Heating and air-conditioning system for construction equipment

Claim 2

An air-conditioning system for a vehicle having an enclosed operator compartment, said system comprising: a housing adapted to be attached to said compartment; said housing having an air treatment chamber; a blower mounted in said housing and adapted to force a flow of air through said air treatment chamber; said air treatment chamber including a plurality of air inlet openings at one end of said chamber and at least an air outlet opening at the other end of said chamber; at least one of said inlet openings communicating with the interior of said compartment for recirculating air from the interior of said compartment through said chamber; another of said inlet openings communicating with the atmosphere exterior of said compartment for admitting outside air into said chamber; an air cooling coil positioned in said chamber in the path of said flow of air; an air heating coil positioned in said chamber in said flow of air; said coils being so positioned in said chamber that said air flow from said inlet openings pass through said heating coil first and must pass through both of said coils to said outlet openings; a first circuit including a source of fluid for circulation through said cooling coil to transfer heat therefrom; and, a second circuit operative for supplying a fluid from a second diverse source for circulation through said heating coil to supply heat thereto.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein said second source comprises cooling fluid from the cooling system of an engine of said vehicle.

Claim 4

An air-conditioning system for an earthmoving vehicle having an enclosed operator compartment, said system comprising: a housing adapted to be attached to said compartment; said housing having an air treatment chamber; a blower mounted in said housing and adapted to force a flow of air through said air treatment chamber; said air treatment chamber including a plurality of air inlet openings at one end of said chamber and at least an air outlet opening at the other end of said chamber; at least one of said inlet openings communicating with the interior of said compartment for recirculating air from the interior of said compartment through said chamber; another of said inlet openings communicating with the atmosphere exterior of said compartment for admitting outside air into said chamber; an air cooling coil positioned in said chamber in the path of said flow of air; an air heating coil positioned in said chamber in said flow of air; said coils being so positioned in said chamber that said air flow from said inlet openings must pass through both of said coils to said outlet opening; refrigerant circuit means for circulating refrigerant between a compressor and said cooling coil; said refrigerant circuit including a condenser in said circuit before said cooling coil; a bypass circuit for bypassing said condenser in said refrigerant circuit, and passing hot gas from said compressor to the inlet side of said cooling coil; temperature responsive valve means for controlling the flow of gas through said bypass circuit; and, pressure responsive valve means for controlling the flow of gas into said cooling coil.

Claim 5

An air-conditioning system for an earthmoving vehicle having an enclosed operator compartment, said system comprising: a housing adapted to be attached to said compartment; said housing having an air treatment chamber; a blower mounted in said housing and adapted to force a flow of air through said air treatment chamber; said air treatment chamber including a plurality of air inlet openings at one end of said chamber and at least an air outlet opening at the other end of said chamber; at least one of said inlet openings communicating with the interior of said compartment for recirculating air from the interior of said compartment through said chamber; another of said inlet openings communicating with the atmosphere exterior of said compartment for admitting outside air into said chamber; an air cooling coil positioned in said chamber in the path of said flow of air; an air heating coil positioned in said chamber in said flow of air; said coils being so positioned in said chamber that said air flow from said inlet openings must pass through both of said coils to said outlet opening; refrigerant circuit means for circulating refrigerant between a compressor and said cooling coil; said refrigerant circuit including a condenser in said circuit before said cooling coil; a bypass circuit for bypassing said condenser in said refrigerant circuit, and passing hot gas from said compressor to the inlet side of said cooling coil; temperature responsive valve means for controlling the flow of gas through said bypass circuit; and, pressure responsive valve means for controlling the flow of gas into said cooling coil.

Claim 6

The system of claim 3 wherein said heating coil is positioned ahead of said cooling coil in said air flow path.

Claim 7

An air-conditioning system for a vehiCle having an enclosed operator compartment, said system comprising: a housing adapted to be attached to said compartment; said housing having an air treatment chamber; a blower mounted in said housing and adapted to force a flow of air through said air treatment chamber; said air treatment chamber including a plurality of air inlet openings at one end of said chamber and at least an air outlet opening at the other end of said chamber; at least one of said inlet openings communicating with the interior of said compartment for recirculating air from the interior of said compartment through said chamber; another of said inlet openings communicating with the atmosphere exterior of said compartment for admitting outside air into said chamber; an air cooling coil positioned in said chamber in the path of said flow of air; an air heating coil positioned in said chamber in said flow of air; said coils being so positioned in said chamber that said air flow from said inlet openings pass through said heating coil first and must pass through both of said coils to said outlet openings; independently operable heating and cooling circuits for controlling said cooling coil and said heating coil so that said circuits can be operated simultaneously; said cooling circuit comprises a refrigerant circuit having a compressor, a condenser, and a cooling coil; temperature responsive means for bypassing said condenser to direct gas from said compressor directly to the inlet side of said cooling coil.

Claim 8

An air-conditioning system for a vehiCle having an enclosed operator compartment, said system comprising: a housing adapted to be attached to said compartment; said housing having an air treatment chamber; a blower mounted in said housing and adapted to force a flow of air through said air treatment chamber; said air treatment chamber including a plurality of air inlet openings at one end of said chamber and at least an air outlet opening at the other end of said chamber; at least one of said inlet openings communicating with the interior of said compartment for recirculating air from the interior of said compartment through said chamber; another of said inlet openings communicating with the atmosphere exterior of said compartment for admitting outside air into said chamber; an air cooling coil positioned in said chamber in the path of said flow of air; an air heating coil positioned in said chamber in said flow of air; said coils being so positioned in said chamber that said air flow from said inlet openings pass through said heating coil first and must pass through both of said coils to said outlet openings; independently operable heating and cooling circuits for controlling said cooling coil and said heating coil so that said circuits can be operated simultaneously; said cooling circuit comprises a refrigerant circuit having a compressor, a condenser, and a cooling coil; temperature responsive means for bypassing said condenser to direct gas from said compressor directly to the inlet side of said cooling coil.