PORTABLE COOLING DEVICE FOR HUMANS AND/OR ANIMALS

Abstract

The invention relates to a portable cooling device for humans and/or animals, in particular a vest, a jacket, a cape, a coat or a blanket, characterized in that the portable cooling device (10) comprises at least two water atomizers, which are connected thereto, together with the reservoirs (2.2, 5) and at least two fans (2.1, 6), in that the portable cooling device (10) has a fixing device so that, when in use, a free ventilation and cooling region (11, 12) is formed between the portable cooling device (10) and the surface to be cooled (13, 14) of the human and/or animal, and in that the fans (2.1, 6) and the water atomizers together with the reservoirs (2.2, 5) for ventilating and cooling said ventilation and cooling region (11, 12) are arranged next to one another.

Claims

1. A portable cooling device in the form of a backpack-like receptacle (1) for humans or vest or blanket for animals, wherein the portable cooling device (10) has at least two water atomizers together with reservoir (2.2, 5), and at least two fans (2.1, 6), wherein, in use, a ventilation and cooling region (11, 12) is formed between the portable cooling device (10) and the surface (13, 14) of the human or animal to be cooled and wherein the fan (2.1, 6) and the water atomizer together with reservoir (2.2, 5) are, in particular, arranged adjacent to one another for ventilating and cooling this ventilation and cooling region (11, 12).

2. The portable cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the portable cooling device (10) worn on the back has a structured surface so that the ventilation and cooling region is formed between the receptacle and the back of the body.

3. The portable cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle surface facing the back is structured in such a way that optimized conditions are ensured for heat exchange and for ventilation between the receptacle and the back of the body during the use.

4. The portable cooling device for animals according to claim 1, wherein the cooling device is constructed as a vest or blanket and that wherein the inner side of the vest or blanket is structured so that the ventilation and cooling region is formed between the vest or the blanket and the back of the body.

5. The portable cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the ambient air used for the ventilation and the atomized water required for cooling are controllable in terms of quantity as required.

6. The portable cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the device is equipped with a battery for the required electrical energy for ventilation and for atomization of water and as an intermediate store for the solar energy.

7. The portable cooling device according to claim 1, wherein as a simplified cooling device, instead of a backpack-like receptacle, a belt which has two rows of magnetized rivets, each row being electrically connected with the same polarity, and has a connection for the battery, serves as substrate and electrical connection simultaneously for the fan and water atomizer to the battery.

8. The portable cooling device according to claim 1, wherein as a simplified cooling device the fans and water atomizers are equipped with permanent magnets in pairs and are electrically connected with the same polarity to the battery connection on the belt and thus are fixed, so that on each perpendicular pair of belt rivets they ensure electrically correct connection to the battery and are retained magnetically.

9. The portable cooling device according to claim 1, wherein it has a solar panel which can be oriented horizontally and/or according to the position of the sun overhead.

10. The portable cooling device according to claim 1, wherein it has a heat-insulating cover which reflects thermal radiation and scatters light for humans and for the cooling device.

11. The portable cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling effect principally takes place by use of water atomizers with the formation of very fine drops of water with an average size below 20 m.

12. The portable cooling device according to claim 11, wherein the atomization of water preferably takes place using ultrasound.

13. The portable cooling device according to claim wherein the water used in the water atomizers contains no mineral and organic components.

14. The portable cooling device according to claim 13, wherein hydrogen peroxide is added to the water used in the water atomizers.

15. The portable cooling device according to claim 14, wherein the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the water is in the range from 0.05 to 0.5% by weight.

Description

[0042] In the drawings:

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a perspective representation of the portable cooling device according to the invention,

[0044] FIG. 2 shows the cooling module 2 of FIG. 1, and

[0045] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the portable cooling device according to the invention as shown in FIG. 1.

GENERAL

[0046] The devices according to the invention serve for continuous cooling of the body of a human or animal to a more tolerable level during a stay in a particularly warm environment.

Example 1 of the Cooling Device for Humans According to the Invention (FIGS. 1 to 3)

[0047] The device for humans according to the invention (FIGS. 1 to 3) consists of a receptacle 1 with carrying straps, a removable module 2 with two fans 2.1, an ultrasonic water atomizer together with reservoir 2.2, an electrical battery 2.3 and a voltage controller 2.4.

