PERSONAL AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE MODIFICATION DEVICE
First Claim
1. A personal ambient air temperature modification device, comprising:
- a container adapted to be handheld, the container comprising;
one or more thermally insulated walls defining an interior volume, each of the one or more thermally insulated walls having an interior side facing the interior volume and an exterior side opposite the interior side;
an opening disposed through a first end of the container; and
a base disposed at a second end of the container opposite the first end, the base having an interior side facing the interior volume and an exterior side opposite the interior side;
wherein the container is sized, dimensioned, and adapted to fit in a cup holder;
a lid with an interior side facing the interior volume and an exterior side opposite the interior side, the lid removably and replaceably covering the opening in such a way that obstructs the opening when in a sealed position and exposes the opening when removed from the container, the lid comprising;
a return port;
an air inlet; and
a motorized air movement mechanism disposed inside the lid that draws air through the air inlet and exhausts return air through the return port to an external environment external to the container and the lid;
at least one air intake port in fluid communication with the interior volume of the container, the at least one air intake port positioned to draw supply air from an ambient environment external to the device to flow into the interior volume of the container;
a thermal energy concentrator disposed in the interior volume of the container, the thermal energy concentrator comprising;
an elongate air manifold having an air funnel opening at a first end and an intake opening at a second end, the air funnel opening fluidly coupled with the air inlet and the intake opening fluidly coupled with the interior volume of the container;
wherein when the lid is in the sealed position on the container, the motorized air movement mechanism is operating, and one or more thermal energy storage components are disposed in the interior volume of the container, then ambient air is drawn through the at least one air intake port, into the interior volume of the container and across the one or more thermal energy storage components, through the intake opening at the second end of the elongate air manifold, through the elongate air manifold, the ambient air being converted to thermally modified air via convection with the one or more thermal energy storage components and the elongate air manifold, the thermally modified air then continuing through the air funnel opening, into the air inlet, and out through the return port as return air having a different temperature from the ambient air drawn through the at least one air intake port.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device and corresponding method of operation for a personal, portable, ambient air temperature modification suitable for providing heating or cooling to a user. In particular, the present invention relates to a heating or cooling device that provides heated or cooled air flow from a modified ambient temperature source disposed inside a container configured to fit in a conventional cup holder. The device pulls in ambient temperature air into an internal chamber of the device, the ambient temperature air is cooled or warmed through heat transfer from thermal energy storage components in the internal chamber, thermally concentrated prior to entering a motorized air movement mechanism via an elongate air manifold, and the resulting cooled or warmed air is returned out from the internal chamber of the device and directed toward a user. The modified temperature air returned by the device provides a desired cooling or warming effect to the immediate environment nearby the user.
39 Citations
95 Claims
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1. A personal ambient air temperature modification device, comprising:
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a container adapted to be handheld, the container comprising; one or more thermally insulated walls defining an interior volume, each of the one or more thermally insulated walls having an interior side facing the interior volume and an exterior side opposite the interior side; an opening disposed through a first end of the container; and a base disposed at a second end of the container opposite the first end, the base having an interior side facing the interior volume and an exterior side opposite the interior side; wherein the container is sized, dimensioned, and adapted to fit in a cup holder; a lid with an interior side facing the interior volume and an exterior side opposite the interior side, the lid removably and replaceably covering the opening in such a way that obstructs the opening when in a sealed position and exposes the opening when removed from the container, the lid comprising; a return port; an air inlet; and a motorized air movement mechanism disposed inside the lid that draws air through the air inlet and exhausts return air through the return port to an external environment external to the container and the lid; at least one air intake port in fluid communication with the interior volume of the container, the at least one air intake port positioned to draw supply air from an ambient environment external to the device to flow into the interior volume of the container; a thermal energy concentrator disposed in the interior volume of the container, the thermal energy concentrator comprising; an elongate air manifold having an air funnel opening at a first end and an intake opening at a second end, the air funnel opening fluidly coupled with the air inlet and the intake opening fluidly coupled with the interior volume of the container; wherein when the lid is in the sealed position on the container, the motorized air movement mechanism is operating, and one or more thermal energy storage components are disposed in the interior volume of the container, then ambient air is drawn through the at least one air intake port, into the interior volume of the container and across the one or more thermal energy storage components, through the intake opening at the second end of the elongate air manifold, through the elongate air manifold, the ambient air being converted to thermally modified air via convection with the one or more thermal energy storage components and the elongate air manifold, the thermally modified air then continuing through the air funnel opening, into the air inlet, and out through the return port as return air having a different temperature from the ambient air drawn through the at least one air intake port. - 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, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93)
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94. A personal ambient air temperature modification device, comprising:
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a container adapted to be handheld, the container comprising; one or more thermally insulated walls defining an interior volume, each of the one or more thermally insulated walls having an interior side facing the interior volume and an exterior side opposite the interior side; an opening disposed through a first end of the container; and a base disposed at a second end of the container opposite the first end, the base having an interior side facing the interior volume and an exterior side opposite the interior side; wherein the container is sized, dimensioned, and adapted to fit in a cup holder; a lid with an interior side facing the interior volume and an exterior side opposite the interior side, the lid removably and replaceably covering the opening in such a way that obstructs the opening when in a sealed position and exposes the opening when removed from the container, the lid comprising; a return port; an air inlet; and a motorized air movement mechanism disposed inside the lid that draws air through the air inlet and exhausts return air through the return port to an external environment external to the container and the lid; at least one air intake port in fluid communication with the interior volume of the container, the at least one air intake port positioned to draw supply air from an ambient environment external to the device to flow into the interior volume of the container; a thermal energy concentrator disposed in the interior volume of the container, the thermal energy concentrator comprising; a multi-channel directional airflow manager having a central air channel that is coupled with the air inlet and the surrounded by a plurality of fins and storage chambers coupled with the interior volume of the container; wherein when the lid is in the sealed position on the container, the motorized air movement mechanism is operating, and one or more thermal energy storage components are disposed in a plurality of storage chambers within the interior volume of the container, then ambient air is drawn through the plurality of storage chambers, into the interior volume of the container and across the one or more thermal energy storage components, through the central air channel of the multi-channel directional airflow manager, the ambient air being converted to thermally modified air via convection with the one or more thermal energy storage components, the thermally modified air then continuing through the central air channel, into the air inlet, and out through the return port as return air having a different temperature from the ambient air drawn through the at least one air intake port.
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95. A personal ambient air temperature modification device, comprising:
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a container comprising; one or more thermally insulated walls defining an interior volume, each of the one or more thermally insulated walls having an interior side facing the interior volume and an exterior side opposite the interior side; an opening disposed through a first end of the container; and a lid with an interior side facing the interior volume and an exterior side opposite the interior side, the lid removably and replaceably covering the opening in such a way that obstructs the opening when in a sealed position and exposes the opening when removed from the container, the lid comprising; a motorized air movement mechanism; a network of closed compartments configured to prevent ambient temperature air water condensation and modified temperature air water condensation from contact with components located within the network of closed compartments; wherein the components located within the network of closed compartments include at least the one or more electrically connected switches, printed circuit boards (PCBs), light emitting diodes (LEDs), and batteries are encased within the network of closed compartments.
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Specification