Vehicle-to-trailer transfer of harvested and purified water

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10480163-B2
Application number	US-201715417793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2017
Priority date	Jan 27, 2017
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A system for transferring harvested drinking water from a vehicle to a trailer towed behind the vehicle includes a vehicle reservoir for collecting water from a vehicle heat-exchanger. The reservoir includes a heating element for heating water within the vehicle reservoir. A vehicle controller is coupled with the vehicle reservoir and is programmed to boil the water in the vehicle reservoir. The controller is further programmed to measure a fill level of the vehicle reservoir. A trailer reservoir receives water from the vehicle reservoir. A trailer controller is coupled with the trailer reservoir and is programmed to measure a fill level of the trailer reservoir. The trailer controller is further programmed to transmit a wireless communication to the vehicle controller. The wireless communication is indicative of the fill level of the trailer reservoir. A fluid conduit fluidly connects the vehicle reservoir to the trailer reservoir.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for transferring harvested drinking water from a vehicle to a trailer towed behind the vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle reservoir configured to collect water from a vehicle heat-exchanger, the vehicle reservoir including a heating element configured to heat water within the vehicle reservoir;
a vehicle controller coupled with the vehicle reservoir and programmed to boil the water in the vehicle reservoir, the vehicle controller further programmed to measure a fill level of the vehicle reservoir;
a trailer reservoir configured to receive water from the vehicle reservoir;
a trailer controller coupled with the trailer reservoir and programmed to measure a fill level of the trailer reservoir, the trailer controller further programmed to transmit a wireless communication to the vehicle controller, wherein the wireless communication is indicative of the fill level of the trailer reservoir; and
a fluid conduit fluidly connecting the vehicle reservoir to the trailer reservoir.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the trailer controller is programmed to transmit a first wireless communication to the vehicle controller when the fill level of the trailer reservoir is below a first predetermined threshold, and a second wireless communication when the fill level of the trailer reservoir achieves a second predetermined threshold.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein in response to receiving the first wireless communication when the fill level of the vehicle reservoir is above a predetermined vehicle reservoir threshold fill level, the vehicle controller is programmed to effect delivery of water from the vehicle reservoir to the trailer reservoir.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein in response to receiving the first wireless communication when the fill level of the vehicle reservoir is below a predetermined vehicle reservoir threshold fill level, the vehicle controller is programmed to actuate a collection valve to send water condensed off the vehicle heat-exchanger to the vehicle reservoir.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the vehicle controller is programmed to receive the first wireless communication and open a vehicle-side valve when the fill level of the vehicle reservoir is above a predetermined vehicle reservoir threshold fill level.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the vehicle controller is programmed to stop delivery of water from the vehicle reservoir to the trailer reservoir when the fill level of the vehicle reservoir falls below a predetermined vehicle reservoir threshold fill level.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the vehicle controller is programmed to receive the second wireless communication, and in response, stop delivery of water from the vehicle reservoir to the trailer reservoir.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein the vehicle controller is programmed to receive the second wireless communication, and in response, close a vehicle-side valve.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first float sensor disposed in the vehicle reservoir and in communication with the vehicle controller; and
a second float sensor disposed in the trailer reservoir and in communication with the trailer controller.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle controller is programmed to determine a water delivery status based on physical positions of the first float sensor and the second float sensor.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a vehicle-side valve in communication with the vehicle controller; and
a trailer-side valve in communication with the trailer controller.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a user interface in the vehicle for displaying at least one of a water delivery status and the fill level of the trailer reservoir.

13. A method for transferring harvested drinking water from a vehicle reservoir to a trailer reservoir, the method comprising:
collecting water from a vehicle heat-exchanger in the vehicle reservoir;
with a vehicle controller, activating a heating element associated with the vehicle reservoir to boil the water in the vehicle reservoir;
with the vehicle controller, measuring a fill level of the vehicle reservoir;
with a trailer controller, measuring a fill level of the trailer reservoir;
with a trailer controller, transmitting a first wireless communication to the vehicle controller, wherein the wireless communication is indicative of the fill level of the trailer reservoir; and
in response to the trailer reservoir being below a threshold, transferring the water from the vehicle reservoir to the trailer reservoir.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
with the trailer controller, transmitting a second wireless communication to the vehicle controller in response to the fill level of the trailer reservoir being below the first threshold; and
with the trailer controller, transmitting a third wireless communication to the vehicle controller in response to the fill level of the trailer reservoir achieving a second threshold.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
with the vehicle controller, actuate a collection valve to send water condensed off the vehicle heat-exchanger to the vehicle reservoir.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
with the vehicle controller, open a vehicle-side valve in response to the fill level of the vehicle reservoir being above a predetermined vehicle reservoir threshold fill level.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
with the vehicle controller, stopping delivery of the water from the vehicle reservoir to the trailer reservoir in response to the fill level of the vehicle reservoir being below a vehicle reservoir threshold fill level.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
with the vehicle controller, stopping delivery of water from the vehicle reservoir to the trailer reservoir in response to receiving the third wireless communication.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
with the vehicle controller, closing a vehicle-side valve in response to receiving the third wireless communication.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dudar Aed M
• Miller Kenneth James
• Martin Douglas Raymond

Classifications

• B60H1/32331

  comprising means for the use of condensed liquid, e.g. for humidification or for improving condenser performance · CPC title

• B60H1/00364

  for caravans or trailers · CPC title

• E03B3/28 Primary

  from humid air (condensing of vapours in general B01D5/00; dehumidification of air for air-conditioning F24F3/14) · CPC title

• C02F1/02

  by heating (methods of steam generation F22B; preheating boiler feed-water or accumulating preheated boiler feed-water F22D) · CPC title

• B60N3/18

  of drinking-water {or other beverage} dispensing devices · CPC title