Patent US4759191A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4759191A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Miniaturized cooling device and method of use
Assignee: Tempra Technology Inc
•
Filing: 1987-07-07
•
Granted: 1988-07-26
•
Expires: 2007-07-07
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a self-contained, rapid cooling device that retains heat produced from the cooling process and can be stored for indefinite periods without loosing its cooling potential. A liquid in a first chamber undergoes a change of phase into vapor, which cools the first chamber. A sorbent in a second chamber is in fluid communication with the vapor and removes the vapor from the first chamber. The cooling process is facilitated by lining the interior surface of the first chamber with a wicking material to retain the largest possible contact between the liquid and the first chamber as the level of the liquid lowers during the vaporization process. A phase separator prevents unvaporized liquid from passing into the second chamber. The device is self-contained because a material in contact with the sorbent removes the heat from the sorbent to prevent the reduction in the cooling effect produced by the first chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 Dennis A. Thomas
- 👤 Cullen M. Sabin
- 👤 John H. Cover
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:20
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25B; F25B17/00; F25B17/08; F25B39/00; F25B39/02; F25B39/026
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A self-contained cooling apparatus, comprising: a first chamber containing a liquid having a vapor pressure at 20° C. of above about 9 mm Hg; a second evacuated chamber containing a sorbent for said liquid; a conduit connecting said first and second chambers; a valve in said conduit for preventing flow through said conduit between said chambers; an actuator for opening said valve to connect said first and second chambers, permitting said liquid to vaporize and permitting said vapor to pass through said conduit and into said sorbent, whereby the evaporation of said liquid serves to cool said first chamber; and apparatus for substantially inhibiting the heat which is generated in said sorbent during sorption of said vapor from escaping from said self-contained apparatus, said apparatus comprising a material thermally coupled to said sorbent for removing heat from said sorbent.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A self-contained cooling apparatus, comprising: a first chamber containing a liquid having a vapor pressure at 20° C. of above about 9 mm Hg; a second evacuated chamber containing a sorbent for said liquid; a conduit connecting said first and second chambers; a valve in said conduit for preventing flow through said conduit between said chambers; an actuator for opening said valve to connect said first and second chambers, permitting said liquid to vaporize and permitting said vapor to pass through said conduit and into said sorbent, whereby the evaporation of said liquid serves to cool said first chamber; and apparatus for substantially inhibiting the heat which is generated in said sorbent during sorption of said vapor from escaping from said self-contained apparatus, said apparatus comprising a material thermally coupled to said sorbent for removing heat from said sorbent.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
233 words
A method for cooling, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a cooling device comprising: (i) a first chamber containing a liquid having a vapor pressure at 20° C. of above about 9 mm Hg.; (ii) a second evacuated chamber containing a sorbent for said liquid; (iii) a conduit connecting said first and said second chamber; (iv) a valve in the conduit preventing communication between said first chamber and said second chamber while said valve is closed; and (v) means for opening said valve to connect said first and said second chamber; (b) opening said valve to permit communication between said first chamber and said second chamber, whereby the pressure in said first chamber is reduced, causing said liquid to boil, forming a vapor, which vapor is directed through said conduit into said second chamber; (c) removing vapor from said second chamber by collecting same in said sorbent until an equilibrium condition is reached, wherein said sorbent is substantially saturated or substantially all of the liquid originally in said first chamber has been collected in said sorbent; and (d) substantially inhibiting heat from said sorbent from escaping from said self-contained apparatus, said inhibiting step comprising: providing, in thermal communication with said sorbent, a material for removing heat from said sorbent, and removing heat from said sorbent by means of said heat removing material while said sorbent is removing liquid vapor from said first chamber.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
233 words
A method for cooling, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a cooling device comprising: (i) a first chamber containing a liquid having a vapor pressure at 20° C. of above about 9 mm Hg.; (ii) a second evacuated chamber containing a sorbent for said liquid; (iii) a conduit connecting said first and said second chamber; (iv) a valve in the conduit preventing communication between said first chamber and said second chamber while said valve is closed; and (v) means for opening said valve to connect said first and said second chamber; (b) opening said valve to permit communication between said first chamber and said second chamber, whereby the pressure in said first chamber is reduced, causing said liquid to boil, forming a vapor, which vapor is directed through said conduit into said second chamber; (c) removing vapor from said second chamber by collecting same in said sorbent until an equilibrium condition is reached, wherein said sorbent is substantially saturated or substantially all of the liquid originally in said first chamber has been collected in said sorbent; and (d) substantially inhibiting heat from said sorbent from escaping from said self-contained apparatus, said inhibiting step comprising: providing, in thermal communication with said sorbent, a material for removing heat from said sorbent, and removing heat from said sorbent by means of said heat removing material while said sorbent is removing liquid vapor from said first chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
