Engine compartment cooling system

Abstract

In combination with an engine compartment including an engine, a hood, and at least two front quarter panel side walls defining an interior engine compartment, an engine compartment cooling system includes a clear hole made in at least one of the side walls positioned between a passenger compartment and a forward portion of a fender wheel well. At least one axial fan assembly has a fan housing, a plurality of fan blades, a motor shaft, and a fan motor. The fan assembly is mounted in the clear hole. A fan motor controller is connected to the fan motor, and a heated air flow path, which originates from the engine, is exhausted outwardly through the fan assembly into an ambient air flow for cooling of the engine compartment.

1 . In combination with an engine compartment having an engine, a hood, and at least two front quarter panel side walls defining an interior engine compartment, an engine compartment cooling system, comprises:
 (a) a clear hole in at least one of the side walls positioned between a passenger compartment and a forward portion of a fender wheel well;   (b) at least one axial fan assembly having a fan housing, a plurality of fan blades, a motor shaft, and a fan motor, the fan assembly mounted in the clear hole;   (c) a fan motor controller connected to the fan motor; and   (d) a heated air flow path which originates from the engine and is exhausted outwardly through the fan assembly into an ambient air flow for cooling of the engine compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The engine compartment cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor controller is manually operated from an interior of the passenger compartment. 
     
     
         3 . The engine compartment cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor controller is thermostatically operated. 
     
     
         4 . The engine compartment cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fan assembly includes at least two fans and fan motors. 
     
     
         5 . The engine compartment cooling system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an exhaust shutter connected to the housing so that the air flow path is variably restricted. 
     
     
         6 . The engine compartment cooling system according to  claim 5 , wherein the exhaust shutter is manually operated. 
     
     
         7 . The engine compartment cooling system according to  claim 5 , wherein the exhaust shutter is thermostatically operated. 
     
     
         8 . The engine compartment cooling system according to  claim 5 , further including a channeled exhaust shutter frame connected to an outer surface of the quarter panel in horizontal alignment with the fan assembly, having a top, bottom and side flanged walls and wherein the exhaust shutter is a panel slidably received in the flanged walls of the shutter frame. 
     
     
         9 . The engine compartment cooling system according to  claim 5  wherein the exhaust shutter is plurality of baffles so that the air flow is variably restricted when operating the baffles inwardly. 
     
     
         10 . In combination with an engine compartment having an engine, a hood, and at least two front quarter panel side walls defining an interior engine compartment, a method for cooling the engine compartment, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a clear hole in at least one of the side walls positioned between a passenger compartment and a forward portion of a fender wheel well;   (b) providing at least one axial fan assembly having a fan housing, a plurality of fan blades, a motor shaft, and a fan motor, the fan assembly mounted in the clear hole;   (c) providing a fan motor controller connected to the fan motor;   (d) generating a heated air flow path from the engine into the engine compartment;   (e) operating the fan motor with the fan motor controller; and   (f) exhausting the heated air flow path outwardly from the engine compartment through the fan assembly into an ambient air flow.   
     
     
         11 . The method for cooling an engine compartment according to  claim 10 , wherein the fan motor controller is manually operated from an interior of the passenger compartment. 
     
     
         12 . The method for cooling an engine compartment according to  claim 10 , wherein the fan motor controller is thermostatically operated. 
     
     
         13 . The method for cooling an engine compartment according to  claim 10 , wherein the fan housing is configured to include at least two axial fans. 
     
     
         14 . The method for cooling an engine compartment according to  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of providing an exhaust shutter assembly and connecting the exhaust shutter assembly to the housing so that the air flow path is variably restricted. 
     
     
         15 . The method for cooling an engine compartment according to  claim 14 , wherein the exhaust shutter is manually operated. 
     
     
         16 . The method for cooling an engine compartment according to  claim 14 , wherein the exhaust shutter is thermostatically operated. 
     
     
         17 . The method for cooling an engine compartment according to  claim 14 , further comprising the steps of providing a channeled frame member including a top, bottom and side flanged walls and connecting the channeled frame member to at least one of the quarter panels in alignment with the fan assembly and wherein the exhaust shutter is a panel slidably received in the channeled frame member, and sliding the panel horizontally in the channeled frame member so that the air flow is variably restricted. 
     
     
         18 . The method for cooling an engine compartment according to  claim 14 , wherein the exhaust shutter is plurality of baffles and closing the baffles so that the air flow is variably restricted.