Engine cooling system for skid steer loaders

A skid steer loader, including:

• two pairs of ground engaging drive wheels;
• an operator's compartment positioned above and between the drive wheels;
• an attachment extending from the loader in front of the drive wheels and operator's compartment;
• an engine compartment at least partially located immediately behind the operator's compartment and behind the drive wheels, the engine compartment defined by top, bottom, front, rear and side wall portions, and wherein the rear wall portion form at least a section of a loader rear wall and the side wall portions form at least sections of loader side walls;
• a heat exchanger compartment located above at least a portion of the engine compartment behind the operator's compartment, the heat exchanger compartment defined by top, bottom, front, rear and side wall portions, and having an ambient air intake positioned adjacent an upper rear portion of the loader;
• an engine mounted within the engine compartment behind the operator's compartment;
• a radiator mounted within the heat exchanger compartment;
• a fan shroud mounted between the heat exchanger compartment and the engine compartment and having a first air intake aperture opening into the heat exchanger compartment, a second air intake aperture opening into the engine compartment, and a first exhaust port;
• fan means mounted for rotation within the fan shroud between the first and second air intake apertures, for drawing air into the fan shroud through the first and second air intake apertures;
• and
• fan drive means coupled between the engine and the fan means for rotating the fan means and thereby causing the fan means to induce a heat exchanger airflow of ambient air from the ambient air intake through the heat exchanger compartment and into the fan shroud through the first air intake aperture, to induce an engine compartment evacuation airflow from within the engine compartment into the fan shroud through the second air intake aperture, and to mix the heat exchanger and engine compartment evacuation airflows for joint discharge from the loader through the first exhaust port of the fan shroud.

A off-road vehicle, including:

• a loader main frame including a pair of spaced-apart upright members at its rear, an exhaust port extending through at least one of the upright members, front and rear cross members extending between an upper portion of the upright members, and an access opening between the rear of the upright members;
• a lower frame to which the main frame is mounted extending between lower edges of the upright members;
• a door enclosing the access opening at the rear of the upright members, the upright members and front and rear cross members of the main frame, the lower frame, and the door partially defining an engine compartment;
• a grill extending between the upright members and upper edges of the front and rear cross members, the upright members, front and rear cross members and grill partially defining a heat exchanger compartment located above a portion of the engine compartment;
• a fan shroud mounted below the front and rear cross members of the main frame and having an upper air intake aperture in communication with the heat exchanger compartment, a lower air intake aperture in communication with the engine compartment, and a first exhaust port laterally spaced from the upper and lower air intake apertures in communication with the exhaust port extending through the upright member;
• a radiator mounted within the heat exchanger compartment;
• an engine mounted to the lower frame within the engine compartment;
• a radial fan mounted for rotation within the fan shroud between the upper and lower air intake apertures;
• and fan drive means coupled between the radial fan and the engine for rotating the fan and thereby causing the fan to induce a heat exchanger airflow from the grill through heat exchanger compartment and into a fan shroud through the upper air intake aperture, to induce an engine compartment evacuation airflow from the engine compartment into the fan shroud through the lower air intake aperture, and to mix the heat exchanger and engine compartment evacuation airflows for joint discharge from the loader through the exhaust port of the fan shroud.