Method of manufacturing an enclosure for a transport refrigeration unit, transport refrigeration unit and transport unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11549738-B2
Application number	US-201916565031-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2019
Priority date	Apr 29, 2016
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a transport refrigeration unit is provided. The method includes providing an enclosure including an outer layer and a supporter. Providing the enclosure includes supplying one of a first material and a second material to a mold. This also includes supplying the other of the first material and the second material on the one of the first material and the second material that is supplied to the mold. Also, this includes curing the first material and the second material integrally that are supplied to the mold. The first material forms into the outer layer and the second material forms into the supporter. The second material includes a plurality of reinforcing fibers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transport refrigeration unit, comprising:
an enclosure defining an inner space; and
a plurality of refrigeration components disposed in the inner space,
wherein the enclosure includes an outer layer, and a supporter directly laminated to the outer layer, the supporter including a plurality of reinforcing fibers,
wherein the supporter is disposed between the inner space and the outer layer, and the supporter directly faces at least a part of the refrigeration components,
wherein the supporter includes a main layer and a reinforcing structure,
wherein the main layer is directly laminated to the outer layer,
wherein the enclosure includes a surface layer formed on the outer layer, the outer layer disposed between the inner space and the surface layer,
wherein the reinforcing structure is a protrusion that is raised from a back surface of the main layer away from the outer layer and the surface layer and towards a front wall of a transport unit, and
wherein both the main layer and the reinforcing structure includes a base material portion and the reinforcing fibers.

2. The transport refrigeration unit of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing fibers include long fibers, and a length of each of the long fibers is 3 mm to 40 mm.

3. The transport refrigeration unit of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing fibers being mixed in the base material portion, and the base material portion is made of polyurethane.

4. The transport refrigeration unit of claim 1 , wherein the main layer has a thickness of 1 mm to 10 mm, and the outer layer has a thickness of 1 mm to 10 mm.

5. The transport refrigeration unit of claim 1 , wherein
the surface layer displays an image.

6. The transport refrigeration unit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reinforcing fibers includes long fibers.

7. The transport refrigeration unit of claim 1 , wherein the outer layer excludes the plurality of reinforcing fibers.

8. A refrigerated transport unit, comprising:
a transport unit; and
a transport refrigeration unit mounted on the transport unit,
wherein the transport refrigeration unit includes:
an enclosure defining an inner space; and
a plurality of refrigeration components disposed in the inner space,

wherein the enclosure includes an outer layer, and a supporter directly laminated to the outer layer, the supporter including a plurality of reinforcing fibers,
wherein the supporter is disposed between the inner space and the outer layer, and the supporter directly faces at least a part of the refrigeration components,
wherein the supporter includes a main layer and a reinforcing structure,
wherein the main layer is directly laminated to the outer layer,
wherein the enclosure includes a surface layer formed on the outer layer, the outer layer disposed between the inner space and the surface layer,
wherein the reinforcing structure is a protrusion that is raised from a back surface of the main layer away from the outer layer and the surface layer and towards a front wall of a transport unit, and
wherein both the main layer and the reinforcing structure includes a base material portion and the reinforcing fibers.

9. The refrigerated transport unit of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of reinforcing fibers includes long fibers.

10. The refrigerated transport unit of claim 8 , wherein the outer layer excludes the plurality of reinforcing fibers.

Assignees

• Thermo King Llc

Inventors

• Packiarajan Selvam

Classifications

• B29K2023/18

  Polymers of hydrocarbons having four or more carbon atoms, e.g. polymers of butylene, e.g. PB, i.e. polybutylene · CPC title

• B29C41/00

  Shaping by coating a mould, core or other substrate, i.e. by depositing material and stripping-off the shaped article; Apparatus therefor (with compacting pressure B29C43/00 {; by lay-up of reinforcement of substantial or continuous length B29C70/30}) · CPC title

• B29C41/365

  Construction of spray-up equipment, e.g. spray-up guns (spraying apparatus in general B05B) · CPC title

• B29L2009/00

  Layered products · CPC title

• B29K2075/00

  Use of {PU, i.e.} polyureas or polyurethanes {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material · CPC title