

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Zottele Michele
• Montagni Giuliano

Classifications

• B63H21/383

  for handling cooling-water (in outboard drives B63H20/28; in machines or engines in general F01P3/00) · CPC title

• F16H57/0417 Primary

  Heat exchangers adapted or integrated in the gearing · CPC title

• F16H57/0484

  with variable gear ratio or for reversing rotary motion · CPC title

• F16H57/0415 Primary

  Air cooling or ventilation; Heat exchangers; Thermal insulations · CPC title