Portable liquid cooling and heating apparatus

• US 5,762,129 A
• Filed: 08/01/1996
• Issued: 06/09/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frank S. Elliott
• Original Assignee: Frank S. Elliott
• Inventors: Elliott, Frank S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ford, John K.
• Application Number:
  US08/690,860
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 165/48.1, 62/420, 62/461, 62/460, 62/239, 62/236
• US Class Current: 165/48.1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/029 characterised by the layout or mutual arrangement of components, e.g. of compressors or fans
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0323 by the mounting or arrangement of the heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0373 characterised by heating arrangements characterised by heat exchangers F24F1/032
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0017 using cold storage bodies, e.g. ice
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

A portable housing holds a quantity of ice and the melt water from the ice or cooled water or cooled liquid is circulated through a heat exchanger. A blower circulates air from the room through the heat exchanger and back into the room for cooling the room. The housing includes a relatively large chamber for holding the ice and a relatively smaller chamber in which the blower is disposed. Melt water from the ice, or cooled water or cooled liquid, is pumped through the heat exchanger and from the heat exchanger the liquid flows by gravity back to the ice and water chamber. An alternate embodiment is disclosed in which there is a closed loop liquid heat exchange system by which a coil is disposed beneath the ice and is cooled. A pump continuously circulates the liquid in the closed loop, with the heat exchanger through which air is blown is part of the closed loop system. The apparatus may also be used as a portable heater by using hot water instead of cold water in the heat exchanger.

Claims

1. Apparatus for cooling a room comprising in combination:

a housing, including

a bottom,

a pair of side walls secured to and extending upwardly from the bottom,

a rear wall secured to the bottom and to the side walls,

a front wall secured to the bottom and to the side walls remote from the rear wall,

an opening in the front wall,

a top secured to the side walls, the rear wall and the front wall,

a first opening in the top adjacent to the front wall,

a second opening in the top adjacent to the rear wall, and a lid closing the second opening in the top;

a vertical wall extending downwardly between the sides from the top between the first and second openings in the top and terminating above the bottom;

a horizontal wall extending between the vertical wall and the front wall below the opening in the front wall;

heat exchanger means for receiving a cooling medium;

a cooling medium in the heat exchanger;

means for cooling the cooling medium in the heat exchanger;

means for pulling air through the opening in the front wall and past the heat exchanger to cool the air and for blowing the cooled air out through the first opening in the top; and

means for circulating the cooling medium in the heat exchanger means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the cooling medium comprises cold water.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the means for cooling the cold water cooling medium comprises ice disposed in the housing beneath the lid.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the means for circulating the cooling medium comprises a pump for pumping the cold water through the heat exchanger means.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the heat exchanger means includes a first portion disposed adjacent to the opening in the front wall and a second portion disposed on the bottom.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the housing means further includes

a first baffle extending downwardly from the horizontal wall,

a second baffle secured to the first baffle adjacent to one of the side walls and extending rearwardly to adjacent to the rear wall, and

a third baffle secured to the first baffle adjacent to the other of the side walls and extending rearwardly to adjacent to the rear wall, and a sump is defined between the front wall and the first baffle.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the heat exchanger means includes a drain for draining the cooling medium, and the drain extends to the sump, whereby the cooling medium flows from the heat exchanger rearwardly between the side walls and the respective second and third baffles.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the means for circulating the cooling medium includes a pump disposed adjacent to the first baffle and between the second and third baffles whereby the cooling medium flows from the sump rearwardly past the second and third baffles and then forwardly to the pump for recirculating.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the means for pulling air through the heat exchanger comprises a blower, and the means for circulating the cooling medium comprises a pump, and the apparatus further includes means for providing electrical current to the blower and the pump.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which the means for providing electric current to the blower and the pump includes

switch means for controlling the electric current, including an off position, and a one hundred ten volt "on" portion,

a transformer and rectifier electrically connected to the one hundred ten volt "on" portion and to the blower and pump, and

a plug connected to the one hundred ten volt "on" portion and to the transformer and rectifier for connecting to a one hundred ten volt alternating current source.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 in which the switch means further includes a twelve volt "on" portion connected to the blower and to the pump.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which the means for providing electrical current to the blower and the pump further includes an adapter for receiving the plug for connecting the plug to a twelve volt direct current source.

13. Portable cooling and heating apparatus comprising in combination:

a housing having a bottom, a front end wall, a rear end wall, a pair of side walls, and a top wall;

a first compartment in the housing;

a first opening in the housing through which air flows into the first compartment;

a second opening in the housing through which air flows out of the first compartment;

a heat exchanger in the first compartment through which air flows;

means for providing the flow of air into the first compartment, through the heat exchanger, and out of the first compartment;

a second compartment in the housing for holding selectively a quantity of heating or cooling medium;

a heat exchange medium flowing in the heat exchanger and responsive to the heating or cooling medium to heat or cool the air flowing through the heat exchanger;

the housing further includes a sump disposed beneath the first compartment, and the heat exchanger includes a drain for draining the heat exchanger in the sump, and the sump communicates with the second compartment; and

baffle means in the second compartment for providing a relatively long path for the heat exchange medium from the sump to the second compartment.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 which further includes a pump for circulating the heat exchange medium in the heat exchanger.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 in which the first compartment communicates with the front wall and the top wall, and the first opening is in the front wall and the second opening is in the top wall.