A self-contained cooling apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein said material thermally coupled to said sorbent comprises: a phase change material, a thermal mass different from the material comprising said second chamber having a heat capacity greater than the heat capacity of said sorbent, or a material that undergoes an endothermic reaction when brought into contact with said liquid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first chamber has an interior surface lined with a wicking material for said liquid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a phase separator for preventing unvaporized liquid from said first chamber from passing through said conduit into said second chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said heat removing material comprises a phase change material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said phase change material is sodium acetate, paraffin, naphthalene, sulfur, hydrated calcium chloride, bromocamphor, cetyl alcohol, cyanimide, eleudic acid, lauric acid, hydrated sodium silicate, potassium, sodium, or magnesium acetate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
10 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said liquid is water.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sorbent is an adsorbent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sorbent is an absorbent.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sorbent is a zeolite, activated alumina, barium oxide, magnesium perchlorate, calcium sulfate, calcium oxide, activated carbon, calcium chloride, glycerin, silica gel, alumina gel, calcium hydride, phosphoric anhydride, phosphoric acid, potassium hydroxide, sulfuric acid, lithium chloride, ethylene glycol, or sodium sulfate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second chamber contains sufficient sorbent to absorb or adsorb substantially all of the liquid in said first chamber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said heat removing material comprises a thermal mass different from the material comprising said second chamber having a heat capacity greater than the heat capacity of said sorbent.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein heat removing material is cyanimide, ethyl alcohol, ethyl ether, glycerol, isoamyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol, lithium hydride, methyl alcohol, sodium acetate, water, ethylene glycol, or paraffin wax.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said heat removing material undergoes an endothermic reaction when brought into contact with said liquid.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said heat removing material is H 2 BO 3 , PbBr 2 , KBrO 3 , KClO 3 , K 2 Cr 2 O 7 , KClO 4 , K 2 S, SnI 2 , NH 4 Cl, KMnO 4 or CsClO 4 .
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a nucleating material having a vapor pressure at 25° C. of above about 25 mm Hg in said first chamber to facilitate boiling of said liquid when the pressure in said first chamber drops as a result of opening said valve.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said nucleating material is ethyl alcohol, acetone, methyl alcohol, propyl alcohol or isobutyl alcohol.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second chamber is in contact with a thermal insulator.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
10 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is disposable.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method for cooling, as defined in claim 2, wherein said step of providing a material comprises: providing a phase change material, a thermal mass different from the material comprising said second chamber having a heat capacity greater than the heat capacity of said sorbent, or a material that undergoes an endothermic reaction when brought into contact with said liquid.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said first chamber has an interior surface lined with a wicking material for said liquid.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said liquid is water.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said method comprises a one-shot process.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said heat removing material comprises a phase change material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said sorbent is an adsorbent.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said sorbent is an absorbent.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said second chamber contains sufficient sorbent to absorb or adsorb substantially all of the liquid in said first chamber.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said heat removing material comprises a thermal mass different from the material comprising said second chamber having a heat capacity greater than the heat capacity of said sorbent.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said heat removing material undergoes an endothermic reaction when brought into contact with said liquid.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said liquid contains a nucleating material having a vapor pressure at 25° C. of above about 25 mm Hg in said said first chamber to facilitate boiling of said liquid when the pressure in said first chamber drops as a result of opening said valve.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said second chamber is in contact with a thermal insulator.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2144441A
Cited
US3316736A
Cited
US3726106A
Cited
US3970068A
Cited
US3967465A
Cited
US3950960A
Cited
US4126016A
Cited
US4250720A
Cited
GB2095386A
Cited
US4682476A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-07-26 | 1992-01-25 | 1992-07-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-07-26 | 1996-01-25 | 1996-07-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-07-26 | 2000-01-25 | 2000-07-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |