System and method for controlling temperature in a refrigerated vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10752083-B2
Application number	US-201716076470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2017
Priority date	Feb 8, 2016
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

A system is disclosed for incorporation into a refrigerated delivery vehicle, the system enabling efficient cooling of the refrigerated compartment of a vehicle to avoid unnecessary idling of the vehicle's engine.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for controlling temperature in a refrigerated delivery vehicle, the system comprising:
a switch which in use is configured to receive input signals or data regarding:
i) a vehicle's location,
ii) a gearbox position,
iii) a hood position,
iv) a handbrake position, and
v) a temperature of a vehicle; and
a switch output configured for producing a signal to switch a vehicle's engine on and off when a predetermined one or more of the input signals or data are received by the switch;
wherein hazard lights and/or a horn of the vehicle are activated in response to an output of the switch prior to switching the vehicle's engine on.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the switch is configured to receive further data regarding:
i) a vehicle's battery voltage; and
the switch output is configured to switch the vehicle's engine on for a preset time when predetermined signals or data are received by the switch.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the preset time is selected from 60 minutes, 45 minutes, 30 minutes, 20 minutes and 10 minutes.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1 , in combination with a GPS receiver and a vehicle, wherein the vehicle's location is determined by the GPS receiver in the vehicle.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the vehicle must be within a predetermined Geofence to permit the switch output to produce a signal to switch the vehicle's engine on.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 , in combination with a vehicle, wherein a gearbox of the vehicle must be in a park position to permit the switch output to produce a signal to switch the vehicle's engine on.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1 , in combination with a vehicle, wherein a hood of the vehicle must be closed to permit the switch output to produce a signal to switch the vehicle's engine on.

8. A system as claimed claim 6 , wherein a handbrake of the vehicle must be fully applied to permit the switch output to produce a signal to switch the vehicle's engine on.

9. A system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a temperature of a fridge compartment of the vehicle must be above 4.990 C to permit the switch output to produce a signal to switch the vehicle's engine on.

10. A vehicle comprising the system of claim 1 .

11. A method of maintaining a temperature in a refrigerated compartment of a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving signals or data regarding:
i) the vehicle's location,
ii) a gearbox position,
iii) a hood position,
iv) a handbrake position, and
v) a temperature of the vehicle;
switching an engine of the vehicle on and off in response to signals or data received; and
activating hazard lights and/or a horn of the vehicle in response to an output of the switch prior to switching the vehicle's engine on.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 , comprising:
receiving data regarding a battery voltage of the vehicle; and
switching the vehicle's engine on for a preset time when predetermined signals or data are received.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the preset time is selected from 60 minutes, 45 minutes, 30 minutes, 20 minutes and 10 minutes.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11 , comprising:
locating the vehicle's position using a GPS receiver in the vehicle.

15. A method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the vehicle must be within a predetermined Geofence to permit the programmable module to switch the vehicle's engine on.

Assignees

• Ocado Innovation Ltd

Inventors

• Skingsley Stuart

Classifications

• F02N11/0807

  Remote means · CPC title

• B60H1/00364

  for caravans or trailers · CPC title

• B60H1/3232

  particularly adapted for load transporting vehicles (B60H1/3226 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60H1/00292

  for steering wheels · CPC title

• B60H1/00778 Primary

  the input being a stationary vehicle position, e.g. parking or stopping · CPC title