Air return bulkhead with removable panel for access to the lower region of a trailer refrigeration unit
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B60H-001/32
B60H-001/00
F25D-017/04
출원번호
US-0213849
(2008-06-25)
등록번호
US-8298056
(2012-10-30)
발명자
/ 주소
Clark, Toby
출원인 / 주소
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Law Offices of Steven W. Weinrieb
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
4인용 특허 :
11
초록▼
An air return bulkhead for use within refrigerated cargo trailers comprises a pair of substantially coplanar panel members disposed within a vertically oriented plane. A first lower main panel member is fixedly connected to the front wall member of the cargo trailer, and the second upper secondary p
An air return bulkhead for use within refrigerated cargo trailers comprises a pair of substantially coplanar panel members disposed within a vertically oriented plane. A first lower main panel member is fixedly connected to the front wall member of the cargo trailer, and the second upper secondary panel member, in addition to also being connected to the front wall member of the cargo trailer, is also removably connected to the first lower main panel member so as to provide repair or maintenance personnel with easy access to the lower region of the refrigeration unit when, for example, repair or maintenance procedures need to be performed upon the refrigeration unit.
대표청구항▼
1. An air return bulkhead to be used within a refrigeration container for conducting return air from the cargo area of the refrigeration container to an air inlet portion of a refrigeration unit disposed within the refrigeration container, comprising: a first lower panel member adapted to be fixedly
1. An air return bulkhead to be used within a refrigeration container for conducting return air from the cargo area of the refrigeration container to an air inlet portion of a refrigeration unit disposed within the refrigeration container, comprising: a first lower panel member adapted to be fixedly mounted to a wall member of the refrigeration container such that a first surface portion of said first lower panel member is spaced from the wall member of the refrigeration container in order to partially define a return air conduit, between said first surface portion of said first lower panel and the wall member of the refrigeration container, for conducting return air toward the air inlet portion of the refrigeration unit disposed within the refrigeration container;a second upper panel member removably disposed atop said first lower panel member such that a second surface portion of said second upper panel member is disposed in a substantially coplanar manner with respect to said first surface portion of said first lower panel member so as to effectively complete the definition of said return air conduit leading up to the air inlet portion of the refrigeration unit disposed within the refrigeration container;said first lower panel member comprising a plurality of transversely oriented first rib members extending across said first lower panel member wherein said plurality of first rib members are vertically spaced with respect to each other so as to define a plurality of first spaces therebetween; andsaid second upper panel member comprising a plurality of transversely oriented second rib members extending across said second upper panel member wherein said plurality of second rib members are vertically spaced from each other so as to define a plurality of second spaces therebetween such that said plurality of first rib members and said plurality of first spaces of said first lower panel member interengage said plurality of second rib members and said plurality of second spaces of said second upper panel member in an interdigitated manner so as to achieve said removable mounting of said second upper panel member upon said first lower panel member,whereby when personnel require access to the refrigeration unit, only said second upper panel member needs to be removed in lieu of requiring the removal of the entire air return bulkhead comprising said first lower and second upper panel members. 2. The air return bulkhead as set forth in claim 1, wherein: a lower edge portion of said second upper panel member is removably connected to an upper edge portion of said first lower panel member. 3. The air return bulkhead as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said first lower and second upper panel members define hollow enclosure structures so as to define said return air conduit leading up to the air inlet portion of the refrigeration unit disposed within the refrigeration container. 4. The air return bulkhead as set forth in claim 3, further comprising: return air inlets defined within a lower region of said first lower panel member so as to permit return air from the cargo area of the refrigeration container to enter said return air conduit leading up to the air inlet portion of the refrigeration unit disposed within the refrigeration container. 5. The air return bulkhead as set forth in claim 4, wherein said return air inlets comprise: a first set of apertures defined within a bottom wall member of said first lower panel member; anda second set of apertures defined within a region of said first lower panel member which is interposed between said bottom wall member of said first lower panel member and said upper edge portion of said first lower panel member. 6. The air return bulkhead as set forth in claim 5, wherein: said first and second sets of apertures comprise a multiplicity of apertures arranged within grid-type patterns. 7. The air return bulkhead as set forth in claim 2, wherein: said plurality of first rib members of said first lower panel member are disposed upon said upper edge portion of said first lower panel member while said plurality of second rib members of said second upper panel member are disposed upon said lower edge portion of said second upper panel member. 8. The air return bulkhead as set forth in claim 7, wherein: a plurality of slots are defined within said lower edge portion of said second upper panel member; anda plurality of upstanding tab members are disposed upon said upper edge portion of said first lower panel member and insertable through said plurality of slots defined within said lower edge portion of said second upper panel member so as maintain said first and second rib members of said first lower panel member and said second upper panel member interengaged with each other and thereby maintain said second upper panel member removably mounted upon said first lower panel member. 9. The air return bulkhead as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said second upper panel member is adapted to be removably affixed to the wall member of the refrigeration container. 