Portable, personal air conditioning unit attachable to a person

• US 20050034476A1
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Entrak Energie- Und Antriebstechnik GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Entrak Energie- Und Antriebstechnik GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Pohr, Sebastian Heinz
• Application Number:
  US10/911,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20050034476A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/420
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0055 by means of dry ice
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/46 Storage or supply of water for drinking purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/04 Sacks or packs carried on the body by means of two straps passing over the two shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/16 Water-bottles; Mess-tins; Cups
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/04 Arrangements for portability
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2303/0822 Details of the element
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/8011 to be carried on the back of a person
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/08 portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally

Abstract

Portable personal air conditioning unit, attachable to the body of a person, with a receptacle for a detachable and therein insertable latent heat storage device with a filler opening containing or receiving a consumable storage medium frozen for the air conditioning operation, having an inlet for air to be delivered past the latent heat exchange device and there to undergo heat exchange, and an outlet for the discharge of the chilled air, as well as a fan, driveable through a power supply provided on the receptacle side, for delivering the air for a self-sufficient operation of the personal air conditioning unit, whereby at least one extraction device is provided for the extraction by the person of thawed, consumable storage medium serving as drinking liquid.

Claims

1. Portable personal air conditioning unit, attachable to the body of a person, comprising a receptacle for a detachable and therein insertable latent heat storage device with a filler opening containing or receiving a consumable storage medium frozen for the air conditioning operation, an inlet for air to be delivered past the latent heat storage device and there to undergo heat exchange an outlet for the discharge of the chilled air, a fan driveable through a power supply provided on the receptacle, for delivering the air for a self-sufficient operation of the personal air conditioning unit, and at least one extraction device for the extraction by the person of thawed, consumable storage medium serving as drinking liquid.

2. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is provided in a backpack fitted with carry straps or in a shoulder or waist bag.

3. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the latent heat storage device is equipped with a liquid accumulator or has one assigned separately, in which at least part of the thawed storage medium collects and which has the extraction device attached.

4. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 3, wherein the assigned liquid accumulator is coupled to the latent heat storage device through a valve.

5. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 3, wherein the liquid accumulator is connected to the storage section containing the frozen storage medium via one or more drainage openings.

6. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 3, wherein the latent heat storage device and possibly also its assigned liquid accumulator is a solid or flexible case.

7. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 6, wherein the solid latent heat storage device is in bottle or container form and the flexible latent heat storage is in hose or bag form.

8. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the latent heat storage device is wider and/or thicker in the section facing the air intake than in the section facing the air outlet.

9. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 8, wherein the latent heat storage device is of a primarily triangular or teardrop shape.

10. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the receptacle primarily matching the shape of the latent heat storage device, at least when the consumable storage medium is in its frozen state.

11. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is solid or flexible or elastic.

12. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein there is provided on the receptacle side and/or on the storage side means for the creation of an air slot preferably encompassing the latent heat storage device on all sides.

13. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 12, wherein the means is realized as one ore more spacers, which separate the receptacle from the latent heat storage device.

14. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 3, wherein the latent heat storage device or the separate liquid accumulator is fitted with a preferably detachable flexible fluid pipe and/or a sealable drinking or pouring device and/or a drain valve as extraction device.

15. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 14, wherein the fluid pipe is provided with a sealing device.

16. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 3, wherein the separate removable liquid accumulator is provided with a filler opening for filling with a consumable liquid, which is extractable through the extraction device.

17. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 3, wherein a further removable storage, filled or capable of being filled with a consumable liquid, is or can be coupled to the latent heat storage or the separate liquid accumulator or directly to the extraction device.

18. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein an additional air intake is provided for unchilled air to be mixed with the chilled air.

19. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 18, wherein an air supply pipe terminates in the receptacle downstream from the additional air intake and ahead of the combined air outlet.

20. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 18, wherein the additional air intake is provided with a preferably flap-type regulating element, through which the aperture of the supply path for the unchilled air is variable.

21. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 20, wherein the regulating element is positioned in such a way that the aperture of the supply path of the unchilled air and of the outlet path of the chilled air can be varied simultaneously for the adjustment of the respective air masses to be mixed.

22. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 20, wherein the regulating element is adjustable manually or automatically and, through the integrated power supply or respectively the control unit in particular, electrically controlled.

23. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 18, wherein the unchilled air can be taken in and delivered by the fan delivering the chilled air or that at least one additional fan is provided for taking in and delivering the unchilled air.

24. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein a thermostat capable of being operated by the person is provided for temperature adjustment of the possibly mixed air delivered to the person.

25. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 24, wherein one or more sensors is provided for registering the speed of the fan or possibly fans, the temperature of the air supplied to the person, as well as possibly the position of the regulating element.

26. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the speed of the fan or possibly fans is variable by the person.

27. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein there is provided rechargeable battery cells, batteries, fuel cells or solar cells as the power supply.

28. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein a charging state indicator for the integrated power supply is provided.

29. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein means to register the charging state of the latent heat storage and a charging state indicator are provided.

30. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein a hose-like air pipe, through which the air can be supplied to the person carrying the air conditioning unit, is or can be coupled to the receptacle outlet.

31. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 30, wherein the air pipe has one or more branches so that the air can be delivered to the person in several places.

32. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 30, wherein the air pipe is provided with a preferably detachable outlet section, made to any form of ductile and possibly skin friendly material and containing several outlet jets.

33. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 32, wherein the outlet section is primarily saucer or semi-saucer shaped and the several outlet jets are pointing in different directions.

34. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein a coupling means is provided at the receptacle outlet to connect an air tube carrying air to a piece of clothing with integrated outlet openings to be worn by the person.

35. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein the air intake and air outlet openings are sealable when not in use.

36. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 1, wherein provision is made possibly for a further detachable latent heat storage device, which is or can be inserted into the receptacle and is filled with a heat-storing medium, so that during operation of the fan heat exchanging air streaming past can be warmed by the heat-storing medium.

37. Personal air conditioning unit according to claim 36, wherein the heat-storing medium is wax-like and preferably pearl or ball shaped.