Thermoelectric environmental chamber
First Claim
1. A thermoelectric environmental chamber comprising in combination:
- a. a compartment bounded by a plurality of thermally insulative walls, said compartment having a major opening for allowing access to said compartment;
b. cover means for covering said major opening to prevent inside air in said compartment from escaping from said compartment when said cover means is closed, said cover means being openable and closeable to cover or expose said major opening, said cover means being insulative to prevent passing of heat into or out of said compartment when said cover means is closed;
c. thermoelectric means for selectively causing flow of heat into or out of said compartment, said thermoelectric means including an internal heat exchanger disposed in said compartment on one of said walls, an external heat exchanger disposed outside of said compartment on said one of said walls, and solid state thermoelectric heat pumping means disposed between said internal heat exchanger and said external heat exchanger for causing flow of said heat between said internal heat exchanger and said external heat exchanger;
d. external blower means for forcing outside air along a surface of said external heat exchanger to maintain said external heat exchanger at approximately the temperature of outside air adjacent to said external heat exchanger;
e. internal blower means for continuously recirculating said inside air along a surface of said internal heat exchanger to maintain the temperature of said inside air at a substantially uniform selected temperature when said cover means is closed;
f. internal shroud means disposed in said compartment for housing said internal blower means and said internal heat exchanger and guiding said inside air recirculated by said internal blower means sufficiently closely to said internal heat exchanger to effect efficient transfer of heat between said internal heat exchanger and said recirculated inside air; and
,g. port means for effecting passing of communicating means from a location outside of said thermoelectric environmental chamber to an article or substance being thermally tested in said compartment, said communicating means effecting communication with the article or substance being thermally tested in said compartment from a location outside of said environmental chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable, lightweight thermoelectric environmental chamber includes insulative side walls, an insulative bottom and an insulative cover that is hingeably connected to one of the walls. A handle is attached to the upper surface of the cover. A thermoelectric unit includes a thermoelectric heat pumping device disposed between an internal heat exchanger disposed inside the thermal compartment of the environmental chamber and an external heat exchanger disposed outside of the thermal compartment. An external blower continuously forces outside air along the surface of the external heat exchanger when the thermoelectric environmental chamber is turned on. An internal blower is controlled by a momentary switch that turns the internal blower on when the cover is closed. A shroud encloses the internal blower and guides air in close proximity to the internal heat exchanger and recirculates air in the compartment to maintain a uniform temperature in the thermal compartment when the cover is closed. A port is provided in one of the walls to allow electrical communication or other types of communication between a device or substance being thermally tested in the thermal compartment and a location outside of the environmental chamber.
88 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A thermoelectric environmental chamber comprising in combination:
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a. a compartment bounded by a plurality of thermally insulative walls, said compartment having a major opening for allowing access to said compartment; b. cover means for covering said major opening to prevent inside air in said compartment from escaping from said compartment when said cover means is closed, said cover means being openable and closeable to cover or expose said major opening, said cover means being insulative to prevent passing of heat into or out of said compartment when said cover means is closed; c. thermoelectric means for selectively causing flow of heat into or out of said compartment, said thermoelectric means including an internal heat exchanger disposed in said compartment on one of said walls, an external heat exchanger disposed outside of said compartment on said one of said walls, and solid state thermoelectric heat pumping means disposed between said internal heat exchanger and said external heat exchanger for causing flow of said heat between said internal heat exchanger and said external heat exchanger; d. external blower means for forcing outside air along a surface of said external heat exchanger to maintain said external heat exchanger at approximately the temperature of outside air adjacent to said external heat exchanger; e. internal blower means for continuously recirculating said inside air along a surface of said internal heat exchanger to maintain the temperature of said inside air at a substantially uniform selected temperature when said cover means is closed; f. internal shroud means disposed in said compartment for housing said internal blower means and said internal heat exchanger and guiding said inside air recirculated by said internal blower means sufficiently closely to said internal heat exchanger to effect efficient transfer of heat between said internal heat exchanger and said recirculated inside air; and
,g. port means for effecting passing of communicating means from a location outside of said thermoelectric environmental chamber to an article or substance being thermally tested in said compartment, said communicating means effecting communication with the article or substance being thermally tested in said compartment from a location outside of said environmental chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification