Tank enclosure with fan
AssigneeCaterpillar Paving Products Inc.
InventorsEric LeDoux, Rahul Jhavar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tank mounted into an enclosure with insulated sides is assembled into an engine compartment of a construction machine. A fan is coupled to the enclosure to draw air through the enclosure to cool a fluid in the tank, such as diesel exhaust fluid. A discharge pipe is used to exhaust the air from the enclosure external to the engine compartment.
Claims20
A tank assembly in a construction machine, the tank assembly comprising:
- an enclosure mounted inside an engine compartment of the construction machine, the enclosure having insulated sides and an insulated bottom, the enclosure having an open top;
- a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tank at least partially disposed inside the enclosure, and placed so that an air passage is created between the tank and at least one of the insulated sides, the DEF tank including a fill port;
- a drip pan proximate the fill port;
- and
- a fan sealably attached to the enclosure, the fan inducing movement of air through the air passage, the fan discharging the air to the environment via a discharge pipe coupled to an exhaust port of the fan.
A machine for use in construction, the machine comprising:
- a chassis having an engine compartment;
- a pair of drums supporting the chassis;
- an enclosure having insulated sides and an insulated bottom, the enclosure mounted in the engine compartment;
- a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tank disposed inside the enclosure so that an air passage is created between an insulated side and the DEF tank, the DEF tank including a fill port;
- a fan having an inlet and an exhaust port, the inlet directly connected to the enclosure, the fan inducing airflow through the air passage;
- a discharge pipe coupled to the exhaust port of the fan;
- and
- a drip pan proximate the fill port.
An airflow path for cooling a DEF tank in an enclosure with insulated sides that is part of a tank assembly mounted in an engine compartment of a construction machine, the airflow path comprising:
- an opening in the enclosure through which air is drawn;
- a fan that receives the air through an inlet and discharges the air through an exhaust port;
- and
- an air passage from the opening in the enclosure to the inlet of the fan, the air passage formed by an outer wall of the DEF tank and an inner wall of the enclosure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.