PORTABLE INSTANT COOLING SYSTEM WITH CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE OBTAINED THROUGH TIMED-RELEASE LIQUID OR GASEOUS CO2 COOLANT FOR GENERAL REFRIGERATION USE IN MOBILE AND STATIONARY CONTAINERS

Abstract

Standalone and self-contained cooling systems using compressed liquid and/or gas CO.sub.2 containers positioned in an insulated or non-insulated vessel encompassing a container which is either vertically positioned in an upright or an upside-down position.

The liquid and/or gas CO.sub.2 coolant is then released into a capillary system or flow metering system to allow the CO.sub.2 to enter a second body to where the CO.sub.2 coolant properties may be leveraged. The second body includes, by way of example, a plate, a cushion, a spot treatment pad for a person's muscle, or a cooler.

The temperature is controlled by a metering CO.sub.2 releasing system encompassing an electronic control device which sends alerts when pre-defined thresholds are exceeded.

The invention's metering CO.sub.2 releasing system may be triggered by an electronic or a thermostatic valve or may be triggered manually or by an electronic solenoid.

Claims

1. A liquid and/or gas cooling system, comprising: a. a at least one liquid and/or gas container; b. a gas or liquid retained within said at least one liquid and/or gas container; c. a retaining member having a body with at least an upper surface and a bottom surface; d. said retaining member enclosing a flow metering system; e. a manifold block; f. a check valve between the manifold block and the at least one liquid and/or gas container, the check valve connected to said flow metering system to release liquid and/or gas to said retaining member; and g. a control valve.

2. The system as described in claim 1, further comprising: said flow metering system is selected from the group consisting of at least one of the following: a capillary tube, a flow metering device, and a flow metering valve.

3. The system as described in claim 1, further comprising: said retaining member is selected from the group consisting of flexible material, a flexible plate, a rigid plate, and a cushion.

4. The system as described in claim 1, further comprising: said upper surface and said bottom surface are connected together.

5. The system as described in claim 1, further comprising: the system includes a connection valve selected from the group consisting of a ball valve, butterfly valve, ceramic disc valve, clapper valve, check valve or non-return valve, choke valve, diaphragm valve, gate valve, globe valve, knife valve, needle valve, pinch valve, piston valve, plug valve, poppet valve, spool valve, thermal expansion valve, pressure reducing valve, sampling valve, and safety valve.

6. The system as described in claim 1, further comprising: the system includes tubing routes.

7. The system as described in claim 1, further comprising: said retaining member is a pad.

8. A liquid and/or gas cooling system, comprising: a. at least one liquid and/or gas container; b. a gas or liquid retained within said at least one liquid and/or gas container; c. said container valve located adjacent said at least one liquid and/or gas container and a frame; d. said frame having at least one opening; e. a container valve sized to fit into said at least one opening in a frame; f. a manifold block; g. a check valve between the manifold block and the at least one liquid and/or gas container, the check valve connected to said flow metering system to release liquid and/or gas to said retaining member; and h. a control valve; i. whereby, said frame retains said at least one liquid and or gas container to remain stable during movement.

9. The system as described in claim 8, further comprising: said frame has a slot located on the upper portion of said frame.

10. The system as described in claim 8, further comprising: said slot is formed in the shape of a T.

11. The system as described in claim 8, further comprising: said frame has a flame connection opening.

12. The system as described in claim 8, further comprising: the system includes a container valve having a valve handle.

13. A liquid and/or gas cooling system, comprising: a. at least one liquid and/or gas container; b. a gas or liquid retained within said at least one liquid and/or gas container; c. a retaining member having a body with at least an upper surface and a bottom surface; d. said retaining member enclosing a flow metering system; e. a manifold block; f. a check valve between the manifold block and the at least one liquid and/or gas container, the check valve connected to said flow metering system to release liquid and/or gas to said retaining member; g. a control valve; and h. said retaining member is located on at least one horizontal surface or at least one vertical surface.

14. The system as described in claim 13, further comprising: said at least one horizontal surface and said at least one vertical surface are interior walls of a truck trailer.

15. The system as described in claim 13, further comprising: said flow metering system is selected from the group consisting of at least one capillary tube, a flow metering device, and a flow metering valve.

