US20140137596A1 - Cooling element - Google Patents
Cooling element Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20140137596A1 US20140137596A1 US14/232,802 US201114232802A US2014137596A1 US 20140137596 A1 US20140137596 A1 US 20140137596A1 US 201114232802 A US201114232802 A US 201114232802A US 2014137596 A1 US2014137596 A1 US 2014137596A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- layers
- cooling element
- foil material
- liquid
- element according
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 51
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 86
- 239000011888 foil Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 61
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 33
- 238000003466 welding Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 17
- -1 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 229920001169 thermoplastic Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 239000004698 Polyethylene Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 239000004743 Polypropylene Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 229920000573 polyethylene Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 229920001155 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 239000004814 polyurethane Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 229920002803 thermoplastic polyurethane Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 239000010410 layer Substances 0.000 claims description 106
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 12
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 claims description 5
- 229920006395 saturated elastomer Polymers 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000002834 transmittance Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000011241 protective layer Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000002156 mixing Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 5
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 5
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000001704 evaporation Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000008020 evaporation Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000004927 fusion Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 241000894006 Bacteria Species 0.000 description 1
- 229920000742 Cotton Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 241000233866 Fungi Species 0.000 description 1
- 239000004433 Thermoplastic polyurethane Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001580 bacterial effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 description 1
- 235000013361 beverage Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009826 distribution Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001035 drying Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002538 fungal effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003112 inhibitor Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009413 insulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003475 lamination Methods 0.000 description 1
- 210000003205 muscle Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 229920002635 polyurethane Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000009958 sewing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003313 weakening effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D31/00—Other cooling or freezing apparatus
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D7/00—Devices using evaporation effects without recovery of the vapour
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
- F28D5/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, using the cooling effect of natural or forced evaporation
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a cooling element comprising two layers of a foil material that may or may not be flexible, said two layers of foil material being fastened to one another by means of welding connections such that a compartment closed for liquid is formed between them, wherein at least one of the layers is vapour-transmitting over at least a portion of its surface area.
- Similar cooling elements with a welded construction are known, for example, from the UK Patent Application GB 2 348 796 A, in which document a personal cooling garment has an inner layer and outer layer defining a confined space or bladder therebetween for containing liquid water.
- the layers are thin materials impermeable to both air and liquid water yet permeable to water vapour.
- Cooling elements with a multi-layer construction are used, for example, in bottle holders, bags or rucksacks in order to keep objects cool, such as bottles containing beverages. Sometimes such a cooling element is used for keeping parts of a human body, such as a damaged bundle of muscles, relatively cool.
- the cooling effect is derived from the evaporation of water, for which a supply of heat is required. Since the arising vapour is discharged through the moisture-transmitting foil material, the evaporation may continue as long as any moisture is present in the liquid-absorbing, vapour-releasing material.
- Constructions are further known from the clothing industry comprising three layers of material, of which two layers enclose a third, liquid-absorbing layer.
- Such sandwich constructions are not designed to provide a cooling effect but, for example, an aesthetic effect or heat insulation.
- the liquid-absorbing property is indeed an incidental characteristic in such a sandwich construction.
- the invention offers a cooling element as defined in claim 1 .
- thermoplastic plastic in particular polyurethane, polypropylene or polyethylene
- weldability e.g. by ultrasonic welding
- the foil layers were either made of weldable materials having a lower vapour-transmittance, or were not weldable and were glued or stitched together.
- Glued and stitched connections are unfavourable, because they show leaks, immediately, or after some time.
- a glued connection also requires a curing period during manufacture, which causes the overall production process to take much longer than in the case of a welded connection.
- connection between the two layers of foil material is achieved by means of welding on the other hand, the connection will be mechanically reliable, leak-proof, and ready substantially immediately after the actual welding operation, so that the cooling element can receive its finishing treatment immediately afterwards.
