Cooling systems for vehicle interior surfaces
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorsBrian J. Pinkelman, Umesh N. Gandhi, Shailesh Joshi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle component includes a first volume of phase change material and a second volume of phase change material spaced apart from the first volume of phase change material. The first volume of phase change material contains a greater mass of phase change material than the second volume of phase change material. The component also includes a thermally-conductive structure in direct contact with both the first volume of phase change material and the second volume of phase change material, so as to facilitate heat transfer between the first volume of phase change material and the second volume of phase change material.
Claims11
A handle for a gear shift lever, the handle comprising:
- a housing attachable to the gear shift lever;
- a thermally-conductive first wall coupled to the housing;
- a first volume of phase change material positioned between the housing and the first wall;
- a second volume of phase change material spaced apart from the first volume of phase change material,
- the first volume of phase change material containing a greater mass of phase change material than the second volume of phase change material,
- and wherein both the first volume of phase change material and the second volume of phase change material are in direct contact with the thermally-conductive first wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.