SNOW GROOMER

Abstract

Snow groomer with a propulsion system in which an endothermic engine is accommodated in an engine compartment adjacent to the cabin and provided with a liquid cooling system provided with a radiator coupled to a fan configured to suck an air flow into the engine compartment. An electronic control unit controls the on/off cycle of the fan based on a signal T.sub.Water that is a function of the measured temperature of the cooling liquid in the radiator and a reference signal T.sub.Water_ref representing a target temperature. The control unit processes a further control signal Tc relating to the amount of the heat flow from the engine to the cabin and compares the control signal Tc with a reference signal Tcref to control the start-up of the fan to generate the intake of air at room temperature into the engine compartment and the expulsion of hot air from the engine compartment.

Claims

1. A snow groomer comprising: a cabin accommodating an operator; a frame; a propulsion system mounted on the frame and comprising: a heat engine housed in an engine compartment adjacent to the cabin, the heat engine comprising: a liquid cooling system comprising a first radiator coupled to a first fan configured to suck a first air flow into the engine compartment, the air contributes to reducing a temperature of engine cooling liquid; a liquid cooling system of a hydraulic system comprising a second radiator coupled to a second fan configured to suck a second air flow into the engine compartment, the air contributes to reducing an oil temperature of the hydraulic system; an intercooler system in which a third radiator is configured to lower a temperature of air coming from a compressor before introducing the air into a cylinder of the heat engine, the third radiator coupled to a third fan configured to suck a third air flow into the engine compartment, the air reduces a temperature of air compressed by a turbocharger; a sensor configured to send, to the electronic control unit, a control signal Tc relating to an amount of heat flow from the heat engine to the cabin; and an electronic control unit that controls an on/off cycle of at least one of the first fan, the second fan and the third fan, the electronic control unit configured to: receive a signal T.sub.Water that is a function of a measured temperature of the engine cooling liquid in the first radiator, compare the received signal T.sub.Water with a reference signal T.sub.Water_ref representing a target temperature, and send a difference signal TW=(T.sub.WaterT.sub.Water_ref) to a first regulator to control a motor of the first fan, receive a signal T.sub.Oil that is a function of a measured oil temperature, compare the received signal T.sub.Oil with a reference signal T.sub.Oil_ref representing a target temperature, and send a difference signal TO=(T.sub.oilT.sub.oil_ref) to a second regulator to control a motor of the second fan; receive a signal T.sub.Air that is a function of the temperature of the air of the third air flow, compare the received signal T.sub.Air with a reference signal T.sub.Air_ref representing a target temperature, and send a difference signal TA(T.sub.AirT.sub.Air_ref) to a third regulator to control a motor of the third fan; and compare the control signal Tc with a reference signal Tcref to control a start-up of at least one of the motor of the first fan, the motor of the second fan and the motor of the third fan to decrease, as a whole, the heat flow from the engine to the cabin; and a plurality of drive wheels operated by the propulsion system.

2. The snow groomer of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor arranged inside the cabin.

3. The snow groomer of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor located in a space between a wall of the cabin and the heat engine.

4. The snow groomer of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit executes an algorithm configured to estimate the heat flow based on at least one of signals measured in the heat engine and signals measured in the cabin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0009] Further characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure will become clear from the following description of a non-limiting example of embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:

[0010] FIG. 1 is a side view of a snow groomer realized in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a top view of a snow groomer realized in accordance with the present disclosure; and

[0012] FIG. 3 shows the cabin temperature control system of the snow groomer realized according to the dictates of the present disclosure and shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, number 1 denotes as a whole a snow groomer comprising a frame 2, a propulsion system 3 (FIG. 2) mounted on the frame 2, a plurality of drive wheels 4 operated by the propulsion system 3 and a cabin 5 mounted in a front portion of the frame 2 and designed to accommodate at least one operator (not shown) in charge of driving the snow groomer vehicle 1.

[0014] In the example shown, there are provided two pairs of drive wheels 4 for each side of the frame 2 and a pair of tracks 6 each of which extends between the end drive wheels 4. A plurality of idle wheels 7 (four on each side but the number may be different, see FIG. 1) are arranged between the end drive wheels 4 and couple with the tracks 6.

[0015] The propulsion system 3 comprises an endothermic engine 8 (schematically represented in FIG. 2, for example a diesel engine) housed in an engine compartment and arranged in a rear portion of the frame 2. The motor 8 is connected with the drive wheels through a transmission (not shown).

[0016] The engine 8 is provided with a liquid cooling system provided with a first radiator 10 coupled to a fan 11 configured to suck an air flow LF into the engine compartment. The air taken in contributes to reducing the temperature of the engine cooling liquid.

[0017] The engine 8 is provided with a liquid cooling system of the hydraulic system provided with a second radiator 14 coupled to a fan 15 configured to suck an air flow LF into the engine compartment. The air taken in contributes to reducing the oil temperature of the hydraulic system.

