Cooling and heating system for electric snowmobile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025010703-A1
Application number	US-202318712747-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 29, 2023
Priority date	Jun 29, 2022
Publication date	Jan 9, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electric snowmobile having: a frame having a tunnel; a seat; at least one ski; a drive track; an electric motor; a battery pack; a charger; a cooling and heating system; and a temperature sensor. The cooling and heating system has: a valve having an inlet, and first and second outlets; a heat exchanger connected to the tunnel or defining part of the tunnel, the heat exchanger being fluidly connected to the first outlet; a heater fluidly connected to the second outlet; and a pump fluidly connected to the inlet. In a first position of the valve; the first outlet is open; and the second outlet is closed. In a second position of the valve; the first outlet is closed; and the second outlet is open.

First claim

1 . An electric snowmobile comprising:
a frame having a tunnel; a seat connected to the tunnel; at least one ski operatively connected to the frame; a drive track disposed at least in part under the tunnel; an electric motor supported by the frame, the electric motor being operatively connected to the drive track; a battery pack connected to the frame and electrically connected to the electric motor; a charger electrically connected to the battery pack; and a cooling and heating system comprising:
a valve having an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet;
a heat exchanger connected to the tunnel or defining part of the tunnel, the heat exchanger being fluidly connected to the first outlet of the valve;
a heater fluidly connected to the second outlet of the valve; and
a pump fluidly connected to the inlet of the valve for causing coolant flow through the cooling and heating system; and
a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of coolant in the cooling and heating system;
in a first position of the valve:
the first outlet of the valve being open;
the second outlet of the valve being closed; and
coolant pumped by the pump flowing:
from the valve to the heat exchanger,
from the heat exchanger to the charger, the battery pack and the electric motor, and
from the charger, the battery pack and the electric motor to the valve;

in a second position of the valve:
the first outlet of the valve being closed;
the second outlet of the valve being open; and
coolant pumped by the pump flowing:
from the valve to the heater,
from the heater to the battery pack and the electric motor, and
from the battery pack and the electric motor to the valve.

2 . The electric snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein in the first position of the valve, coolant pumped by the pump flows sequentially from the valve to the heat exchanger, from the heat exchanger to the charger, from the charger to the battery pack, from the battery pack to the electric motor, and from the electric motor to the valve.

3 . The electric snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein in the first position of the valve, coolant pumped by the pump flows sequentially from the charger to the heater, and from the heater to the battery pack.

4 . The electric snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein in the second position of the valve, coolant pumped by the pump flows sequentially from the valve to the heater, from the heater to the battery pack, from the battery pack to the electric motor, and from the electric motor to the valve.

5 . The electric snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein in the second position of the valve, coolant pumped by the pump bypasses the heat exchanger.

6 . The electric snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein in the second position of the valve, coolant pumped by the pump bypasses the charger.

7 . The electric snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein in the first and second positions of the valve, coolant pumped by the pump flows sequentially from the battery pack to the pump, and from the pump to the electric motor.

8 . The electric snowmobile of claim 1 , further comprising an inverter electrically connected to the battery pack;
wherein in the first and second positions of the valve, coolant pumped by the pump flows sequentially from the inverter to the battery pack.

9 . The electric snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor.

10 . The electric snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein:
the heat exchanger is fluidly connected between the first outlet of the valve and the charger; the charger is fluidly connected between the heat exchanger and the heater; the heater is fluidly connected between the charger and the battery pack; the heater is fluidly connected between the second outlet of the valve and the battery pack; the battery pack is fluidly connected between the heater and the electric motor; and the electric motor is fluidly connected between the battery pack and the inlet of the valve.

11 . The electric snowmobile of claim 10 , wherein the pump is fluidly connected between the battery pack and the electric motor.

12 . The electric snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein the cooling and heating system further comprises an expansion tank fluidly connected to the pump.

13 . The electric snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein in response to the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor being below a predetermined temperature:
moving the valve to the second position of the valve.

14 . The electric snowmobile of claim 13 , wherein in response to the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor being below a predetermined temperature and to the valve being in the second position of the valve:
turning the heater on in response to the charger being powered by an external power source.

15 . The electric snowmobile of claim 13 , wherein in response to the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor being below a predetermined temperature and to the valve being in the second position of the valve:
turning the heater off in response to the snowmobile being in use.

16 . The electric snowmobile of claim 15 , wherein in response to the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor being below the predetermined temperature, to the valve being in the second position of the valve, and to the snowmobile being in use:
applying electric power to the electric motor for generating heat in response to the snowmobile being at rest.

17 . The electric snowmobile of claim 13 , wherein:
the predetermined temperature is a first predetermined temperature; and in response to a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor being above a second predetermined temperature:
moving the valve to the first position of the valve,
the second predetermined temperature being higher than the first predetermined temperature.

18 . The electric snowmobile of claim 1 , wherein in response to the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor being above a predetermined temperature:
moving the valve to the first position of the valve.

Assignees

• Bombardier Recreational Products Inc

Inventors

• Driant Thomas
• Bourque Yannick
• Noel Antoine

Classifications

• H02K9/193

  with provision for replenishing the cooling medium; with means for preventing leakage of the cooling medium · CPC title

• B62M2027/028

  Snow mobiles characterised by chassis or bodywork · CPC title

• B62M2027/027

  Snow mobiles characterised by the tracks · CPC title

• B62M2027/023

  Snow mobiles characterised by engine mounting arrangements · CPC title

• B62M27/02

  power driven · CPC title