TRANSMISSION-MOUNTABLE COOLER KIT AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND MOUNTING THE SAME

Abstract

A transmission-mountable transmission cooler and method of installing and manufacturing the same is provided. The transmission cooler is adapted to couple directly to the transmission via a power take-off aperture typically found on manual truck transmissions. As a result, the transmission cooler may be made from an extruded aluminum piece to which tool and die making has provides a bolt pattern that matches the bolt pattern of a standard power take-off cover of the power take-off aperture, resulting in a cost-effective method of installation and in turn manufacture.

Claims

1. A transmission cooling system, comprising: a transmission providing a power take-off aperture; a periphery of the power take-off aperture providing a plurality of mounting holes having a first pattern; an extruded cooler body extending between a first end and a second end; and each end providing a plurality of cooler holes matching, at least in part, the first pattern.

2. The transmission cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a power take-off mounting plate sandwiched between the first end and the said periphery.

3. A transmission cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fasteners for coupling the extruded cooler body to the transmission.

4. A method of manufacturing transmission coolers for the system of claim 1, comprising the steps of: shaping said extruded cooler body required to match the first pattern; providing said plurality of cooler holes into said extruded cooler body; extruding a length of said extruded cooler body, a distance of the length equal to or greater than an end distance between said first and second ends; and cutting said length at the end distance from a distal end thereof.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the distance of the length is eight to twelve feet, and wherein the end distance is two to four inches, whereby a plurality of the extruded cooler body may be manufactured from one length.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a section view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating installation; and

[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating an extended extruded cooling body as part of the inventive manufacturing process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

[0015] Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a transmission-mountable transmission cooler adapted to mount directly to the transmission via a power take-off aperture provided by the transmission. As a result, the transmission cooler may be made from an extruded aluminum piece to which tool and die making has provides a bolt pattern that matches the bolt pattern of standard power take-off covers typically found on manual truck transmissions, resulting in a cost-effective method of installation and in turn manufacture.

[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, the present invention may include a transmission-mountable cooler kit, the transmission-mountable cooler 10 being adapted to mount directly to the transmission 20 via a power take-off aperture 50 commonly provided by the transmission 20.

[0017] The transmission-mountable cooler 10 may be made from an extruded aluminum (or equivalent material) piece that provides a bolt pattern that matches the bolt pattern of a SAE PTO covers for said PTO apertures 50. The transmission-mountable cooler 10 provides a generally tubular body 60 defining an enclosure 52 dimensioned and adapted to be generally coextensive with the PTO aperture 50 in question. The body 60 may be generally rectangular (th ough with rounded corners) having two longitudinal sides 66 interconnected by two latitudinal sides 68, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Th latitudinal sides 68 provide latitudinal side cooling fins 18, while the longitudinal sides 66 provide longitudinal cooling fins 16.

[0018] The body 60 may extend from a first end 61 to a second end 62, which may be symmetrical and mirror images of each other. Each end 61 and 62 may provide a plurality of longitudinal mounting holes 12 and latitudinal mounting holes 14 provided to match the bolt pattern of SAE PTO cover (not shown) for the relevant PTO aperture 50. In certain embodiments the first end 61 may be interconnected along the PTO aperture 50 by a PTO mounting plate 22 having cooperating longitudinal plate mounting holes 24 and latitudinal mounting holes 26, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Note that the bolt pattern provided by the ends 61 and 62 may only match a portion of the pattern of mounting holes (24 and 26) provided by the transmission 20 and/or the PTO mounting plate 22, whereby a sufficient amount of cooler mounting holes 12 and 14 are provided to effectuate an operative engagement between the transmission 20 and the transmission cooler 10.

[0019] A method of making the present invention may include the following. A tool and die making process may be employed to manufacture the shape required to match the bolt pattern of the SAE PTO covers (to be replaced by the transmission-mountable cooler 10). An aluminum piece 28 is then extruded to lengths anywhere from 8 to 12 feet, as illustrated in FIG. 4. These lengths may then be cut to two to four-inch lengths; these shorter piecetransmission-mountable coolers 10will then fit on manual transmissions found on many trucks as, in effect, a PTO cover extension.

[0020] A method of using the present invention may include the following. The transmission-mountable cooler 10 disclosed above may be provided. A user may mount the first end 61 of the transmission-mountable cooler 10 along a PTO aperture 50 by aligning the relevant mounting holes and using standard SAE fasteners to couple the transmission-mountable cooler 10 to the transmission 20. In certain embodiments, a cooperating aligned PTO mounting plate 22 may be disposed between the transmission-mountable cooler 10 and the transmission 20. Then the user may similarly cap the SAE PTO cover over the second end 62.

[0021] The process of producing an aluminum part by extruding the part and only cutting it one time to achieve the final product is the most cost-effective way to produce a 6 bolt SAE PTO cover extension.

[0022] It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.