Vehicular refrigerator system

• US 10,322,616 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2014
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perpetual V2G Systems, Limited
• Original Assignee: Perpetual V2G Systems, Limited
• Inventors: Ling, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): English, James A
• Application Number:
  US15/115,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20170210194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,736 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00014 for load cargos on load transporting vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00428 electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/20 Refrigerated goods vehicles air treatment of goods space B60H; air-conditioning means for freight cars, isothermic wagons B61D27/0027; superstructures for refrigerated goods vehicles B62D33/048
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 Arrangement of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

There is provided a commercial refrigerator vehicle for the transport of refrigerated produce, the commercial refrigerator vehicle comprising a wheeled chassis, a cab, an internal combustion engine, a refrigerator compartment on the wheeled chassis, and a refrigerator system for controlling interior temperature of the refrigerator compartment. The refrigerator system includes a refrigerator unit, a dedicated rechargeable electrical energy storage device housed in the cab, a vehicle battery pack chargeable directly or indirectly via the internal combustion engine and a charger for the electrical energy storage device. The charger preferably includes a controller for monitoring an activation status of the internal combustion engine and electrically disconnects the vehicle battery pack from the dedicated rechargeable electrical energy storage device when the internal combustion engine is deactivated. There is further provided a method of charging the refrigerator system via the electrical energy storage device.

Claims

1. A commercial refrigerator vehicle for the transport of refrigerated produce, the commercial refrigerator vehicle comprising:

a wheeled chassis,

a cab mounted on the wheeled chassis,

an internal combustion engine having an output which drives one or more wheels of the wheeled chassis,

a refrigerator compartment on the wheeled chassis in which produce to be refrigerated is storable, and

a refrigerator system which controls interior temperature of the refrigerator compartment,

the refrigerator system including a refrigeration unit which discharges refrigerated air into the refrigerator compartment,

a dedicated rechargeable electrical energy storage device which supplies electrical energy to the refrigerator system,

a vehicle battery pack chargeable directly or indirectly via the internal combustion engine,

a charger which charges the dedicated rechargeable electrical energy storage device via the vehicle battery pack,

and a controller which monitors an activation status of the internal combustion engine and electrically disconnecting the vehicle battery pack from the dedicated rechargeable electrical energy storage device when the internal combustion engine is deactivated;

wherein the refrigeration unit is electrically connected to the vehicle battery pack, a supply of electrical energy to the refrigeration unit being provided by the rechargeable electrical energy storage device or the vehicle battery pack, the refrigeration unit being supplied with electrical energy by the dedicated rechargeable electrical energy storage device at least during a deactivation condition of the internal combustion engine; and

wherein the electrical energy storage device is positioned adjacent a seat for the driver when driving the vehicle in place of a passenger seat of the cab.

2. The commercial refrigerator vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein access to the electrical energy storage device is provided through a cab door of a passenger side of the cab.

3. The commercial refrigerator vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cab includes an access panel in a rear wall of the cab, the electrical energy storage device being provided in the cab and accessible via an access opening closable by the access panel.

4. The commercial refrigerator vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller further monitors a charge status of the electrical energy storage device.

5. A commercial refrigerator vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller enables the vehicle battery pack to supplementarily drive the refrigeration unit if the monitored charge status of the electrical energy storage device is below a predetermined threshold.

6. The commercial refrigerator vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the controller further monitors a charge status of the vehicle battery pack.

7. The commercial refrigerator vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the controller prevents or inhibits the vehicle battery pack from driving the refrigeration unit if the charge status of the vehicle battery pack falls below a predetermined threshold determined to be required to start the internal combustion engine.

8. The commercial refrigerator vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller further includes a charge alert module which outputs a charge alert signal, and a wireless transmitter which outputs the charge alert signal to a remote receiver device.

9. The commercial refrigerator vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller includes a power-save circuit for temperature-independently deactivates and reactivates the refrigerator system during an activation period of the refrigerator system to reduce power consumption whilst utilising residual cooling.

10. The commercial refrigerator vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical energy storage device comprises a plurality of rechargeable battery cells, configured such that at least said one battery cell energises the refrigeration unit, whilst the or each remaining battery cell is charged.

11. The commercial refrigerator vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical energy storage device is supplementarily chargeable using a mains electricity supply, the electrical energy storage device including an electrical connector engagable with an external power cable electrically communicable with the mains electricity supply.