HEATING-COOLING DEVICE WITH NO POWER GRID

Abstract

A heating-cooling device is disclosed which includes a container having a continuous containment wall that defines an inner containment region. The containment wall is formed by a first, or outer layer, and a second, or inner layer facing towards the inner containment region and is separated from the first layer to form a gap region wherein vacuum is created. The device further has an electric generator an electric charge accumulator external to the container a thermoelectric device positioned inside the gap in contact with the inner layer of the containment wall for transferring the heat relative to the inner containment region and a control unit positioned external to the container and connected to the electric generator, to the charge accumulator and the thermoelectric device for handling the passage of current through the thermoelectric device so as to determine the cooling or heating of the inner containment region.

Claims

1. A heating-cooling device of various sizes, comprising a container having a continuous containment wall that extends in a single body and defines an inner containment region with an opening, the containment wall having an edge portion in proximity to the opening and being formed by a first layer, or outer layer, and a second layer, or inner layer facing towards the inner containment region and separated from the first layer so as to form a gap region, wherein inside said gap vacuum is created, said device further comprising: an electric generator external to the container for producing electrical energy, an electric charge accumulator external to the container for storing the energy produced by the generator, a thermoelectric device positioned inside the gap in contact with the inner layer of the containment wall for transferring heat relative to the inner containment region and a control unit positioned external to the container and connected at least to the electric generator to the charge accumulator and to the thermoelectric device for managing the passage of current through the thermoelectric device so as to determine, according to the case, the cooling or heating of the inner containment region.

2. The heating-cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the electric generator is formed by a film of transparent photovoltaic material applied to the outer layer of the containment wall.

3. The heating-cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the electric generator and the charge accumulator takes place through electrodes integrated into the outer layer of the containment wall.

4. The heating-cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the charge accumulator is formed by a rechargeable battery of various types, according to the efficiency required for the final market.

5. The heating-cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device is formed by a Peltier cell.

6. The heating-cooling device according to claim 5, wherein the Peltier cell forms a single body with a region of the inner layer of the containment wall.

7. The heating-cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device further comprises a heat sink positioned inside the gap in contact between a surface of the thermoelectric device and the outer layer of the containment wall.

8. The heating-cooling device according to claim 1, further comprising a heat sensor in contact with the inner layer of the containment wall and connected to the control unit 444 for reading the temperature inside the container.

9. The heating-cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a microprocessor.

10. The heating-cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a wireless unit for managing the device remotely.

11. The heating-cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second layer are made of ceramic material, particularly of hard feldspathic porcelain.

12. A hermetic closing kit comprising a heating-cooling device according to claim 1 and a closing element to be positioned at an edge portion of the containment wall of the container of the device in proximity to the opening for closing said opening of said container, the closing element consisting of two layers of ceramic material separated from one another and defining a gap inside which vacuum is formed and a sealing element made of polymeric material coupled to the closing element, wherein, in a closed configuration, the sealing element is in direct contact with the containment wall of the container for hermetically closing the opening.

13. A method for manufacturing a heating-cooling device according to claim 1 comprising the following steps: creating a first layer, or outer layer, through a firing process at a temperature T.sub.1, said first layer defining the outer continuous containment wall, of the container comprised in the device, creating a second layer, or inner layer, through a firing process at a temperature T.sub.2 equal to T.sub.1, said second layer defining the continuous inner containment wall of the container comprised in the device, the second layer being separate from the first layer so as to form a gap region, applying a thermoelectric device inside the gap in contact with the inner layer of the containment wall, creating a junction element through a firing process at temperature T.sub.3 and hermetically fixing said junction element at an edge portion of the containment wall of the container at the opening for an indirect connection between the first and the second layer, applying an energy generator, a charge accumulator and a control unit outside the container, wherein the connection between the control unit and the thermoelectric device takes place through an electrical connection means, said means passing through a hole on the outer layer of the containment wall, creating the vacuum within the gap formed between the first and the second layer.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of hermetically fixing the junction element to the containment wall takes place through a firing process at a temperature T.sub.4 much lower than T.sub.1 or through a gluing or welding process.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein the connection between the electric generator and the charge accumulator takes place through electrodes integrated into the outer layer of the containment wall.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the creation of vacuum takes place by means of the extraction of air through the hole on the outer layer of the containment wall and the maintenance of the vacuum within the gap takes place by means of a closing means that hermetically closes the hole once vacuum has been created, said means being held in position by a pressure variation exerted on the closing means by the vacuum created within the gap and wherein the electrical connection means crosses the closing means through rheophores.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein to reach absolute vacuum or very low levels of pressure within the gap, vacuum systems are used.

