Apparatus and method of controlling an air compressor to expel moisture from the air compressor
AssigneeBendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
InventorsWilliam Plow, Majed Hamdan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus is provided for controlling a vehicle air compressor. The apparatus comprises an input for receiving a signal indicative of operation of the vehicle air compressor. The apparatus also comprises a data storage unit arranged to, when the vehicle is in a driving state, store signals from the input. The apparatus further comprises a processing unit arranged to, when the vehicle is in a non-driving state, control the vehicle air compressor to expel moisture from the vehicle air compressor based upon signals that have been stored over a period of time in the data storage unit.
Claims22
An apparatus for controlling a vehicle air compressor, the apparatus comprising:
- an input for receiving a signal indicative of operation of the vehicle air compressor;
- a data storage unit arranged to, when the vehicle is in a driving state, store the signals from the input;
- and
- a processing unit arranged to, when the vehicle is in a non-driving state, control the vehicle air compressor to expel moisture from the vehicle air compressor based upon signals that have been stored over a period of time in the data storage unit.
An apparatus for controlling a vehicle air compressor, the apparatus comprising:
- means for operating the vehicle air compressor when the vehicle is in driving mode;
- and
- means for operating the vehicle air compressor when the vehicle is in compressor conditioning mode, wherein (i) the driving mode includes when the vehicle is in a driving or drivable state, and (ii) the compressor conditioning mode includes when the vehicle is in a state other than a driving or drivable state.
An air compressor controller for a vehicle air charging system having an air compressor, the air compressor controller comprising:
- an input port for receiving compressor operating signals;
- a data storage unit for storing a compressor control algorithm and compressor operating signals accumulated and logged over at least one period of time;
- a processing unit for applying the compressor control algorithm to the logged compressor operating signals over the at least one period of time, wherein the processing unit provides a compressor conditioning mode activating signal when the vehicle is parked;
- and
- an output port for communicating the compressor conditioning mode activating signal to activate the air compressor, thereby operating the air compressor to expel moisture from the air compressor based upon the logged compressor operating signals over the at least one period of time while the vehicle is parked.
A method for a vehicle having an air compressor, the method comprising:
- collecting operating data associated with the air compressor during driving mode of the vehicle;
- and
- controlling operation of the air compressor during compressor conditioning mode of the vehicle based upon collected operating data associated with the air compressor to expel moisture from the air compressor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.