# US 11,441,476 B2 · Vehicle

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- Number: US 11,441,476 B2
- Document ID: US11441476B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/367,721
- Filed: 2021-07-06
- Published: 2022-01-13
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-07-07
- Assignees: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Ryoji Nishiwaki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441476B2

## CPC

- F01P 5/043: {Pump reversing arrangements}
- F01P 11/10: Guiding or ducting cooling-air, to, or from, liquid-to-air heat exchangers
- F01P 5/02: Pumping cooling-air; Arrangements of cooling-air pumps, e.g. fans or blowers
- F01P 5/06: Guiding or ducting air to, or from, ducted fans
- B60Y 2200/20: Off-Road Vehicles
- F01P 2005/046: {with electrical pump drive}
- F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28)
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

## Abstract

A vehicle includes an air-path portion, an engine, and a rotating fan located more rearward than first and second seats. A wind pressure near the air-path portion located on a side surface of the vehicle is detected by a pressure sensor, and based on a detection result, an ECU controls a direction of rotation of the rotating fan. The rotating fan introduces/discharges air to/from an engine room via the air-path portion. If the pressure sensor detects a negative pressure, the rotating fan is controlled so as to discharge air from the engine room via the air-path portion. On the other hand, if the pressure sensor detects zero or a positive pressure, the rotating fan is controlled so as to introduce air to the engine room from the air-path portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle including an air-path portion, the vehicle comprising:
a first seat for a driver;
a second seat located next to the first seat;
an engine located more rearward than the first seat and the second seat;
a rotating fan located more rearward position than the first seat and the second seat to introduce/discharge air via the air-path portion to/from a region where the engine is disposed;
a pressure sensor to detect an air pressure of the vehicle near the air-path portion; and
a controller configured or programmed to control a direction of rotation of the rotating fan based on a detection result from the pressure sensor; wherein
the air-path portion is located more rearward than the first seat and the second seat and opens to a side surface of the vehicle; and
the controller is configured or programmed to control the rotating fan so as to discharge air from the region where the engine is disposed via the air-path portion when the pressure sensor detects a negative pressure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
the controller is configured or programmed to control the direction of rotation of the rotating fan based on a detection result from the pressure sensor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to control the rotating fan so as to introduce air to the region where the engine is disposed via the air-path portion when the pressure sensor detects zero or a positive pressure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the pressure sensor is located farther outward on the vehicle than the rotating fan.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising:
a rear wheel; wherein
the pressure sensor is located more forward than the rear wheel; and
the vehicle further comprises a shield located between the pressure sensor and the rear wheel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an axis of rotation of the rotating fan extends in a direction toward the region where the engine is disposed.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a radiator located between the air-path portion and the engine to receive air from the rotating fan via the air-path portion.