MOBILE REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

• US 3,646,773 A
• Filed: 09/26/1969
• Issued: 03/07/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Standard Companies Incorporated (Ideal Standard International Topco SCA)
• Original Assignee: Daniel F. Jones, George L. Falk
• Inventors: Falk, George L., Jones, Daniel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Dea, William F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Capossela, Ronald C.
• Application Number:
  US04/861,318
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 62/236,323,4,324,160
• US Class Current: 62/160
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 13/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle defrosting cycles F25B47/02
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/00 Machines, plants or systems, using particular sources of energy F25B30/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/11 Sensor to detect if defrost is necessary
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/02 for compression type machines, plants or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/003 for movable devices

Abstract

The compressor and evaporator and condenser fans of a mobile refrigeration system are driven by a continuously operating internal combustion engine. Temperature control of the refrigeration system when powered by the internal combustion engine is obtained by cycling the refrigeration system between heating and cooling cycles. A defrost cycle clutch is provided for disengaging the evaporator fan when the evaporator coil is defrosting. When an alternating current power source is available, the condenser fan and compressor may be driven by a standby electric motor, which is cycled off and on to obtain temperature control. A separate electric motor is provided to continuously drive the evaporator fan during this cycling of the standby electric motor. Means is provided to disengage the defrost clutch during operating of this separate electric motor. When the system is connected for standby motor operation, this separate electric motor is deenergized during the defrost cycle.

Claims

1. A refrigeration system for air conditioning a space comprising:

a refrigerant compressor, a first heat exchanger, a refrigerant throttling means, and a second heat exchanger serially connected in a closed refrigerant loop;

a first fan positioned to pass outdoor air ovEr said first heat exchanger;

a second fan positioned to circulate air from said conditioned space over said second heat exchanger;

a power transmitting means for driving said compressor, said first fan and said second fan;

a first electric motor drivingly connected to said power transmitting means;

means for energizing said first electric motor in response to a first condition demanding air conditioning of said space;

a second electric motor drivingly connected to said second fan; and

means for energizing said second electric motor in the absence of said first condition whereby air circulation within said conditioned space is normally maintained for relatively uniform temperature distribution when said second heat exchanger is not conditioning said space.

2. A refrigeration system for air conditioning a space comprising:

a refrigerant compressor, a first heat exchanger, a refrigerant throttling means, and a second heat exchanger serially connected in a closed refrigerant loop;

a first fan positioned to pass outdoor air over said first heat exchanger;

a second fan positioned to circulate air from said conditioned space over said second heat exchanger;

a power transmitting means for driving said compressor, said first fan and said second fan;

a prime mover;

a first electric motor, selector means having alternative positions selecting said prime mover and said first electric motor for driving said power transmitting means;

means for energizing said first electric motor in response to a first condition demanding air conditioning of said space while said selector means is positioned for operation of said first electric motor, a second electric motor drivingly connected to said second fan;

means for energizing said second electric motor in the absence of said first condition while said selector means is positioned for operation of said first electric motor;

whereby air circulation within said conditioned space is normally maintained for relatively uniform temperature distribution when said second heat exchanger is not conditioning said space; and

means for drivingly disengaging said second fan from said power transmitting means when said second electric motor is energized whereby said second electric motor is not required to drive said refrigerant compressor or said first fan.

3. A refrigeration system for cooling a conditioned space comprising:

a refrigerant compressor, a refrigerant condenser, a refrigerant throttling means and a refrigerant evaporator serially connected in a closed refrigerant loop;

a condenser fan positioned to pass cooling air over said condenser;

an evaporator fan positioned to circulate air from said conditioned space over said evaporator;

defrost means for warming and thus defrosting said evaporator in response to a first condition demanding defrost of said evaporator;

a power transmitting means for driving said compressor, said condenser fan, and said evaporator fan;

a first electric motor drivingly connected to said power transmitting means;

means for energizing said first electric motor in response to a second condition demanding cooling of said conditioned space;

a second electric motor drivingly connected to said evaporator fan and means for energizing said second electric motor in the absence of said first and second conditions whereby air circulation within said condition space is normally maintained for relatively uniform temperature distribution when said evaporator is not cooling or being defrosted.

4. A refrigeration system for cooling a conditioned space comprising:

a refrigerant compressor, a refrigerant condenser a refrigerant throttling means and a refrigerant evaporator serially connected in a closed refrigerant loop;

a condenser fan position to pass cooling air over said condenser;

an evaporator fan positioned to circulate air from said conditioned space over said evaporator;

defrost means for warming and thus defrosting said evaporator in response to a first condition demanding defrost of said evaporator;

a power transmitting meAns for driving said compressor, said condenser fan, and said evaporator fan;

a prime mover;

a first electric motor;

selector means having alternative positions selecting said prime mover and said first electric motor for driving said power transmitting means;

means for energizing said first electric motor in response to a second condition demanding cooling of said conditioned space while said selector means is positioned for operation of said first electric motor;

a second electric motor drivingly connected to said evaporator fan;

means for energizing said second electric motor in the absence of said first and second conditions while said selector means is positioned for operation of said first electric motor whereby air circulation within said conditioned space is normally maintained for relatively uniform temperature distribution when said evaporator is not cooling or being defrosted; and

means for drivingly disengaging said evaporator fan from said power transmitting means when said second electric motor is energized whereby said second electric motor is not required to drive said refrigerant compressor or said condenser fan.

