GB2126799A - Cooling of a generator for an i.c. engine - Google Patents

Abstract

The generator 12 of an internal combustion engine 1 is cooled by a proportion of the engine intake air flowing to the intake air filter 7. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Internal combustion engine having an electric generator The invention relates to an internal combustion engine, preferably intended for driving motor vehicles, having an electric generator driven by the internal combustion engine.

Modern generators are cooled by a built-on or built-in fan. Furthermore, it is known to feed external air through a flexible pipe in the case of generators of commercial vehicles, or to provide independent air cooling by means of an additional blower.

An object of the invention is to avoid the losses occurring in the known generators described above, and to reduce the noise caused by the fan of the generator.

The present invention consists of an internal combustion engine having a filter for the intake air and an electric generator driven by the internal combustion engine, and a piping arrangement for conducting at least a portion of the engine intake air through the generator for the purpose of cooling the latter.

It is particularly advantageous to dispose, upstream of the point of entry of the intake air into the filter, a control member for adjusting or regulating the proportion of the intake air conducted through the generator.

The invention will be further described hereinafter by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic illustration of one embodiment of internal combustion engine according to the invention.

An enclosed air-cooled generator 2 is secured to the internal combustion engine 1 of a passenger or commercial vehicle and is driven by the crankshaft 6 of the internal combustion engine by way of belt pulleys 3 and 4 and a V-belt 5.

The intake air of the internal combustion engine 1 is conducted through a filter 7. An externally adjustable flap 9 acting as a control member for adjusting or regulating the proportion of the intake air to be guided across the generator is provided directly upstream of the point 8 at which the intake air enters the filter 7. A flexible air inlet tube 10 branches off in the region upstream of the control flap 9 and, in the illustrated embodiment, leads to the generator bearing plate 1 2 remote from the generator drive, from where the intake air flows through the generator 1 in the longitudinal direction thereof and emerges from the generator at the bearing plate 1 2 at the drive end thereof and is introduced directly into the filter through a flexible pipe 14.

Thus, the generator is located in a by-pass extending in parallel with the flap 9, the intake air subsequently being fed from the filter to a carburettor or injection system (not illustrated in the drawing) of the internal combustion engine.

In a development of the invention, the by-pass flap 8 (or an equivalent slide valve) can be controlled or regulated such that an additional air flow is drawn in by the generator only when the generator is under load, for example in dependence upon the temperature of the winding or the temperature of semiconductor rectifiers provided in the generator, when the generator is an a.c. generator.

The arrangement in accordance with the invention has the following advantages: Cooling without additional expense, cooling of the generator with cool air, in contrast to the normal method of cooling in which the generator also has to function with hot air from the engine compartment, heating of the engine intake air by the generator power losses, hose conduits for inlet air and exhaust air less expensive than an additional blower.

Claims

1. An internal combustion engine having a filter for the intake air and an electric generator driven by the internal combustion engine, and a piping arrangement for conducting at least a portion of the engine intake air through the generator for the purpose of cooling the latter.

2. An engine as claimed in claim 1, in which a control member for adjusting or regulating the proportion of the intake air of the internal combustion engine conducted through the generator is disposed upstream of the point at which the intake air enters the filter.

3. An internal combustion engine constructed and with its generator arranged to be cooled substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Internal combustion engine having an electric generator The invention relates to an internal combustion engine, preferably intended for driving motor vehicles, having an electric generator driven by the internal combustion engine. Modern generators are cooled by a built-on or built-in fan. Furthermore, it is known to feed external air through a flexible pipe in the case of generators of commercial vehicles, or to provide independent air cooling by means of an additional blower. An object of the invention is to avoid the losses occurring in the known generators described above, and to reduce the noise caused by the fan of the generator. The present invention consists of an internal combustion engine having a filter for the intake air and an electric generator driven by the internal combustion engine, and a piping arrangement for conducting at least a portion of the engine intake air through the generator for the purpose of cooling the latter. It is particularly advantageous to dispose, upstream of the point of entry of the intake air into the filter, a control member for adjusting or regulating the proportion of the intake air conducted through the generator. The invention will be further described hereinafter by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic illustration of one embodiment of internal combustion engine according to the invention. An enclosed air-cooled generator 2 is secured to the internal combustion engine 1 of a passenger or commercial vehicle and is driven by the crankshaft 6 of the internal combustion engine by way of belt pulleys 3 and 4 and a V-belt 5. The intake air of the internal combustion engine 1 is conducted through a filter 7. An externally adjustable flap 9 acting as a control member for adjusting or regulating the proportion of the intake air to be guided across the generator is provided directly upstream of the point 8 at which the intake air enters the filter 7. A flexible air inlet tube 10 branches off in the region upstream of the control flap 9 and, in the illustrated embodiment, leads to the generator bearing plate 1 2 remote from the generator drive, from where the intake air flows through the generator 1 in the longitudinal direction thereof and emerges from the generator at the bearing plate 1 2 at the drive end thereof and is introduced directly into the filter through a flexible pipe 14. Thus, the generator is located in a by-pass extending in parallel with the flap 9, the intake air subsequently being fed from the filter to a carburettor or injection system (not illustrated in the drawing) of the internal combustion engine. In a development of the invention, the by-pass flap 8 (or an equivalent slide valve) can be controlled or regulated such that an additional air flow is drawn in by the generator only when the generator is under load, for example in dependence upon the temperature of the winding or the temperature of semiconductor rectifiers provided in the generator, when the generator is an a.c. generator. The arrangement in accordance with the invention has the following advantages: Cooling without additional expense, cooling of the generator with cool air, in contrast to the normal method of cooling in which the generator also has to function with hot air from the engine compartment, heating of the engine intake air by the generator power losses, hose conduits for inlet air and exhaust air less expensive than an additional blower. Claims

1. An internal combustion engine having a filter for the intake air and an electric generator driven by the internal combustion engine, and a piping arrangement for conducting at least a portion of the engine intake air through the generator for the purpose of cooling the latter.

2. An engine as claimed in claim 1, in which a control member for adjusting or regulating the proportion of the intake air of the internal combustion engine conducted through the generator is disposed upstream of the point at which the intake air enters the filter.

3. An internal combustion engine constructed and with its generator arranged to be cooled substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.