Sorption cooling for handheld tools

• US 7,033,421 B1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UOP Llc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: UOP Llc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Li, Lin, Towler, Gavin P., Vanden Bussche, Kurt M., Dunne, Stephen R., Oroskar, Anil R., Smith, Suzanne E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spitzer, Robert H.
• Application Number:
  US10/347,931
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 961/08, 961/35, 961/43, 961/46, 961/47, 961/54, 961/53
• US Class Current: 96/135
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/261 by adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/008 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/11 Thermal or acoustic insulation

Abstract

A device is disclosed for cooling motors that generate heat during operation. The device is more specifically directed to handheld power tools where long operation can lead to overheating of the handheld tool.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cooling a device that generates heat comprising:

a housing for holding the device and having an external surface; and

an adsorbent material applied to the external surface of the housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a casing covering the adsorbent material and including at least one opening for the flow of air.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising an insulation layer affixed to the casing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adsorbent material desorbs water at a temperature in the range from about 20°

C. to about 80°

C.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the device is a motor.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the motor is an electric motor in a hand held tool.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the handheld tool is selected from the group consisting of handheld drills, surgical drills, handheld saws, buffers, polishers, sanders, routers, power screwdrivers, and grinders.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adsorbent material has a thickness of between about 0.05 mm and about 10 mm.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the adsorbent material has a thickness of about 2 mm to about 5 mm.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the material is layered and each layer has a thickness between about 0.05 mm and 1 mm.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the adsorbent is a zeolite with silica to alumina ratios greater than 10.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the zeolite has silica to alumina ratios greater than 100.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adsorbent is a molecular sieve.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adsorbent is a material selected from the group consisting of chabazite, clinoptilolite, erionite, faujasite, ferrierite, mordenite, zeolite A, zeolite P, zeolite X, zeolite Y, zeolite Y-85, low cerium exchanged zeolite Y-84, rare earth exchanged LZ-210, Y-74, Y-54, 13×

, DDZ-70 and mixtures thereof.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adsorbent material is a hygroscopic porous monolith.

16. An apparatus for reducing the heating rate of a device that generates heat comprising:

a housing for holding the device, wherein the housing has an interior surface and at least one opening for the flow of air; and

an adsorbent material applied to the interior surface of the housing.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the device is a handheld tool using an electric motor.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the adsorbent is a hygroscopic material.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the adsorbent is a molecular sieve.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the molecular sieve is selected from the group consisting of chabazite, clinoptilolite, erionite, faujasite, zeolite Y, ferrierite, mordenite, zeolite A, zeolite P, zeolite X, zeolite Y, zeolite Y-85, low cerium exchanged zeolite Y-84, rare earth exchanged LZ-210, Y-74, Y-54, 13×

, DDZ-70, and mixtures thereof.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the adsorbent is a hygroscopic porous monolith affixed to the housing.

22. An apparatus for cooling a motor comprising:

an electric motor having an external surface; and

an adsorbent material applied to the external surface of the motor.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a housing for holding the motor, wherein the housing has at least one opening for the flow of air.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising an insulating layer affixed to the housing, wherein the insulating layer has openings corresponding to the openings in the housing.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the adsorbent is a hygroscopic molecular sieve.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the molecular sieve is selected from the group consisting of chabazite, clinoptilolite, erionite, faujasite, zeolite Y, ferrierite, mordenite, zeolite A, zeolite P, zeolite X, zeolite Y, zeolite Y-85, low cerium exchanged zeolite Y-84, rare earth exchanged LZ-210, Y-74, Y-54, 13×

, DDZ-70 and mixtures thereof.

27. An apparatus for cooling a device that generates heat and has an external surface comprising:

a fibrous support material selected from the group consisting of cellulosic fibers, synthetic fibers, and mixtures thereof, and having a first surface and a second surface; and

an adsorbent material embedded in the fibrous support material and present in the support in the range from about 5% to about 90% by weight.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising an adhesive applied to the first surface of the support material.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the first surface of the support material is affixed to the external surface of the device.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising:

a housing for holding the device that generates heat and having an internal surface and external surface, wherein the support material is affixed to one of the housing internal and external surfaces.

31. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the adsorbent material is selected from the group consisting of chabazite, clinoptilolite, erionite, faujasite, zeolite Y, ferrierite, mordenite, zeolite A, zeolite P, zeolite X, zeolite Y-85, low cerium exchanged zeolite Y-84, rare earth exchanged LZ-210, Y-74, Y-54, 13X, DDZ-70, and mixtures thereof.

32. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the apparatus is a disposable fibrous support.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the adhesive is a material having relatively low coefficient of adhesion.

34. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the support material with the adsorbent embedded within is formed in a sheet having a thickness from about 0.05 mm to about 10 mm.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the sheet is layered with each layer having a thickness from about 0.05 mm to about 5 mm.

36. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the sheet is preformed.

37. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the sheet is held onto the device by friction.

38. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the adsorbent begins to desorb water at temperatures above 20°

C.

39. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the synthetic fibers are made from a thermoplastic.

40. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the fibrous support material has a thickness from about 0.05 mm to about 8 mm.

41. An apparatus for cooling a motor that generates heat comprising:

a housing having an inner portion and an outer portion; and

an adsorbent embedded in the housing inner portion;

wherein the inner portion comprises a porous polymer matrix, and the outer portion comprises a polymer material.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the outer portion is fabricated with openings for permitting air flow to the interior portion of the housing.

43. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the polymer material of the outer portion is a thermoplastic.

44. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the polymer material of the outer portion is a thermoset.

45. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the adsorbent is a material that adsorbs moisture from the air at temperatures below 20°

C.

46. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the adsorbent is a material that desorbs moisture at temperatures from about 20°

C. to about 80°

C.