USRE33687E — Auxiliary air conditioning, heating and engine wa…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 345 words

An air conditioning, heating and engine warming system for trucks and like vehicles comprising: an engine including a block connected to a radiator; an engine and truck air conditioning and heating system including a truck compressor, a condenser, refrigerant lines extending from the truck compressor to at least one air conditioning unit and extending from the air conditioning unit to the condenser and back to the truck compressor, and heater conduits extending from the engine block to at least one heating unit and extending back to the engine block; an auxiliary power plant on the truck including an auxiliary engine, alternator, coolant system including a water pump and an air conditioning compressor each driven by the auxiliary engine, and a heat exchanger having a chamber located immediately adjacent the auxiliary engine for receiving hot exhaust gases therefrom and having a liquid heating coil within said chamber in heat transfer relationship with the exhaust gases, a first coolant conduit coupled from the engine block to one side of the heating coil of the heat exchanger and a second coolant conduit coupled directly back to the engine block, said second coolant conduit being additionally coupled to the other side of said heating coil, a circulating pump connected in the first conduit between the engine block and the heating coil; the return of heated water to the engine block from said second conduit acting to warm the engine block and thus aid starting of the truck engine in cold weather when the auxiliary power plant is operated; additional refrigerant lines coupling the compressor of the auxiliary power plant to refrigerant lines connecting said air conditioning unit and said condenser whereby refrigerant can be independently supplied to the truck air conditioning system from the compressor of the auxiliary power plant when said auxiliary power plant is operated; and means in the refrigerant lines between the truck compressor and said one air conditioning unit and between the compressor of the auxiliary power plant and said one air conditioning unit for restricting back flow of refrigerant between the two said compressors.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 345 words

An air conditioning, heating and engine warming system for trucks and like vehicles comprising: an engine including a block connected to a radiator; an engine and truck air conditioning and heating system including a truck compressor, a condenser, refrigerant lines extending from the truck compressor to at least one air conditioning unit and extending from the air conditioning unit to the condenser and back to the truck compressor, and heater conduits extending from the engine block to at least one heating unit and extending back to the engine block; an auxiliary power plant on the truck including an auxiliary engine, alternator, coolant system including a water pump and an air conditioning compressor each driven by the auxiliary engine, and a heat exchanger having a chamber located immediately adjacent the auxiliary engine for receiving hot exhaust gases therefrom and having a liquid heating coil within said chamber in heat transfer relationship with the exhaust gases, a first coolant conduit coupled from the engine block to one side of the heating coil of the heat exchanger and a second coolant conduit coupled directly back to the engine block, said second coolant conduit being additionally coupled to the other side of said heating coil, a circulating pump connected in the first conduit between the engine block and the heating coil; the return of heated water to the engine block from said second conduit acting to warm the engine block and thus aid starting of the truck engine in cold weather when the auxiliary power plant is operated; additional refrigerant lines coupling the compressor of the auxiliary power plant to refrigerant lines connecting said air conditioning unit and said condenser whereby refrigerant can be independently supplied to the truck air conditioning system from the compressor of the auxiliary power plant when said auxiliary power plant is operated; and means in the refrigerant lines between the truck compressor and said one air conditioning unit and between the compressor of the auxiliary power plant and said one air conditioning unit for restricting back flow of refrigerant between the two said compressors.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for restricting back flow comprise automatic pressure-actuated cut-off valves.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 74 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined in claim 1, and additionally including a third coolant conduit coupled from said radiator to the coolant system of the auxiliary engine and through the water pump thereof, and a fourth coolant conduit coupled from said water pump directly back to the engine block, the return of the heated water to the engine block from said fourth conduit also acting to warm the engine block.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 68 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined in claim 3, and additionally including means connected in said first and second cooling conduits on either side of the heating coil of said heat exchanger for allowing the heat exchanger to boil dry when the circulating pump is inactive and to prevent undesired back flow through the heating coil from the water pump of said auxiliary power plant.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 23 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined by claim 3, and wherein said second and fourth coolant circuits are commonly connected.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 91 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined by claim 3, additionally including first and second valve means coupled to opposite sides of said heating coil, said first valve means being further coupled in said first coolant conduit between the circulating pump and the heating coil, and said second valve means being coupled between the heating coil and said second coolant conduit, whereby undesired back flow through the heating coil from said water pump is prevented and the heat exchanger is boiled dry when the circulation pump is turned off.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined in claim 6, wherein said valve means comprise one-way check valves.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 22 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined by claim 7, wherein said connecting means comprise a pair of T connectors.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 59 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined by claim 1, and additionally including means commonly connecting the refrigerant lines extending from and to the truck compressor and the refrigerant lines extending from and to the compressor of the auxiliary power to the refrigerant lines extending to and from said at least one air conditioning unit and condenser.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 55 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined by claim 1, and additionally including a temperature responsive switch in thermal contact with the engine block and being electrically connected to said circulating pump for controlling activation of the pump to maintain the engine at a predetermined temperature when the truck engine is not running.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 41 words