- the two layers of foil material comprise a plastic with a moisture-vapour transmittance of more than 3800 g/m2/24 h, in particular 4000 g/m2/24 h, according to the testing norm ASTM E96-BW, at a water resistance of a water column of at least 4700 mm, in particular 5000 mm, according to the testing norm ISO 811.
- the layers of foil material comprise a plastic of welding tear resistance of at least 15 kg/3 cm, in particular 20 kg/3 cm, (at 3.175 mm RF tear), a value determined according to the testing norm FS191A method 5970.
- the latter manner has the advantage that the cooling element can be manufactured more easily because it is no longer necessary to bring the intermediate layer into the correct fitting shape beforehand.
- the intermediate layer is simply inserted between two foil layers, whereupon the welded seams are applied in any location as desired.
- additional welded connections are provided between said layers of foil material within the circumference of said compartment. This keeps the foil materials better together than if only the edges necessary for forming a compartment are welded together.
- the additional welded connections make the overall assembly stronger and prevent the intermediate layer becoming folded or crumpled, whereby it would no longer extend over the entire surface area.
- the welded connections are rounded at their corners and/or ends. This leads to fewer stress concentrations in the foil material adjacent the rounded welded connections, so that the formation of tears upon deformation of the cooling element during the use thereof is counteracted.
- an additional layer of weldable foil material is applied between or against said two layers of weldable material at the area of at least one of the welded connections. This layer compensates for the loss of thickness that arises owing to the welding and compression process, the advantages being that a local weakening is counteracted and a more attractive appearance is obtained.
- a protective layer of moisture-transmitting material is provided against the at least one layer of vapour-transmitting foil material by means of a welded joint at the side thereof that faces away from the intermediate layer.
- the invention further relates to a cooling element comprising two layers of foil material, between which layers an intermediate layer of liquid-absorbing, vapour-releasing material is accommodated, said two layers of foil material being fastened to one another by means of connections such that a compartment is formed between them, while at least one of said layers of foil material is vapour-transmitting over at least a portion of its surface area, characterized in that said compartment is in liquid communication with a buffer reservoir via at least one flow restriction.
- the buffer reservoir has a maximal volume essentially equal to the liquid volume of the liquid absorbing vapour-releasing material when this material is saturated with liquid. As such, it will help to obtain precisely one filling of the liquid-absorbing vapour-releasing material, typically a wick, without making the cooling element thicker than necessary to fill the wick. If more water would be added, water pockets could arise, in certain constructive variants of the cooling element.
- the welds and fixed wicks of some embodiments mentioned above cooperate with the described size of the buffer reservoir to provide optimal cooling effect.
- the buffer reservoir has a larger content, suited to maintain the cooling function of the compartment during essentially longer time period than the maximal liquid volume of the liquid absorbing vapour-releasing material does when this material is saturated with liquid. This advantageously provides the cooling function for a longer time.
- the welds and fixed wicks of some embodiments mentioned above may be used to optimize the cooling effect itself.
- the flow restriction may be realized as an opening between two welding seams that are in line, in which the head ends of said seams adjacent to the flow restriction are rounded.
- the invention relates to a cooling element according to one of the claims 1 - 10 and one of the claims 11 - 15 .
- a cooling element combines the advantages of both claims.
- the advantages of the foils being made of thermoplastic plastic also apply to the buffer reservoir and the flow restrictions, which may be produced in one and the same low-cost welding cycle.
- FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cooling element according to the invention.
- FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line A-A of the cooling element of FIG. 1 .
- the cooling element shown in FIG. 1 comprises two layers of foil material 1 and 2 between which an intermediate layer 3 of a liquid-absorbing, vapour-releasing material is arranged.
- the two layers of foil material 1 and 2 are fastened to one another by means of welded connections 4 such that a compartment 5 is formed between the two layers of foil material 1 and 2 and the welded connections 4 .
- the layer 2 of foil material transmits no liquid but does transmit vapour.
- the layer 1 of foil material blocks both liquid and vapour in this example, but it may be vapour-transmitting in an alternative embodiment.
