Apparatus for providing convenience services to stationary vehicles

• US 20020197950A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Convoy Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Idleaire Technologies Corporation (Convoy Solutions LLC)
• Inventors: Everhart, David, Wilson, Arnold C., Badgett, J. T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,753,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 454/119
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00257 Non-transportable devices, disposed outside the vehicle, e.g. on a parking
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/28 Liquid-handling installations specially adapted for fuelling stationary aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Abstract

An apparatus for providing convenience services to a stationary vehicle independent of the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system. At least one conduit is attached to a housing for transferring the services to a supply panel. The supply panel includes a face on which the various controls and connectors associated with the supplied convenience services, such as heating, cooling, electrical power, compressed air, computer network communications, telephone, video, and television, are disposed. The supply panel is dimensioned to interface with the stationary vehicle through an opening in the vehicle, such as a window or service door, and includes means for providing a substantially airtight seal for climate control.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing convenience services to a stationary vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a means for delivering at least one convenience service selected from the group which includes electrical power, compressed air, telephone communications, computer network communications, television signals, video signals, radio signals, heated air, and cooled air;

a means for providing access to said at least one convenience service;

a means for interfacing with a control system, said means for interfacing accessible from said means for providing access;

a means for attaching said means for providing access to an opening in a stationary vehicle;

a means for supporting said means for providing access when said is not attached to the stationary vehicle; and

a means for conveying said at least one convenience services from said means for delivering to said means for providing access.

2. An apparatus for providing convenience services to a stationary vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a housing having means for delivering at least one convenience service selected from the group which includes electrical power, compressed air, telephone communications, computer network communications, television signals, video signals, radio signals, heated air, and cooled air;

a supply panel providing access to said at least one convenience service;

an interface with a control system, said interface accessible from said supply panel;

a means for attaching said supply panel to an opening in a stationary vehicle;

a support for said supply panel when said supply panel is not attached to the stationary vehicle; and

a conduit from said housing to said supply panel, said conduit containing at least one air duct and at least one plenum-rated cable.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said interface selected from the group which includes a keypad and a card reader.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said control system controls said at least one convenience service.

5. An apparatus for providing convenience services to a stationary vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a supply panel providing access to a plurality of convenience services and having an interface with a control system; and

a conduit from said housing to said supply panel.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said housing contains an air conditioning unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said housing has means for routing at least one of said plurality of convenience services from an external source to said conduit.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said supply panel includes at least one of said plurality of convenience services selected from the group which includes electrical power, compressed air, telephone communications, computer network communications, television signals, video signals, radio signals, heated air, and cooled air.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising means for attaching said supply panel to an opening in a stationary vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a gasket being a pneumatic seal disposed around said panel perimeter, said pneumatic seal being inflatable to form an airtight seal with the stationary vehicle, wherein said supply panel is dimensioned to substantially fit a window of the stationary vehicle and defining a perimeter.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at least one intermediate sealing member is used to fill a gap between said pneumatic seal and the window.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said supply panel includes a control for inflating and deflating said pneumatic seal.

13. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a template,

said template disposed around said supply panel and dimensioned to substantially fit an opening of the stationary vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a gasket for forming a substantially airtight seal between said opening and said template.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said opening is a window in the stationary vehicle.

16. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the stationary vehicle defines a service opening, said supply panel being configured to engage said service opening in a substantially airtight seal.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said supply panel defines a lip along a back edge of said supply panel, an inner surface of said lip configured to engage said service opening, said gasket secured to an inner surface of said lip for providing a substantially airtight seal.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said supply panel includes a locking mechanism for securing said supply panel within said interface opening.

19. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a support for mounting said housing at a preselected height.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a weight supporting member for supporting said supply panel when said supply panel is not in use.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said weight supporting member is a tether between said housing and said supply panel.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said weight supporting member is a cradle for receiving said supply panel, said cradle located such that said conduit does not support said supply panel when said supply panel is not in use.

23. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said conduit contains at least one air duct and at least one cable.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said at least one air duct and said at least one cable are plenum-rated.

25. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said conduit is a flexible conduit.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising means for mounting said means for supplying the plurality of convenience services at a preselected height.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising means for supporting said means for providing access to the convenience services when said means for providing access to the convenience services is not in use.

29. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising means for activating said means for providing a substantially airtight seal between said means for providing access to the convenience services and the stationary vehicle.

26. An apparatus for providing convenience services to a stationary vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a) means for supplying a plurality of convenience services;

b) means for providing access to the plurality of convenience services;

c) means for providing a substantially airtight seal between said means for providing access to the plurality of convenience services and the stationary vehicle; and

d) means for routing the plurality of convenience services between said means for supplying the plurality of convenience services and said means for providing access to the plurality of convenience services.