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US 7,065,980 B1Granted
Rechargeable portable cooling device and method
OwnerAndrew F. Knightinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rechargeable cooling device includes: a first reservoir configured to contain a liquid; a second reservoir configured to contain a vapor of the liquid; a heat exchanger connected to the first or second reservoir; and a reusable valve, where the cooling device is configured so that: (a) when the first reservoir contains the liquid at a first pressure and the second reservoir contains the vapor at a lower pressure, the heat exchanger may be made to absorb heat at least in part by opening the reusable valve and allowing the liquid to vaporize; and (b) when pressures in the first and second reservoirs are approximately equal, and after the heat exchanger has been made to absorb heat, the cooling device may be recharged for a subsequent use at least in part by cooling the cooling device.
Claims19
A rechargeable cooling device, comprising:
- a first reservoir configured to contain a liquid;
- a second reservoir configured to contain a vapor of the liquid;
- a heat exchanger connected to at least one of the first and second reservoirs;
- and
- a reusable valve,
- wherein the first reservoir is in fluid connection with the second reservoir via the reusable valve,
- wherein the cooling device is configured so that:
- (a) when the first reservoir contains the liquid at a first pressure and the second reservoir contains the vapor at a second pressure lower than the first pressure, the heat exchanger is capable of being made to absorb heat at least in part by opening the reusable valve and allowing the liquid to vaporize as the first and second pressures equalize;
- and
- (b) when pressures in the first and second reservoirs are approximately equal at a first temperature, and after the heat exchanger has been made to absorb heat, the cooling device is capable of being recharged for a subsequent use at least in part by cooling at least a portion of the cooling device to a second temperature lower than the first temperature,
- wherein the cooling device further comprises the liquid,
- wherein the liquid comprises a refrigerant having a vapor pressure at room temperature greater than approximately 1 atm, and
- wherein the cooling device farther comprises a refrigerator comprising a second heat exchanger, the refrigerator configured to cool and condense the vapor during recharging of the cooling device.
10 more elements
A rechargeable cooling device, comprising:
- a first reservoir configured to contain a liquid;
- a second reservoir configured to contain a vapor of the liquid;
- a heat exchanger connected to at least one of the first and second reservoirs;
- and
- a reusable valve,
- wherein the first reservoir is in fluid connection with the second reservoir via the reusable valve,
- wherein the cooling device is configured so that:
- (a) when the first reservoir contains the liquid at a first pressure and the second reservoir contains the vapor at a second pressure lower than the first pressure, the heat exchanger is capable of being made to absorb heat at least in part by opening the reusable valve and allowing the liquid to vaporize as the first and second pressures equalize;
- and
- (b) when pressures in the first and second reservoirs are approximately equal and after the heat exchanger has been made to absorb heat, the cooling device is capable of being recharged for a subsequent use,
- wherein the second reservoir comprises a funnel configured so that while the cooling device is being recharged, liquid condensed from the vapor in the second reservoir falls down the funnel into the first reservoir, and
- wherein the cooling device further comprises a refrigerator comprising a second heat exchanger, the refrigerator configured to cool and condense the vapor during recharging of the cooling device.
9 more elements
A rechargeable cooling device, comprising:
- a first reservoir configured to contain a liquid;
- a second reservoir configured to contain a vapor of the liquid;
- a heat exchanger connected to at least one of the first and second reservoirs;
- and
- a reusable valve,
- wherein the first reservoir is in fluid connection with the second reservoir via the reusable valve,
- wherein the cooling device is configured so that:
- (a) when the first reservoir contains the liquid at a first pressure and the second reservoir contains the vapor at a second pressure lower than the first pressure, the heat exchanger is capable of being made to absorb heat at least in part by opening the reusable valve and allowing the liquid to vaporize as the first and second pressures equalize;
- and
- (b) when pressures in the first and second reservoirs are approximately equal at a first temperature, and after the heat exchanger has been made to absorb heat, the cooling device is capable of being recharged for a subsequent use at least in part by cooling at least a portion of the cooling device to a second temperature lower than the first temperature, and
- wherein the cooling device further comprises a refrigerator comprising a second heat exchanger, the refrigerator configured to cool and condense the vapor during recharging of the cooling device.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.