5. A refrigeration unit for cooling a mobile container comprising a housing having a first portion adapted to extend into an opening in a mobile container and a second portion adapted to remain external of the container;

a refrigerant evaporator disposed within said first portion of said housing;

a refrigerant compressor and condenser disposed in said second portion of said housing;

a refrigerant loop serially connecting said evaporator, compressor and condenser;

an evaporator fan disposed in said first portion of said housing positioned to circulate air in said container over said evaporator;

a condenser fan disposed in said second portion of said housing positioned to pass cooling air over said condenser;

a clutch;

a first rotary drive means drivingly connecting one side of said clutch with said evaporator fan;

a second rotary drive means drivingly connecting the other side of said clutch to said condenser fan;

a prime mover and standby electric motor disposed within said second portion of said housing;

power transmitting means for drivingly connecting said prime mover and standby electric motor to said compressor and said second rotary drive means;

a second electric motor drivingly connected to said first rotary drive means and evaporator fan independently of said second rotary drive means whereby said evaporator fan may be driven by said second electric motor to maintain relatively uniform temperature distribution within said container when said prime mover is not operating to drive said evaporator fan via said clutch.

6. The apparatus as defined by claim 5 wherein said second electric motor is disposed within said first portion of said housing.

7. A refrigeration system for conditioning a space comprising:

a refrigerant compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a refrigerant throttling means, and an indoor heat exchanger serially connected in a closed refrigerant loop;

a first fan positioned to pass outdoor air over said outdoor heat exchanger;

a second fan positioned to circulate air from the conditioned space over said indoor heat exchanger;

a prime mover;

a standby electric motor;

a second electric motor;

a mechanical drive train extending from said prime mover to said compressor, said first fan and said second fan for mobile operation; and

means for mechanically drivingly connecting said compressor and said first fan to said standby electric motor and simultaneously mechanically drivingly connecting said second fan to said electric motor.

8. The apparatus as defined by claim 7 including means for defrosting said indoor heat exchanger and means for deenergizing said second electric motor when said indoor heat exchanger is defrosting.

9. The apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein said means for mechanically drivingly connecting said compressor, said first fan and said second fan to said prime mover includes a clutch positioned to disengAge said second fan without disengaging said compressor and first fan.

10. In a refrigeration system for conditioning a space and having a refrigerant compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a throttling means and an indoor heat exchanger serially connected in a closed refrigerant loop, a first fan positioned to pass outdoor air over said outdoor heat exchanger, a second fan positioned to circulate air from the conditioned space over said indoor heat exchanger, a prime mover, and a standby electric motor, the improvement comprising:

a second electric motor;

first means for drivingly connecting said compressor and said first and second fans to said prime mover when said second electric motor is not energized;

second means for drivingly connecting said compressor and first fan to said standby electric motor and for drivingly connecting said second fan to said second electric motor when said second electric motor is energized; and

means for selecting one of said first and second means for driving said compressor, first fan and second fan.

11. In a refrigeration system for conditioning a space and having a refrigerant compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a throttling means and an indoor heat exchanger serially connected in a closed refrigerant loop, a first fan positioned to pass outdoor air over said outdoor heat exchanger, a second fan positioned to circulate air from the conditioned space over said indoor heat exchanger, a prime mover, a standby electric motor, means for drivingly connecting said prime mover to said compressor and first and second fans, and means for drivingly connecting said standby electric motor to said compressor and first fan, the improvement comprising:

a second electric motor;

means drivingly connecting said second electric motor to said second fan;

a source of electric power;

a first electric circuit extending from said second electric motor to said source of electric power; and

a second electric circuit extending from said standby motor to said source of electric power.

12. In a refrigerant system for conditioning a space and having a refrigerant compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a throttling means and an indoor heat exchanger serially connected in a closed refrigerant loop, a first fan positioned to pass outdoor air over said outdoor heat exchanger, a second fan positioned to circulate air from the conditioned space over said indoor heat exchanger, a prime mover, and a standby electric motor, the improvement comprising:

means for driving said first fan alternatively by said prime mover and by said standby electric motor;

a second electric motor; and

means for driving said second fan alternatively by said prime mover and by said second electric motor.

13. A refrigeration system for air conditioning a space comprising:

a refrigerant compressor, a first heat exchanger, a refrigerant throttling means, and a second heat exchanger serially connected in a closed refrigerant loop;

a first fan positioned to pass outdoor air over said first heat exchanger;

a second fan positioned to circulate air from said conditioned space over said second heat exchanger;

a power transmitting means for driving said compressor, said first fan and said second fan;

a first electric motor drivingly connected to said power transmitting means;

means for activating said first electric motor in response to a first condition demanding air conditioning of said space and deactivating said first electric motor in the absence of said first condition;

a second electric motor drivingly connected to said second fan; and

means for energizing said second electric motor in the absence of said first condition whereby air circulation within said conditioned space is normally maintained for relatively uniform temperature distribution when said second heat exchanger is not conditioning said space.

14. A refrigeration system for cooling a conditioned space comprising:

a refrigerant compressor, a refrigerant condenser, a refrigerant throttling means and a refrigerant evapOrator serially connected in a closed refrigerant loop;

a condenser fan positioned to pass cooling air over said condenser;

an evaporator fan positioned to circulate air from said conditioned space over said evaporator;

defrost means for warming and thus defrosting said evaporator in response to a first condition demanding defrost of said evaporator;

a power transmitting means for driving said compressor, said condenser fan, and said evaporator fan;

a first electric motor drivingly connected to said power transmitting means;

means for activating said first electric motor in response to a second condition demanding cooling of said conditioned space and deactivating said first electric motor in the absence of both of said first and second conditions;

a second electric motor drivingly connected to said evaporator fan and means for energizing said second electric motor in the absence of said first and second conditions whereby air circulation within said condition space is normally maintained for relatively uniform temperature distribution when said evaporator is not cooling or being defrosted.