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US 6,957,697 B2Granted
Personal cooling or warming system using closed loop fluid flow
OwnerPaul A. Chambersinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A garment for a personal cooling or warming system, the garment comprising a carrier formed in the shape of the garment, and a bladder comprising at least two channel segments, wherein the channel segments have a substantially flat configuration so as to improve thermal efficiency.
Claims14
A fluid supply and conditioning system for use in conjunction with a garment having a fluid-impervious bladder with a first port and a second port, said system comprising:
- a cooling/heating source;
- a thermostatic mixing valve;
- a first line;
- a fourth line;
- a pump;
- said first line being connected to (i) the first port of the garment and (ii) said cooling/heating source and said thermostatic mixing valve;
- said fourth line being connected to (i) said cooling/heating source and (ii) said thermostatic mixing valve;
- said cooling/heating source being connected to said thermostatic mixing valve;
- said thermostatic mixing valve being connected to the second port of the garment;
- and
- said pump being interposed into one of said first line and said fourth line;
- whereby when a working fluid is circulated through the garment and said fluid supply and conditioning system, said thermostatic mixing valve ensures that fluid entering the bladder maintains a user's body temperature at a substantially constant point;
- and
- wherein said system further comprises a thermostatic control switch having a temperature sensor, and
- wherein said thermostatic control switch is adapted to activate said pump when its temperature sensor detects a temperature outside of a selected range.
12 more elements
A personal cooling or warming system, said system comprising:
- a garment comprising:
- a carrier formed in the shape of the garment;
- and
- a bladder comprising at least two channel segments, wherein said channel segments have a substantially flat configuration, and wherein said bladder further comprises a first port and a second port;
- and
- a fluid supply and conditioning system for supplying temperature-conditioned fluid to said bladder, said fluid supply and conditioning system comprising:
- a cooling/heating source having a first port and a second port;
- a thermostatic mixing valve having a first port, a second port and a third port;
- a first line, and
- a pump;
- said first line being connected to (i) the first port of the garment and (ii) said first port of said cooling/heating source and said second port of said thermostatic mixing valve;
- said second port of said cooling/heating source being connected to said third port of said thermostatic mixing valve;
- said first port of said thermostatic mixing valve being connected to said second port of the garment;
- and
- said pump being interposed into one of said first line and said fourth line;
- whereby when a working fluid is circulated through the garment and said fluid supply and conditioning system, said thermostatic mixing valve will ensure that fluid entering the bladder will maintain the user's body temperature at a substantially constant point.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.