Identifying and determining status of reefer containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10520538-B2
Application number	US-201715645498-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2017
Priority date	Jul 8, 2016
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

An electrical system can include a diagnostic device that generates a first test signal at a first time. The electrical system can also include at least one energy transfer link coupled to the diagnostic device, where the first test signal flows through the at least one energy transfer link at the first time. The electrical system can further include a portable electrical load coupled to the at least one energy transfer link. The electrical system can also include a monitoring device coupled to the at least one energy transfer link, where the monitoring device is disposed between the diagnostic device and the portable electrical load. The first monitoring device can receive the first test signal, where the monitoring device executes, in response to the first test signal, a test procedure on the portable electrical load. The portable electrical load is portable relative to the diagnostic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical system, comprising:
a diagnostic device that generates a first test signal at a first time;
at least one energy transfer link coupled to the diagnostic device, wherein the first test signal flows through the at least one energy transfer link at the first time;
a portable electrical load coupled to the at least one energy transfer link; and
a monitoring device coupled to the at least one energy transfer link, wherein the monitoring device is disposed between the diagnostic device and the portable electrical load,
wherein the monitoring device receives the first test signal, and wherein the monitoring device executes, in response to the first test signal, a test procedure on the portable electrical load,
wherein the portable electrical load is portable relative to the diagnostic device,
wherein the monitoring device creates a current set point in response to the first test signal.

2. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic device receives a reply signal, wherein the reply signal comprises results of the test procedure on the portable electrical load.

3. The electrical system of claim 2 , wherein the reply signal further comprises an identification of the portable electrical load.

4. The electrical system of claim 2 , wherein the reply signal further comprises details of the test procedure executed on the portable electrical load.

5. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the first test signal comprises 24 V direct current.

6. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the portable electrical load is idle during the first time.

7. The electrical system of claim 6 , wherein the diagnostic device prevents the portable electrical load from being put in service when the results of the test procedure on the portable electrical load indicate that the portable electrical load has failed.

8. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the portable electrical load comprises a refrigeration unit for a reefer container.

9. The electrical system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a reefer receptacle that detachably couples to an electrical connector of the reefer container, wherein the diagnostic device is disposed within a housing of the reefer receptacle.

10. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring device further receives a second test signal at a second time from the diagnostic device, wherein the monitoring device executes the test procedure on the portable electrical load in response to the second test signal.

11. The electrical system of claim 10 , wherein the portable electrical load is in service during the second time.

12. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic device tracks the results of the test procedure executed on the portable electrical load over time to determine whether the portable electrical load is beginning to fail.

13. A reefer container comprising:
an electrical load;
an electrical connector end electrically coupled to the electrical load, wherein the electrical connector end is configured to couple to a reefer receptacle;
at least one electrical conductor coupled to the electrical connector end and the electrical load; and
a monitoring device coupled to the at least one electrical conductor and disposed between the electrical connector end and the electrical load,
wherein the monitoring device is configured to receive a test signal from a diagnostic device through the reefer receptacle, the electrical connector end, and the at least one electrical conductor,
wherein the monitoring device uses the test signal to conduct a testing procedure on the electrical load in order to determine a condition of the electrical load,
wherein the monitoring device creates a current set point in response to the test signal.

14. The reefer container of claim 13 , further comprising:
a power module that switches from a low current to a high current when the monitoring engine receives the test signal from the diagnostic device.

15. The reefer container of claim 13 , further comprising:
a memory that stores a plurality of instructions; and
a hardware processor that executes the plurality of instructions, wherein the controller determines the test procedure to implement based on the test signal and the plurality of instructions.

16. The reefer container of claim 13 , wherein the testing procedure determines an integrity of electrical connection between the electrical connector end and the reefer receptacle.

17. A method for testing an electrical load of a reefer container, the method comprising:
receiving, from a diagnostic device, a test signal;
implementing, in response to the test signal, a test procedure on the electrical load; and
creating a current set point in response to the test signal,
wherein the test signal, while the test procedure is being administered, transforms into a return signal that is sent to the diagnostic device, wherein the return signal comprises the results of the test procedure implemented on the electrical load,
wherein the diagnostic device is configured to determine the condition of the electrical load using the results included in the return signal.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the electrical load is out of service when the test signal is received.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the electrical load is put into service when the diagnostic device determines, based on the results of the test procedure, that the electrical load of the reefer container is safe to operate.

Assignees

• Cooper Technologies Co
• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Freer Benjamin Avery
• Manahan Joseph Michael

Classifications

• F25D29/003

  for movable devices · CPC title

• G01R31/66

  Testing of connections, e.g. of plugs or non-disconnectable joints (testing for incorrect line connections G01R31/55) · CPC title

• G01R31/02 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• F25D11/003 Primary

  Transport containers · CPC title