GB2399887A

GB2399887A - Vehicle refrigeration monitoring unit

Info

Publication number: GB2399887A
Application number: GB0307071A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen William Ley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-03-27
Filing date: 2003-03-27
Publication date: 2004-09-29
Also published as: GB0307071D0

Abstract

A transmitter and receiver are positioned to enable a fridge status display (4) to be reproduced remotely. Using technologies such as Infra Red or Bluetooth allows wireless fridge monitoring. This gives lorry drivers visual access to the display (4) on the fridge unit of a trailer (5) they are pulling. A transmitter (7) encodes the fridge status and transmits it towards the cab (6). A separate receiver in the cab (6) decodes the information and reproduces it on a display (1), which may or may not incorporate the receiver. 'The Transmitter' (7) and 'The Display' (1) should be two separate fixtures of a semi-trailer (5) and lorry cab (6) respectively. The display can show information such as fridge temperature, engine status, alarms (visual and audible), defrost, cooling or heating. The operator may use 'The Display' to alter the fridge settings. As such both units are able to receive and transmit.

Description

1 2399887 Vehicle Refrigeration Monitoring Unit This invention relates to

a device that will allow the status of a refrigerated trailer to be monitored by the driver.

At present, refrigerated trailers are used to deliver goods that need to be maintained at a certain temperature. The driver is unable to monitor the fridge status while driving.

The primary application for this invention would be to allow lorry drivers of articulated vehicles to monitor the information displayed on a panel on the fridge unit, used to cool the interior of the trailer they are pulling. This information is only visible from alongside the fridge unit. This means a driver must stop and check their load frequently. Modern Ridges are designed to switch off when the required temperature has been reached. So a driver can't assume the fridge has a fault if it isn't running.

However, they also have no way of knowing if the fridge has stopped because the correct temperature has been reached.

Trailer refrigeration units and wireless communication such as Infra Red or Bluetooth are well known. However, transmitting the fridge status using wireless technology to a display in the cab would enable the driver to monitor the fridge status during the journey. If a problem with the fridge occurred during the journey, the driver would be unaware of it.

An object of this invention is to allow a lorry driver to monitor the temperature of the fridge on the trailer they are pulling.

Accordingly, this invention provides a device of two parts, one of which has a display which can be mounted in the cab (1) that can send and receive information to and from a transmitter (7) installed in the fridge (2) of a trailer (5).

À The device comprises two parts, which henceforth shall be known as ' The Display' and 'The Transmitter' for the purposes of explanation only.

À 'The Transmitter' (7) must encode the fridge status and transmit the information to 'The Display' (I) À 'The Transmitter' (7) in the fridge (5) may also receive information transmitted by 'The Display' À 'The Display' (1) must receive, decode and display the information transmitted by 'The Transmitter' (7) À 'The Display' may also transmit information to 'The Transmitter' À The operator can monitor the fridge status from inside the cab.

À The operator can monitor the fridge status during a journey.

À Fridge settings may be altered using the device.

À 'The Display' (1) is designed to be reasonably attached in a lorry cab (6) À The information shown on 'The Display' (1) can be seen at a glance while driving.

À The information shown on 'The Display' (1) will show the same information as the display on the fridge (4) (including: cooling or heating, defrost, temperatures, alarm codes, engine speed).

À The two units must use wireless technology to transmit and receive the encoded information. Two examples of this are Infra Red and Bluetooth.

À If the unit uses Infra Red an additional transmitter/receiver may be required to ensure line of sight transmission. (3) À An audible alarm may be included in 'The Display' to sound in the cab if an alarm is triggered on the fridge.

The transmitter in the fridge must be integrated with existing circuitry.

À Bluetooth allows the fridge and main unit to operate without any further transmitters/receivers as it does not need line of sight to work.

À Power for each will come from existing power supplies on the fridge and on the lorry.

À Each part of the device must contain the necessary electronics to perform these tasks.

À 'The Display' may be contained in a box of reasonable size.

À The device must be able to work in the extreme environments for which it is intended À The device must integrate so as not to interfere with it's environment during norma] operation Reference guide to the enclosed drawings Figure A This shows the type of vehicle the invention could be used on and the position of the refrigeration units on the trailer Figure B This shows a front view of a trailer and the position of more common position of a refrigeration unit and the position of the Ridge status display Figure C This shows a typical Ridge status display in more detail Figure D A Flow chart to explain the interaction between the units Figure E Shows a top view of Figure A showing position of extra l.R. sender if required, to ensure line of sight connection.

Figure F Shows possible mounting position of main device in cab.

(1) = 'The Display' (2) = A refrigeration unit (3) = Infra Red transmitter/receiver (4) = Fridge status display on trailer (5) = A Trailer (6) = A Lorry Cab (7) = 'The Transmitter' (8) = Dashboard

Claims

1. A wireless monitoring system for vehicle refrigeration units, which comprises: A transmitter section adapted for mounting on a container and having a sensor to monitor at least the temperature inside the container, a control circuit to encrypt the temperature sensor output and to produce corresponding data signals, and a wireless transmitter arranged to transmit said data signals: and A receiver section adapted for mounting remotely from the receiver section having a wireless receiver adapted to receive the transmitted data signal from the transmitter section, means to decode the data and display said temperature data.

2. A monitoring system according to claim I, wherein the display device of the receiver section is mounted within a casing separate from a casing for the wireless receiver but coupled thereto by a cable, whereby the display device may be positioned at some location remote from the location of the casing for the wireless receiver.

3. A monitoring system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the wireless transmitter section is adapted for mounting on the semitrailer of an articulated vehicle and the receiver section is adapted for mounting in a tractor unit of an articulated vehicle.

4. A monitoring system according to claim 3, in which the semi-trailer with which the transmitter section is adapted to be used includes a self contained diesel engine-driven refrigeration unit, wherein the monitoring system is arranged also to monitor one or more of the operating parameters of the self contained refrigeration unit.

5. A monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein the monitoring parameters of the refrigeration unit comprises one or more of engine operation, low oil pressure, low oil level, engine coolant, overheating, alternator output.

6. A monitoring system according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the transmitter section is arranged to monitor one or more electrical systems associated with the refrigerated unit

7. A monitoring system according to any of claims 4 to 6 wherein the transmitter section is configured to detect a fault condition for any one of the parameters monitored by the system and to issue a warning on detection of such a condition.

8. A monitoring system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the transmitter section is associated with a radio transceiver, to permit remote interrogation of at least one parameter monitored by the system.

9. A monitoring system according to any of the preceding claims wherein both the transmitter section and the receiver section are provided with connector parts permitting the linking together of the two sections by an electrical cable.

10. An articulated vehicle having a refrigerated semi-trailer and whenever the semi-trailer has been fitted with the transmitter section to permit the monitoring of at least the temperature within the container, and the tractor unit of the vehicle has been fitted with the receiver section to receive data signals transmitted by the transmitter system.

11. A monitoring system according to any of the preceding claims wherein the wireless communication may be infra red which would necessitate the need for line of sight mounting of transmitter a receiver sections.

12 A monitoring system according to any of the preceding claims wherein the wireless communication may use Bluetooth technology.

13. A monitoring system substantially as herein before described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.