POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE CLIMATE CONTROL UNIT

Abstract

A truck includes an alternator having a direct current electrical power output. The truck also includes an inverter having an alternating current electrical power output, and a battery. The truck further includes a day cab forming an interior space and a climate control unit for conditioning the interior space of the day cab. The climate control unit has a conditioning capacity rating that is not greater than 7,000 British thermal units per hour (Btu/hr). The climate control unit is adapted to be powered by an alternating current electrical source. The climate control unit is powered by the alternator through the inverter when an engine of the truck engine is running and powered by the battery through the inverter when the engine is not running.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a truck having a day cab;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a power supply system for a vehicle-mounted HVAC unit; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a power supply system for a vehicle-mounted HVAC unit; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a power supply system for a vehicle-mounted HVAC unit.

Claims

1. A truck, comprising: an alternator having a direct current electrical power output;an inverter having an alternating current electrical power output;a battery;a day cab forming an interior space; anda climate control unit for conditioning the interior space of the day cab, wherein the climate control unit has a conditioning capacity rating that is not greater than 7,000 British thermal units per hour (Btu/hr),wherein the climate control unit is adapted to be powered by an alternating current electrical source, andwherein the climate control unit is powered by the alternator through the inverter when an engine of the truck is running and powered by the battery through the inverter when the engine is not running.

2. A truck as set forth in claim 1, wherein the truck is a tractor adapted for pulling a semitrailer.

3. A truck as set forth in claim 1, wherein the battery is a house battery, and the truck further includes: a starting battery; anda battery isolator for preventing a flow of current from the starting battery to the house battery.

4. A truck as set forth in claim 1, wherein the battery is an absorbed glass mat battery.

5. A truck as set forth in claim 4, further comprising and additional absorbed glass mat battery.

6. A truck as set forth in claim 5, wherein the battery and said additional battery have Ampere-hour ratings that are not greater than 75 Ampere-hours.

7. A truck as set forth in claim 5, wherein the conditioning capacity rating of the climate control unit is a cooling capacity rating.

8. A truck as set forth in claim 7, wherein the conditioning capacity rating equals 7,000 Btu/hr.

9. A truck, comprising: an alternator having a three-phase alternating current electrical power output;a power converter for converting the three-phase alternating current electrical power output from the alternator into a single-phase alternating current electrical power output and a direct current electrical power output;an inverter having an alternating current electrical power output;a battery;a day cab forming an interior space; anda climate control unit for conditioning the interior space of the day cab, wherein the climate control unit has a conditioning capacity rating that is not greater than 10,000 British thermal units per hour (Btu/hr),wherein the climate control unit is adapted to be powered by an alternating current electrical source, andwherein the climate control unit is powered by the alternator through the power converter when an engine of the truck is running and powered by the battery through the inverter when the engine is not running.

10. A truck as set forth in claim 9, wherein the battery is an absorbed glass mat battery.

11. A truck as set forth in claim 9, wherein the conditioning capacity rating of the climate control unit is a cooling capacity rating, and further wherein the conditioning capacity rating is not greater than 7,000 Btu/hr.

12. A truck as set forth in claim 9, wherein the battery is a house battery, and the truck further includes: a starting battery; anda battery isolator for preventing a flow of current from the starting battery to the house battery.

13. A truck, comprising: an engine;an alternator driven by the engine;a starter motor for starting the engine;an inverter having an alternating current electrical power output;a day cab forming an interior space;a climate control unit for conditioning the interior space of the day cab, wherein the climate control unit is adapted to be powered by an alternating current electrical source, andwherein the climate control unit is powered by the alternator through the inverter when the engine is running; anda battery for supplying electrical energy to the starter motor, wherein said battery supplies electrical energy to the climate control unit through the inverter to power the climate control unit when the engine is not running.

14. A truck as set forth in claim 13, further comprising an additional battery, wherein the battery and said additional battery form a battery bank for supplying electrical energy to the climate control unit through the inverter to power the climate control unit when the engine is not running.

15. A truck as set forth in claim 14, wherein the battery and said additional battery have Ampere-hour ratings that are not greater than 75 Ampere-hours.

16. A truck as set forth in claim 14, wherein the battery and said additional battery are absorbed glass mat batteries.

17. A truck as set forth in claim 14, wherein the climate control unit has a cooling capacity rating that is not greater than 7,000 British thermal units per hour (Btu/hr).

18. A method of modifying a truck, comprising the steps of: providing the truck, the truck including: an alternator having a direct current electrical power output;a battery;a day cab forming an interior space;a heating system for heating the interior space of the day cab; andan air conditioning system for cooling the interior space of the day cab;installing an inverter on the truck; the inverter having an alternating current electrical power output; andinstalling an auxiliary HVAC unit on the truck, wherein the auxiliary HVAC unit has a conditioning capacity rating that is not greater than 7,000 British thermal units per hour (Btu/hr);wherein the auxiliary HVAC unit is adapted to be powered by an alternating current electrical source; andwherein the auxiliary HVAC unit is powered by the battery through the inverter when an engine of the truck is not running.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18, wherein the battery is a house battery, and the truck further includes: a starting battery; anda battery isolator for preventing a flow of current from the starting battery to the house battery.

20. A method as set forth in claim 18, wherein the battery has an Ampere-hour rating that is not greater than 75 Ampere-hours.

21. A method as set forth in claim 18, further comprising the step of: replacing the alternator with another alternator having a current rating that is greater than 135 Amps.

22. A method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising the step of installing an absorbed glass mat battery on the truck.

23. A method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the conditioning capacity rating is a cooling capacity rating.

24. A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein the conditioning capacity rating equals 7,000 Btu/hr.

25. A method, comprising the steps of: providing a truck, the truck including: an engine;an alternator driven by the engine;a starter motor for starting the engine;a battery for supplying electrical energy to the starter motor;a day cab, wherein the day cab forms an interior space;a heating system for heating the interior space of the day cab; andan air conditioner for cooling the interior space of the day cab;providing an inverter having an alternating current electrical power output;installing an auxiliary climate control unit on the truck, wherein the auxiliary climate control unit is configured to condition the interior space of the day cab,wherein the auxiliary climate control unit is adapted to be powered by an alternating current electrical source, andwherein the auxiliary climate control unit is powered by the alternator through the inverter when the engine is running and powered by the battery through the inverter when the engine is not running.

26. A method as set forth in claim 25, further comprising the step of: replacing the alternator with another alternator having a current rating that is greater than 135 Amps.

27. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the truck includes an additional battery, and the battery and said additional battery form a battery bank for powering the auxiliary climate control unit when the engine is not running.

28. A method as set forth in claim 27, wherein the battery and said additional battery have Ampere-hour ratings that are not greater than 75 Ampere-hours, and further wherein the auxiliary climate control unit has a conditioning capacity rating that is not greater than 7,000 British thermal units per hour (Btu/hr).