초록 ▼

An integrated heat exchanger and engine mount for a snowmobile that reinforces the snowmobile chassis is disclosed. The heat exchanger is formed with an internal passage through which a vehicle fluid may be circulated and cooled. The heat exchanger is also formed with increased rigidity to strengthe

An integrated heat exchanger and engine mount for a snowmobile that reinforces the snowmobile chassis is disclosed. The heat exchanger is formed with an internal passage through which a vehicle fluid may be circulated and cooled. The heat exchanger is also formed with increased rigidity to strengthen the chassis and support an engine mount.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A snowmobile, comprising: a chassis, an engine supported by the chassis, a drive track, the engine coupled to a drive train for propelling the drive track, a pair of steerable skis suspended from the chassis, and a straddle type seat supported by the chassis; a heat exchanger

What is claimed is: 1. A snowmobile, comprising: a chassis, an engine supported by the chassis, a drive track, the engine coupled to a drive train for propelling the drive track, a pair of steerable skis suspended from the chassis, and a straddle type seat supported by the chassis; a heat exchanger including a reinforced portion for supporting the engine, the heat exchanger mounted to the chassis and containing an inner passage for carrying heat absorbing fluid, the heat exchanger having a heat exchanging outer surface for dissipating heat from fluid carried by the inner passage; and an engine mounting assembly mounting the engine to the chassis and including a resilient member to dampen engine vibration, the engine mounting assembly including a connector operatively connected to the engine that directly connects to the reinforced portion of the heat exchanger to mount the engine to the chassis. 2. The snowmobile of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is operatively connected in fluid communication with the engine and carries an engine fluid. 3. The snowmobile of claim 2, wherein the engine fluid is liquid coolant. 4. The snowmobile of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is mounted adjacent to the drive track and in the path of snow circulated by the drive track during operation. 5. The snowmobile of claim 4, wherein the heat exchanger is mounted forward of the drive track. 6. The snowmobile of claim 1, wherein the engine mounting assembly includes an engine strap connected to the engine, and the resilient member is connected between the engine strap and the heat exchanger. 7. The snowmobile of claim 1, wherein the inner passage is L-shaped and the reinforced portion forms a generally triangular shape with the L-shaped inner passage. 8. The snowmobile of claim 1, wherein the reinforced portion of the heat exchanger is positioned adjacent a chassis wall to increase the rigidity of the chassis wall. 9. The snowmobile of claim 8, wherein the connector couples the engine, the reinforced portion of the heat exchanger, and the chassis wall together to support the engine. 10. The snowmobile of claim 8, wherein the chassis includes a rear portion forming an inverted U-shaped drive tunnel, the chassis wall being generally transverse to the vehicle and located at a forward end of the drive tunnel to form a close-off panel. 11. The snowmobile of claim 8, wherein the engine mounting assembly includes an engine support connected to the engine, and the chassis wall is positioned between the reinforced portion of the heat exchanger and the engine support. 12. The snowmobile of claim 8, wherein the reinforced portion of the heat exchanger is shaped to conform to the chassis wall to increase the rigidity of the chassis wall. 13. The snowmobile of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is formed to include an interior cavity to increase the rigidity of the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger being mounted to the chassis to increase the rigidity of the chassis. 14. The snowmobile of claim 13, wherein the heat exchanger include a plurality of stiffening ribs that extend into the interior cavity to increase the rigidity of the heat exchanger. 15. The snowmobile of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is coupled to the chassis at a plurality of locations to increase the rigidity of the chassis. 16. The snowmobile of claim 1, wherein the chassis is formed from a plurality of panels and the heat exchanger is coupled to multiple chassis panels to reinforce the multiple chassis panels to increase the rigidity of the chassis. 17. An integrated engine mount and heat exchanger for a vehicle comprising a heat exchanger having an outer surface configured to dissipate heat from within the heat exchanger, an inner passage for carrying heat absorbing fluid, and a reinforced engine mount portion formed integrally with the heat exchanger and having an aperture configured to receive an engine mount connector to couple the heat exchanger to the engine. 18. The integrated engine mount and heat exchanger of claim 17, wherein the inner passage and the reinforced engine mount portion form a generally triangular shape with the inner passage forming two of the sides of the triangular shape and the reinforced engine mount portion forms the third side of the triangular shape. 19. The integrated engine mount and heat exchanger of claim 17, wherein the reinforced engine mount portion connects to the inner passage to form an open-air cavity. 20. The integrated engine mount and heat exchanger of claim 17, wherein the inner passage is sealed off from the reinforced engine mount portion. 21. The integrated engine mount and heat exchanger of claim 17, wherein the aperture is defined by a threaded portion that threadably receives the engine mount connector. 22. The integrated engine mount and heat exchanger of claim 17, further including an inlet and an outlet through which the heat exchange fluid is circulated. 23. The integrated engine mount and heat exchanger of claim 17, wherein the reinforced engine mount portion and the inner passage are formed from a single extrusion. 24. The integrated engine mount and heat exchanger of claim 17, wherein the outer surface of the heat exchanger is formed to include a plurality of cooling fins. 25. A vehicle comprising: a chassis; an engine supported by the chassis; a heat exchanger coupled to the chassis, the heat exchanger comprising an integrally formed reinforced engine mount portion configured to support the engine, an inner passage configured to receive heat exchange fluid, and a heat exchanging outer surface configured to dissipate heat from the fluid in the inner passage; and an engine mounting assembly configured to couple the engine to the chassis, the engine mounting assembly comprising a resilient member to dampen engine vibration, and a connector having a first portion coupled to the engine and a second portion coupled to the reinforced engine mount portion of the heat exchanger. 26. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the reinforced engine mount portion of the heat exchanger is positioned adjacent a chassis wall to increase the rigidity of the chassis wall, and wherein the engine mounting assembly includes an engine support connected to the engine, the chassis wall being positioned between the reinforced portion of the heat exchanger and the engine support. 27. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the heat exchanger is formed to include a interior cavity to increase the rigidity of the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger being mounted to the chassis to increase the rigidity of the chassis. 28. An integrated engine mount and heat exchanger for a vehicle comprising a heat exchanger having an outer surface configured to dissipate heat from within the heat exchanger, an inner passage for carrying heat absorbing fluid, and a reinforced engine mount portion having an aperture configured to receive an engine mount connector to couple the heat exchanger to the engine, and wherein the inner passage and the reinforced engine mount portion form a generally triangular shape with the inner passage forming two of the sides of the triangular shape and the reinforced engine mount portion forms the third side of the triangular shape.