[0048] Furthermore, the device consists of an extendable framework 3 with a sunshade 4 mounted thereon with additional cooling in the top region, consisting of an ultrasonic water atomizer together with reservoir 5 and a fan 6, and ends with a solar panel 7 which is positioned above the head horizontally at the upper end of the framework 3.

[0049] A very important component of the cooling device according to the invention is the thermal protection cover 8 in the form of a cape or a jacket which also partially covers the receptacle 1.

[0050] The thermal protection cover according to the invention is characterized by a three-layered construction, specifically light-scattering, heat-reflecting and heat-insulating layers.

[0051] The cooling principle of the devices for humans and animals according to the invention is based on particularly effective evaporation of continuously finely atomized water to mist and as a result extraction of the heat, both on the body and also in the top region and subsequent discharge of the resulting water vapor by the ventilation, principally limited thereto, of the regions to be cooled with outside air. The inflow of water mist as well as the intensity of ventilation can be adjusted as required by means of the voltage controller 2.4. The moisture-enriched air continuously leaves the cooling zone in the upper region of the cover 8.

[0052] Use of the Cooling Device

[0053] Before the cooling device is used the electric storage battery 2.3 is charged, the water container on the atomizer 2.2 is filled, and the sunshade 4 with the ultrasonic water atomizer 5 and the fan 6 in the top region and the solar panel 7 above the head are positioned and fixed.

[0054] After the attachment to the back of the receptacle 1 with the other components of the device accommodated therein and the fitting of the thermal protection cover 8 over the upper body as well as the receptacle 1 and the switching on of the current supply on the battery 2.3, in the back region the cooling begins as a result of the evaporation of the continuously fed, finely atomized water. Ambient air flows through the space 11 between the container wall with structured surface 9 facing the back and the back 13, in order to absorb the moisture which forms and subsequently to escape in the neck and back region of the thermal protection cover 8.

[0055] The sunshade 4 with the water atomizer 5 integrated therein and the fan 6 ensure the cooling in the top region. As a result the positioning of the solar panel 7 horizontally above the head guarantees an optimal current yield and ensures a continuous recharging of the electric storage battery 2.3 independently of the direction of movement of the human wearing the cooling device. After use, the framework 3 and the solar panel 7 are collapsed and together with the thermal protection cover 8 are accommodated in the associated receptacle 1.

Example 2 of the Cooling Device According to the Invention for a Dog

[0056] The vest for dogs can be made of a heat-insulating material, for example a stable, resilient plastic with microscopically small gas inclusions and an aluminum coating on the outer face. The outer surface of the vest is provided with a flexible solar panel. The inside of the vest is correspondingly structured in order to ensure optimal cooling and flow conditions.

[0057] The cooling module, consisting of fan and water atomizer, battery and voltage controller, is attached to the front or back of the vest and is accessible on the underside of the vest for cooling media. During the cooling operation the water mist produced in the atomizer evaporates between the inner side of the vest and the body surface and the excess heat is continuously extracted thereby from the body part to be cooled. The water vapor which is formed is discharged by ventilation of the region to be cooled to the outside.

[0058] The cooling device according to the invention for a horse is analogous to that for a dog, albeit having taking account of the differences in the anatomy and the envisaged animal use. In the case of a riding horse, for example, the cooling device can consist of two segments, wherein the cooling is focused primarily on the chest region of the horse. The second segment serves for attachment of the solar panel and potentially additional cooling modules.

[0059] Several important details of the invention are summarized below.

[0060] The cooling device comprises water atomizer, fan, receptacle or vest, an electric storage battery, voltage controller, a sunshade with water atomizer and fan attached thereto, a solar panel and a thermal protection cover.

[0061] The extraction of heat in the region to be cooled takes place principally by atomization of water, preferably using ultrasonic waves.

[0062] The air used for ventilation of the region to be cooled between the body and the receptacle or the vest serves primarily for discharging the resulting water vapor from the cooling zone.

[0063] The container wall facing the back or the vest of the device has a surface-enlarging structure, preferably in the form of protrusions.

[0064] The framework serves as a substrate for the sunshade with the attached water atomizer and fan and also for horizontal fixing of the solar panel above the head. The framework can be collapsed and stowed in the receptacle.

[0065] The heat-insulating cover 8 preferably consists of two parts arranged one above the other. The upper, free part of the cover preferably consists of a light-scattering woven fabric, a film or a composite of both materials. The part of the cover lying below it preferably consists of a woven fabric, a film or a composite of both materials, wherein the upwardly directed surface additionally has a heat-reflecting, preferably metallic coating, and on the rear surface has a heat-insulating coating.

[0066] The vest for animals is preferably made of a heat-insulating plastic, preferably with microscopically small gas inclusions, and has a structured underside and a metal-coated or other heat-reflecting outer face.

[0067] These devices serve for removing excess body heat regions which give off heat particularly intensively, such as the upper body and the head.

[0068] In this case finely atomized water is introduced continuously into the regions to be cooled, evaporates quickly there and thereby intensively and at the same time effectively extracts heat from the immediate environment of the body to be cooled.

[0069] In addition, a controlled ventilation of the body regions to be cooled takes place. The purpose of the ventilation is above all to discharge the water vapor which forms. In detail, the embodiment of the device for humans according to the invention consists of a receptacle with attached carrying straps, fans, water atomizers and a framework for fixing a head cooler as well as a solar panel. The effective cooling zone is formed during the use between the receptacle and the back of the body. During the cooling operation the upper body and a part of the device are shielded against the heat from outside by putting on a heat-insulating cape. When collapsed, the cooling device forms a convenient and lightweight unit which can be used at any time.

[0070] The cooling device for animals is correspondingly modified. Otherwise it consists of the same or similar components and functions in a manner analogous to that described above. The devices according to the invention are provided for leisure activities or special applications for humans and animals, such as dogs and horses, in hot areas.

[0071] Summary of the Features of the Portable Cooling Device for Humans and Animals According to the Invention

[0072] 1. The new cooling principle of this device is based on the particularly fine atomization of the continuously supplied water in the cooling region, where it is instantaneously evaporated and thus continually extracts heat from the immediate environment. Ultrasonic water atomizers are particularly suitable for this purpose.

[0073] 2. The removal of the resulting water vapor takes place by ventilating the cooling region with ambient air and remains limited to this objective in order to ensure optimal effectiveness of cooling.

[0074] 3. In addition to the upper body, the cooling of the head has also been taken into consideration in the cooling device, because the release of the excess heat takes place principally in these two regions.

[0075] 4. For this purpose, the cooling device comprises the water atomizer together with reservoir and fan, attached at the bottom to the back of the body and additionally in the head region, wherein the power and thus also the cooling intensity thereof can be chosen as required by means of changing the voltage.

[0076] 5. The surface of the receptacle, vest or cover facing the back of the body is specially structured and in this connection is blackened, in order to facilitate sufficient ventilation and optimal heat exchange and as a result to ensure the highest possible cooling.

[0077] 6. A heat-insulating cover of the upper body together with a cooling device, which has a heat-insulating function reflecting and scattering thermal and light radiation, serves for protection against heat from outside. After being turned inside out, as required, the cover can also serve as a good protection against cold.

[0078] 7. The electrical cooling components can be combined into a unit and thus can be more easily stowed, handled or replaced.

[0079] 8. Alternatively, the electrical components can be fixed by means of magnets to the modified belt and can be electrically connected to a battery without problems. This cooling device reduced to a minimum is nevertheless sufficiently powerful and, moreover, can be used in practically any environment.

[0080] 9. An important advantage of the cooling device is the autonomous power supply in sunny areas.

[0081] Initial Technical Data

[0082] d.c. voltage 5 V or 12 V

[0083] current consumption up to 10 W/h

[0084] water consumption 50-150 ml/h

[0085] required solar surface approx. 15 dqm (3050 cm)

[0086] maximum size of the combined cooling device: 40505 cm

[0087] weight: up to 1.2 kg

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0088] 1 receptacle

[0089] 2 cooling module, module

[0090] 2.1 first fan

[0091] 2.2 first water atomizer

[0092] 2.3 battery

[0093] 2.4 voltage controller

[0094] 3 framework

[0095] 4 sunshade

[0096] 5 second water atomizer together with reservoir

[0097] 6 second fan

[0098] 7 solar panel

[0099] 8 thermal protection cover, cover

[0100] 9 structured surface

[0101] 10 portable cooling device

[0102] 11 ventilation and cooling region

[0103] 12 ventilation and cooling region

[0104] 13 surface to be cooled, back

[0105] 14 surface to be cooled, head