Vehicular cooling system

Abstract

A vehicular cooling system is provided which includes a water tank, a cooling unit, a vent unit, a closed loop conduit assembly, and a water pump. The cooling unit includes an evaporative media in the shape of a closed loop structure having a center hole. The evaporative media is gas porous and preferably made of bactericidal wood shavings. The water pump pumps water from the water tank to saturate the evaporative media to provide water-saturated-air. The cooling unit includes an air pump for sucking air through the evaporative media into a vehicle's interior. Advantageously, the vehicular cooling system requires minimal modification of a vehicle structure.

Claims

1. A vehicular cooling system comprising: a vehicle having a roof wherein said roof has seven holes, said holes include no more than two air holes, one harness hole, and four installation holes, and where said air holes have an area of 50 in.sup.2 or less, said harness hole has an area of 20 in.sup.2 or less, and each of said installation holes are circular and have a diameter of inch or less; a water tank affixed to said vehicle; a cooling unit mounted upon said roof with four bolts that pass through said four installation holes, said cooling unit including; a housing have a top, a bottom, a central cavity and one or more sidewalls circumferentially enveloping said cavity, said housing having inlet formed through said one or more sidewalls which permits the passage of air, said housing having outlet formed through said housing's bottom which permits the passage of air; an evaporative media positioned within said housing's cavity, said evaporative media in the shape of a closed loop having a center hole adjacent to said housing's outlet, said evaporative media having a top that engages said housing's top and said evaporative media having a bottom which engages said housing's bottom; and an air pump for pumping air positioned within said housing's cavity and within said evaporative media's center hole, said air pump connected to said housing's outlet for receiving air from said housing's inlet and said evaporative media, for being pumped and expelled air through said housing's outlet to said roof's air holes; a closed loop conduit assembly which passes through said harness hole, said conduit assembly including a first conduit connecting said water tank to said cooling unit for transporting water within said water tank to said cooling unit for distribution upon said evaporative media, and a second conduit connecting said cooling unit to said water tank for transporting water within said cooling unit to said water tank; and at least one water pump connected to said closed loop conduit assembly for pumping water through said first and second conduits between said water and cooling unit.

2. The vehicular cooling system of claim 1 wherein said evaporative media is gas porous the entirety of said evaporative media's closed loop shape so that air entering into said housing through said inlet passes through said evaporative media before being expelled through said outlet, and said evaporative media is made of elongated wood shavings formed into a closed loop structure.

3. The vehicular cooling system of claim 2 wherein said elongated wood shavings are pine wood.

4. The vehicular cooling system of claim 2 wherein said elongated wood shavings are cedar wood.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the cooling unit for use with the vehicular cooling system of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a cutaway perspective view of the evaporative media of the vehicular cooling system;

(3) FIG. 3 is a top perspective view illustrating the evaporative media and air pump of the vehicular cooling system;

(4) FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the cooling unit for use with the vehicular cooling system;

(5) FIG. 5 is a front perspective view illustrating a vehicle with a vehicular cooling system;

(6) FIG. 6 is a side cutaway view of a vehicle including a vehicular cooling system;

(7) FIG. 7 is a side cutaway view illustrating a vehicular cooling system;

(8) FIG. 8 is a side cutaway view of the cooling unit and venting unit affixed to a vehicle roof in accordance with the vehicular cooling system;

(9) FIG. 9 is an interior view of a vehicle illustrating the venting unit with controller of the vehicular cooling system;

(10) FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of a vehicle for use with the vehicular cooling system;

(11) FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the roof of a vehicle prior to an initial air hole being drilled;

(12) FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of the vehicle illustrated in FIG. 11 after a first air hole has been drilled;

(13) FIG. 13 is a front perspective view of the vehicle illustrated in FIG. 11 after two air holes have been drilled;

(14) FIG. 14 is a front perspective view of the vehicle illustrated in FIG. 10 after two air holes and a harness hole has been drilled through the vehicle's roof;

(15) FIG. 15 is a front perspective view illustrating the cooling unit's bottom and venting unit's top being installed to a vehicle roof;

(16) FIG. 16 is a perspective exploded view of the cooling unit being affixed to the top of a vehicle roof;

(17) FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a cooling unit upon a vehicle's roof wherein the cooling unit's top panel is being installed;

(18) FIG. 18 is a front perspective view of a cooling unit upon a vehicle roof;

(19) FIG. 19 is a perspective view illustrating the installation of a vent unit within the interior of a vehicle; and

(20) FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a vent unit within a vehicle interior.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(21) While the present invention is susceptible of embodiments in various forms, as shown in the drawings, hereinafter will be described the presently preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention, and it is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.

(22) With reference to all of the figures, the vehicular cooling system 1 is intended for cooling the interior of a traditional vehicle 3. The vehicle 3 includes a front 5, a rear 7, sides 9 and a roof 11. The front, rear, sides and roof form the vehicle's interior 13 which is intended to be cooled by the cooling system 1. The vehicular cooling system 1 includes three primary components, namely a water tank 21, a cooling unit 31 and a vent unit 89.

(23) The water tank 21 is of a traditional design including a casing 23 which is preferably made of plastic which forms an interior cavity 25 for storing water 27. The water tank 21 may be of any size, but is preferably large enough to store at least five gallons of water, and it is preferred that the water tank be mounted to the vehicle structure in a place where it will remain cool such as away from the vehicle's engine compartment and away from direct sunlight.

(24) The cooling system's cooling unit 31 and vent unit 89 are mounted to opposite sides of a vehicle panel, such as the vehicle's roof. The cooling unit 31 is mounted to the vehicle's exterior while the vent unit 89 is mounted within the vehicle's interior 13. The cooling unit includes a housing 33 having a top 35, a bottom 37, and preferably four sidewalls 39. To provide better aerodynamics, it is preferred that the front sidewall be tapered. In addition, the cooling unit 31 includes at least one air inlet 41 so as to allow air to enter into the cooling unit's central cavity. In addition, the housing includes an outlet 43 formed into the housing's bottom 37 so as to allow air to be expelled from the cooling unit 31 into the vehicle's interior 13. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the cooling unit's housing 33 may include a tray 45 which includes a drain hole 47.

(25) The cooling unit 31 further includes an evaporative media 57 and an air pump 71. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, it is preferred that the evaporative media 57 be positioned upon the cooling unit's tray 45. The evaporative media 57 has a closed loop construction so as to include a center hole 59. The evaporative media 57 may have virtually any shape, but in a preferred embodiment, it is preferred that the evaporative media be rectangular and positioned horizontally within the cooling unit's housing 33. The evaporative media has a top 61 which engages the housing's top 35. Conversely, the evaporative media has a bottom 63 which engages the housing's bottom 37, which as illustrated in FIG. 1 is preferably the tray 45.

(26) The evaporative media 57 is made of a gas porous material so that air can flow freely from exterior of the evaporative media into its center hole 59. Preferably, the evaporative media is made of elongate wood shavings which are packed together to form the evaporative media's rectangular shape. Preferably, the wood shavings are an antibacterial wood such as pinewood or cedar wood. To hold the wood shavings in a rectangular shape, preferably the evaporative media includes a plastic mesh 69 and a metal frame 65 (as illustrated in FIG. 2).

(27) As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the cooling unit's air pump 71 is positioned within the evaporative media's center hole 59. Preferably, the air pump 71 includes a single motor which rotates two turbines 75. As illustrated in FIGS. 6-8 and 16, preferably the cooling unit's housing has two outlets 43 through which air is pumped by the air pump turbines 75.

(28) As illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8 and 15, the cooling system's vent unit 89 is mounted to the vehicle's roof 11 within the vehicle's interior on the opposite side of the cooling unit 31. The vent unit 89 is positioned so as to receive air from the cooling unit 31. To this end, preferably the vent unit's housing 91 includes an upper pan 95 which includes inlets 97 for receiving air from the cooling unit 31 and a lower pan 93 which includes vents 87 for blowing air into the vehicle's interior 13.

(29) The vehicular cooling system 1 also includes a closed loop conduit assembly 51 for transporting water from the water tank 21 to the cooling unit's evaporative media 57, and then from the evaporative media 57 back to the water tank 21. The conduit assembly 51 includes a first conduit 53 through which water is pumped from the water tank 21 to the evaporative media 57. In addition, the conduit assembly 51 includes a second conduit 55 for carrying water from the evaporative media 57 back to the water tank 21. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, preferably the first conduit 53 encircles the top of the evaporative media 57 and includes holes (not shown) releasing water upon the evaporative media.

(30) As illustrated in FIG. 7, the conduit assembly includes at least one water pump 79 for pumping the water 27 between the water tank 21 and cooling unit 31. For example, FIG. 7 illustrates each conduit 53 and 55 connected to a water pump 79. However, in a preferred embodiment, the vehicular cooling system includes a single water pump which is capable of transporting water in both directions.

(31) The vehicular cooling system includes a controller 85 for collectively supplying electricity to the air pump 71 and water pump 79 from the vehicle's battery. Preferably, the controller 85 is mounted to the bottom of the vent unit 89. The controller may comprise simple on/off switches. However, as illustrated in FIG. 9, preferably the controller 85 includes a control panel which displays the vehicle's interior temperature, and the controller incorporates thermistor control and timer capabilities.

(32) Advantageously, the vehicular cooling system's cooling unit 31 and vent unit 89 can be installed upon a vehicle's roof with minimal alteration of the vehicle's structure. As illustrated in FIGS. 10-13, two air holes 101 are drilled into the vehicle's roof 11. Preferably, the air holes 101 have a diameter of approximately four inches which are the same shape and size as the cooling unit's outlets 43 and vent unit's inlets 97. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 13, a small harness hole 103 is drilled into the vehicle's roof 11 so as to allow the passage of the conduit assembly 51. In addition, electrical wiring (not shown) from the controller 85 to the air pump 71 is routed through the harness hole 103. Preferably, the harness hole has an area of 10 in.sup.2 or less, and more preferably has a diameter of one (1) inch. Preferably, installation of the cooling unit 31 and vent unit 89 upon the vehicle's roof requires only four installation holes 105, as illustrated in FIG. 14. Preferably, the installation holes 105 have a minimal diameter sufficient to accept small bolts which connect the cooling unit 31, which is exterior to the vehicle, to the vent unit 89 which is interior to the vehicle. Preferably, the installation holes have a diameter of inch or less, and more preferably have a diameter of approximately one-third () inch.

(33) As illustrated in FIGS. 15-20, the cooling unit's bottom 37 and vent unit's upper pan 95 include various holes which are positioned to be adjacent to the roof's air holes 101, harness hole 103, and installation holes 105. During the installation process, the vehicular cooling system's cooling unit 31 is positioned on top of the vehicle's roof 11. As illustrated in FIGS. 19-20, the vent unit 89 is positioned to engage the vehicle's roof 11 within the vehicle's interior 13. Bolts (not shown) are inserted through the installation holes 105 so as to affix the cooling unit 31 and vent unit 89 in place. Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the conduit assembly 51 and water tank are mounted to the vehicle's interior.

(34) In operation, the control panel 85 is triggered to operate the vehicular cooling system 1 so as to activate the water pump 79 and air pump 71. Water is pumped from the water tank 21 to the evaporative media 57. The evaporative media's wood shavings 69 become saturated with water. Any water dripping from the evaporative media 57 is collected by the tray 45 whereupon the water is collected by the drain hole 47 and pumped through the second conduit 55 back to the water tank 21. At the same time, the air pump 71 sucks air through the evaporative media 57 causing the air to be saturated with water. The water saturated air is then blown through the cooling unit's outlets 43, and the roof air holes 101 to be expelled through vents 87 into the vehicle's interior 11. The water-saturated-air causes a cooling effect within the vehicle's interior.

(35) While several particular forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is not intended that the invention be limited except by the following claims, having described my invention in such terms so as to enable persons skilled in the art to understand the invention, recreate the invention and practice it, and having presently identified the presently preferred embodiments thereof,