Vehicle heating and cooling system

In a truck having a cab, a sleeper compartment, a sleeper compartment air conditioning and heating unit having a sleeper compartment duct with an outlet in the sleeper compartment, the improvement comprising:

• an auxiliary power unit housing mounted to a frame of the truck;
• an auxiliary engine mounted in the auxiliary housing;
• an auxiliary compressor mounted to and driven by the auxiliary engine;
• an auxiliary condenser mounted in the auxiliary compartment in fluid communication with refrigerant compressed by the compressor;
• an auxiliary radiator in fluid communication with coolant circulated through the auxiliary engine;
• an auxiliary evaporator and heater housing carried on a portion of the truck exterior of the sleeper compartment and having a discharge chamber and a return chamber;
• an auxiliary evaporator in the discharge chamber of the auxiliary evaporator and heater housing in fluid communication with refrigerant condensed by the condenser;
• an auxiliary heater element in the discharge chamber of the auxiliary evaporator and heater housing in fluid communication with coolant circulated through the auxiliary engine and the auxiliary radiator;
• an auxiliary supply duct leading from discharge chamber of the auxiliary evaporator and heater housing to a junction with the sleeper compartment duct;
• a return port in the auxiliary evaporator and heater housing that communicates the return chamber with the interior of the sleeper compartment;
• and
• an auxiliary blower mounted in the return chamber of the auxiliary evaporator and heater element for receiving air from the return port and discharging air through the auxiliary evaporator, auxiliary heater and auxiliary supply duct into the sleeper compartment duct.

In a truck having a cab, a sleeper compartment, a sleeper compartment air conditioning and heating unit and a sleeper compartment duct with an outlet in the sleeper compartment, the improvement comprising:

• an auxiliary power unit housing mounted to the truck;
• an auxiliary engine mounted in the auxiliary housing;
• an auxiliary compressor mounted to and driven by the auxiliary engine;
• an auxiliary condenser mounted in the auxiliary compartment in fluid communication with refrigerant compressed by the compressor;
• an auxiliary evaporator and heater housing having a discharge chamber and a return chamber that is in communication with an interior of the sleeper compartment;
• an auxiliary evaporator in the discharge chamber of the auxiliary evaporator and heater housing in fluid communication with refrigerant condensed by the condenser;
• an auxiliary heater element in the discharge chamber of the auxiliary evaporator and heater housing;
• a plenum in the sleeper compartment having a main supply port connected to the sleeper compartment air conditioning and heating unit, an auxiliary supply port, and an outlet port connected to the sleeper compartment duct;
• an auxiliary supply duct leading from discharge chamber of the auxiliary evaporator and heater housing to the auxiliary supply port;
• a return port in the auxiliary evaporator and heater housing that communicates the return chamber with the interior of the sleeper compartment;
• an auxiliary blower mounted in the return chamber of the auxiliary evaporator and heater element for receiving air from the return port and discharging air through the auxiliary evaporator and auxiliary heater into the auxiliary supply duct;
• and
• a valve mounted in the plenum and having a main position that blocks the auxiliary supply port to direct air flowing from the sleeper compartment air conditioning and heating unit into the sleeper compartment duct, and an auxiliary position that blocks the main supply port to direct air flowing from the auxiliary supply duct into the sleeper compartment duct.

In a truck having a cab and a sleeper compartment, the improvement comprising:

• an auxiliary power unit housing mounted to a frame of the truck;
• an auxiliary engine mounted in the auxiliary power unit housing;
• an auxiliary compressor mounted to and driven by the auxiliary engine;
• an auxiliary condenser mounted in the auxiliary power unit housing in fluid communication with refrigerant compressed by the compressor;
• an auxiliary evaporator and heater housing located exterior of the sleeper compartment and the auxiliary power unit housing, and having a discharge chamber and a return chamber;
• a flexible supply duct extending exterior of the auxiliary evaporator and heater housing from the discharge chamber to a supply port provided in the sleeper compartment;
• a flexible return duct extending exterior of the auxiliary evaporator and heater housing from the return chamber to a return port provided in the sleeper compartment;
• an auxiliary evaporator in the discharge chamber of the auxiliary evaporator and heater housing in fluid communication with refrigerant condensed by the auxiliary condenser;
• an auxiliary heater element in the discharge chamber of the auxiliary evaporator and heater housing;
• and
• an auxiliary blower mounted in the return chamber of the auxiliary evaporator and heater housing for receiving air from the sleeper compartment via the flexible return duct and discharging air through the auxiliary evaporator, auxiliary heater, and flexible supply duct into the sleeper compartment.