In an air conditioning and heating system defined by claim 1, and including a cab and a sleeping compartment and wherein said at least one air conditioning and heating units are selectively located in either said cab or said sleeping compartment.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 56 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined by claim 11, and additionally including another air conditioning unit and another heating unit located in the other said cab or said sleeping compartment, and additionally including refrigerant lines coupling both said air conditioning units in series, and heater conduits coupling both said heating units in series.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined by claim 12, and additionally including separate controls in said cab and said sleeping compartment for independently controlling the heating and air conditioning units at each location.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined by claim 1, wherein said auxiliary engine comprises an internal combustion engine.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 23 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined by claim 14, wherein said internal combustion engine comprises a relatively small diesel engine.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 104 words

In an air conditioning, heating and engine warming system as defined in claim 1, and further comprising a vehicle alternator, an auxiliary power plant alternator, a vehicle storage battery, and circuitry coupled to said battery, said circuitry including a vehicle ignition switch and another switch independent of the vehicle ignition switch, said another switch being operable to start the auxiliary engine of the auxiliary power plant when the vehicle ignition switch interrupts the vehicle ignition circuit, said auxiliary power plant alternator being further connected to and operable to charge said battery in place of said vehicle alternator when the auxiliary power plant is operating.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 49 words

In an air conditioning and heating system as defined by claim 1, and additionally including a water line passing through said heat exchanger and being in thermal contact with selected fuel lines of said truck engine and said auxiliary engine for warming said fuel lines in cold weather. .Iadd.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 162 words

In combination, a truck including a cab, a water cooled primary engine, an air conditioning system including a first compressor driven by said engine, air conditioning means and condenser means, and a heating system operatively connected to the coolant of the engine, an auxiliary engine mounted on said truck and including a second air conditioner compressor driven thereby, condenser means operatively connected to said second compressor, an alternator mounted on and driven by said auxiliary engine, said alternator being operatively connected to the truck's electrical system to supply electricity thereto when said primary engine is not running, means operatively connecting one side of said condenser means to said air conditioning means, means connecting the air conditioning means to said second air conditioner compressor, and control means for selectively supplying refrigerant from either said second compressor or said first compressor to said air conditioning means whereby the interior of said cab may be cooled without operating the engine of said truck. .Iaddend. .Iadd.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 162 words

In combination, a truck including a cab, a water cooled primary engine, an air conditioning system including a first compressor driven by said engine, air conditioning means and condenser means, and a heating system operatively connected to the coolant of the engine, an auxiliary engine mounted on said truck and including a second air conditioner compressor driven thereby, condenser means operatively connected to said second compressor, an alternator mounted on and driven by said auxiliary engine, said alternator being operatively connected to the truck's electrical system to supply electricity thereto when said primary engine is not running, means operatively connecting one side of said condenser means to said air conditioning means, means connecting the air conditioning means to said second air conditioner compressor, and control means for selectively supplying refrigerant from either said second compressor or said first compressor to said air conditioning means whereby the interior of said cab may be cooled without operating the engine of said truck. .Iaddend. .Iadd.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 104 words

The combination of claim 18 wherein said auxiliary engine is water cooled and wherein means fluidly connects the coolant in said auxiliary engine to said heating system whereby the hot coolant water in said auxiliary engine may be supplied to said heating system to provide heat to the interior of said cab without operating the truck engine. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The combination of claim 19 wherein means is provided for further heating the coolant water by said auxiliary engine. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The combination of claim 19 wherein the hot coolant water from the auxiliary engine also heats the fuel in the truck fuel tank. .Iaddend.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 136 words

.Iadd.22. A truck including a cab, comprising: a water-cooled primary engine including a radiator for cooling fluid moving through the water jacket of the engine, a heating system for heating the interior of the cab including heater unit means operatively connected to the hot fluid moving through the water jacket, an auxiliary water-cooled engine mounted on said truck, an alternator mounted on and driven by said auxiliary engine, said alternator being operatively connected to the truck electrical system to supply electricity thereto when said primary engine is not running, means fluidly connecting the coolant water of said auxiliary engine to said heater unit means to selectively supply hot coolant water from said auxiliary engine to said heater unit means when said primary engine is not running, whereby said auxiliary engine will provide heat to the interior

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 136 words

.Iadd.22. A truck including a cab, comprising: a water-cooled primary engine including a radiator for cooling fluid moving through the water jacket of the engine, a heating system for heating the interior of the cab including heater unit means operatively connected to the hot fluid moving through the water jacket, an auxiliary water-cooled engine mounted on said truck, an alternator mounted on and driven by said auxiliary engine, said alternator being operatively connected to the truck electrical system to supply electricity thereto when said primary engine is not running, means fluidly connecting the coolant water of said auxiliary engine to said heater unit means to selectively supply hot coolant water from said auxiliary engine to said heater unit means when said primary engine is not running, whereby said auxiliary engine will provide heat to the interior

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 30 words

of said cab without operating said primary engine. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein means is provided for further heating the coolant water by said auxiliary engine. .Iaddend.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-09-09	1995-03-11	1995-09-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-09-09	1999-03-11	1999-09-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-09-09	2003-03-11	2003-09-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Auxiliary air conditioning, heating and engine warming system for trucks

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