Thermoelectric heating and ventilating device

Claim 1

A portable self-powered, heating and ventilating device which provides a flow of air to heat or ventilate the interior of an impermeable suit or garment and is adapted to be carried on the back of the wearer, which device comprises a. a liquid fuel reservoir in which liquid fuel is maintained under a substantially constant pressure despite the attitude of said reservoir, b. a burner in which said liquid fuel is converted to thermal energy, c. conduit means connecting said reservoir to said burner and controlling the flow of fuel to said burner, d. thermoelectric generating means for directly converting thermal Energy to electrical power having an inner hot core through which the heated products of combination generated by said burner pass and having an outer cold side, e. generator air-blower means, electrically powered, for delivering a flow of air through said burner for combustion and for delivering a flow of air to the cold side of the thermoelectric generator to remove heat therefrom, f. suit blower means, electrically powered, adapted to deliver a flow of air which is drawn from outside of the system or from the airflow which has been heated by the cold side of the thermoelectric generator, g. an adjustable airflow control means to regulate the desired mixture of the outside air or heated air which is to be delivered to the suit and h. electrical circuit means to deliver electrical power from said thermoelectric generating means to said generator air blower means and said suit blower means.