Personal Heat Control Device and Method

• US 20080141681A1
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Its Kool, LLC
• Original Assignee: Its Kool, LLC
• Inventors: Arnold, Anthony Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,087,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.5
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/005 with controlled temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 1/008 with means for heating or cooling ventilating arrangements for head coverings A42C5/04
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/286 with forced flow, e.g. by a fan
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0002 Head or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0035 Wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0075 using a Peltier element, e.g. near the spot to be heated or cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0078 with a battery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0084 using a solar cell
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0292 using latent heat produced or absorbed during phase change of materials, e.g. of super-cooled solutions
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 17/005 Active or passive body temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 23/006 boiling cooling systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/0212 of electric power, current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/025 Removal of heat
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/01 Timing
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/26 Refrigerating devices for cooling wearing apparel, e.g. garments, hats, shoes or gloves

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a device for personal heat control, including a flexible housing comprising a cooling surface, a heating surface thermally insulated from the cooling surface, and a heat transfer unit configured to transfer heat from cooling surface to heating surface. Other embodiments of the present invention provide a system for cooling wearers of impact-resistant helmets, comprising an impact-resistant outer shell, foam pads affixed to an inside of the impact-resistant outer shell and configured to rest on a wearer'"'"'s head, thermoelectric cooling devices spaced to avoid interference with foam pads and configured to rest against the head, a heat sink, and heat pipes thermally coupled at one end to thermoelectric cooling devices and at another end to the heat sink, and configured to transfer heat from thermoelectric cooling devices to heat sink with minimal heat loss, the heat pipes spaced to avoid interference with the foam pads.

Claims

1. A garment for personal heat control, the garment comprising:

one or more thermoelectric cooling units configured to rest in a first location in proximity with a user of the garment, the one or more thermoelectric cooling units comprising;

one or more cooling surfaces configured to receive heat from the user;

one or more heating surfaces thermally insulated from the one or more cooling surfaces; and

one or more heat transfer units configured to transfer the heat from the one or more cooling surfaces to the one or more heating surfaces;

a heat pipe thermally coupled with the one or more heating surfaces and configured to transfer the heat from the first location to a second location in proximity with the garment; and

a direct current power source affixed to the garment and electrically coupled to the one or more thermoelectric cooling units.

2. The garment of claim 1, further comprising a heat sink thermally coupled with the heat pipe at the second location.

3. The garment of claim 2, further comprising a piezoelectric resonant fan configured to draw air over the heat sink.

4. The garment of claim 2, further comprising a phase change material thermally coupled with the heat pipe at the second location.

5. The garment of claim 3, wherein the heat pipe extends outside the garment to an accoutrement, and wherein the heat sink and the piezoelectric resonant fan are situated within the accoutrement.

6. The garment of claim 1, wherein the direct current power source is flexible.

7. The garment of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe is flexible.

8. The garment of claim 1, wherein the direct current power source is a rechargeable battery.

9. The garment of claim 2, wherein the heat sink is fluted.

10. The garment of claim 1, further comprising one or more devices selected from the group consisting of:

a timer, a solid-state electronic timing switch, and an electroluminescence device.

11. The garment of claim 1, wherein the garment is selected from a group consisting of:

biking shorts, biking shoes, biking jerseys, exercise suits, sport bras, spandex pants, under garments, shorts, tops, shirts, gloves, shoes, boots, ski boots, roller skates, ice skates, roller blades, socks, wrist bands, heart monitors, wrist watches, uniforms, baseball caps, golf caps, visors, head bands, hats, glasses, sunglasses, headphones, medallions, pendants, jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, anklets, chemical suits, bio suits, space suits, space helmets, bullet-proof vests, fire protective suits, motorcycle leathers, goggles, hard hats, construction helmets, welding masks, motor racing helmets, motor cycle helmets, motor racing suits, motor racing under garments, bicycle helmets, football helmets, batting helmets, cricket batting helmets, baseball batting helmets, softball helmets, skiing helmets, skiing suits and under garments, riding helmets, equestrian riding helmets, fencing masks, fencing tunics, shin guards, knee pads, military equipment hats, and military helmets.

