Portable life support system

• US 5,361,591 A
• Filed: 04/15/1992
• Issued: 11/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1992
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Oceaneering International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Oceaneering International Incorporated
• Inventors: Caldwell, Bruce D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Capossela, Ronald C.
• Application Number:
  US07/869,249
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 165/46, 62/259.3, 62/50.2, 62/50.4
• US Class Current: 62/50.4
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0053 Cooled garments
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 17/00 Protective clothing affording protection against heat or harmful chemical agents or for use at high altitudes protective clothing or garments for work or sport A41D13/00; e.g. overalls A41D13/02, surgical gowns A41D13/12; materials for protecting clothing A41D31/04; protecting eyes or ears A61F9/00; composition of materials for protective clothing A62D5/00; life-saving garments for use at sea B63C; diving suits B63C11/02; flight suits B64D10/00; space suits B64G6/00; bullet-proof clothing F41H1/02
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/06 with liquid oxygen or air; Cryogenic systems
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/032 with substantially vertical main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/058 portable (<30 l)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0111 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0338 Pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/011 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/014 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/031 Air
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0302 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/031 due to heat transfer
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/025 Breathing
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0781 Diving equipments
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 9/04 Recovery of thermal energy

Abstract

The invention in its preferred embodiment is a portable life support system providing the wearer of a garment with temperature regulation and a breathable atmosphere using cryogenic technology. Wherein a liquid cryogen is vaporized by heat exchange with the wearers body and the vaporized cryogen is delivered to the wearer as a breathable atmosphere.

Claims

1. A portable life support system, comprising:

a liquid cooled garment;

an orientationally independent dewar for containing liquid cryogen;

means for circulating liquid cryogen from said dewar in heat exchange relation with the cooling liquid so as to cool the wearer of the garment and vaporize the liquid cryogen; and

means for delivering vaporized cryogen to the wearer of said garment for breathing purposes.

2. The portable life support system of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanging means comprises:

an insulated housing;

a loop for circulating the cooling liquid through the interior of the garment and the housing; and

means for circulating liquid cryogen through the housing intermediate the source and the delivering means.

3. The portable life support system of claim 2, wherein the delivering means includes a loop for recirculating vaporized cryogen to the wearer of said garment.

4. The portable life support system of claim 1, wherein said orientationally independent dewar is a positive expulsion dewar.

5. The portable life support system of claim 4, wherein said positive expulsion dewar is externally charged.

6. The portable life support system of claim 4, wherein said positive expulsion dewar is self-pressurizing.

7. The portable life support system of claim 1, wherein said means for delivering vaporized cryogen is an open circuit system.

8. The portable life support system of claim 1, wherein said means for delivering vaporized cryogen is a semi-closed circuit system.

9. A portable life support system, comprising:

a liquid cooled garment;

an orientationally independent dewar for containing and delivering liquid cryogen; and

a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the cooling liquid and the liquid cryogen delivered from the containing and delivering means.

10. The portable life support system of claim 9, wherein said orientationally independent dewar is a positive expulsion dewar.

11. The portable life support system of claim 10, wherein said positive expulsion dewar is externally charged.

12. The portable life support system of claim 10, wherein said positive expulsion dewar is self-pressurizing.

13. A portable life support system, comprising:

a liquid cooled garment through which cooling liquid may be circulated;

a source of liquid cryogen;

means for delivering liquid cryogen from said source at a varying rate in heat exchange relation with the cooling liquid to cool the cooling liquid, thereby varyingly regulating the temperature of the cooling liquid.

14. A portable life support system as in claim 13, wherein the circulation rate of the liquid cryogen is correlated to the respiration rate of the system user to regulate the temperature of the cooling liquid as the system user'"'"'s respiration rate varies.

15. A portable life support system as in claim 14, wherein the liquid cryogen is vaporized and the delivering means includes an open-demand breathing loop.

16. A portable life support system as in claim 13, wherein the liquid cryogen is vaporized and the delivering means includes a semi-closed breathing loop.

17. A portable life support system as in claim 13, wherein the cooling liquid, when circulated, is circulated at a constant rate.

18. A portable life support system as in claim 13, wherein said source is an orientationally independent dewar.

19. A portable life support system, comprising:

a liquid cooled garment through which cooling liquid may be circulated;

a source of liquid cryogen;

means for circulating liquid cryogen from said source in heat exchange relation with the cooling liquid to cool the cooling liquid and vaporize the liquid cryogen; and

means for delivering vaporized cryogen to the wearer of said garment for breathing purposes, said delivering means delivering vaporized cryogen at a varying rate, thereby varyingly regulating the temperature of the cooling liquid.

20. A portable life support system as in claim 19, wherein the delivery rate of the liquid cryogen is correlated to the respiration rate of the system user to regulate the temperature of the cooling liquid as the system user'"'"'s respiration rate varies.

21. A portable life support system as in claim 20, wherein the delivering means includes an open-demand breathing loop.

22. A portable life support system as in claim 19, wherein the delivering means includes a semi-closed breathing loop.

23. A portable life support system as in claim 19, wherein the cooling liquid, when circulated, is circulated at a constant rate.

24. A portable life support system as in claim 19, wherein said source is an orientationally independent dewar.