Portable temperature maintenance system

• US 4,901,538 A
• Filed: 07/13/1988
• Issued: 02/20/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anthony James
• Original Assignee: Anthony James
• Inventors: Anthony, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US07/218,564
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 62/263, 62/259.1, 62/237, 62/299, 62/448, 62/449, 98/2.02, 98/6, 98/DIG. 7
• US Class Current: 62/237
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 13/00 Arrangements or adaptations of air-treatment apparatus for aircraft crew or passengers, or freight space , or structural parts of the aircraft treatment rooms with artificial climate for medical purposes A61G10/02; respiratory apparatus in general A62B; for vehicles in general B60H
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/364 Mobile units
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 15/00 Devices not covered by group F25D11/00 or F25D13/00, e.g. non-self-contained movable devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 19/003 with respect to movable containers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/38 Refrigerating devices characterised by wheels

Abstract

A portable temperature maintenance system for maintaining a desired temperature in a cargo container. The system includes a lightweight panel for releaseable attachment to the opening of a cargo container, a refrigeration unit separate from the lightweight member, and flexible conduits for conducting vapor between the cargo container and the refrigeration unit in a substantially closed looped system.

Claims

1. A transportable ground system for air-conditioning the interior of an aircraft cargo container of the type having at least one access opening for loading and unloading said container, comprising:

a wheeled carriage, air refrigeration and air circulation means on said carriage including first port means for circulating air through air refrigeration and air circulation means;

at least one panel fully detachable from said carriage, said panel being adapted to fit over and close the access opening of a cargo container to be refrigerated;

locking means on said panel manually actuatable into engagement with the container for holding said panel in substantially sealing relationship with the access opening in the container;

second port means in said panel for circulating air through the interior of the cargo container when said panel is engaged thereto;

flexible air duct means having opposite duct ends, each duct end provided with an end fitting adapted to releasably engage with corresponding fittings on said panel and on said carriage for connecting said first port means with said second port means thereby to recirculate air between said refrigeration means and the cargo container thereby to maintain a controled temperature in the container; and

means on said carriage for storing said least one panel and said air duct means fully disconnected from each other and from said first port means.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said end fittings are the same at each duct end such that either duct end may be interchangeably engaged to said first or said second port means.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said end fittings comprise plate means transverse to said duct means and said corresponding fittings comprise flange means adapted to slidingly receive said plate means and hold said duct ends in substantially sealing communication with said port means.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said end fittings comprise plate means transverse to said duct means and said corresponding fittings comprise flange means adapted to slidingly receive said plate means and hold said duct ends in substantially sealing communication with said port means.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein said least one panel is sufficiently lightweight for manual handling between said storage means and a nearby cargo container.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein said locking means are cam locks adapted to engage wall portions of an existing unmodified cargo container for supporting said panel over the access opening.

7. A transportable ground system for air-conditioning the interior of an existing unmodified aircraft cargo container of the type having at least one access opening for loading and unloading said container, comprising:

a wheeled carriage, air refrigeration and air circulation means on said carriage including first port means for circulating air through said air refrigeration and air circulation means;

a pair of panels each fully detachable from said carriage, each said panel being adapted to fit over and close the access opening of a cargo container to be refrigerated;

locking means on each said panel manually actuatable into engagement with a cargo container for holding each of said panels in substantially sealing relationship over the access opening in a corresponding cargo container;

second port means in said panel for circulating air through the interior of said corresponding cargo container when said panel is engaged thereto;

a plurality of flexible air ducts each having opposite duct ends, each duct end provided with an end fitting adapted to releasably engage with corresponding fittings on said panels and on said carriage for connecting said first port means with said second port means thereby to recirculate air between said refrigeration means and the corresponding cargo container or containers associated with one or both of said panels for maintaining a controled temperature in the container or containers, said end fittings being the same at each duct end such that either duct end may be interchangeably engaged to said first or said second port means; and

means on said carriage for storing both panels and said air ducts fully disconnected from each other and from said first port means.