# US 8,739,859 B2 · Reversible thermal rectifiers, temperature control systems and vehicles incorporating the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,739,859 B2 - Document ID: US8739859B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/897,280 - Filed: 2010-10-04 - Published: 2012-04-05 - Granted: 2014-06-03 - Earliest claimed: 2010-10-04 - Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Applicants: Michael Paul Rowe - Inventors: Michael Paul Rowe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8739859B2 ## CPC - G05D 23/192: {using a modification of the thermal impedance between a source and the load} - F28F 13/00: Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing (F28F1/00 - F28F11/00 take precedence) - F28F 27/00: Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus (control arrangements in general G05) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract Reversible thermal rectifiers for selectively controlling the direction of heat flow include a plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects disposed in a fluid medium, wherein each of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects include a refractive side and a reflective side such that heat flows past the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the refractive side, and heat is reflected from the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the reflective side, and a bidirectional field actuator system that selectively orients the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects between a first orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a first direction, and a second orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a second direction, substantially opposite the first direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A reversible thermal rectifier for selectively controlling a direction of heat flow, the reversible thermal rectifier comprising: a plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects distributed in a fluid medium, each of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects comprising a refractive side and a reflective side, wherein heat flows past the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the refractive side, and heat is reflected from the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the reflective side; and a bidirectional field actuator system that applies a field to the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects to selectively orient the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects between a first orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a first direction, and a second orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a second direction, substantially opposite the first direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The reversible thermal rectifier of claim 1, wherein the refractive side is substantially opposite the reflective side. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The reversible thermal rectifier of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects are formed from a magnetic material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The reversible thermal rectifier of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects comprise a coating comprising iron. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The reversible thermal rectifier of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects comprise a polymeric core. ### Claim 6 A reversible thermal rectifier for selectively controlling a direction of heat flow, the reversible thermal rectifier comprising: a plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects distributed in a fluid medium, each of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects comprising a refractive side and a reflective side, wherein heat flows past the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the refractive side, and heat is reflected from the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the reflective side; and a bidirectional field actuator system that selectively orients the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects between a first orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a first direction, and a second orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a second direction, substantially opposite the first direction, and wherein the bidirectional field actuator system comprises a first field actuator disposed on a first side of the fluid medium and a second field actuator disposed on a second side of the fluid medium, substantially opposite the first side of the fluid medium, wherein the first field actuator and the second field actuator cooperate to selectively orient the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects by controlling a field direction of an applied field. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The reversible thermal rectifier of claim 6, wherein the first field actuator and the second field actuator comprise electromagnet actuators. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The reversible thermal rectifier of claim 6, wherein the first field actuator and the second field actuator comprise electrostatic actuators. ### Claim 9 A temperature control system comprising a reversible thermal rectifier and a temperature monitoring and heat flow control system, wherein: the reversible thermal rectifier comprises: a plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects distributed in a fluid medium, each of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects comprising a refractive side and a reflective side, wherein heat flows past the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the refractive side, and heat is reflected from the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the reflective side; and a bidirectional field actuator system that applies a field to the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects to selectively orient the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects between a first orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a first direction, and a second orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a second direction, substantially opposite the first direction; and the temperature monitoring and heat flow control system is communicatively coupled to the reversible thermal rectifier and comprises: an exterior temperature sensor that measures an exterior temperature, the exterior temperature sensor communicatively coupled to a controller; an interior temperature sensor that measures an interior temperature, the interior temperature sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein, the controller controls the orientation of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects based on the exterior temperature, the interior temperature, or both the exterior temperature and the interior temperature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The temperature control system of claim 9, wherein the controller orients the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects in the first orientation when the exterior temperature is greater than the interior temperature. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The temperature control system of claim 9, wherein the controller orients the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects in the first orientation when the interior temperature exceeds a threshold temperature. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The temperature control system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects comprise a magnetic material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The temperature control system of claim 12, wherein the bidirectional field actuator system comprises a first electromagnet disposed on a first side of the fluid medium and a second electromagnet disposed on a second side of the fluid medium, substantially opposite the first side of the fluid medium, wherein the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet cooperate to selectively orient the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects by controlling a magnetic field direction of a magnetic field disposed there between. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The temperature control system of claim 9 wherein the reversible thermal rectifier is disposed within a housing. ### Claim 15 A vehicle with a temperature control system comprising a reversible thermal rectifier and a temperature monitoring and heat flow control system, wherein: the reversible thermal rectifier is disposed between an interior of the vehicle and an exterior surface of the vehicle and comprises: a plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects distributed in a fluid medium, each of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects comprising a refractive side and a reflective side, wherein heat flows past the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the refractive side, and heat is reflected from the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the reflective side; and a bidirectional field actuator system that applies a field to the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects to selectively orient the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects between a first orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a first direction, and a second orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a second direction, substantially opposite the first direction; and the temperature monitoring and heat flow control system comprises: an exterior temperature sensor to measure an exterior temperature, the exterior temperature sensor communicatively coupled to a controller; an interior temperature sensor to measure an interior temperature, the interior temperature sensor communicatively coupled to the controller; and wherein, the controller controls whether the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects are in the first orientation or in the second orientation based on the exterior temperature, the interior temperature or both the exterior temperature and the interior temperature. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the reversible thermal rectifier is disposed between a roof of the vehicle and a passenger compartment of the temperature controlled vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the reversible thermal rectifier is disposed between a hood of the vehicle and an engine compartment of the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the interior temperature is an engine temperature. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The temperature control system of claim 15, wherein the controller orients the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects in the first orientation when the exterior temperature is greater than the interior temperature. ### Claim 20 (depends on 6) The reversible thermal rectifier of claim 6, wherein the first field actuator and the second field actuator are communicatively coupled to a controller that controls the field direction based on a first temperature external the first side and a second temperature external the second side. ### Claim 21 A temperature control system comprising a reversible thermal rectifier and a temperature monitoring and heat flow control system, wherein: the reversible thermal rectifier comprises: a plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects distributed in a fluid medium, each of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects comprising a refractive side and a reflective side, wherein heat flows past the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the refractive side, and heat is reflected from the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the reflective side, and wherein the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects comprise a magnetic material; and a bidirectional field actuator system that selectively orients the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects between a first orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a first direction, and a second orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a second direction, substantially opposite the first direction, and wherein, the bidirectional field actuator system comprises a first electromagnet disposed on a first side of the fluid medium and a second electromagnet disposed on a second side of the fluid medium, substantially opposite the first side of the fluid medium, wherein the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet cooperate to selectively orient the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects by controlling a magnetic field direction of a magnetic field disposed there between; and the temperature monitoring and heat flow control system is communicatively coupled to the reversible thermal rectifier and comprises: an exterior temperature sensor that measures an exterior temperature, the exterior temperature sensor communicatively coupled to a controller; an interior temperature sensor that measures an interior temperature, the interior temperature sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein, the controller controls the orientation of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects based on the exterior temperature, the interior temperature, or both the exterior temperature and the interior temperature. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The reversible thermal rectifier of claim 1, wherein the field is a magnetic field. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The reversible thermal rectifier of claim 1, wherein the field is an electromagnetic field. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The reversible thermal rectifier of claim 1, wherein the field is an electrostatic field. ### Claim 25 (depends on 9) The temperature control system of claim 9, wherein the field is a magnetic field. ### Claim 26 (depends on 9) The temperature control system of claim 9, wherein the field is an electromagnetic field. ### Claim 27 (depends on 9) The temperature control system of claim 9, wherein the field is an electrostatic field. ### Claim 28 (depends on 15) The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the field is a magnetic field. ### Claim 29 (depends on 15) The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the field is an electromagnetic field. ### Claim 30 (depends on 15) The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the field is an electrostatic field.