Description

[0063] These and other aspects of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following description of some preferred embodiments described herein below.

[0064] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a device according to the present invention; and

[0065] FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of the steps of the method for manufacturing the device.

[0066] FIG. 1 shows the heating-cooling device 90 having the shape of a cylinder. The device 90 comprises a container 1 having a continuous containment wall 3 that extends in a single body and defines an inner containment region 8 with an opening 4. FIG. 1 shows in particular how the opening 4 is present on the upper portion of the container 1 opposite the base thereof.

[0067] The containment wall 3 comprises an edge portion 6 in proximity to the opening 4 and is formed by an outer layer 10 and an inner layer 20. These two layers respectively determine an outer wall in contact with the external environment (outer layer 10) and an inner one facing towards the inner containment region 8 (inner layer 20). The two layers are separated from one another so as to form a gap 30. A vacuum is created inside the gap.

[0068] The outer layer 10 comprises at least one hole 22 positioned on the base of the container 1 for the passage of air and a closing means 40 for hermetically closing the hole 22 once the vacuum has been created inside the gap 30.

[0069] Both the first and the second layer 10, 20 are made of hard feldspathic porcelain. In this way, it is possible to obtain a highly resistant container 1 and to function effectively as a heat insulator. In fact, the hardness of porcelain guarantees the excellent resistance of the walls, even in conditions in which there is a vacuum inside the gap. Furthermore, the established production techniques of porcelain ceramic, guarantee easy production of containers of any shape and size.

[0070] In another embodiment, different materials from ceramic and porcelain can be used that have similar performance.

[0071] The device 90 further comprises an electric generator 41 in the form of a transparent and organic photovoltaic film applied to the outer surface of the containment wall 3 and a battery 42 that is rechargeable through the generator 41 external to the container 1.

[0072] Still external to the container 1, the device provides a control unit 44 connected to the battery 42 and to the photovoltaic coating 41 through electrodes 48 and a wireless unit 47 for remote communication. The wireless unit 47 can comprise an Access Point board.

[0073] Within the gap 30, the device 90 comprises at least a plurality of Peltier cells 43 (two are shown in the figure) in contact with the inner layer 20 of the containment wall 3. Each Peltier cell 43 is associated with a heat sink 45 interposed between a surface of the cell 43 and the outer layer 10 of the containment wall 3.

[0074] Inside the gap 30 a heat sensor 46 is also provided in contact with the inner layer 20 of the containment wall 3.

[0075] Both the Peltier cells 43 and the sensor 46 are electrically connected with the control unit 44 through connection cables 49 that pass through the hole 22 and the closing means 40.

[0076] FIG. 2 finally shows a flow diagram that describes the method 200 for manufacturing the device 90.

[0077] The method 200 is characterised in that a first layer 202, or outer layer, is created, through a firing process at a temperature T.sub.1, a second layer 204, or inner layer, is created, through a firing process at a temperature T.sub.2 equal to T.sub.1 and the vacuum 214 is created inside the gap 30 formed by the two layers 10, 20.

[0078] In relation to the creation of two layers, this happens separately 202, 204 with two distinct firing processes. On the outer wall of the inner layer 20 the Peltier cells 43 are applied 206. Where present, the sensor 46 is also applied. Before creating the vacuum inside the gap 30, after the creation of the two layers 10, 20 and the application of the devices 43 and 46, a junction element 208 is created through a firing process at temperature T.sub.3 (equal to T.sub.1) and the junction element is hermetically fixed 210 at the edge portion 6 of the containment wall 3 for an indirect connection between the first and the second layer 10, 20.

[0079] In relation to the creation of the vacuum 214, this takes place by means of the extraction of air 216 through a hole 22 present on the outer layer. The maintenance of the vacuum 218 inside the gap 30 takes place by means of a closing means 40 that hermetically closes the hole 22 once the vacuum is created.

[0080] The closing means is held in position by a pressure variation exerted on this closing means by the vacuum created within the gap. In particular, the electrical connection means 49 that connects the Peltier cells 43 and the sensor 46 outside the gap 30 crosses the closing means 40 through rheophores.

[0081] Prior to or following the creation of the vacuum 214, the method according to the present invention envisages the step of applying an energy generator, a charge accumulator and a control unit external to the container 212, in which the connection between the control unit and the thermoelectric device takes place through an electrical connection means 49, said means passing through at least one through hole 22 on the outer layer 10 of the containment wall 3.

[0082] A person skilled in the art can introduce numerous further modifications and variations to the container, kit and method described hereinabove for the purpose of meeting additional and contingent needs, all of which, however, remaining within the scope of protection of the present invention as defined by the claims attached hereto.