Wearable cooling device

A wearable device to be worn on a user's body, comprising:

• a housing defining a reservoir for receipt of a liquid;
• a forced air device positioned within the housing;
• a thermally conductive element mounted with respect to the housing and positioned for thermal interface with the user's body, the thermally conductive element having a thermal conductivity of 50-430 watts/meter-Kelvin, at a temperature between 273° K and 300° K, which enables heat transfer away from skin of the user for the user to feel a coolness from contact with the thermally conductive element;
• a wetted media positioned within the housing, the wetted media (i) in fluid communication with liquid received by the reservoir, and (ii) in direct contact with the thermally conductive element for direct thermal communication with the thermally conductive element;
• and
• means for attaching the housing with respect to the user's body;
• wherein the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive element enables the thermally conductive element to cool down based on heat transfer to the wetted media,
• wherein operation of the forced air device effects evaporative cooling through liquid evaporation from the wetted media and, based on direct thermal communication between the wetted media and the thermally conductive element, effects cooling of the thermally conductive element positioned for thermal interface with the user's body, and
• wherein the housing is configured to be attached relative to an outer garment or clothing associated with the user's body.

A wearable device to be worn on a user's body, comprising:

• a housing defining a reservoir for receipt of a liquid;
• a forced air device positioned within the housing;
• a thermally conductive element mounted with respect to the housing and positioned for thermal interface with the user's body, the thermally conductive element having a thermal conductivity of 50-430 watts/meter-Kelvin, at a temperature between 273° K and 300° K, which enables heat transfer away from skin of the user for the user to feel a coolness from contact with the thermally conductive element;
• a wetted media positioned within the housing, the wetted media (i) in fluid communication with liquid received by the reservoir, and (ii) in direct contact with the thermally conductive element for direct thermal communication with the thermally conductive element;
• and
• means for attaching the housing with respect to the user's body;
• wherein the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive element enables the thermally conductive element to cool down based on heat transfer to the wetted media,
• wherein operation of the forced air device effects evaporative cooling through liquid evaporation from the wetted media and, based on direct thermal communication between the wetted media and the thermally conductive element, effects cooling of the thermally conductive element positioned for thermal interface with the user's body, and
• further comprising a second housing that defines a second wearable device that is configured to be mounted with respect to the user's body.

A method for adjusting temperature conditions of a user's body, the method comprising:

• attaching a wearable device in contact or in close proximity to skin of a wrist, neck or ankle of a user or to an outer garment or clothing associated with the user's body, the wearable device including (i) a housing defining a reservoir containing a liquid, (ii) a forced air device positioned within the housing, (iii) a thermally conductive element mounted with respect to the housing and positioned for thermal interface with the user's body, the thermally conductive element having a thermal conductivity of 50-430 watts/meter-Kelvin, at a temperature between 273° K and 300° K, and (iv) a wetted media positioned within the housing, the wetted media in fluid communication with liquid received by the reservoir, and in direct contact with the thermally conductive element for direct thermal communication with the thermally conductive element;
• activating the forced air device of the wearable device to adjust skin conditions of the user, wherein the wearable device adjusts the skin conditions of the user based on forced air passage over the wetted media that is in fluid contact with the liquid, and effectuating a cooling effect based on direct heat transfer from the thermally conductive element to the wetted media and vaporization of the liquid from the wetted media to effect evaporative cooling;
• wherein the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive element enables the thermal conductive element to cool down based on heat transfer to the wetted media.