RECEPTACLE FOR COOLING ELECTRONIC DEVICES (Smart Cooler)

Abstract

A receptacle for cooling electronic devices. The receptacle includes a multilayer material configured to form a pocket for receiving the electronic devices, the multilayer material including an outer layer and an inner layer fastened to the outer layer, a cavity between the inner layer and the outer layer being filled with a temperature controlling gel. The receptacle is configured to be closed once a hot electronic device is placed within the pocket of the receptacle.

Claims

1. A receptacle for an electronic device comprising: a multilayer material configured to form a pocket for receiving the electronic device, the multilayer material including an outer layer and an inner layer fastened to the outer layer, a cavity between the inner layer and the outer layer being filled with a temperature controlling gel; a closing means configured to close the pocket once the electronic device is received in the pocket.

2. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the outer layer is selected from a group comprising leather, plastic, cloth, and fiber.

3. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the outer layer includes a plastic layer adjacent to the cooling gel and a shock absorbent layer adjacent to the plastic layer, and a fiber layer adjacent to the plastic layer.

4. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the inner layer includes one of a microfiber layer, a plastic layer and a combination of microfiber and the plastic layer with the plastic layer being adjacent to the temperature controlling gel.

5. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the outer layers and the inner layers are fastened together to seal the temperature controlling gel.

6. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the temperature controlling gel is a cooling gel.

7. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is selected from a group comprising a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a personal music player, a personal gaming console, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

8. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the closing means is selected from a group comprising a zipper, a button, elastic device and a hook and loop device.

9. The receptacle of claim 1 further comprising a front compartment.

10. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the receptacle includes a strap configured to fasten around neck of a user.

11. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the multilayer material is flexible.

12. The receptacle of claim 4, wherein the plastic layer includes fiber added thermally conductive polymer.

13. The receptacle of claim 8, wherein the receptacle includes a cloth placed within the front compartment of the pocket

14. The receptacle of claim 9, wherein the shock absorbent layer is one of a foam layer, a plastic layer, and combination of a foam and plastic layer.

15. The receptacle of claim 12, wherein the multilayer material is folded and side edges are bonded to form the pocket.

16. A receptacle for an electronic device comprising: a multilayer material configured to form a pocket for receiving the electronic device, the multilayer material including an outer layer and an inner layer fastened to the outer layer, a temperature controlling means being positioned in between the inner layer and the outer layer; a closing means configured to close the pocket once the electronic device is received in the pocket.

17. The receptacle of claim 17, wherein the temperature controlling means is a thermoelectric cooler.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustration, there is shown in the drawings exemplary embodiments; however, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed. The FIGS. 1-4 represent non-limiting, example embodiments.

[0015] FIG. 1a illustrates a receptacle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 1b illustrates an opened receptacle of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates various layers of the receptacle.

[0018] FIG. 3A-4 illustrate various views of the receptacle according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The following description and drawings are illustrative and are not to be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding. However, in certain instances, well known or conventional details are not described in order to avoid obscuring the description. References to one or an embodiment in the present disclosure are not necessarily references to the same embodiment; and, such references mean at least one.

[0020] Reference in this specification to one embodiment or an embodiment means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The appearances of the phrase in one embodiment in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others. Similarly, various requirements are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but not for other embodiments.

[0021] It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being connected or coupled to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present.

[0022] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments of the inventive concepts. As used herein, the singular forms a, an and the are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms comprises, comprising, includes and/or including, if used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.

[0023] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments of the inventive concepts belong. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly-used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0024] FIG. 1a illustrates a receptacle 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The receptacle 100 may be configured to receive an electronic device within it. Such electronic devices may be selected from a group comprising a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a personal music player, a personal gaming console, and a personal digital assistant. The receptacle 100 includes an outer layer 102. The material for outer layer 102 may be selected from the group comprising leather, plastic, cloth, and fiber. The receptacle 100 may further contain a pocket 114 made out of the same material as the outer layer 102.

[0025] The pocket 114 may hold a cotton cloth to absorb condensation on the electronic device, if any. The pocket 114 may be sealed using a zipper means. In the illustrated embodiment, the receptacle 100 has a strap holder 106 with a strap hole 108. A bezel 110 placed in the strap hole 108 to receive a strap 112 allows the receptacle 100 to be fasted around neck of a user. The strap may be made out of standard lanyard materials like polyester, satin cloth, etc. The receptacle 100 may include a closure 104 for holding the receptacle closed. The closure may be selected from a group comprising a zipper, a button, and a hook and loop device (e.g. Velcro.)

