TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a fan adapter for an engine, and more particularly, to a two-piece fan adapter for an engine.

BACKGROUND

Engine-driven machines, for example, such as tractors, wheel loaders, etc., typically utilize one or more fans coupled to, or otherwise in proximity to, the engine to help cool the engine. In some machines, the fan is coupled to the engine, for example, via an adapter coupled to a hub or other portion of the engine, and the fan may be driven by a crankshaft, a dedicated fan drive, an auxiliary shaft, etc. The adapter often includes a base end to be coupled to the hub or other portion of the engine and a fan end, for example, to be coupled to the fan. However, different sizes of engines may require different sizes or types of fans, and/or different spacings between the hub or coupling portion of the engine and the fan. Based on these variances, different sizes of engines and/or different spacings may require different size and/or shape of adapters. Some adapters may include smaller distances between the base end and the fan end, which may increase the difficulty and/or complexity of coupling the adaptor and/or fan to the engine. For example, a smaller distance between the base end and the fan end may increase the difficulty in fitting coupling elements (e.g., bolts, screws, etc.) between the base end and the fan end to couple the adapter to the hub or other portion of the engine.

An exemplary fan adapter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,590,948 (“the '948 patent”) to Simofi-Ilyes et al. The '948 patent discloses an adapter for attaching a cooling fan to a motor in a cooling fan module for an automotive cooling system. In one embodiment, the adapter of the '948 patent includes first and second parts to form a two-piece fan adapter, but the coupling of the first and second parts relies on a shaft of the driving motor. In this aspect, the first part of the fan adapter is preassembled with a portion of the rotor, which may require specific sizes and/or shapes of both the first and second parts relative to the shaft of the driving motor. Additionally, the coupling of the first and second parts of the fan adapter may not secure the respective orientations of the first and second parts to each other, may be susceptible to shear, and/or may otherwise increase the risk of breakage. While the adapter of the '948 patent may be suitable for some applications, the adapter may not be suitable for other applications. The disclosed fan adapters of the present disclosure may solve one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art. The scope of the current disclosure, however, is defined by the attached claims, and not by the ability to solve any specific problem.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a method of coupling a fan to an engine may include, based on a size, shape, or implementation of the engine, selecting a base portion of a fan adapter. The base portion may include a mounting portion and a coupling portion, and the mounting portion may be configured to be coupled to a fan drive or a fan drive pulley of the engine via one or more mounting elements. The coupling portion may include a mating portion. The method also may include, based on a size, shape, or implementation of the fan, selecting a fan end portion of the fan adapter. The fan end portion may include a mounting portion and a coupling portion. The mounting portion of the fan end portion may be configured to be coupled to the fan, and the coupling portion of the fan end portion may include a mating portion that is complementary to the mating portion of the base portion. The method further may include coupling the engine to the fan by coupling the mating portion of the fan end portion to the mating portion of the base portion.

In another aspect, a fan adapter system for coupling a fan to an engine may include a plurality of base portions and plurality of fan end portions. Each base portion may include a mounting portion and a coupling portion. Each mounting portion may be configured to be coupled to a portion of the engine via one or more mounting elements, and each the coupling portions may include a mating portion with a same configuration. Each fan end portion may include a mounting portion and a coupling portion. Each mounting portion of the fan end portion may be configured to be coupled to the fan, and the coupling portion of each fan end portion may include a mating portion with a same configuration that is complementary to the configuration of the mating portion of the base portions.

In yet another aspect, a method of coupling a fan adapter to an engine may include coupling a base portion of the fan adapter to the engine with one or more mounting elements. The base portion may include a mounting portion with a plurality of mounting holes configured to receive mounting elements to couple the mounting portion of the base portion to the engine. The base portion further may include a mating portion opposite to the mounting portion. The method may also include, after coupling the base portion of the fan adapter to the engine, coupling a fan end portion of the fan adapter to the base portion. The fan end portion may include a mating portion configured to mate with the mating portion of the base portion to couple the fan end portion to the base portion.