[0018] The engine 8 is provided with an intercooler system in which a third radiator 18 (e.g., air-to-air or air-to-water), considerably lowers the temperature of the air coming from the compressor (e.g., turbo or volumetric) before introducing the air into the cylinders. The third radiator 18 is coupled to a fan 20 configured to suck an air flow LF into the engine compartment. The air taken in contributes to reducing the temperature of the air compressed by the turbocharger.

[0019] An electronic control unit 22 controls the on/off cycle of the first fan 11, the second fan 15 and the third fan 20.

[0020] The electronic control unit 22 receives a signal T.sub.Water that is a function of the measured temperature of the cooling liquid in the radiator 10 and compares the received signal T.sub.Water (FIG. 3, summing block S1) with a reference signal T.sub.Water ref representing a target temperature. The difference signal TW=(T.sub.WaterT.sub.Water ref) is sent to a first regulator R1 which controls (on/off by certain algorithms) the motor M1 of the first fan 11.

[0021] The electronic control unit 22 receives a signal T.sub.Oil that is a function of the measured oil temperature in the radiator 14 and compares the received signal T.sub.Oil (summing block S2) with a reference signal T.sub.Oil_ref representing a target temperature. The difference signal TO=(T.sub.oilT.sub.oil_ref) is sent to a second regulator R2 which controls (on/off by certain algorithms) the motor M2 of the second fan 15.

[0022] The electronic control unit 22 receives a signal T.sub.Air that is a function of the temperature of the air sucked into the engine and compares the received signal T.sub.Air (summing block S3) with a reference signal T.sub.Air ref representing a target air temperature. The difference signal TA=(T.sub.AirT.sub.Air ref) is sent to a third regulator R3 which controls (on/off by certain algorithms) the motor M3 of the third fan 20.

[0023] Furthermore, the snow groomer 1 generally comprises tools including a front shovel or blade 24 and a rear tiller 25 and trimmer 26.

[0024] The front shovel or blade 24 can be raised, lowered and oriented by actuators 27 to move desired amounts of snow, which can thus be removed, accumulated, distributed and shaped in accordance with needs.

[0025] The rear tool with tiller 25 and trimmer 26 enables obtaining the desired finish of the surface of the snowpack. The movement of the tools is carried out by the aforementioned hydraulic system.

[0026] The cabin 5 comprises two side walls 28 (only one is visible in FIG. 1) provided with glazed doors, a front wall 29 provided with a large windscreen 30, a bottom wall (not shown and constrained to the frame), a roof 31 and a rear wall 32 which is arranged facing the engine compartment. The rear wall 32 facing the engine compartment is covered with a layer of thermal insulation 33 configured to reduce thermal transfer by irradiation and convection from the engine 8 towards the cabin 5.

[0027] According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a sensor 40 is provided which sends to the electronic control unit 22 a further control signal Tc relating to the amount of heat flow from the engine 8 to the cabin 5. The sensor 40 includes a temperature sensor arranged inside the cabin 5 or a temperature sensor located in the space between the rear wall 32 and the motor 8.

[0028] In certain embodiments, the control signal Tc relating to the amount of heat flow from the engine 8 to the cabin 5 is estimatedfor example by using Artificial Intelligence algorithms-based on other signals/parameters measured in the engine and in the vehicle 8 (i.e., cooling liquid temperature, snow groomer speed, engine load, room temperature etc.).

[0029] In various embodiments, the signal Tc is compared with a reference signal Tcref and the difference signal TC=(Tc_TCref) is sent to a fourth regulator R4 which generates signals STRT1, STRT2, STRT3, for the start-up of the first motor M1, the second motor M2 or the third motor M3 to generate the intake of air at room temperature into the engine compartment and the expulsion of hot air from the engine compartment. Such a configuration decreases the thermal flow from the engine to the cabin.

[0030] In certain embodiments, the motors M1, M2 and M3 are used to control Tc in different combinations, depending on the operating status and configuration of the vehicle

[0031] In use, when the errors TW=(T.sub.WaterT.sub.Water ref), TO=(T.sub.oilT.sub.oil_ref) and/or TA=(T.sub.AirT.sub.Air_ref) have reduced value, the respective fans 11, 15 and 20 are not in action. Under such conditions, although the temperature of the cooling liquid, of the oil of the hydraulic system and of the sucked air is acceptable, due to the heat flow sent by the engine towards the cabin the latter begins to heat up although a layer of thermal insulation 33 is present. When the temperature measured by the sensor 40 or the estimate obtained by the algorithm leads to having a signal Tc that significantly exceeds the threshold, the regulator switches on one or more fans 11, 15 and 20 to generate the intake of air at room temperature into the engine compartment and the expulsion of hot air from the engine compartment. Such a configuration decreases the thermal flow from the engine to the cabin.

[0032] It is clear that the present disclosure is also applicable in variants not expressly described and falling within the scope of protection of the appended claims. That is, the present disclosure also covers embodiments that are not described in the detailed description above as well as equivalent embodiments that are part of the scope of protection set forth in the claims. Accordingly, various changes and modifications to the presently disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.