Patent Application
20130061621
1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to devices and methods for providing auxiliary air conditioning, heating, and power to a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Auxiliary power units are often used in cross-country trucks that are equipped with a sleeper compartment located behind a truck cab so that the driver has a convenient place to sleep while in route. An Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) allows the driver to use the truck's amenities like heat, air conditioning, microwave, television, etc. without running the engine, which reduces emissions. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,678 to Mellum, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. APUs are also used extensively in refrigerated trailers for maintaining cargo temperatures during transport and delivery.
APUs have become significantly more important in the heavy duty trucking industry because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resource Board (CARB) have been developing and passing regulations that impact idling in an attempt to reduce emissions and pollution. The passage of these different regulations has impacted the trucking industry. In particular, it has affected the heavy duty (Class 8) sleeper tractor drivers who typically idle their vehicle for many hours each day. It is estimated that drivers are on the road five days per week. Federal law states that drivers are only allowed to be on the road a maximum of 14 hours a day with 10 hours down time required. Therefore, the sleeper cab industry has a large potential for APUs to reduce idling during the required downtime. Over half of the states in the U.S. have anti-idling regulations in place, and this number is projected to increase as more states adopt CARB regulations. Beyond the numerous federal and state regulations against idling, the industry is also facing idling regulations at the local and municipal levels as well. While their regulations vary by location, they all prohibit trucks from idling over three to five minutes. Some industry experts believe that the environmental agencies are gaining momentum in their initiative to put more pressure on the Federal government as well as on states to make the idling regulations even more stringent in the coming years. If the environmental agencies succeed, some form of anti-idling technology (not just APUs) will become a necessity for truck drivers expanding beyond Class 8 sleeper tractors.
The rise and fall of diesel fuel prices continues to play a role in the adoption of idle reduction technology as users (particularly fleets) seek to lower their fuel consumption especially when diesel prices are high. When diesel fuel prices reached an all time high in 2008, demand for idle reduction technology increased because of the roughly 8% fuel savings they offer. In the long run, most industry experts expect diesel fuel prices to rise, which will again spark interest in APUs as they help to reduce fuel consumption as well as reducing wear and tear on the engine.
Most commercially available APU systems are provided with an auxiliary engine and an auxiliary generator that provide basic electrical support for a truck. The truck typically has a cab and a sleeper to which the APU provides auxiliary air conditioning and heating. The truck, in some cases, has a cab evaporator, a sleeper evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and a plurality of refrigerant lines, a cab heater, a sleeper heater, and a plurality of coolant lines. Most APU's have a plurality of auxiliary coolant lines which are interconnected with the truck's coolant lines. The interconnection is accomplished in such a way that the APU can provide heat to the sleeper heater when the truck engine is running or when the truck is not running. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,678 to Cummins, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. However, managing the interior climate, and in particular the heat, with the APU when the truck is not running can be inefficient. Therefore, there is a need for and APU and control systems that provide efficient and sufficient heat for the truck cab and engine.
The systems and methods herein described have several features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope as expressed by the claims that follow, its more prominent features will now be discussed briefly. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section entitled “Detailed Description of Certain Embodiments” one will understand how the features of the system and methods provide several advantages over traditional systems and methods.
One aspect of the disclosure relates to a method of controlling an auxiliary power unit having an engine and a generator. In one embodiment, the method includes the step of receiving a signal indicative of a data verification code. The method has a step of determining an operating mode based at least in part on the data verification code. In some embodiments, the method includes setting the operating mode of the APU.
Another aspect of the disclosure is directed to an auxiliary power unit (APU) having an engine. The APU can be provided with a controller in communication with the engine. In one embodiment, the APU has a user-interface in electrical communication with the controller. The user-interface is adapted to receive a signal from a user. The signal is indicative of a data verification code.
Yet another aspect of the disclosure concerns a method of controlling an auxiliary power unit for a vehicle having the step of receiving a signal indicative of a temperature set point. The method has the step of comparing the signal to a range, the range set by a user, the range within a first value and a second value. In one embodiment, the method has the step of commanding an automatic start routine based on the result of comparing the signal.
The preferred embodiments will be described now with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals refer to like elements throughout. The terminology used in the descriptions below is not to be interpreted in any limited or restrictive manner simply because it is used in conjunction with detailed descriptions of certain specific embodiments of the disclosure. Furthermore, embodiments disclosed herein can include several novel features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes or which is essential to practicing the embodiments described.
As used here, the terms “operationally connected,” “operationally coupled,” “operationally linked,” “operably connected,” “operably coupled,” “operably linked,” and like terms, refer to a relationship (mechanical, linkage, coupling, etc.) between elements whereby operation of one element results in a corresponding, following, or simultaneous operation or actuation of a second element. It is noted that in using said terms to describe certain embodiments, specific structures or mechanisms that link or couple the elements are typically described. However, unless otherwise specifically stated, when one of said terms is used, the term indicates that the actual linkage or coupling may take a variety of forms, which in certain instances will be readily apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the relevant technology.
One aspect of the disclosure relates to auxiliary power units wherein a prime mover drives various driven devices. Auxiliary power units disclosed here can be used in various trucking and transport vehicles including, but not limited to, refrigeration trucks, recreational vehicles, buses, locomotives, service vehicles, trash trucks, marine vehicles, Class 3 and Class 8 trucks, among others. The prime mover can be, for example, an electrical motor and/or a combustion engine. For purposes of description here, an accessory includes any machine or device that can be powered by a prime mover. For purposes of illustration and not limitation, said machine or device can be a power takeoff device (PTO), pump, compressor, generator, auxiliary electric motor, etc. Accessory devices configured to be driven by a prime mover may also include refrigeration systems, alternators, water pumps, power steering pumps, fuel pumps, oil pumps, air conditioning compressors, cooling fans, superchargers, turbochargers and any other device that is typically powered by a prime mover. Embodiments disclosed here can be used to control the power delivered to the accessories powered by a prime mover.
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In one embodiment, the controller 22 can send or transmit signals to the user interface 26 or a remote user via a wireless signal. In some embodiments, the controller 22 sends trouble codes or error codes to report a problem during operation of the APU. For example, the controller 22 can send a signal to the user-interface 26 for maintenance on a specific component.
Those of skill will recognize that the various illustrative logical states, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein, including with reference to the control system 20, for example, may be implemented as electronic hardware, software stored on a computer readable medium and executable by a processor, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Software associated with such modules may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other suitable form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. For example, in one embodiment, the controller 22 comprises a processor (not shown).
It should be noted that the description above has provided dimensions for certain components or subassemblies. The mentioned dimensions, or ranges of dimensions, are provided in order to comply as best as possible with certain legal requirements, such as best mode. However, none of the mentioned dimensions are to be considered limiting on the disclosed embodiments.
The foregoing description details certain embodiments of the disclosure. It will be appreciated, however, that no matter how detailed the foregoing appears in text, the disclosure can be practiced in many ways. As is also stated above, it should be noted that the use of particular terminology when describing certain features or aspects of the disclosure should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being re-defined herein to be restricted to including any specific characteristics of the features or aspects of the disclosure with which that terminology is associated.
One or more embodiments described above can be claimed as follows, but this list is not exhaustive and the description contains other embodiments.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/534,216, filed on Sep. 13, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61534216 | Sep 2011 | US |
