Abstract:
The present invention relates generally to an external condenser and light assembly and, more particularly, to an improved external air conditioning condenser and housing that is designed to additionally serve as a light assembly for an emergency vehicle. The condenser housing is mounted to the exterior of the emergency vehicle, which improves the performance of the emergency vehicle&#39;s air-conditioning system. The design of the condenser housing also allows it to serve as a light assembly on which emergency vehicle lights are mounted. The condenser housing and light assembly structure thereby provides for proper air conditioning functionality without occupying space on the exterior of the vehicle that would more preferably be occupied by emergency lighting.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/531,047, filed Nov. 3, 2014, entitled “EXTERNAL CONDENSER AND LIGHT ASSEMBLY,” which is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/217,568, filed Aug. 25, 2011, entitled “EXTERNAL CONDENSER AND LIGHT ASSEMBLY,” which claims priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/377,335, filed Aug. 26, 2010, entitled “EXTERNAL CONDENSER AND LIGHT ASSEMBLY,” the entire disclosures of both applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    Various embodiments of the present invention concern external automotive air-conditioning condensers. More particularly, certain embodiments concern external automotive condenser and light assemblies for emergency vehicles. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    The present invention relates generally to an external condenser and light assembly and, more particularly, to a new external air conditioning condenser and housing which is designed to additionally serve as a light assembly for an emergency vehicle. The condenser housing is mounted to the exterior of the emergency vehicle, which improves the performance of the emergency vehicle&#39;s air conditioning system. The design of the condenser housing also allows it to serve as a light assembly on which emergency vehicle lights are mounted. The condenser housing and light assembly structure thereby provides for proper air conditioning functionality without occupying space on the exterior of the vehicle which would more preferably be occupied by emergency lighting. 
         [0006]    The most effective air conditioning solution available for an emergency vehicle is to include in the air conditioning system an external condenser. An external condenser provides for better air conditioner performance than would an internal condenser, and does so without taking up the limited internal space available in an emergency vehicle. Further, the most effective location for an external condenser is on the front exterior wall of the ambulance modular body. This mounting solution requires a series of support brackets to support the weight of the external condenser. However, while such a condenser mounting solution is the most operationally effective with regard to the vehicle&#39;s air conditioning system, it is not aesthetically pleasing to most ambulance customers. More importantly, ambulance users increasingly prefer to install several warning lights on the front face of the emergency vehicle&#39;s modular body, which is impossible on many emergency vehicles on which an external condenser is mounted. A condenser which is externally mounted via support brackets occupies space which customers would prefer to use for mounting warning lights. 
         [0007]    As such, there is often insufficient room in the design of most modular emergency vehicles to install both an external air conditioning condenser and sufficient warning lights on the front of the modular body. Currently, customers of emergency vehicles have several options with regard to external condensers. First, they may choose to install the external condenser on the front of the emergency vehicle body and limit the size and number of warning lights. However, any reduction in the number of warning lights - especially on the front of an emergency vehicle - may be dangerous, as a reduced number of warning lights decreases the vehicle&#39;s ability to alert other motorists and pedestrians to its presence and mission. On the other hand, emergency vehicle customers may instead install the warning lights on the front of the emergency vehicle as they prefer, while installing the external condenser under the emergency vehicle body. However, when a condenser is mounted under an emergency vehicle, it is subject to road hazard damage and the excessive heat trapped under the vehicle&#39;s body due to engine exhaust. As such, placing the condenser under the body of an emergency vehicle severely limits the condenser&#39;s efficiency, and generally necessitates heightened maintenance requirements. 
         [0008]    As such, a need exists for an external air conditioning condenser which is mountable at the front of the emergency vehicle body so as to operate effectively, but which does not reduce the already limited space available for warning lights. These and other specific advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the attached drawings and description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    One embodiment of the present invention concerns an external automotive condenser and light assembly comprising a condenser housing presenting an exterior front face and at least one warning light affixed to the exterior front face. 
         [0010]    Another embodiment of the present invention concerns an external automotive air-conditioning condenser comprising a condenser housing having a top portion and a bottom portion, where each of the top portion and the bottom portion defines one or more openings configured to permit air to flow substantially vertically through the external automotive air-conditioning condenser. 
         [0011]    Yet another embodiment of the present invention concerns an emergency vehicle comprising a vehicle body comprising a patient compartment and a driver compartment, where the driver compartment comprises a roof; and an air-conditioning system comprising an external condenser and light assembly coupled to the front of the patient compartment and spaced from the top of the driver compartment roof. In this embodiment, the external condenser and light assembly comprises one or more warning lights and a condenser housing presenting an exterior front face, where the exterior front face has at least one of the warning lights affixed thereto. 
         [0012]    Still another embodiment of the present invention concerns a condenser and light assembly including: a condenser housing, the condenser housing having a top portion, a bottom portion, a left portion, a right portion, a front portion, and a back portion, where at least one of the top and bottom portions includes grating to allow airflow to pass through such portion, and where the back portion is mountable to the front of the patient compartment of an emergency vehicle above the emergency vehicle cab. In this embodiment, a condenser unit is housed within the condenser housing, where the condenser unit includes at least one condenser coil and at least one fan to create airflow across the condenser coil. Additionally, at least one warning light is mounted to a front face of at least one of the front, left, and right portions of the condenser housing, and a through-hole is defined in the condenser housing that is configured to allow at least one of condenser coil tubing, fan wiring, and warning light wiring to pass through the condenser housing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0013]    Embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to the following drawing figures, wherein: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a prior art external condenser mounted above the cab of an emergency vehicle; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of an embodiment of an external condenser and light assembly installed above the cab of an emergency vehicle; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of one embodiment of an external condenser and light assembly installed above the cab of an emergency vehicle; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a condenser positioned within the present condenser housing with the condenser housing&#39;s top portion removed; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4B  is a side perspective view of a condenser positioned within the present condenser housing with the condenser housing&#39;s top portion removed; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of an exemplary condenser housing; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6A  is a plan view of one embodiment of the condenser mounting assembly; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the condenser mounting assembly illustrated in  FIG. 6A ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6C  is a front elevation view of one embodiment of the condenser mounting assembly illustrated in  FIG. 6B ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6D  is a side elevation view of one embodiment of the condenser mounting assembly illustrated in  FIG. 6A-6C ; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 6E  is a plan view of an exemplary condenser coil. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]    As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , prior art external condensers  2  are often mounted on the front outside wall  4  of an emergency vehicle patient compartment, above the cab  6  (a.k.a., driver compartment). In order to achieve sufficient airflow through the condenser housing and across the condenser coils, the front of the condenser housing is comprised of a grating  8 , as is standard in the art. As is shown in  FIG. 1 , the placement of the condenser  2  and condenser housing above the cab  6  at the front of the emergency vehicle patient compartment prevents the use of warning lights at that location. Though warning lights may be placed surrounding the condenser housing, any loss of light-mountable front-facing surface area may be dangerous, as discussed above. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  illustrates a frontal view of an embodiment of the present external condenser and light assembly  10  installed above the cab  6  at the front wall  4  of the emergency vehicle patient compartment. In various embodiments, the external condenser and light assembly  10  can be spaced apart from the roof of the cab  6 , as depicted in  FIG. 2 . The condenser housing  12  is elongate, stretching across much of the width of the emergency vehicle passenger compartment. The width and height of the condenser housing  12  are thereby sufficient to allow for the mounting of various warning lights  14  directly onto the front of the condenser housing  12 . Additionally, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the condenser housing preferably has a front face which runs parallel to the front of the emergency vehicle patient compartment. 
         [0027]    As is shown in  FIG. 2  but which is more apparent in  FIG. 3 , the exterior left and right side faces  18 ,  20  of the condenser housing  12  angle inward as they extend away from the patient compartment at approximately forty-five degree angles. Conversely, the exterior right side face  18  and the exterior left side face  20  extend rearward from the exterior front face  16 . The respective angles formed at the intersection between the exterior right face  18  and the exterior front face  16  and between the exterior left face  20  and the exterior front face  16  can be obtuse angles. In various embodiments, these angles can be in the range of from about 95 to about 165°, in the range of from about 110 to about 150°, or in the range of from 130 to 140°. This angling of the condenser housing exterior side faces  18 ,  20  not only provides for increased aerodynamics, but also provides an angled face onto which additional warning lights  14  may be mounted. Both  FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate large warning lights  14  mounted to the exterior front face  16  and exterior side faces  18 ,  20  of the condenser housing  12 . Alternatively, many smaller lights or a light bar may be mounted in place of some or all of the larger warning lights  14 . The angled warning lights  14  on the exterior side faces  18 ,  20  of the condenser housing  12  offer increased visibility and safety, as they can be seen by motorists and pedestrians in front of the vehicle as well as beside the vehicle. As such, turn signal indicators may preferably be mounted to the angled exterior side faces  18 ,  20  of the condenser housing  12 . Such angled lights  14  are of particular importance when the emergency vehicle enters an intersection, as the emergency vehicle will likely approach oncoming cars and pedestrians on its front, left and right sides. 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  further illustrates a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the present external condenser and light assembly  10  installed above the cab  6  at the front of an emergency vehicle patient compartment. In various embodiments, the condenser housing  12  can define one or more openings configured to permit air to flow substantially vertically through the condenser housing  12 . In certain embodiments, at least a portion of such openings can be defined by one or more gratings that can constitute at least a portion of the condenser housing  12 , such as at the top and/or bottom of the condenser housing  12 . For instance, as compared to the condenser housing  2  shown in  FIG. 1 , the present condenser housing  12  can utilize a bottom grating  22  instead of a front-facing grating  8 . A downward-facing grating  22  allows the exterior front face  16  of the condenser housing  12  to be used as a mounting plate for warning lights  14 , while still allowing for sufficient airflow through the condenser  10  and proper performance of the air-conditioning system. Although not depicted in  FIG. 3 , condenser housing  12  can also employ a top grating defining at least a portion of such openings to exhaust air from the external condenser and light assembly  10 . The rear  24  of the condenser housing can be seen as mounted to the outside of the front wall  4  of the emergency vehicle patient compartment as will be discussed in detail below. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate an embodiment of the condenser housing  12  with its top portion  28  removed to allow for a better description of the internal structure of the condenser housing  12  and the condenser unit within. In various embodiments, the condenser housing  12  can include at least one condenser unit disposed therein. A condenser unit can include at least one condenser coil and at least one fan for creating airflow across the condenser coil. As shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the condenser unit includes fans  30  oriented to create airflow across the condenser coils  32  ( FIG. 6E ). While four fans  30  are illustrated, variations on the size and number of fans  30  are contemplated. Furthermore, the fans  30  may be oriented in either a downward or an upward configuration so as to correspondingly create either downward or upward airflow. Additionally, other devices which create airflow may be used rather than fans  30 . Alternatively, though potentially not as efficient, the airflow created by the movement of the emergency vehicle could be relied upon such that no airflow-creating devices would be used. 
         [0030]    As can be seen in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the condenser housing  12  itself is generally an isosceles trapezoid in transverse cross section. As such, the front and back portions  34 ,  36  of the housing  12  are parallel to one another, with the back portion  36  being longer than the front portion  34 . Further, the side portions  38 ,  40  have generally the same length as one another, with the base angle between each side portion  38 ,  40  and the back portion  36  being approximately forty five degrees. As will be discussed in detail below, a brace portion  42 ,  44  extends from each of the intersections between the front portion  34  and a side portion  38 ,  40  toward the back portion  36 , and intersects the back portion  36  of the housing  12  perpendicularly. The two brace portions  42 ,  44 , front portion  34 , and back portion  36  form a transverse cross-sectional rectangle, with the two shorter parallel sides formed by the brace portions  42 ,  44  and the two longer parallel sides formed by the front and back portions  34 ,  36 . The length of this rectangle is therefore approximately the length of the front portion  34  of the housing  12 .  FIG. 5  illustrates an exploded view of an embodiment of the condenser housing  12 , showing the front and back portions  34 ,  36 , the two angled side portions  38 ,  40 , the bottom and top portions  26 ,  28  which preferably each include grating  22  for airflow, and the two brace portions  42 ,  44 . 
         [0031]    Several through-holes  46  are visible in the condenser housing of  FIGS. 4A, 4B , and  5 , which allow for wiring to pass through the condenser housing  12  to the warning lights  14  which would be mounted on the exterior front face  16  and exterior side faces  18 ,  20  of the condenser housing  12  during operation. Three such holes  46  are visible on the exterior front face  16  of the condenser housing  12  with another hole  46  on each exterior side face  18 ,  20 , which correspond to the three large warning lights  14  of the exterior front face  16  and the single warning light  14  on each exterior side face  18 ,  20  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . However, it is noted that other numbers, locations and sizes of these through-holes  46  are contemplated to best service the number, type and location of warning lights  14  selected by each individual user. 
         [0032]    Additional through holes  48  are shown in  FIG. 5  in the back portion  36  of the condenser housing  12  to allow air conditioning fittings for the external condenser and light assembly  10  and the wiring raceway for the fans  30  and warning lights  14  to pass directly from the condenser, fans, and warning lights through the condenser housing  12  into the body of the emergency vehicle for plumbing and electrical connection purposes. Mounting hardware and gaskets (not shown) are included to secure the device to the ambulance body. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 6A through 6D  illustrate an embodiment of a condenser mounting assembly  50  which is installed within the condenser housing  12 , and more preferably within the above described rectangle created by the brace portions  42 ,  44  and the front and back portions  34 ,  36 . The condenser mounting assembly  50  is preferably screwed, bolted, or otherwise connected to the front and back portions  34 ,  36  of the condenser housing  12 , though it may be connected to the top  28 , bottom  26 , brace  42 ,  44  or side portions  38 ,  40 . The exemplary condenser coils  32  shown in  FIG. 6E  are mounted to the underside  52  of the condenser mounting assembly  50  such that the inlet  54  and outlet  56  of the condenser coil  32  are connected to the inlet  58  and outlet ports  60  visible in  FIGS. 6A-6D  at one end of the condenser mounting assembly  50 . It is noted that while the shape of the condenser coils  32  shown in  FIG. 6E  have been narrowed and elongated to fit within the condenser housing  12 , other shapes and sizes of condenser coils  32  are envisioned, as well as other types of condenser units. The condenser coils  32  may include so-called “fins” as are known in the art to increase the surface area in contact with the airflow. 
         [0034]    The condenser mounting assembly  50  shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B  includes four circular holes  62  sized and positioned to receive and/or allow the above discussed fans  30  to create airflow across the condenser coils  32  mounted below. The fans  30  are preferably mounted to the condenser mounting assembly  50  via the smaller screw holes  64  surrounding each of the four larger holes  62 . It is noted that  FIGS. 6A-6D  illustrate the condenser coils  32  as being mounted below the condenser mounting assembly  50 , with fans  30  positioned on top of condenser mounting assembly  50  so as to draw airflow up through condenser coils  32 . However, condenser coils  32  may be positioned on top of the condenser mounting assembly  50  with fans  30  positioned below to blow airflow up through condenser coils  32 . This may be accomplished by mounting the condenser mounting assembly  50  shown in  FIGS. 6A-6D  upside-down within the condenser housing  12 , or via an alternate structure of the condenser mounting assembly  50  to position the condenser coils  32  above the fans  30 , as would be understood in the art. In still other embodiments, fans  30  can be positioned above condenser coils  32  and configured to blow airflow down through condenser coils  32 . 
         [0035]    As discussed above, the wiring for the fans  30  within the condenser housing  12  and for the warning lights  14  mounted to the outer faces of the condenser housing  16 ,  18 ,  20 , as well as tubing connected to the inlet and outlet ports  58 ,  60  of the condenser mounting assembly  50 , pass from the condenser housing  12  into the vehicle front wall  4  through one or more holes in the back portion  36  of the condenser housing  12  and through corresponding holes in the front wall  4  of the emergency vehicle patient compartment. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4 through 6 , the inlet and outlet ports  58 ,  60  of the condenser mounting assembly  50  are located adjacent to one of the brace portions  44  when the condenser mounting assembly  50  is installed within the condenser housing  12 . In such an embodiment, tubing which is connected to the inlet and outlet ports  58 ,  60  of the condenser mounting assembly  50  must pass through a hole  66  (shown in  FIG. 5 ) in the adjacent brace portion  44  before it has sufficient room to turn toward the back portion  36  and pass into the front wall  4  of the emergency vehicle&#39;s patient compartment. The wiring for the fans  30  and warning lights  14  may then follow the tubing through the brace portion  44  and into the vehicle patient compartment, or may enter the vehicle through a different hole. Alternatively, a condenser coil  32  with a different design may necessitate inlet and outlet ports  58 ,  60  located elsewhere on the condenser mounting assembly  50 . It is envisioned that in such an embodiment, the tubing connected to the inlet and outlet ports  58 ,  60  may pass from the condenser housing  12  into the emergency vehicle at some other point. 
         [0036]    The external condenser and light assembly  10  may house the only condenser unit on the emergency vehicle, or it may be connected in series with a standard condenser as would normally be found in the engine of a vehicle. In either case, the condenser unit of the external condenser and light assembly  10  would assist in properly cooling the cab  6  (a.k.a., driver compartment) and the patient compartment, supplementing the work done by the internal condenser. Alternatively, an independent air-conditioning system may serve the patient compartment apart from the system which serves the cab  6  of the emergency vehicle. In such an embodiment, the condenser unit of the external condenser and light assembly  10  would not be connected in series with an internal condenser, but would instead be connected to the patient compartment&#39;s independent air-conditioning system. 
         [0037]    The preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only, and should not be used in a limiting sense to interpret the scope of the present invention. Modifications to the exemplary embodiments, set forth above, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
         [0038]    The inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as it pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.