- the layers of foil material 1 and 2 are made from thermoplastic polyurethane, a weldable thermoplastic plastic, and are welded at the areas of the elongate fusion seams 4 together with the intermediate layer of material 3 .
- the two layers of foil material comprise a plastic with a moisture-vapour transmittency of more than 3800 g/m2/24 h, in particular 4000 g/m2/24 h, according to the testing norm ASTM E96-BW, at a water resistence of a water column of at least 4700 mm according to the testing norm ISO 811.
- the two layers of foil material have a welding tear resistance of at least 15 kg/3 cm (3.175 mm RF tear), in particular 20 kg/3 cm, determined according to the testing norm FS191A method 5970.
- the intermediate layer 3 is also formed from a weldable material, in the present case comprising thin threads formed into a sponge-like layer.
- the intermediate layer is compressed and welded together at the areas of the welded seams 4 such that it has become very thin and the layers of foil material 1 and 2 are substantially in contact with one another, as is clearly shown in FIG. 2 .
- the intermediate layer is formed from woven natural cotton and is interrupted at the areas of the seams.
- the layers of foil material 1 and 2 extend beyond the fusion seams 4 to outside the compartment 5 so as to form a circumferential edge 6 that can be used for sewing the cooling element to an object to be cooled, a rucksack in this example.
- FIG. 1 also shows further welded connections 7 provided between said layers of foil material within the circumference of said compartment. These welded connections ensure in particular that the layers of foil material 1 and 2 and the intermediate layer 3 stay close together, which makes for an easier handling of the cooling element and renders it less vulnerable.
- the welded connections 4 and 7 are rounded at some of their corners and ends. It is prevented thereby that stress concentrations and eventually tears will arise when the cooling element is bent, as happens in normal use of a rucksack.
- the compartment 5 adjoins a buffer reservoir 8 which is also formed between welded seams 4 and layers of foil material 1 and 2 but which does not comprise an intermediate layer 3 .
- the buffer reservoir 8 has a round fill opening 10 that is provided with an external screw-thread (not shown), on which screw-thread a closing cap (also not shown) can be turned so as to close off the reservoir 8 in a liquid-tight manner.
- the fill opening 10 is welded by an edge 11 thereof to the layer of foil material 2 .
- the flow restrictions 9 are provided between the buffer reservoir 8 and the compartment 5 .
- the flow restrictions 9 have dimensions so narrow that they limit the flow through them and thus prevent the buffer reservoir from emptying itself instantly substantially completely into the compartment 5 . This emptying is also counteracted by the presence of the additional welded seams 7 mentioned above, which ensure that the volume of the compartment 5 is limited such that no fresh liquid is admitted until after liquid has evaporated through the layer of foil material 2 .
- the buffer reservoir serves as a functional buffer, since it has a maximal volume more much higher than the liquid volume of the intermediate layer 3 when this layer is saturated with liquid.
- it will serve as a filling buffer, when its volume is more or less equal to the liquid volume of the intermediate layer.
- a buffer reservoir is provided that is connected to the compartment 5 by means of a tube that serves as a flow restriction, and wherein the reservoir is not made as a single whole with the compartment but as two distinct units.
- the intermediate layer of liquid-absorbing, vapour-releasing material 3 in this embodiment is at the same time an inhibitor to fungal and bacterial growth in that it has been impregnated with a liquid which after drying forms a covering layer that protects against the growth of fungi and bacteria.
- the operation of the embodiment described is based on the evaporation of liquid from the intermediate layer 3 in the compartment 5 owing to the supply of heat through the layer of foil material 1 and the discharge of the moisture arising from said evaporation through the layer of foil material 2 .
- Fresh liquid is supplied from the buffer reservoir 8 through the openings in the welded seam 4 that serve as a flow restriction 9 .
- the buffer reservoir 8 is filled up, if necessary, through the closable fill opening 10 provided therein.
