US 6,648,089 B1Granted

Cooling module mounting system and assembly process

AssigneeInternational Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC

InventorsScott A. Wooldridge, Thomas E. Kirk, Eric M. Strauch

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Abstract

A cooling module mounting system and method of mounting the package to a vehicle is described. A chassis cross member for providing vertical support to the cooling package is sub-assembled to the cooling module separate from the vehicle where the two mounting surfaces can be held parallel to one another eliminating the possibility of unevenly preloading the isolator. Then this pre-assembled isolated system can be mounted on the truck chassis without changing the relationship of the compressed isolator when the module is bolted down during truck assembly. This system eliminates the fore aft adjustment variability allowing for more control over the static location and isolator compression of the cooling module in the truck. The stay rods used eliminate variation in the rod isolator compression during mounting. The stay rod also allows for controlled multi-axial movement with a mounting centerline perpendicular to the input loads.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method for installing an engine cooling package onto a chassis for a mobile vehicle, the chassis having two generally parallel frame rails connected by rearward cross members, comprised of the steps of:

engaging a radiator to a radiator frame, along with engaging engine coolant inlet and outlet nozzles to the radiator to form a cooling package;
engaging a lower horizontal face of the cooling package to an upper horizontal face of a chassis cross member while preloading compressible isolators at the mating area between the cooling package and the chassis cross member to form a cooling module, the chassis cross member having a front face engaged to the upper horizontal face and a member right side and a member left side, the member right side and left sides having narrowed member edges, and the cooling module having mounting areas for stay rods;
engaging a frame mounted bracket to each frame rail along an assembly line;
engaging a rear stay bracket rearward of the frame mounted bracket on each frame rail along an assembly line, said stay rods containing a transition zone with a shape to set the angle of stay rods upon attachment to each rear stay bracket;
moving the cooling module to a main assembly line for chassis engagement, the chassis moving along the assembly line;
lowering the cooling module to the frame rails to engage the chassis cross member right and left sides to the frame mounted bracket on each frame rail without changing the preload of the isolators between the cooling package and the chassis cross member;
connecting the chassis cross member to the frame mounted castings through fasteners;
and
engaging stay rods between the mounting areas on the cooling module and the rear stay brackets to achieve the proper angle of the cooling package relative to the frame rails.

6 more elements

A method for installing an engine cooling package onto a chassis for a mobile vehicle, the chassis having two generally parallel frame rails connected by rearward cross members. comprised of the steps of:

engaging a radiator to a radiator frame, along with engaging engine coolant inlet and outlet nozzles to the radiator;
engaging a radiator reservoir to the radiator frame and plumbing the reservoir to the radiator to form a cooling package containing the radiator, the frame, the radiator nozzles and the reservoir;
engaging a lower horizontal face of the cooling package to an upper horizontal face of a chassis cross member while preloading compressible isolators at the mating area between the cooling package and the chassis cross member to form a cooling module, the chassis cross member having a front face engaged to the upper horizontal face and a member right side and a member left side, the member right side and left sides having narrowed member edges, and the cooling module having mounting areas for stay rods;
engaging a frame mounted bracket to each frame rail along an assembly line;
engaging a rear stay bracket rearward of the frame mounted bracket on each frame rail along an assembly line, said stay rods containing a transition zone with a shape to set the angle of stay rods upon attachment to each rear stay bracket;
moving the cooling module to a main assembly line for chassis engagement, the chassis moving along the assembly line;
lowering the cooling module to the frame rails to engage the chassis cross member right and left sides to the frame mounted bracket on each frame rail without changing the preload of the isolators between the cooling package and the chassis cross member;
connecting the chassis cross member to the frame mounted castings through fasteners;
and
engaging stay rods between the mounting areas on the cooling module and the rear stay brackets to achieve the proper angle of the cooling package relative to the frame rails.

7 more elements

A mobile vehicle chassis manufactured by the steps comprised of:

engaging two generally parallel frame rails through rearward cross members;
engaging a radiator to a radiator frame, along with engaging engine coolant inlet and outlet nozzles to said radiator to form a cooling package;
engaging a lower horizontal face of said cooling package to an upper horizontal face of a chassis cross member while preloading compressible isolators at the mating area between said cooling package and said chassis cross member to form a cooling module, said chassis cross member having a front face engaged to said upper horizontal face and a member right side and a member left side, said member right side and left sides having narrowed member edges, and said cooling module having mounting areas for stay rods;
engaging a frame mounted bracket to each frame rail along an assembly line;
engaging a rear stay bracket rearward of said frame mounted bracket on each frame rail along an assembly line, said stay rods containing a transition zone with a shape to set a mounting angle of stay rods upon attachment to each rear stay bracket;
moving said cooling module to a main assembly line for chassis engagement, said chassis moving along the assembly line;
lowering said cooling module to said frame rails to engage said chassis cross member right and left sides to said frame mounted bracket on each frame rail without changing said preload of said isolators between said cooling package and said chassis cross member;
connecting said chassis cross member to the frame mounted brackets through fasteners;
and
engaging stay rods between said mounting areas on said cooling module and said rear stay brackets to achieve the proper angle of said cooling package relative to said frame rails.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.