16. The system as described in claim 13, further comprising: said upper surface and said bottom surface are connected together.

17. The system as described in claim 13, further comprising: the system includes a connection valve selected from the group consisting of a ball valve, butterfly valve, ceramic disc valve, clapper valve, check valve or non-return valve, choke valve, diaphragm valve, gate valve, globe valve, knife valve, needle valve, pinch valve, piston valve, plug valve, poppet valve, spool valve, thermal expansion valve, pressure reducing valve, sampling valve, and safety valve.

18. The system as described in claim 13, further comprising: the chamber being cooled is surrounded by two (2) horizontal wall and a four (4) vertical walls.

19. The system as described in claim 13, further comprising: the volume of the chamber being cooled is greater than one (1) cubic foot.

20. A hybrid cooler comprising: a. an electronic coordination device; b. a power source connected to a body having an electric cooling system with a closeable lid, the closeable lid surrounding an interior chamber within the electric cooling system; c. a control switch that is directly connected to said power source and said electronic coordination device; d. at least one liquid and/or gas container; e. a gas or liquid retained within said at least one liquid and/or gas container; f. a retaining member to retain said at least one liquid and/or gas container to said body; g. a flow metering system; h. a manifold block; i. a check valve between the manifold block and the at least one liquid and/or gas container, the check valve connected to said flow metering system to release liquid and/or gas; and j. a control valve; k. wherein said electronic coordination device senses the source of power to run the electronic cooling system has reached a desired level and will turn off the electronic cooling system and activate and turn on the liquid or gas cooling system of the present invention.

21. The hybrid cooler in accordance with claim 20, further comprising: said control switch is selected from the group consisting of a manual control switch, an automatic control switch activated by use of a computer application and an automatic control switch activated by used of an algorithm.

22. The hybrid cooler in accordance with claim 20, further comprising: the power source is battery from a vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0068] Referring particularly to the drawings for the purpose of illustration only and not limitation, there is illustrated:

[0069] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention cooling apparatus utilizing a single CO.sub.2 cylinder threaded into a single manifold block which in turn is connected to a valve which in turn is connected to a capillary, the valve operated manually (first variation);

[0070] FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1 to show the cross-sectional components illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0071] FIG. 1B is an exploded view of the components in FIG. 1 illustrating the single CO.sub.2, manifold and other components in their separate condition;

[0072] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the present invention in the first variation with a valve operated manually;

[0073] FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the manifold block;

[0074] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the capillary assembly;

[0075] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the manual valve;

[0076] FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the manual valve;

[0077] FIG. 5 is a representation of the second variation of this invention where the release valve is operated electronically;

[0078] FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional lateral view of the electronic release valve;

[0079] FIG. 5B is another cross-sectional top view of the electronic release valve;

[0080] FIG. 5C illustrates an electronic display where the temperatures outside, inside and at the upper surface of the heat exchanger are visualized and controlled;

[0081] FIG. 5D illustrates the block diagram of the electronic control device;

[0082] FIG. 5E illustrates the flowchart of the software program running on the electronic control device hardware;

[0083] FIG. 6 is a representation of the third variation of the present invention with a release valve operated thermostatically;

[0084] FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the thermostatic valve;

[0085] FIG. 6B is an exploded view of the thermostatic valve;

[0086] FIG. 7 is a representation of the fourth variation of the present invention with a release valve activated by an electronic solenoid;

[0087] FIG. 7A is an exploded view of the manifold block including the electronic solenoid;

[0088] FIG. 7B is an exploded view of the electronic solenoid;

[0089] FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional view of the manifold block including the electronic solenoid;

[0090] FIG. 8 is a representation of the fourth variation invention's cooling system in the variation with three CO.sub.2 canisters and with a release valve manually operated;

[0091] FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 8 to show the cross-sectional components illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0092] FIG. 8B is a representation of the interior components of the fourth variation illustrated in FIG. 8 with the top plate removed;

[0093] FIG. 8C is an exploded view of the fluid communication assembly of the fourth variation of the invention's cooling system;