12. The garment of claim 1, further comprising a programmable logic device, wherein the programmable logic device is configured to turn the one or more thermoelectric cooling units on or off based on an expected heat generation pattern.

13. The garment of claim 12, wherein the programmable logic device is configured via external radio control.

14. The garment of claim 1, wherein the one or more thermoelectric cooling units is a plurality of thermoelectric cooling units, the garment further comprising a programmable logic device, wherein the programmable logic device is configured to pulse each of the plurality of thermoelectric units on and off in a predetermined pattern.

15. The garment of claim 1, further comprising a spreader thermally coupled with at least one of the one or more cooling surfaces.

16. The garment of claim 1, wherein the one or more thermoelectric cooling units are thermoelectric film.

17. A method for personal heat control, the method comprising:

providing a garment comprising one or more thermoelectric cooling units configured to rest in a first location in proximity with a user of the garment, wherein the one or more thermoelectric cooling units comprise one or more cooling surfaces configured to receive heat from the user, one or more heating surfaces thermally insulated from the one or more cooling surfaces, and one or more heat transfer units configured to transfer the heat from the one or more cooling surfaces to the one or more heating surfaces, and wherein the garment further comprises a heat pipe thermally coupled with the one or more heating surfaces and configured to transfer the heat from the first location to a second location in proximity with the garment, and a direct current power source affixed to the garment and electrically coupled to the one or more thermoelectric cooling units; and

applying the one or more cooling surfaces of the garment to an area proximal to skin.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

thermally coupling a spreader to the one or more cooling surfaces, wherein applying the one or more cooling surfaces of the garment to an area proximal to skin comprises applying the spreader to an area proximal to skin.

19. A system for cooling wearers of impact-resistant helmets, the system comprising:

an impact-resistant outer shell;

one or more impact-dampening foam pads affixed to an inside of the impact-resistant outer shell and configured to rest on a wearer'"'"'s head;

one or more thermoelectric cooling devices spaced to avoid interference with the one or more impact-dampening foam pads and configured to rest in proximity with the wearer'"'"'s head;

a heat sink configured to dissipate heat from the plurality of thermoelectric cooling devices;

one or more heat pipes thermally coupled at one end to the one or more thermoelectric cooling devices and thermally coupled at another end to the heat sink, wherein the one or more heat pipes are configured to transfer heat from the plurality of thermoelectric cooling devices to the heat sink with minimal conduction heat loss, wherein the plurality of heat pipes is spaced to avoid interference with the plurality of impact-dampening foam pads.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a phase change material thermally coupled to the heat pipe.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising a piezoelectric resonant fan configured to move air over the heat sink.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising an elasticized band attached at each end to the inside of the impact-resistant outer shell and configured to hold the plurality of thermoelectric cooling devices against the wearer'"'"'s head.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising a halo attached to an outside of the impact-resistant outer shell and configured to house the heat sink.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the heat sink is thermally coupled with the heat pipe via an additional thermoelectric cooling unit configured to transfer the heat from the heat pipe to the heat sink.

25. A flexible cooling band for use within a helmet, the flexible cooling band comprising:

a first thermoelectric cooling unit comprising;

a first cooling surface configured to rest in proximity with a user'"'"'s head;

a first heating surface thermally insulated from the first cooling surface;

a heat pipe thermally coupled with the first heating surface and configured to transfer heat away from the first heating surface through the heat pipe;

a second thermoelectric cooling unit comprising;

a second cooling surface thermally coupled with the heat pipe and configured to receive the heat from the first heating surface;

a second heating surface thermally insulated from the second cooling surface; and

a heat sink thermally coupled with the second heating surface and configured to dissipate heat from the second heating surface.