Thermoelectric devices and systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wearable electronic device, comprising:
- an electronic display with a user interface for displaying information to a user;
a power management unit operatively coupled with said electronic display, wherein said power management unit comprises an energy storage device and at least one thermoelectric device in electrical communication with said energy storage device, wherein said at least one thermoelectric device comprises (i) a heat collecting unit that, during use, rests adjacent to a body surface of said user, which heat collecting unit collects thermal energy from said body surface of said user, (ii) a thermoelectric element in thermal communication with said heat collecting unit, and (iii) a heat expelling unit in thermal communication with said thermoelectric element, which heat expelling unit expels thermal energy from said thermoelectric element; and
a casing containing said electronic display and said power management unit, wherein said casing further comprises a bottom subassembly, wherein said bottom subassembly comprises said thermoelectric element and a conductive backing, and wherein, during use, said conductive backing is in thermal communication with said body surface of said user,wherein, during use, said thermoelectric element generates power upon flow of thermal energy from said heat collecting unit, across said thermoelectric element and to said heat expelling unit, and wherein at least a portion of said power is stored in said energy storage device.
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides wearable electronic devices with thermoelectric devices. The wearable electronic device may comprise a user interface for displaying information to a user. The thermoelectric device may comprise a heat collecting unit, a thermoelectric element, and a heat expelling unit. During use, the thermoelectric element may generate power upon the flow of thermal energy from the heat collecting unit, across the thermoelectric element, and to the heat expelling unit.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. A wearable electronic device, comprising:
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an electronic display with a user interface for displaying information to a user; a power management unit operatively coupled with said electronic display, wherein said power management unit comprises an energy storage device and at least one thermoelectric device in electrical communication with said energy storage device, wherein said at least one thermoelectric device comprises (i) a heat collecting unit that, during use, rests adjacent to a body surface of said user, which heat collecting unit collects thermal energy from said body surface of said user, (ii) a thermoelectric element in thermal communication with said heat collecting unit, and (iii) a heat expelling unit in thermal communication with said thermoelectric element, which heat expelling unit expels thermal energy from said thermoelectric element; and a casing containing said electronic display and said power management unit, wherein said casing further comprises a bottom subassembly, wherein said bottom subassembly comprises said thermoelectric element and a conductive backing, and wherein, during use, said conductive backing is in thermal communication with said body surface of said user, wherein, during use, said thermoelectric element generates power upon flow of thermal energy from said heat collecting unit, across said thermoelectric element and to said heat expelling unit, and wherein at least a portion of said power is stored in said energy storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for using a wearable electronic device, comprising:
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(a) activating said wearable electronic device comprising; a. an electronic display with a user interface for displaying information to a user; b. a power management unit operatively coupled with said electronic display, wherein said power management unit comprises an energy storage device and at least one thermoelectric device in electrical communication with said energy storage device, wherein said at least one thermoelectric device comprises (i) a heat collecting unit that rests adjacent to a body surface of said user, which heat collecting unit collects thermal energy from said body surface of said user, (ii) a thermoelectric element in thermal communication with said heat collecting unit, and (iii) a heat expelling unit in thermal communication with said thermoelectric element, which heat expelling unit expels thermal energy from said thermoelectric element; and c. a casing containing said electronic display and said power management unit, wherein said casing further comprises a bottom subassembly, wherein said bottom subassembly comprises said thermoelectric element and a conductive backing, and wherein said conductive backing is in thermal communication with said body surface of said user; and (b) using said thermoelectric element to generate power upon flow of thermal energy from said heat collecting unit, across said thermoelectric element and to said heat expelling unit, wherein at least a portion of said power is stored in said energy storage device. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method for manufacturing a wearable electronic device, comprising assembling a casing containing (i) an electronic display with a user interface for displaying information to a user, and (ii) a power management unit to yield said wearable electronic device,
wherein said power management unit is operatively coupled with said electronic display, wherein said power management unit comprises an energy storage device and at least one thermoelectric device in electrical communication with said energy storage device, wherein said at least one thermoelectric device comprises (i) a heat collecting unit that, during use, rests adjacent to a body surface of said user, which heat collecting unit collects thermal energy from said body surface of said user, (ii) a thermoelectric element in thermal communication with said heat collecting unit, and (iii) a heat expelling unit in thermal communication with said thermoelectric element, which heat expelling unit expels thermal energy from said thermoelectric element, wherein said casing further comprises a bottom subassembly, wherein said bottom subassembly comprises said thermoelectric element and a conductive backing, and wherein, during use, said conductive backing is in thermal communication with said body surface of said user, wherein said wearable device is configured such that during use, said thermoelectric element generates power upon flow of thermal energy from said heat collecting unit, across said thermoelectric element and to said heat expelling unit, wherein at least a portion of said power is stored in said energy storage device.
Specification