Integrated mounting structure for an engine

{
  "publication_number": "US10625590B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Integrated mounting structure for an engine",
  "abstract": "A mounting bracket includes a single unitary sheet of material, and a top portion including a first cradle including a first concave surface defining a first radius of curvature and a first longitudinal axis, and a second cradle including a second concave surface defining a second radius of curvature that is different than the first radius of curvature and a second longitudinal axis that is parallel to the first longitudinal axis. A first pair of mounting surfaces may straddle either side of the first cradle, and a second pair of mounting surfaces may straddle either side of the second cradle.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A mounting structure for an engine assembly, the mounting structure comprising: a mounting bracket comprising a single unitary sheet of material, the mounting bracket including a top portion including a first cradle including a first concave surface defining a first radius of curvature and a first longitudinal axis; a second cradle including a second concave surface defining a second radius of curvature that is different than the first radius of curvature, the second concave surface also defining a second longitudinal axis that is parallel to the first longitudinal axis; a first pair of mounting surfaces straddling either side of the first cradle; and a second pair of mounting surfaces straddling either side of the second cradle.",
    "2. The mounting structure of claim 1 further comprising a left side attachment surface that is flat.",
    "3. The mounting structure of claim 1 further comprising a first plurality of mounting bosses.",
    "4. The mounting structure of claim 3 wherein each of the first plurality of mounting bosses defines an aperture that is configured to receive a fastener.",
    "5. The mounting structure of claim 4 wherein at least one of the first plurality of mounting bosses is disposed adjacent and below the second cradle.",
    "6. The mounting structure of claim 4 wherein the mounting bracket includes a bottom portion and at least two of the first plurality of mounting bosses are disposed adjacent the bottom portion of the mounting bracket.",
    "7. The mounting structure of claim 2 further comprising a right side attachment surface that is flat.",
    "8. The mounting structure of claim 7 wherein the left side attachment surface is not parallel to the right side attachment surface and the left side attachment surface is parallel to the first longitudinal axis of the first cradle and to the second longitudinal axis of the second cradle.",
    "9. The mounting structure of claim 1 wherein the material is aluminum.",
    "10. The mounting structure of claim 3 further comprising an outer annular wall including a cylindrical configuration with a circumferential direction, and an inner annular wall including a substantially triangular wall, the inner annular wall being offset inwardly from the outer annular wall and the outer annular wall being disposed below the first cradle and the second cradle, the outer annular wall further comprising a second plurality of mounting bosses forming a circular array disposed circumferentially on the outer annular wall.",
    "11. An engine assembly comprising: an engine block; a mounting structure including: a mounting bracket comprising a single unitary sheet of material; and the mounting bracket including a top portion including a first cradle including a first concave surface defining a first radius of curvature and a first longitudinal axis; a second cradle including a second concave surface defining a second radius of curvature that is greater than the first radius of curvature, the second concave surface also defining a second longitudinal axis and including a front portion and a rear portion disposed along the second longitudinal axis, the mounting bracket also including a projection extending upwardly from the second concave surface disposed proximate the rear portion of the of the second concave surface; an AC compressor contacting the first cradle; and an alternator contacting the second cradle.",
    "12. The engine assembly of claim 11 further comprising a left side attachment surface that is flat and an oil filter assembly attached to the left side attachment surface.",
    "13. The engine assembly of claim 11 further comprising a first plurality of mounting bosses and each of the first plurality of mounting bosses defines an aperture that is configured to receive a fastener, the engine assembly further comprising a first plurality of idler wheels, each of the first plurality of idler wheels being attached to the one of the first plurality of mounting bosses.",
    "14. The engine assembly of claim 13 wherein at least one of the first plurality mounting bosses is disposed adjacent and below the second cradle.",
    "15. The engine assembly of claim 14 wherein the mounting bracket includes a bottom portion and at least three of the first plurality of the mounting bosses are disposed adjacent the bottom portion of the mounting bracket, one of the three mounting bosses is a middle mounting boss being disposed between two of the other mounting bosses that are disposed adjacent the bottom portion of the mounting bracket, and the engine assembly further comprises an auto-tensioner assembly attached to middle mounting boss.",
    "16. The engine assembly of claim 12 further comprising a right side attachment surface that is flat.",
    "17. The engine assembly of claim 16 wherein the left side attachment surface is not parallel to the right side attachment surface, the engine assembly further comprising a fuel filter assembly attached to the right side attachment surface.",
    "18. The engine assembly of claim 11 wherein the mounting bracket defines a plurality of core out cavities and includes a first top attachment surface disposed proximate the left side attachment surface and a second top attachment surface disposed proximate the right side attachment surface.",
    "19. The engine assembly of claim 11 further comprising an outer annular wall including a cylindrical configuration and an inner annular wall including a substantially triangular configuration, the inner annular wall being offset inwardly from the outer annular wall and the outer annular wall being disposed below the first cradle and the second cradle.",
    "20. The engine assembly of claim 19 further comprising a fuel pump cover attached to the inner annular wall."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to a mounting structure for installing components and systems to an engine. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to such a mounting structure that facilitates the service of various components and systems of an engine while also keeping the operating parameters of these various components and systems within desired operating ranges.\n\nInternal combustion engines are often used in earth moving, construction and mining equipment and the like. In a conventional engine configuration, a plurality of components such as fuel filter, oil filter, fuel pump timing adjustment cover, water lines, ATAAC (air to air after cooler) lines etc. are mounted on the engine. More particularly, an alternator is placed near to the exhaust system. As a result, it leads to damage of the alternator at high temperature conditions. Moreover, in many current engine configurations, there is no other space available to mount the alternator.\n\nMore particularly, it is often necessary to drive an AC (air conditioner) compressor and alternator by constant belt tension, using power from crankshaft while not exceeding the maximum ambient temperature of 105 degrees centigrade (for the alternator) and still be able to provide mounting for fuel filter, oil filter, fuel pump timing adjustment cover, water lines, and ATAAC lines to the engine. Preferably, these needs should be accomplished without straining the front housing of the engine while also allowing easy servicing of the various components such as the fuel and oil filters, etc.",
  "cpc": [
    "B60K 5/1216",
    "B60K 2025/022",
    "B60K 25/02",
    "B60K 5/12",
    "B60Y 2306/05",
    "F02B 63/044",
    "F02B 63/06",
    "F02B 67/06"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60K 5/12"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Caterpillar Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Samuel Shanti Kumar",
    "Eric LaVere Abernathy",
    "Derek Paul Grove"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-01-28",
  "publication_date": "2020-04-21",
  "grant_date": "2020-04-21",
  "priority_date": "2019-01-28",
  "application_number": "US-201916259535-A",
  "family_id": "70285242",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
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}