Fresh air filter regeneration for an HVAC system in a work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11305609-B2
Application number	US-201816612731-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2018
Priority date	May 11, 2017
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

An HVAC system for use with an operator cab of a work vehicle is characterized by an air duct arrangement in communication with a first fan outlet and second fan outlet. At least one air flow diverter is positioned within the air duct arrangement for selectively diverting air flowing through the air duct arrangement. During a “fresh air filter regeneration” mode the at least one air flow diverter closes the air duct arrangement, the first fan is activated, and the second fan is deactivated, whereby discharge air from the first fan flows through the second fan in a reverse direction and flows through the fresh air filter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heating ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system for an operator cab of a work vehicle, the HVAC system including:
a first fan having an inlet and an outlet, the first fan inlet being in communication with an interior of the operator cab;
a second fan having an inlet and an outlet, the second fan inlet being in communication with an exterior ambient environment;
a fresh air filter positioned in communication with the inlet of the second fan;
an air duct arrangement in communication with the first fan outlet and the second fan outlet; and
at least one air flow diverter positioned within the air duct arrangement for selectively, diverting air flowing through the air duct arrangement; and
wherein in a “fresh air filter regeneration” mode the at least one air flow diverter closes the air duct arrangement, the first fan is activated, and the second fan is deactivated, whereby air discharged by the first fan is diverted to the second fan for flow through the second fan in a direction from the second fan outlet to the second fan inlet before flowing through the fresh air filter.

2. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the HVAC system includes an HVAC module having a recirculation box coupled with the second fan, the recirculation box controlling an amount of recirculation air and fresh air that are drawn into the second fan, the recirculation box having a controllable first door in communication with the interior of the operator cab, and a controllable second door in communication with the exterior ambient environment, the first door being closed and the second door being opened during said fresh air filter regeneration mode.

3. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein:
the air duct arrangement includes at least one distribution plenum, each said at least one distribution plenum having at least one outlet and an inlet in communication with the first fan outlet and the second fan outlet, each said at least one distribution plenum including at least one of said at least one air flow diverter; and
an electrical processing circuit is configured in said fresh air filter regeneration mode to position the at least one air flow diverter to close each said outlet of each said at least one distribution plenum.

4. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein:
said fresh air filter regeneration mode requires that an output signal received from a door sensor of the operator cab indicates that an access door is open.

5. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein an electrical processing circuit coupled with the first fan and the second fan initiates said fresh air filter regeneration mode dependent upon a time basis.

6. The HVAC system of claim 4 , wherein an electrical processing circuit coupled with the first fan and the second fan initiates said fresh air filter regeneration mode when an output signal received from a second door sensor of the operator cab indicates that a second door is closed.

7. The HVAC system of claim 5 , wherein the time basis corresponds to a predetermined number of operating hours for the work vehicle.

8. The HVAC system of claim 3 , wherein the air duct arrangement includes a front delivery layout having at least one of said at least one air flow diverter, and a parallel delivery layout having at least one of said at least one air flow diverter, said electrical processing circuit controlling each said air flow diverter during said fresh air filter regeneration mode to close each of said front delivery layout and said parallel delivery layout.

9. The HVAC system of claim 8 , wherein:
the HVAC system includes an HVAC module containing each of the first fan and the second fan; and
the front delivery layout includes a first distribution plenum of said at least one distribution plenum having a plurality of outlets and an inlet in communication with the first fan outlet and the second fan outlet, said first distribution plenum including at least one of said at least one air flow diverter for selectively opening and closing said plurality of outlets.

10. The HVAC system, of claim 1 , wherein said fresh air filter regeneration mode is initiated dependent upon at least one sensed or calculated operating parameter associated with the fresh air filter.

11. The HVAC system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one sensed or calculated operating parameter includes a pressure drop across the fresh air filter.

12. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the first fan is a recirculation blower and the second fan is a pressurization blower.

13. A work vehicle including the HVAC system according to any one of the preceding claim.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Ferri Doriano
• Guitart Corominas Joaquim

Classifications

• B01D46/44

  controlling filtration · CPC title

• B01D46/71

  with pressurised gas, e.g. pulsed air · CPC title

• B60H1/00735

  Control systems or circuits characterised by their input, i.e. by the detection, measurement or calculation of particular conditions, e.g. signal treatment, dynamic models · CPC title

• B60H1/00378 Primary

  for tractor or load vehicle cabins · CPC title

• B60H3/0633

  with provisions for regenerating or cleaning the filter element · CPC title