- a protective layer of moisture-transmitting material may be provided over the layer of vapour-transmitting foil material 2 at the side thereof facing away from the intermediate layer and be connected thereto by means of a welded joint or by lamination.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Thermotherapy And Cooling Therapy Devices (AREA)
- Laminated Bodies (AREA)
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/NL2011/050520 WO2012008840A2 (fr) | 2010-07-16 | 2011-07-15 | Elément de refroidissement |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| US20140137596A1 true US20140137596A1 (en) | 2014-05-22 |
Family
ID=50435611
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| US14/232,802 Abandoned US20140137596A1 (en) | 2011-07-15 | 2011-07-15 | Cooling element |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US20140137596A1 (fr) |
| EP (1) | EP2732223A2 (fr) |
| CN (1) | CN103975205B (fr) |
| MX (1) | MX2014000680A (fr) |
| WO (1) | WO2012008840A2 (fr) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US12011057B2 (en) | 2020-01-13 | 2024-06-18 | Msa Technology, Llc | Safety helmet |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6308344B1 (en) * | 1997-09-10 | 2001-10-30 | Andrew David Spink | Waterproof/breatheable garment construction |
| US20020073481A1 (en) * | 2000-12-20 | 2002-06-20 | Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. | Cooling garment |
| US7028344B2 (en) * | 2003-05-14 | 2006-04-18 | Toth Gregory T | Systems and methods for providing a headgear cooling liner |
| US7866177B2 (en) * | 2004-02-05 | 2011-01-11 | Unico Swiss Tex Gmbh | Personal cooling element, in particular for patients |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0458560B1 (fr) * | 1990-05-21 | 1994-10-26 | Ishikawajima-Harima Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Elément de protection contre la chaleur |
| US6134714A (en) * | 1999-04-12 | 2000-10-24 | Mustang Survival Corp. | Enhanced personal cooling garment |
| GB2391612B (en) * | 2002-08-02 | 2006-07-19 | Carglass Luxembourg Sarl Zug | Cooler structure for surface cooling |
| JP3814598B2 (ja) * | 2003-10-02 | 2006-08-30 | キヤノン株式会社 | 温度調整装置、露光装置及びデバイス製造方法 |
-
2011
- 2011-07-15 EP EP11736201.2A patent/EP2732223A2/fr not_active Withdrawn
- 2011-07-15 WO PCT/NL2011/050520 patent/WO2012008840A2/fr not_active Ceased
- 2011-07-15 CN CN201180072253.4A patent/CN103975205B/zh active Active
- 2011-07-15 US US14/232,802 patent/US20140137596A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2011-07-15 MX MX2014000680A patent/MX2014000680A/es unknown
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6308344B1 (en) * | 1997-09-10 | 2001-10-30 | Andrew David Spink | Waterproof/breatheable garment construction |
| US20020073481A1 (en) * | 2000-12-20 | 2002-06-20 | Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. | Cooling garment |
| US7028344B2 (en) * | 2003-05-14 | 2006-04-18 | Toth Gregory T | Systems and methods for providing a headgear cooling liner |
| US7866177B2 (en) * | 2004-02-05 | 2011-01-11 | Unico Swiss Tex Gmbh | Personal cooling element, in particular for patients |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
| Title |
|---|
| Selm US 2008/0021529 * |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US12011057B2 (en) | 2020-01-13 | 2024-06-18 | Msa Technology, Llc | Safety helmet |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CN103975205B (zh) | 2016-06-22 |
| MX2014000680A (es) | 2014-11-26 |
| CN103975205A (zh) | 2014-08-06 |
| WO2012008840A2 (fr) | 2012-01-19 |
| EP2732223A2 (fr) | 2014-05-21 |
| WO2012008840A3 (fr) | 2014-04-10 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| AS | Assignment |
Owner name: INUTEQ B.V., NETHERLANDS Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:DIJKEMA, VINCENT;BAKKERS, ERLAND;REEL/FRAME:031965/0653 Effective date: 20131220 |
|
| STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |