Shore power connection alert system for an over-the-road vehicle
AssigneeTramec, L.L.C.
InventorsKevin Cornelius, Alec Michael Holm, Chris Kline
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shore power alert system for an over-the-road (OTR) vehicle. The OTR vehicle has a cab, a cargo area, and parking brake system with a parking brake and a compressed air source. The OTR vehicle is coupled to a shore power connection. The shore power connection alert system has a first solenoid valve, a compressed air inlet line, a compressed air outlet line, and a transmission unit. The first solenoid valve has a fluid output line and a fluid input line. The compressed air inlet line is fluidly coupled to the compressed air source. The compressed air outlet line is fluidly coupled to the parking brake.
Claims38
A shore power connection alert system for an over-the-road (OTR) vehicle, the OTR vehicle comprising a cab, a cargo area, and a parking brake system having a parking brake and a compressed air source, the OTR vehicle being couplable to a shore power connection, the shore power connection alert system coupled to a respective portion of the OTR vehicle and comprising:
- a first valve being actuatable through a input from an input source that originates from exterior the shore power connection alert system, the first valve including a fluid input line and a fluid output line;
- a compressed air inlet line fluidly couplable to the compressed air source and defining a fluid input of compressed air from the compressed air source to the fluid input line;
- a compressed air outlet line fluidly couplable to the parking brake and defining a fluid output of compressed air from a respective portion of the shore power connection alert system and to the parking brake;
- and
- a transmission unit fluidly coupled to the fluid output line, the transmission unit configured to produce an alert transmission by receiving a flow of compressed air from the compressed air source if the parking brake is disengaged while the shore power connection is supplying a flow of power to a respective portion of the OTR vehicle.
A shore power connection alert system for an over-the-road (OTR) vehicle, the OTR vehicle comprising a cab, a cargo area, and a parking brake system having a parking brake and a compressed air source, the OTR vehicle being couplable to a shore power connection, the shore power connection alert system coupled to a respective portion of the OTR vehicle and comprising:
- a first valve being actuatable through an input from an input source that originates from exterior the shore power connection alert system, the first valve including a fluid input line and a fluid output line;
- a compressed air inlet line fluidly couplable to the compressed air source and defining a fluid input of compressed air from the compressed air source to the fluid input line;
- a compressed air outlet line fluidly couplable to the parking brake and defining a fluid output of compressed air from a respective portion of the shore power connection alert system and to the parking brake;
- and
- an exhaust line fluidly coupled to the fluid output line, the exhaust line configured to exhaust a flow of compressed air from the compressed air source if an attempt to disengage the parking brake is made prior to disconnecting the OTR vehicle from the shore power connection.
A method of generating an alert transmission if a parking brake of an over-the-road (OTR) vehicle is disengaged while the OTR vehicle is connected to a shore power connection, the alert transmission being generated through use of a shore power connection alert system coupled to the OTR vehicle, the method comprising:
- providing a compressed air inlet line of the shore power connection alert system that is fluidly coupled to a compressed air source of the OTR vehicle, the compressed air inlet line defining a fluid input to the shore power connection alert system;
- providing a compressed air outlet line of the shore power connection alert system that is fluidly coupled to the parking brake, the compressed air outlet line defining a fluid output from the shore power connection alert system;
- and
- diverting, upon an attempted disengagement of the parking brake if the OTR vehicle is connected to the shore power connection, a flow of compressed air from the compressed air source through a solenoid valve and to a transmission unit configured to produce an alert transmission.
A method of retrofitting a shore power connection alert system to an over-the-road (OTR) vehicle having a parking brake system with a parking brake and a compressed air source, the method comprising:
- a first valve being actuatable through a input from a input source that originates from exterior the shore power connection alert system, the first valve including a fluid input line and a fluid output line;
- a compressed air inlet line fluidly couplable to the compressed air source and defining a fluid input of compressed air from the compressed air source to the fluid input line;
- and
- a compressed air outlet line fluidly couplable to the parking brake and defining a fluid output of compressed air from a respective portion of the shore power connection alert system and to the parking brake;
- the method comprising;
- fluidly coupling the compressed air inlet line to the parking brake system such that the compressed air inlet line is downstream of the compressed air source;
- and
- fluidly coupling the compressed air outlet line to the parking brake system such that the compressed air outlet line is upstream of the parking brake.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.