Snow vehicle heat exchanger shield
A heat exchanger shield for a snowmobile, the heat exchanger comprising an elongated body having a pair of opposing legs, and a pair of engagement structures, one engagement structure formed at a distal end of a corresponding one of the legs, wherein the engagement structures are structured and operable to slidingly engage a corresponding shield retention guide formed in a snowmobile heat exchanger.
1 . A snowmobile heat exchanger shield, comprising:
an elongated body, including a pair of opposing legs and a cross-member formed between and connecting the legs; and
wherein each of the legs include a first engagement structure structured and operable to slidingly engage a corresponding second engagement structure formed in a snowmobile heat exchanger for the entire length of the elongated body and wherein the second engagement structure includes one or more retention guides.
2 . The shield of claim 1 , wherein the shield has one of a square or a rectangular U-shaped-like cross-sectional shape.
3 . The shield of claim 2 , wherein the legs can one of connect to each other or be an extension of each other such that the shield body has one of a triangular, oval or circular U-shaped-like cross-sectional shape.
4 . The shield of claim 2 , wherein the shield further comprises at least one pinch hole disposed through the legs, the pinch holes structured and operable to receive a pinch fastener operable to squeeze the legs together and bind one or more of the first engagement structures within the one or more retention guides.
5 . The shield of claim 2 wherein the shield further comprises at least one pair of opposing bracket connecting holes formed in the opposing legs, the bracket connecting holes structured and operable to connect the shield to a heat exchanger shield mounting bracket.
6 . The shield of claim 5 wherein the at least one pair of opposing bracket connecting holes formed in the opposing legs comprises a plurality of pairs of opposing bracket connecting holes such that a heat exchanger shield and mounting bracket assembly comprising the heat exchanger shield mounting bracket secured to the shield has a selectably variable length.
7 . A taillight housing and heat exchanger shield assembly for a snowmobile, said assembly comprising:
a taillight housing, wherein the taillight housing comprises:
a main body that is connectable to a drive track tunnel of the snowmobile; and
a pair of opposing retention wings extending from opposing lateral ends of the main body that are structured and operable to mount to a bumper/hand bar of the snowmobile, and one or more shield access ports; and
one or more heat exchanger shields, wherein each heat exchanger shield comprises:
an elongated body including opposing legs, wherein each of the opposing legs include a first engagement structure structured and operable to slidingly engage a corresponding second engagement structure formed in a heat exchanger of the snowmobile for the entire length of the elongated body;
wherein the one or more shield access ports allows for access to the one or more heat exchanger shields without removal or disassembly of the taillight housing.
8 . The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the elongated shield body further comprises a pair of opposing legs and a cross-member formed between and connecting the legs such that the shield has one of a square or a rectangular U-shaped-like cross-sectional shape.
9 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the legs can one of connect to each other or be an extension of each other such that the shield body has one of a triangular, oval or circular U-shaped-like cross-sectional shape.
10 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the shield further comprises at least one pinch hole disposed through the legs, the pinch holes structured and operable to receive a pinch fastener operable to squeeze the legs together and bind the first engagement structures within the second engagement structures.
11 . The assembly of claim 7 wherein the shield further comprises at least one pair of opposing bracket connecting holes formed in opposing legs, the bracket connecting holes structured and operable to connect the shield to a heat exchanger shield mounting bracket.
12 . The assembly of claim 11 wherein the at least one pair of opposing bracket connecting holes formed in the opposing legs comprises a plurality of pairs of opposing bracket connecting holes such that a heat exchanger shield and mounting bracket assembly comprising the heat exchanger shield mounting bracket secured to the shield has a selectably variable length.
13 . The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the retention wings are structured to be contoured and shaped to mate with a shape and contour of an outer surface of the bumper/hand bar.
14 . The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the taillight housing main body comprises a rear lens face for mounting at least one of one or more lighting fixture and one or more reflective lens, and the taillight housing fixture further comprises a flap mounting tail extending from the rear lens face, the flap mounting tail structured and operable to have a snow flap mounted thereto.
15 . The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the flap mounting tail comprises at least one heat exchanger shield access port structured and operable to provide access to the heat exchanger for installing and removing the heat exchanger shield.
16 . The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the one or more shield access ports are concealed when the snow flap is mounted thereto.
17 . A method for assembling a heat exchanger shield assembly on a snowmobile heat exchanger, said method comprising:
providing access to a rearward end of heat exchanger disposed on an underside of a drive track tunnel of a snowmobile, the heat exchanger comprising a plurality of retention channels formed in a face of the heat exchanger;
slidingly engaging leg engagement structures of opposing legs within a pair of the retention channels, wherein the leg engagement structures are disposed at distal ends of each of the opposing legs;
sliding the leg engagement structures within the retention channels along a length of the heat exchanger until an entire length of the leg engagement structures are engaged with and disposed within the retention channels;
securing a heat exchanger shield mounting bracket to a distal end of the heat exchanger shield; and
securing the heat exchanger shield mounting bracket to the drive track tunnel.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein providing access to the rearward end of the heat exchanger comprises providing at least one heat exchanger shield access port in a flap mounting tail of a taillight housing fixture mounted to a top side of the drive track tunnel.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein providing access to the rearward end of the heat exchanger further comprising removing a snow flap removably connected to the taillight housing flap mounting tail to expose the at least one heat exchanger shield access port.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein securing the heat exchanger shield mounting bracket to a distal end of the heat exchanger shield comprises:
aligning a pair of opposing shield connecting holes disposed in the heat exchanger shield mounting bracket with a selected pair of a plurality of opposing pairs of bracket connecting holes disposed at a plurality of location along the distal end heat exchanger shield; and
inserting a fastener through the aligned pair of shield connecting holes and bracket connecting holes to secure the heat exchanger shield mounting bracket and thereby providing a heat exchanger shield and mounting bracket assembly having a selected length based on the selected pair of the plurality of opposing pairs of bracket connecting holes.