Air cooling device

• US 6,993,930 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2003
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ralf Blackstone
• Original Assignee: Ralf Blackstone
• Inventors: Blackstone, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyler, Cheryl J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zec, Filip
• Application Number:
  US10/640,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20040168459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 62421-425, 624/52, 624/20
• US Class Current: 62/421
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0025 by means of forced air circulation
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3235 using sublimation, e.g. dry ice cooling or melting ice
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/38 Personalised air distribution
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0017 using cold storage bodies, e.g. ice
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

A vest including inflatable tubes or chambers which receive cool air from a blower box. The vest includes an outer surface and inner surface, the two surfaces joined to define a multiplicity of tubes. The tubes carry jets which may vent cool air, received from a remote cool air blower box. The jets will ventilate the skin of the wearer both where it is exposed and where the skin is covered by the garment itself.

Claims

1. A system for cooling an individual, the system comprising:

a torso conforming garment including a body having walls defining a multiplicity of air tubes adapted for pressurization, the body including walls defining a neck opening and a multiplicity of jets for providing air from the pressurized air tubes to cool the wearer;

a blower box capable of pressurizing the multiplicity of tubes; and

a flexible tube for connecting the blower box to the body of the garment.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the body of the garment includes an outer fabric and an inner fabric.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the outer fabric is plastic.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the outer fabric is at least partly reflective.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the inner fabric is paper.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the inner fabric is paper and the outer fabric is at least partially plastic.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein the inner fabric is breathable.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the inner fabric is breathable and includes at least some of the multiplicity of jets.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein at least some of the multiplicity of jets are in the inner fabric and at least some of the multiplicity of jets are in the outer fabric.

10. The system of claim 2 where at least some of the multiplicity of jets are directed to exposed skin and other jets of the multiplicity of jets are directed to the skin covered by the torso conforming garment.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a valve, engaged with the body to control the amount of air entering the multiplicity of tubes from the blower box.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein some of the multiplicity of jets of the garment are adapted to cool either the neck or scalp area of the wearer.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein others of the multiplicity of jets are directed to the skin covered by the garment.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein some of the multiplicity of jets are adapted to be directed at the exposed skin of the wearer to effect a jet stream directed posteriorly to the wearer and the remainder of the multiplicity of jets are directed adjacent the skin of the wearer and towards the skin.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some of the tubes of the multiplicity of tubes are aligned with the vertical axis of the torso of the wearer and cover at least part of the chest area, the shoulders and the back of the wearer.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some of the tubes of the multiplicity of tubes are adjacent pairs and contain crossover vents between each tube of the adjacent pair.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the blower box includes controls for regulating the amount of pressure and airflow to the vest.

18. The system of claim 17 further including a foot pedal.

19. The system of claim 1 further including a foot operated means for disengaging the hose from the blower.

20. The system of claim 1 further including means for mounting the blower box under an operating table on either an operating table pedestal or a floor.

21. The system of claim 1 further including a surgical gown.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein some of the multiplicity of tubes have a different width than others of the multiplicity of tubes so as to help conform the garment to the user.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein some of the multiplicity of tubes are vertically aligned and some of the multiplicity of tubes are horizontally aligned.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein at least part of the torso conforming garment is adapted to lay on the shoulder and at least part of the torso conforming garment is adapted to lay against the chest and at least part of the torso conforming garment is adapted to lay against the back.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein the blower box includes at least one port, the port having a female coupling ring, and wherein the flexible tube includes a male member for sealing the coupling to the female coupling ring of the at least one port.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein the blower box includes at least one port, the at least one port including valves for controlling the amount of air leaving the port.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the valve includes a foot pedal.

28. The system of claim 1 wherein a blower box is capable of receiving air through a filter.

29. The system of claim 1 wherein the blower box includes a cool air source, such that the blower box may pressurize the multiplicity of air tubes of the torso conforming garment with cool air.

30. The system of claim 1 wherein the blower box includes a mixing plenum for mixing warm and cool air.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein the blower box includes a temperature control apparatus for controlling the temperature of air to the multiplicity of air tubes of the torso conforming garment.