Vehicle frame
AssigneeOshkosh Truck Corporation
InventorsRyan F. Rowe, Gary Schmiedel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle frame assembly includes first and second generally parallel chassis rails. At least one of the first and second chassis rails has a first portion defining an internal cavity and at least a second portion defining an enclosed passageway extending along the first portion and within the internal cavity. The at least one of the first and second chassis rails is configured to be coupled to a first component and to provide a routing within the passageway between the first component and a second component.
Claims30
A vehicle frame assembly comprising:
- first and second generally parallel chassis rails formed from a heat-conductive material, at least one of the first and second chassis rails having a first portion defining an internal cavity and at least a second portion defining an enclosed fluid cooling passageway extending along the first portion and within the internal cavity;
- a first component coupled to the vehicle frame and a second component coupled to the vehicle frame;
- wherein the at least one of the first and second chassis rails is configured to be coupled to the first component and to provide a routing for a fluid within the fluid cooling passageway between the first component and the second component, so that the fluid is cooled by contact with the heat conductive material as the fluid flows between the first component and the second component.
A vehicle comprising:
- at least one driven axle assembly;
- a motor coupled to the axle for driving the axle;
- and
- at least one frame member formed from a heat-conductive material and supported relative to the axle, the frame member having an enclosed internal fluid cooling passageway extending along the frame member;
- wherein the frame member is in fluid communication with a vehicle component and with a fluid source supported relative to the frame member in order to facilitate the transfer of a fluid within the fluid cooling passageway between the fluid source and the vehicle component and cooling of the fluid by contact with the heat-conductive material of the at least one frame member.
A method of producing a vehicle frame for cooling a fluid, comprising:
- providing first and second generally parallel chassis rails formed from a heat conductive material, wherein providing each of the first and second chassis rails includes:
- providing a first portion defining an internal cavity;
- and
- providing at least a second portion defining an enclosed fluid cooling passageway having a heat transfer surface area extending along the first portion and within the internal cavity;
- configuring at least one of the first and second chassis rails to be coupled to at least a first component and a second component;
- and
- configuring the first and second chassis rails to provide a routing within the fluid cooling passageway between the first component and the second component, to cool the fluid as it flows between the first component and the second component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.