10. The air return bulkhead as set forth in claim 9, wherein: peripheral edge portions are defined upon said second upper panel member; andfasteners are adapted to be pivotally mounted upon the wall member of the refrigeration container such that when said fasteners are disposed at a first position, said fasteners will engage said peripheral edge portions of said second upper panel member so as to affix said second upper panel member to the wall member of the refrigeration container, and when said fasteners are disposed at a second position, said fasteners will be disengaged from said peripheral edge portions of said second upper panel member such that said second upper panel member is not affixed to the wall member of the refrigeration container. 11. In combination, an air return bulkhead to be used within a refrigeration container for conducting return air from the cargo area of the refrigeration container to an air inlet portion of a refrigeration unit disposed within the refrige-ration container, comprising: a refrigeration unit having an air inlet portion;a first lower panel member adapted to be fixedly mounted to a wall member of the refrigeration container such that a first surface portion of said first lower panel member is spaced from the wall member of the refrigeration container in order to partially define a return air conduit, between said first surface portion of said first lower panel and the wall member of the refrigeration container, for conducting return air toward said air inlet portion of said refrigeration unit disposed within the refrigeration container;a second upper panel member removably disposed atop said first lower panel member such that a second surface portion of said second upper panel member is disposed in a substantially coplanar manner with respect to said first surface portion of said first lower panel member so as to effectively complete the definition of said return air conduit leading up to said air inlet portion of said refrigeration unit disposed within the refrigeration container;said first lower panel member comprising a plurality of transversely oriented first rib members extending across said first lower panel member wherein said plurality of first rib members are vertically spaced with respect to each other so as to define a plurality of first spaces therebetween; andsaid second upper panel member comprising a plurality of transversely oriented second rib members extending across said second upper panel member wherein said plurality of second rib members are vertically spaced from each other so as to define a plurality of second spaces therebetween such that said plurality of first rib members and said plurality of first spaces of said first lower panel member interengage said plurality of second rib members and said plurality of second spaces of said second upper panel member in an interdigitated manner so as to achieve said removable mounting of said second upper panel member upon said first lower panel member,whereby when personnel require access to said refrigeration unit, only said second upper panel member needs to be removed in lieu of requiring the removal of the entire air return bulkhead comprising said first lower and second upper panel members. 12. The combination as set forth in claim 11, wherein: a lower edge portion of said second upper panel member is removably connected to an upper edge portion of said first lower panel member. 13. The combination as set forth in claim 12, wherein: said first lower and second upper panel members define hollow enclosure structures so as to define said return air conduit leading up to said air inlet portion of said refrigeration unit disposed within the refrigeration container. 14. The combination as set forth in claim 13, further comprising: return air inlets defined within a lower region of said first lower panel member so as to permit return air from the cargo area of the refrigeration container to enter said return air conduit leading up to said air inlet portion of said refrigeration unit disposed within the refrigeration container. 15. The combination as set forth in claim 14, wherein said return air inlets comprise: a first set of apertures defined within a bottom wall member of said first lower panel member; anda second set of apertures defined within a region of said first lower panel member which is interposed between said bottom wall member of said first lower panel member and said upper edge portion of said first lower panel member. 16. The combination as set forth in claim 15, wherein: said first and second sets of apertures comprise a multiplicity of apertures arranged within grid-type patterns. 17. The combination as set forth in claim 12, wherein: said plurality of first rib members of said first lower panel member are disposed upon said upper edge portion of said first lower panel member while said plurality of second rib members of said second upper panel member are disposed upon said lower edge portion of said second upper panel member. 18. The combination as set forth in claim 17, wherein: a plurality of slots are defined within said lower edge portion of said second upper panel member; anda plurality of upstanding tab members are disposed upon said upper edge portion of said first lower panel member and insertable through said plurality of slots defined within said lower edge portion of said second upper panel member so as maintain said first and second rib members of said first lower panel member and said second upper panel member interengaged with each other and thereby maintain said second upper panel member removably mounted upon said first lower panel member. 19. The combination as set forth in claim 11, wherein: said second upper panel member is adapted to be removably affixed to the wall member of the refrigeration container. 20. The combination as set forth in claim 19, wherein: peripheral edge portions are defined upon said second upper panel member; andfasteners are adapted to be pivotally mounted upon the wall member of the refrigeration container such that when said fasteners are disposed at a first position, said fasteners will engage said peripheral edge portions of said second upper panel member so as to affix said second upper panel member to the wall member of the refrigeration container, and when said fasteners are disposed at a second position, said fasteners will be disengaged from said peripheral edge portions of said second upper panel member such that said second upper panel member is not affixed to the wall member of the refrigeration container.
Ziegler David B. ; Sirotek ; Jr. Robert L. ; Hotch Pat ; George Gregg ; Kiefer Kevin W. ; Gast Randal, Air return bulkhead for temperature controlled trailers.
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