electrical power system for vehicles requiring electrical power while the vehicle engine is not in operation
First Claim
1. An electrical power system for use in a vehicle that includes an engine equipped with a starter motor and an alternator for supplying electrical current while the vehicle engine is in operation, said electrical power system being operable for supplying power to equipment that is contained in the vehicle and that requires power during periods of time during which the vehicle engine is shut down, said electrical power system comprising:
- an insulated enclosure;
a set of one or more batteries contained within said insulated enclosure;
an electric heating element contained within said insulated enclosure for maintaining the temperature of said set of batteries at or near a predetermined temperature while the vehicle engine is in operation; and
circuitry for sensing the temperature of said set of batteries and for selectively supplying electrical power from the alternator of the vehicle to said electrical heating element when the vehicle engine is in operation, said circuitry supplying said electrical power from the vehicle alternator when the temperature of said set of batteries is below said predetermined temperature and interrupting the supply of electrical power from the vehicle alternator when the temperature of said set of batteries reaches said predetermined temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for supplying electrical power for use when the vehicle engine is shut down and configurations of long-haul trucks employing the system are disclosed. The power system is a battery bank contained within an insulated enclosure. The batteries are heated when the truck is in operation with the insulated enclosure maintaining battery temperature sufficient to provide high battery power capacity for an extended period after the vehicle is shut down. A large capacitor, rather than the batteries, provides current for starting the vehicle engine. A dc-to-dc converter controls the fully charged capacitor voltage and provides capacitor charging current even when the batteries have been discharged to a low-voltage condition. The disclosed long-haul truck configurations include a storage cooler that employs a phase-change medium that is thermally charged to a low temperature while the truck is in operation and is used to provide sleeper unit cooling air. Additional provision is made for heating the sleeper unit and for powering a coolant heater that can warm the truck engine block and truck fuel when the engine is shut down during cold weather.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. An electrical power system for use in a vehicle that includes an engine equipped with a starter motor and an alternator for supplying electrical current while the vehicle engine is in operation, said electrical power system being operable for supplying power to equipment that is contained in the vehicle and that requires power during periods of time during which the vehicle engine is shut down, said electrical power system comprising:
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an insulated enclosure;
a set of one or more batteries contained within said insulated enclosure;
an electric heating element contained within said insulated enclosure for maintaining the temperature of said set of batteries at or near a predetermined temperature while the vehicle engine is in operation; and
circuitry for sensing the temperature of said set of batteries and for selectively supplying electrical power from the alternator of the vehicle to said electrical heating element when the vehicle engine is in operation, said circuitry supplying said electrical power from the vehicle alternator when the temperature of said set of batteries is below said predetermined temperature and interrupting the supply of electrical power from the vehicle alternator when the temperature of said set of batteries reaches said predetermined temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. In a long-haul truck of the type that includes a sleeper unit and an engine having a starter motor and an alternator, the improvement comprising:
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an electrical power system for supplying power when the engine of said long-haul truck is shut down, said electrical power system including a plurality of batteries connected in parallel with one another, said batteries being contained within an insulated enclosure and being thermally charged to a predetermined temperature when said long-haul truck is in operation; and
a cooling unit for supplying cooling air to said sleeper unit when said engine is shut down, said cooling unit including a phase change media that is thermally charged to a low temperature when said long-haul truck is in operation, said cooling unit further including a blower motor powered by said electrical power system when said cooling air is being supplied to said sleeper unit. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification