Battery charging and vehicle air conditioning auxiliary systems

Abstract

An auxiliary system for air conditioning the vehicle's passengers' cabin, upon detecting that the ambient temperature inside the cabin is above a preconfigured threshold temperature, when the vehicle's primary engine is not operating, and optionally, when an accident occurs. The auxiliary sub system may further provide electric power to various units of a vehicle, including charging the vehicle's battery, and including when the primary engine of the vehicle is turned OFF.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . An auxiliary system for a vehicle having a primary engine and an air conditioning system, the vehicle's air conditioning system having:
 a mechanically driven air conditioning compressor;   an alternator;   a condenser that is operatively coupled with a fan that is operated by a fan-motor;   a battery;   an A/C unit; and   a blower coupled to be operated by a blower-motor,   
       said auxiliary system comprises:
 an auxiliary controller that remains operable when the primary engine is turned OFF; 
 a cabin-temperature sensor; and 
 an auxiliary electric alternator-motor coupled to operate an auxiliary alternator, wherein said auxiliary electric alternator-motor is operable by the battery, and wherein said auxiliary alternator is configured to recharge the battery, 
 
       wherein when the primary engine is a fuel powered engine, said auxiliary system further comprises:
 an auxiliary compressor coupled to be operated by a first-auxiliary-compressor-motor; and 
 a pair of electric relay switches having first electric relay switch and a second electric relay switch, wherein said first electric relay switch is configured to route compressed gas vapor either from the vehicle's air conditioning compressor or from said auxiliary compressor towards the A/C unit, and said second electric relay switch is configured to route returning gas vapor from the vehicle's A/C unit, either towards the vehicle's air conditioning compressor or towards said auxiliary compressor, 
 wherein upon turning OFF the fuel powered primary engine,
 said auxiliary controller is configured to start monitoring the ambient temperature inside the passengers' cabin of the vehicle, utilizing said cabin-temperature sensor; 
 
 wherein the fan-motor, the blower-motor, said auxiliary electric alternator-motor and said first-auxiliary-compressor-motor are in operational communication flow with said auxiliary controller, and upon determining that the ambient temperature inside the cabin is above a preconfigured threshold temperature, said auxiliary controller is configured to activate said auxiliary' electric alternator-motor, the blower, the fan, and said auxiliary compressor, wherein said auxiliary electric alternator-motor activates said auxiliary alternator, and wherein said electric relay switches route compressed gas vapor from said auxiliary compressor towards the A/C unit, and route returning gas vapor from the A/C unit towards said auxiliary' compressor; and 
 
       wherein when the primary engine is an electric powered engine, or the vehicle is operated by a dual-engines configuration, then upon turning OFF the primary engine,
 said auxiliary system further comprises a second-auxiliary-compressor-motor configured to operate the vehicle's air conditioning compressor; and upon determining that the ambient temperature inside the cabin is above a preconfigured threshold temperature, said auxiliary controller is configured to activate said auxiliary electric alternator-motor that activates said auxiliary alternator, the blower, the fan and said second-auxiliary-compressor-motor, to thereby activate the air conditioning compressor and thereby activated the vehicle's air conditioning system. 
 
     
     
         24 . The auxiliary system of  claim 23 , wherein when the primary engine is a fuel powered engine and the primary engine is powered OFF, upon determining that the ambient temperature inside the cabin is not above said preconfigured threshold temperature said auxiliary controller deactivates said auxiliary compressor. 
     
     
         25 . The auxiliary system of  claim 23 , wherein when the primary engine is an electric powered engine, or the vehicle is operated by a dual-engines configuration, and the primary' engine is powered OFF, upon determining that the ambient temperature inside the cabin is not above said preconfigured threshold temperature said auxiliary controller deactivates said second-auxiliary-compressor-motor to thereby deactivate the air conditioning compressor. 
     
     
         26 . The auxiliary system of  claim 23 , wherein said second-auxiliary-compressor-motor activates the air conditioning compressor using an electromagnetic clutch. 
     
     
         27 . A vehicle air conditioning method for air conditioning the passengers' cabin of the vehicle when the primary engine is not operating, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an auxiliary system as in  claim 23 ;   continuously monitoring the temperature in the cabin of the passengers' vehicle by said auxiliary controller, using said cabin-temperature sensor;   determining that the ambient temperature inside the cabin is above a preconfigured threshold temperature; and   upon determining that the ambient temperature inside the cabin is above said preconfigured threshold temperature,
 if the primary engine is a fuel powered engine, activating said auxiliary alternator, the blower, the fan, said electric relay switches and said auxiliary compressor, to thereby route compressed gas vapor from said auxiliary compressor towards the A/C unit, and route returning gas vapor from the A/C unit towards said auxiliary compressor, and thereby drive down the temperature inside the cabin; and 
 if the primary engine is the primary engine is an electric powered engine or the vehicle is operated by a dual-engines configuration, activating said auxiliary alternator, the blower, the fan and said second-auxiliary-compressor-motor, to thereby activate the air conditioning compressor and thereby activated the vehicle's air conditioning system, to thereby drive down the temperature inside the cabin. 
   
     
     
         28 . The vehicle air conditioning method of  claim 27  further comprises the step of:
 continue monitoring the temperature in the passengers' cabin of the vehicle and determining that the ambient temperature inside the cabin is not above a preconfigured threshold temperature,
 if the primary engine is a fuel powered engine, deactivating said auxiliary compressor and then said electric relay switches, to thereby route compressed gas vapor from the vehicle's compressor towards the A/C unit, and route returning gas vapor from the A/C unit towards the vehicle's compressor; and 
 deactivating said auxiliary alternator, the blower and the fan. 
 
 
     
     
         29 . The vehicle air conditioning method of  claim 27 , wherein upon turning ON the vehicle's primary engine, the primary engine being a fuel only powered engine, said method further comprises the step of:
 deactivating said auxiliary compressor, said auxiliary alternator, the blower, the fan and said electric relay switches, to thereby route compressed gas vapor from the vehicle's compressor towards the A/C unit, and route returning gas vapor from the A/C unit towards the vehicle's compressor.   
     
     
         30 . The vehicle air conditioning method of any one of  claim 27 , while monitoring the temperature inside the vehicle's passengers' cabin, further comprises the step of:
 continuously monitoring the status of any one of the vehicle's side air-bags; and   upon determining that any one of the vehicle's side air-bags has been activated, activating the auxiliary system.   
     
     
         31 . A vehicle battery charging method comprising the steps of:
 providing an auxiliary system as in  claim 23 ;   continuously monitoring the battery charging level of the vehicle's battery by said auxiliary controller; and   upon determining that the battery charging level of the battery is not above a preconfigured charging threshold level, then:
 if the primary engine is turned OFF, activating said auxiliary alternator to join the vehicle's alternator in charging the battery; and 
 if the primary engine is turned ON, then:
 determining the charging amperage; and 
 upon determining that the charging amperage is not above a preconfigured amperage threshold, activating said auxiliary alternator to join the vehicle's alternator in charging the battery. 
 
   
     
     
         32 . The auxiliary system of  claim 23 , wherein said auxiliary controller is further configured to monitor the battery charging level of the battery. 
     
     
         33 . The auxiliary system of  claim 32 , wherein when the primary engine of the vehicle is turned ON, upon determining that the battery charging level of the battery is not above a preconfigured threshold level and that the charging amperage is not above a preconfigured amperage threshold, said auxiliary controller is configured to activate said auxiliary alternator to thereby charge the battery. 
     
     
         34 . The auxiliary system of  claim 32 , wherein when the primary engine of the vehicle is turned OFF, upon determining that battery charging level of the battery is not above a preconfigured charging threshold level, said auxiliary controller is configured to activate said auxiliary alternator to thereby charge the battery. 
     
     
         35 . The auxiliary system of  claim 23 , wherein said auxiliary controller is further configured to check if a side airbag of the vehicle has been activated, wherein upon determining that the side airbag has been activated, said auxiliary controller is configured to activate said auxiliary alternator, the blower, the fan, said electric relay switches, to thereby route compressed gas vapor from said auxiliary compressor towards the A/C unit, and route returning gas vapor from the A/C unit towards said auxiliary compressor, and to activate said auxiliary compressor. 
     
     
         36 . An electricity-supply-interface apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising:
 a vehicle alternator;   an interface-shaft;   an electromagnet;   a rotor unit couple to rotate with a bearing unit;   a rotational-motion-receiving-unit having a mechanical adaptor configured to receive rotational motion either from the vehicle's primary engine or from an alternative electric alternator-motor, and   a magnetic-insulator,   
       wherein said rotational-motion-receiving-unit is securely attached to a first end of said interface-shaft, and said interface-shaft is further securely attached at a second end to the vehicle's alternator; and 
       wherein upon receiving said rotational motion, said rotational motion is transferred via securely attached interface-shaft to the vehicle's alternator, to thereby provide electric power to various units of the vehicle, including charging the vehicle's battery. 
     
     
         37 . The electricity-supply-interface apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the vehicle's alternator is replaced by an alternative alternator. 
     
     
         38 . An auxiliary system for a vehicle having a primary engine and an air conditioning system, the vehicle's air conditioning system comprising:
 a mechanically driven air conditioning compressor,   an alternator;   a condenser that is operatively coupled with a fan that is operated by a fan-motor;   a battery,   an A/C unit; and   a blower coupled to be operated by a blower-motor,   
       said auxiliary system comprises:
 an auxiliary controller that remains operable when the primary engine is turned OFF; 
 a cabin-temperature sensor; and 
 an alternative alternator-motor coupled to operate an electricity-supply-interface apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein upon the primary engine being turned ON, said rotational motion is received via a driving belt operationally connected to the primary engine and to rotational-motion-receiving-unit; and upon the primary engine being turned OFF, said rotational motion is received via a mechanical adaptor operationally connected to rotational-motion-receiving-unit, 
 
       wherein when the primary engine is a fuel powered engine, said auxiliary system further comprises:
 an auxiliary compressor coupled to be operated by a first-auxiliary-compressor-motor; and 
 a pair of electric relay switches having first electric relay switch and a second electric relay switch, wherein said first electric relay switch is configured to route compressed gas vapor either from the vehicle's air conditioning compressor or from said auxiliary compressor towards the A/C unit, and said second electric relay switch is configured to route returning gas vapor from the vehicle's A/C unit, either towards the vehicle's air conditioning compressor or towards said auxiliary compressor, 
 wherein upon turning OFF the fuel powered primary engine,
 said auxiliary controller is configured to start monitoring the ambient temperature inside the passengers' cabin of the vehicle, utilizing said cabin-temperature sensor; 
 wherein the fan-motor, the blower-motor, said auxiliary alternator-motor and said first-auxiliary-compressor-motor are in operational communication flow with said auxiliary controller; and 
 upon determining that the ambient temperature inside the cabin is above a preconfigured threshold temperature, said auxiliary controller is configured to activate auxiliary alternator-motor, the blower, the fan, said electric relay switches, to thereby route compressed gas vapor from said auxiliary compressor towards the A/C unit, and route returning gas vapor from the A/C unit towards said auxiliary compressor, and to activate said auxiliary compressor; and 
 
 
       wherein when the primary engine is an electric powered engine or the vehicle is operated by a dual-engines configuration, and wherein upon turning OFF the primary engine,
 said auxiliary system further comprises a second-auxiliary-compressor-motor configured to operate the air conditioning compressor; and upon determining that the ambient temperature inside the cabin is above a preconfigured threshold temperature, said auxiliary controller is configured to activate said auxiliary alternator-motor, the blower, the fan and said second-auxiliary-compressor-motor, to thereby activate the air conditioning compressor and thereby activated the vehicle's air conditioning system. 
 
     
     
         39 . The auxiliary system of  claim 38 , wherein when the primary engine is a fuel powered engine and the primary engine is powered OFF, upon determining that the ambient temperature inside the cabin is not above said preconfigured threshold temperature said auxiliary controller deactivates said auxiliary compressor. 
     
     
         40 . The auxiliary system of  claim 38 , wherein when the primary engine is an electric powered engine or the vehicle is operated by a dual-engines configuration, and the primary engine is powered OFF, upon determining that the ambient temperature inside the cabin is not above said preconfigured threshold temperature said auxiliary controller deactivates said second-auxiliary-compressor-motor to thereby deactivate the air conditioning compressor. 
     
     
         41 . The auxiliary system of  claim 38 , wherein said second-auxiliary-compressor-motor activates the air conditioning compressor using an electromagnetic clutch. 
     
     
         42 . The auxiliary system, as in  claim 38 , wherein the vehicle further comprises an A/C system, and wherein upon determining that the ambient temperature inside the cabin is above a preconfigured threshold temperature, said auxiliary controller is configured to activate said alternative alternator-motor and the vehicle's alternator, and the vehicle's A/C system 
     
     
         43 . The auxiliary system, as in  claim 38 , wherein said auxiliary controller is further configured to check if any of the vehicle's front airbags has been activated, wherein upon determining that a front airbag has been activated, said auxiliary controller is configured to turn OFF the primary engine and deactivate the vehicles alternator, and
 wherein upon said determining that a front airbag has been activated, said auxiliary controller is further configured to disconnect the vehicle's battery.