[0026] By way of example, when a user uses his electronic device to the point that it becomes hot, the user may open the closure 104 and place his electronic device within the receptacle to cool off. The various layer of the receptacle will be discussed in description of FIG. 2

[0027] FIG. 1b illustrates an opened receptacle 100 when the closure 104 is opened to place the electronic device within it.

[0028] FIG. 2 illustrates a wall of receptacle 100. The wall of the receptacle is a multilayer material. The outermost layer 102 may be made up of material selected from a group comprising leather, plastic, cloth, and fiber. The material may be selected for endurance and help wrap or cover the electronic device properly. A shock absorbent layer 202 inside the outer layer 102 may be made up of foam. The shock absorbent layer 202 provides a shock absorbing property to the receptacle 100. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the layer 202 may also be made of a combination of plastic and foam wherein the plastic layer may be at the inner side of the foam.

[0029] Still referring to FIG. 2, the receptacle 100 further includes another layer 204 inside the layer 202. In an embodiment, the layer 204 may be a cooling gel that lowers temperature of a hot electronic device placed within the receptacle 100. Inside the layer 204 is another layer 206 comprised of plastic material The layer 202 and layer 206 keep the cooling gel in place. One side of the layer 206 is in contact with the cooling gel layer 204. The other side of the layer 206 is in contact with layer 208 which is composed of microfiber. The microfiber layer 208 faces the pocket region 115 where the electronic device is received for cooling purpose. All of these layers are bonded or fastened together to form the receptacle 100. In an embodiment of the present disclosure these layers may be sewn together or bonded with a high quality glue.

[0030] In an example embodiment, some of the layers are mechanically fastened while other layers are chemically bonded using adhesive materials. In further example embodiment, the layers are bonded by thermos-compression method.

[0031] In an example embodiment, the layer 206 may be comprised of fiber added thermally conductive plastic material having a thermal conductivity from about 1 W/mK to as high as 100 W/mK.

[0032] In an example embodiment, the receptacle 100 may also be placed in a refrigerator in order to lower the temperature of the cooling gel layer 204 after subsequent uses.

[0033] In some example embodiments, the layer 204 may be a temperature controlling means. In further example embodiment, such temperature controlling means may be a heat exchange material. Such heat exchange material may be a water proof material. In yet further example embodiment, such temperature controlling means may be a thermoelectric cooler.

[0034] FIGS. 3A-4 show various example embodiments of the electronic receptacle. In some embodiments, such electronic receptacles may also be referred as smart cooler. FIG. 3A shows front view of the smart cooler configured for cooling electronic devices. Strap 21 is configured for carrying the smart cooler. FIG. 3B shows a top view of the smart cooler compartment 23 wherein the cooling gel or a cooling means is configured between the outer layer and inner layer. Such cooling gel or means surrounds the inside pocket to cool the electronic devices. Compartment 23 may be sealed by a zipper or by a means chosen by the user.

[0035] In some example embodiment, such smart cooler may be a heat exchanger configured to cool smart phone or tablets.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a position 24 where the strap may hold the smart cooler. The front compartment 26 of the main compartment 25 is configured to hold a microfiber cloth to absorb any condensation if such condescension is formed inside the pocket during the cooling of the electronic devices.

[0037] In an example embodiment, the cooling gel may be about 0.25 inch thick, the foam may be about 0.16 inch thick; leather, plastic or fiber are about 0.16 inch thick, and the pocket may be about 0.5 inch thick. In a further example embodiment, the cooling gel may be 0.25-1 inch thick, the foam may be 0.25-0.5 inch thick; leather, plastic or fiber are 0.25-1 inch thick, and the pocket may be about 0.5-1 inch thick.

[0038] In a further example embodiment, the smart cooler may be 6-12 inch long and 3-9 inch wide.

[0039] In an example embodiment, the smart cooler may be about 8 inch long, about 4 inch wide and about 1.5 inch thick.

[0040] In an example embodiment, the compartment may be about 8 inch long, and about 3 inch wide.

[0041] It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the temperature controlling means may be any form of temperature controlling means and is not restrictive to the embodiments discussed above.

[0042] The above-discussed embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description.

[0043] The benefits and advantages which may be provided by the present inventive concept have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. These benefits and advantages, and any elements or limitations that may cause them to occur or to become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features of any or all of the embodiments.

[0044] While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any inventive concept of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular embodiments of particular inventive concept. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable sub combination.