Patent Application
20220145586
The present invention relates to a tractor cab and specifically to a fresh air intake for a tractor cab heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.
Utility tractor cabs may have air conditioning units with fresh air intakes at the rear of the cab or roof. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,334,834 for “Tractor Cab Roof with Integral Air Ducts” assigned to Deere & Company describes an evaporator/heater core mounted on the rear panel of a tractor cab roof, with air intakes at the outer periphery of the roof. Roof mounted air ducts do not require any space inside the tractor cab, but can result in dust accumulation in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (“HVAC”) system, and can be difficult to access for service. A fresh air intake for a tractor HVAC system is needed that does not use space in the cab, minimizes dust accumulation, and is easy to service. Additionally, a fresh air intake is needed that is integrated with the tractor cab body panels.
A tractor cab fresh air intake for a HVAC system includes an air intake cover mounted to at least one body panel attached to a hollow tractor cab frame member. The air intake cover provides an upwardly directed air flow path from an intake opening up to an outlet opening through at least one of the body panels and into the hollow tractor cab frame member which provides a passage to a filter for the HVAC system.
In one embodiment, each fresh air intake 100 may include air intake cover 102. The air intake cover may be a plastic or sheet metal box mounted to one or more body panels. The body panels may be attached to tractor cab frame members which provide air passages to the HVAC system. For example, the air intake cover may be mounted to a pair of body panels 104, 112, and the body panels may be attached to C-post 114 at the rear corner of the tractor cab frame. The C-posts may be hollow steel members attached to the cab floor and extending up to support a roof covering the cab, and also provide air flow passages into the HVAC system.
In one embodiment, the outer facing surface 109 of air intake cover 102 may be spaced from the body panels to provide a plenum 105 between the air intake cover and one or more body panels. The air intake cover may be mounted to the body panels with threaded fasteners 140, 142 through the top and bottom ends of the air intake cover and into the body panel. Additionally, the left and right side walls 122, 124 of the air intake cover may have an interference fit with the side edges 126, 128 of body panels 104, 112. Optionally, the air intake cover may be in a recessed area of the body panels or between adjacent body panels.
In one embodiment, each air intake cover 102 may have a plurality of air intake openings 110 through the exterior facing surface 109. The air intake openings face outwardly to the left or right side of the tractor cab. All of the air intake openings may be in a lower portion of the air intake cover. Optionally, rib 143 on body panel 104 may fit inside a matching feature at a lower end of the air intake cover to make sure the air intake cover is mounted with the air intake opening at the lower end thereof, and also to help position the threaded fastener into the body panel. The air intake cover provides an air flow path from the air intake openings into plenum 105, and upwardly to air outlet opening 106 at a location higher than air intake openings 110. Louvers may be provided over air intake openings 110 to minimize or prevent entry of water into the air intake. Each air intake cover also provides an upward air flow path which minimizes or prevents ingress of water into the HVAC system, including water from rain or pressure washing, for example.
In one embodiment, fresh air intakes 100 may include air outlet openings 106 through one or more body panels 104, 112 and C-post 114. Seal 116 may be positioned around the air outlet opening between the body panels and C-post. The fresh air may flow through the air outlet opening into the hollow C-post, then downwardly through the hollow passage in the C-post to air filter 130. The fresh air may be heated or cooled and directed with one or more blowers or fans 132 to one or more heating or cooling outlets inside the tractor cab. For example, the blowers or fans may be located inside an air mixing chamber behind each side of the operator seat. The blowers or fans may send treated air into a plurality of air ducts. An air outlet tube may extend upwardly from the air ducts near the front of the cab, and a foot vent through the kick plate may allow air flow from the HVAC unit into the cab.
In one embodiment, fresh air intakes 100 may be easily serviced or cleaned by removing threaded fasteners 140, 142 which hold the air intake covers in place. The fresh air intakes help reduce the amount of dust entering the HVAC system because the fresh air intakes are mounted to body panels on each side of the tractor cab and not behind the tractor cab. Additionally, each fresh air intake cover may include a water drain port between the lower end of the air intake cover and the body panel, allowing water to drain from plenum 105.
Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.