[0094] FIG. 8D is a representation of the top plate which covers the heat exchanger;

[0095] FIG. 8E is a cross sectional view of the cross fitting member;

[0096] FIG. 8F is a cross sectional view of check valve;

[0097] FIG. 8G is an exploded view of the male compression fitting of the check valve;

[0098] FIG. 8H is an exploded view of the female compression fitting of the check valve;

[0099] FIG. 9 is a representation of the fifth variation invention's cooling system in the configuration with three CO.sub.2 canisters and with a release valve which is electronically operated;

[0100] FIG. 9A is a view of the bottom of the invention's cooling system in the fifth variation;

[0101] FIG. 9B is a representation of the interior components of the fifth variation illustrated in FIG. 9 with the top plate removed;

[0102] FIG. 9C is an exploded view of the fluid communication assembly of the fifth variation of the invention's cooling system;

[0103] FIG. 10 is a representation of the sixth variation invention's cooling system in the configuration with three CO.sub.2 canisters and with a release valve which is thermostatically operated;

[0104] FIG. 10A is an exploded view of the fluid communication assembly of the sixth variation of the invention's cooling system;

[0105] FIG. 11 is an exploded representation of the seventh variation of the invention's cooling system which includes an accessory to make ice in a range of time from 1 to maximum 10 minutes;

[0106] FIG. 11A is an exploded view of the fluid communication assembly of ice making accessory mechanism;

[0107] FIG. 11B is a cross sectional view of the block used for the ice tray design;

[0108] FIG. 11C is a prospective view of the heat exchanger used in the ice making accessory mechanism;

[0109] FIG. 11D is a prospective view of the water containment tray used in the ice making accessory mechanism;

[0110] FIG. 11E is a prospective view of the water divider used in the ice making accessory mechanism;

[0111] FIG. 12 is a representation of the present invention's cooling system communicating with a smartphone device through Wifi, Bluethooth or Radio-Frequency communication;

[0112] FIG. 13 is a representation of the present invention's cooling system communicating with a smartphone device through Wifi, Bluethooth or Radio-Frequency communication using encrypted algorithm;

[0113] FIG. 14 is a representative example of the use of the present invention cooling system to refrigerate a unit;

[0114] FIG. 15 is a representation of the application of the invention's cooling system to portable individual containers for beverages such as cans or bottles, expressed breast milk or other beverages or foods or items that need to be cooled or to be maintained at a controlled temperature;

[0115] FIG. 16 is a representation of the application of the present invention cooling system to items which need to be maintained refrigerated, cooled, or frozen and need to be transported using a small unmanned aerial vehicle also called drones;

[0116] FIG. 17 is a representation of the present invention's cooling system embedded in a cooler which includes the electronic unit control;

[0117] FIG. 18 is a schematic of the present invention's spot cooling system used with a flat plate that may be rigid or flexible;

[0118] FIG. 19 is a schematic of the present invention's spot cooling system used for a body part or muscle;

[0119] FIG. 20 is a schematic of the present invention's spot cooling system used for a chair cushion;

[0120] FIG. 21 is an exploded view of a three CO.sub.2 canisters connecting to manifold blocks with different types of connections including a threaded connection, a wing valve connection and a helix connection;

[0121] FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of the CO.sub.2 canisters connecting to manifold blocks in FIG. 21 illustrating the wing valve connection;

[0122] FIG. 23 is a schematic of the present invention's cooling system used inside of a truck trailer;

[0123] FIG. 24 is a schematic of the present invention's cooling system used inside of a vehicle;

[0124] FIG. 25 is a schematic of the present invention's cooling system illustrating how the cooling system can be affixed and stabilized to the interior of a container;

[0125] FIG. 26 is a schematic of a flow metering valve to be used in a flow metering device that maintains constant flow of fluid through a given system;

[0126] FIG. 27 is a schematic of a liquid or gas flowing through an orifice;

[0127] FIG. 28 is a schematic of a capillary tube utilized in the present invention; and

[0128] FIG. 29 is a schematic of a hybrid cooler illustrating two cooling systems for a cooler with one of the cooling systems having a traditional power source and the other cooling system being in accordance with the present invention gas/liquid canister.