Heated Glass Guard with Sensorless Control for Forklift Trucks
First Claim
1. A man-operated vehicle of the type powered by a battery and including a traction motor configured to move the vehicle between a first location having a cold storage temperature, and a second location having a dew point temperature greater than the cold storage temperature, the vehicle comprising:
- a windshield member mounted onto said vehicle having first and second surfaces exposed to the ambient environment, wherein the first surface faces an operator console, and the second surface faces away from the operator console;
a heating assembly disposed within the windshield member and configured to supply heat thereto; and
a control circuit for supplying power to the hearing assembly, the control circuit comprising;
a temperature sensor for sensing ambient temperatures;
a speed sensor for sensing a speed of the man-operated vehicle;
a power regulator connected to the heating assembly; and
a controller in electrical communication with the heating assembly, the temperature sensor and the speed sensor, the controller being operable to drive the power regulator to maintain the windshield at a predetermined temperature and to adjust the power supply to the heating assembly from the power regulator based on at least one of a rate of the sensed ambient temperature, the sensed speed of the man-operated vehicle, and a voltage level of the battery.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An open forklift truck is provided having an elongated windshield that protects the operator from wind chills experienced when operating the truck in a cold storage environment. The windshield is a laminate having a plurality of heating elements disposed therein that are electrically connected to a control that monitors speed, battery voltage, temperature, and ambient feedback and adjusts the power supply to the windshield based on this feedback. Accordingly, the windshield is maintained at a predetermined temperature selected to limit condensation and fogging of the windshield.
14 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A man-operated vehicle of the type powered by a battery and including a traction motor configured to move the vehicle between a first location having a cold storage temperature, and a second location having a dew point temperature greater than the cold storage temperature, the vehicle comprising:
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a windshield member mounted onto said vehicle having first and second surfaces exposed to the ambient environment, wherein the first surface faces an operator console, and the second surface faces away from the operator console; a heating assembly disposed within the windshield member and configured to supply heat thereto; and a control circuit for supplying power to the hearing assembly, the control circuit comprising; a temperature sensor for sensing ambient temperatures; a speed sensor for sensing a speed of the man-operated vehicle; a power regulator connected to the heating assembly; and a controller in electrical communication with the heating assembly, the temperature sensor and the speed sensor, the controller being operable to drive the power regulator to maintain the windshield at a predetermined temperature and to adjust the power supply to the heating assembly from the power regulator based on at least one of a rate of the sensed ambient temperature, the sensed speed of the man-operated vehicle, and a voltage level of the battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for heating a windshield in an open, man operated, vehicle to prevent condensation from accumulating on the windshield as it travels between a cold location and a warm location, wherein the warm location has a dew point temperature greater than the temperature of the cold location, the steps comprising:
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(a) sensing an ambient temperature; (b) calculating a temperature of the windshield; (c) applying electrical power to a heating assembly in the windshield to heat the windshield to a predetermined regulation temperature; (d) adjusting the power supplied to the windshield based on at least one of a speed of the vehicle and a rate of change of the ambient temperature; and (e) repeating steps (b) through (d) while the vehicle is in operation. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A forklift vehicle, comprising:
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a battery; a traction motor powered by a battery configured to move the vehicle between a first location having a cold storage temperature, and a second location having a dew point temperature greater than the cold storage temperature; an operator compartment coupled to the traction motor and allowing an operator to ride in the vehicle; a windshield member coupled to said operator compartment and having first and second surfaces exposed to the ambient environment, wherein the first surface faces the operator compartment, and the second surface faces away from the operator compartment; a heating assembly disposed within the windshield member and configured to supply heat thereto; and a control circuit for supplying power to the heating assembly, the control circuit comprising; a temperature sensor for sensing ambient temperatures; a speed sensor for sensing a speed of the man-operated vehicle; a voltage sensor for sensing a voltage of the battery; a switching element for providing a switched power supply to the heating assembly; and a controller in electrical communication with the heating elements, the temperature sensor and the speed sensor, the controller being operable to drive the switching element at a switching rate selected to supply electrical power to the heating assembly to heat the windshield to a predetermined temperature and to adjust the switching rate based on at least one of a sensed voltage level of the battery, a sensed ambient temperature and a sensed speed of the man operated vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A man-operated vehicle of the type powered by a battery and including a traction motor configured to move the vehicle:
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a windshield member mounted onto said vehicle adjacent the operator console; a heating assembly disposed within the windshield member and configured to supply heat thereto; and a control circuit for supplying power to the heating assembly, the control circuit comprising at least one sensor for sensing at least one of an ambient temperature and a speed of the man-operated vehicle, a power regulator connected to the heating assembly, and a controller in electrical communication with the heating assembly, and the at least one sensor, the controller being operable to drive the power regulator to maintain the windshield at a predetermined temperature and to adjust the power supply to the heating assembly from the power regulator based on a feedback from the at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification