Description:Field of Invention
[001] The invention relates to air conditioner compressors. It more particularly relates to the shield provided for air conditioner compressors mounted in the engine bay of a vehicle. The invention also relates to such shields that have been provided with features to allow proper cooling of the air conditioning compressors installed on the vehicle while protecting it from debris impacts.
Background of the Invention
[002] With the issuance of notification (by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways) mandating that air-conditioners be installed on all commercial vehicles, the industry has been working hard to bring vehicle designs in compliance with the laws of the land. The primary point of focus while providing air conditioning has been the cost sensitivity of Indian buyers, with the cost sensitivity extending to the initial buying price and overall long-term operation and maintenance costs.
[003] The tough ask in this scenario has been providing an economical air conditioning system that is cheaper to install and durable enough to survive the vehicle's lifetime. Given that space on commercial vehicles is a precious commodity and most operators want larger cargo or weight-carrying spaces on their trucks, the critical components of the air-conditioners, especially their compressors, have had to be installed in the engine bay to reduce space diversion. This action of vehicle designers has exposed the compressors of the air conditioners to all types of foreign objects and debris that may damage them and reduce their operational life. Given that it is not possible to completely cover the compressor because that would impose the need for providing active cooling for it, the designers have had to opt for passive cooling features that balance the need to protect from foreign elements and debris with providing features that allow for effective passive natural cooling of the air conditioner’s compressors. Shields must enable passive cooling while avoiding damage or clogging from foreign debris. The current state-of-the-art options do not meet all of these requirements, indicating significant potential for improvement.
[004] The designed shields have been developed to cater to conflicting requirements of being lightweight and structurally robust while also being reliable enough to last the vehicle's lifetime, therefore eliminating the need to replace them anytime during the rated working life of the vehicle. Given the task's toughness, the designers have worked hard to develop a shield that fulfils all these requirements. However, the requirement of better shields cannot be stated to still have been met despite all the advancements. Consequently, the objective of this invention is to provide a shield for compressors that is structurally robust and includes features to enable passive cooling of the compressors.
[005] It is another objective of the present invention is to provide a shield for compressors of air conditioners that is lightweight.
[006] It is still another objective of the present invention is to provide a shield for compressors of air conditioners that are capable of surviving being impacted by foreign elements and debris.
[007] It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a shield for compressors of air conditioners that do not get clogged easily thereby retaining their passive cooling effectiveness for a long time.
[008] It is another objective of the present invention to provide a shield for compressors of air conditioners that have a simple construction and are therefore easy and economical to manufacture and provide in the vehicle.
[009] It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a shield for compressors of air conditioners that can survive continuous usage for the entire rated life of the vehicle.
Summary of the Invention
[0010] An embodiment of the invention achieving the stated objective, that is, engine-mounted air conditioner compressor protection shield (100), comprises of, a bottom wall (5), side walls (10, 15, 20), edge reinforcements (SR1, SR2, SR3), reinforcement bars (5R1, 5R2, 10R1, 10R2, 15R1, 15R2, 15R3, 15R4, 20R). In the engine-mounted air conditioner compressor protection shield (100, the side wall (10) is fixed onto the bottom wall (5) along its bottom edge and the side wall (15) on one of its side edges. The side wall (15) is fixed onto the bottom wall (5) along its bottom edge, the side wall (10) on its one side edge, and the side wall (20) on its other side edge. The side wall (20) is fixed onto the bottom wall (5) along its bottom edge and the side wall (15) on its side edges. The edge reinforcement (SR1) is provided along the edge where the side wall (20) meets with the side wall (15). The edge reinforcement (SR2) is provided along the edge where the side wall (10) meets with the side wall (15), and edge reinforcement (SR3) is provided along the edge where the side wall (15) meets with the bottom wall (5). The reinforcement bars (5R1 and 5R2) are positioned and fixed on the top surface of the bottom wall (5). The reinforcement bars (10R1, 10R2) are positioned and fixed on the inward-facing surface of the side wall (10); the reinforcement bars (15R1, 15R2, 15R3, 15R4) are positioned and fixed on the inward-facing surface of the side wall (15), the reinforcement bar (20R) is positioned and fixed on the inward-facing surface of the side wall (20). The described structure has a lightweight and sturdy construction, which permits passive air circulation across its walls.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0011] The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings that contain references numerals for indicating its various parts. The description of the present invention would therefore be better understood with reference to accompanying diagrams, wherein
[0012] Figure 1 discloses the first isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] Figure 2 discloses the second isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] Figure 3 discloses the top view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] Figure 4 discloses the side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] Figure 5 discloses another side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] Figure 6 discloses the preferred embodiment of the present invention as mounted in the engine bay.

Detailed Description of the Invention
[0018] Referring to the set of figures 1 and 2, an engine-mounted AC compressor protection shield (100) comprises of, a bottom wall (5), side walls (10, 15, 20), edge reinforcements (SR1, SR2, SR3), and reinforcement bars (5R1, 5R2, 10R1, 10R2, 15R1, 15R2, 15R3, 15R4, 20R). The engine-mounted AC compressor protection shield (100) so disclosed is mounted within the engine bay (refer to Fig. 6). The engine-mounted AC compressor protection shield (100) has a construction as disclosed in the diagrams and as described hereinafter.
[0019] The side wall (10) is fixed onto the bottom wall (5) along its bottom edge and the side wall (15) on one of its side edges. The side wall (15) is fixed onto the bottom wall (5) along its bottom edge, the side wall (10) on its one side edge, and the side wall (20) on its other side edge. The side wall (20) is fixed onto the bottom wall (5) along its bottom edge and the side wall (15) on its side edge.
[0020] The side wall (15) edge fixed to the edge of the side wall (10) has a side length equal to that of the side wall (10), and the side wall (15) edge fixed to the edge of the side wall (20) has side length equal to that of the side wall (20). The side wall (15) has an upper edge that slopes downwards to meet the top edge of the side wall (20) after having begun at the same height as the top edge of the side wall (10). The side walls (10, 20) are opposite to each other, with the side wall (10) being larger than the side wall (20).
[0021] The edge reinforcement (SR1) is provided along the edge where the side wall (20) meets with the side wall (15). The edge reinforcement (SR2) is provided along the edge where the side wall (10) meets with the side wall (15), and edge reinforcement (SR3) is provided along the edge where the side wall (15) meets with the bottom wall (5). The reinforcement bars (5R1 and 5R2) are positioned and fixed on the top surface of the bottom wall (5).
[0022] The reinforcement bars (10R1, 10R2) are positioned and fixed on the inward-facing surface of the side wall (10), the reinforcement bars (15R1, 15R2, 15R3, 15R4) are positioned and fixed on the inward-facing surface of the side wall (15). The reinforcement bar (20R) is positioned and fixed on the inward-facing surface of the side wall (20). The reinforcement bars (10R1, 15R1, and 20R) are positioned and fixed so as to follow the top edge of the side walls (10, 15, and 20), respectively.
[0023] The reinforcement bars (5R1, and 5R2) are positioned along the edges where the bottom wall (5) joins the side wall (20, 10), respectively, with there being at least one column of holes between them and the edges where said side walls (20, 10) meet with the bottom wall (5). The reinforcement bar (15R4) is positioned and fixed in a manner such that its bottom edge begins at the end of reinforcement bar (5R1), along the edge where the bottom wall (5) and side wall (15) join together and proceed vertically to terminate at the top edge of the side wall (15).
[0024] The reinforcement bar (20R) is positioned and fixed in a manner to follow the top edge of the side wall (20), with the reinforcement bars (15R2 and 10R2) continuing at the same height as the reinforcement bar (20R) on their respective side wall (15 and 10), with reinforcement bar (15R2) being interrupted by reinforcement bars (15R4, and 15R3) only. The rows and columns of holes (5H, 10H, 15H, 20H) are provided respectively on the walls (5, 10, 15 and 20) to reduce weight and improve the passive circulation of air onto the air conditioner compressor. Furthermore, multiple attachment points (5A, 10A, 15A, 20A) are respectively provided on the walls (5, 10, 15 and 20) to allow its easy attachment to the compressor and the vehicle.
[0025] The construction of the engine-mounted air conditioner compressor protection shield (100) so disclosed is lightweight and sturdy, permitting passive air circulation across its walls. The air conditioner compressor can be easily positioned and fixed within its confines to protect it from foreign elements and debris that may infiltrate the engine bay of a vehicle. Given the large number of holes in its walls, the disclosed invention allows passive air circulation to take place with ease while also protecting the compressor from larger and more damaging foreign elements and debris. Given its multiple attachment points, the engine-mounted air conditioner compressor protection shield (100) can be easily fixed within the engine bay where the compressor is located.
[0026] Technical advantages offered by the invention, i.e., the engine-mounted air conditioner compressor protection shield (100), are-
- It is structurally robust and includes features to enable passive cooling of the compressors.
- It is lightweight.
- It is capable of surviving being impacted by foreign elements and debris.
- It does not get clogged easily, thereby retaining its passive cooling effectiveness for a long time.
- It has a simple construction and is therefore easy and economical to manufacture and provide in the vehicle.
- It can survive continuous usage for the entire rated life of the vehicle.
[0027] The disclosed invention, i.e. the engine-mounted air conditioner compressor protection shield (100), achieves all the set-out objectives.
[0028] It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the present invention has been herein described in terms of its preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will recognize that the preferred embodiment herein disclosed, can be practiced with modifications within the scope of the invention herein described.
, Claims:We Claim,
1. An engine-mounted air conditioner compressor protection shield (100) comprising,
• a bottom wall (5),
• side walls (10, 15, 20),
• edge reinforcements (SR1, SR2, SR3),
• reinforcement bars (5R1, 5R2, 10R1, 10R2, 15R1, 15R2, 15R3, 15R4, 20R),
wherein,
- the side wall (10) is fixed onto the bottom wall (5) along its bottom edge and the side wall (15) on one of its side edges;
- the side wall (15) is fixed onto the bottom wall (5) along its bottom edge, the side wall (10) on its one side edge, and side wall (20) on its other side edge;
- the side wall (20) is fixed onto the bottom wall (5) along its bottom edge and the side wall (15) on its side edges;
- the edge reinforcement (SR1) is provided along the edge where the side wall (20) meets with the side wall (15), and the edge reinforcement (SR2) is provided along the edge where the side wall (10) meets with the side wall (15), and edge reinforcement (SR3) is provided along the edge where the side wall (15) meets with the bottom wall (5); and
- the reinforcement bars (5R1 and 5R2) are positioned and fixed on the top surface of the bottom wall (5), and the reinforcement bars (10R1, 10R2) are positioned and fixed on the inward-facing surface of the side wall (10), the reinforcement bars (15R1, 15R2, 15R3, 15R4) are positioned and fixed on the inward-facing surface of the side wall (15), the reinforcement bar (20R) is positioned and fixed on the inward-facing surface of the side wall (20).
2. The engine-mounted air conditioner compressor protection shield (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein,
- the side walls (10, 20) are opposite to each other with side wall (10) being larger than the side wall (20);
- the side wall (15) edge fixed to the edge of the side wall (10) has a side length equal to that of the side wall (10), and the side wall (15) edge fixed to the edge of the side wall (20) has side length equal to that of the side wall (20);
- the side wall (15) has an upper edge that slopes downwards to meet the top edge of the side wall (20) after having begun at the same height as the top edge of side wall (10); and
- the reinforcement bars (10R1, 15R1, and 20R) are positioned and fixed so as to follow the top edge of the side walls (10, 15, and 20), respectively.
3. The engine-mounted air conditioner compressor protection shield (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein,
- the reinforcement bars (5R1, and 5R2) are positioned along the edges where the bottom wall (5) joins the side wall (20, 10), respectively, with there being at least one column of holes between them and the edges where said side walls (20, 10) meet with the bottom wall (5);
- the reinforcement bar (15R4) is positioned and fixed in a manner such that its bottom edge begins at the end of reinforcement bar (5R1), along the edge where the bottom wall (5) and side wall (15) join together and proceed vertically to terminate at the top edge of the side wall (15); and
- the reinforcement bar (20R) is positioned and fixed in a manner to follow the top edge of the side wall (20), with the reinforcement bars (15R2 and 10R2) continuing at the same height as the reinforcement bar (20R) on their respective side wall (15 and 10), with reinforcement bar (15R2) being interrupted by reinforcement bars (15R4, and 15R3) only.
4. The engine-mounted air conditioner compressor protection shield (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein rows and columns of holes (5H, 10H, 15H, 20H) are provided respectively on the walls (5, 10, 15 and 20) to reduce weight and improve the passive circulation of air onto the air conditioner compressor.
5. The engine-mounted air conditioner compressor protection shield (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein, multiple attachment points (5A, 10A, 15A, 20A) are respectively provided on the walls (5, 10, 15 and 20) to allow its easy attachment onto the compressor and the vehicle.
Dated 14th day of February 2025

VIDIT CHOUBEY
(IN P/A 5566)
AGENT FOR THE APPLICANT(S)

To,
The Controller of Patents,
The Patent Office, at Mumbai