Patent US6698510B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6698510B2
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Article and method for temperature regulation using a thermosensitive reactive hydrogel material
Assignee: Mide Technology Corp
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Filing: 2001-04-24
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Granted: 2004-03-02
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Expires: 2021-04-24
Abstract
Abstract A temperature regulation and flow control device is described. A web of material, e.g., for a wet suit, has a layer of gel particles embedded in a flow control layer, preferably a foam matrix. A water permeable neoprene layer covers the flow control layer and allows water to enter the suit. The flow of water in the suit is regulated by the expansion and contraction of the gel as it undergoes a volume phase transition in response to a change in temperature. When the diver is in cold water, the cold water enters the foam substrate and the gel expands, causing permeability (i.e., flow) to decrease. Flow is restricted in response to cooling, and the foam substrate expands and tightens the fit of the wet suit. In warmer water, an opposite effect occurs, whereby the gel contracts and flow increases. The gel contracts relaxing the fit of the suit. A gel having a particular volume phase transition critical temperature is selected in order to maintain body temperature in a particular environment. This technology also can be used to control temperature in other applications.
Inventors
- 👤 Marco Serra
- 👤 Lev Bromberg
- 👤 Jaco van Reenen Pretorius
- 👤 Brett P. Masters
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 16:38
CPC Classifications
B; B32; B32B; B32B5/00; B32B5/18; A; A41; A41D; A41D13/00; A41D13/002; A41D13/005; B32B1/00; B32B1/08; B32B25/00; B32B25/04; B32B25/045; B63; B63C; B63C11/00; B63C11/02; B63C11/04; B63C11/28; C; C09; C09K; C09K5/00; C09K5/08; G; G05; G05D; G05D23/00; G05D23/01; G05D23/02; G05D23/021; B32B2266/00; B32B2266/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S165/00; Y10S165/902; Y10S165/907; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249953
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for controlling the flow of a fluid in a material to maintain the fluid in thermal contact with the material approximately at a predetermined temperature, the method comprising the steps of: providing a layer of the material in thermal contact with the fluid, the material containing particles of a gel embedded therein, the gel having a gel volume phase transition critical temperature (VPTCT) at about the predetermined temperature; and permitting the fluid to flow through the material to regulate a temperature of the fluid, wherein the gel particles in the material absorb the fluid and expand when the temperature of the fluid is below the gel volume phase transition critical temperature, and the gel particles contract and expel the fluid when the temperature of the fluid is above the gel volume phase transition critical temperature.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for controlling the flow of a fluid in a material to maintain the fluid in thermal contact with the material approximately at a predetermined temperature, the method comprising the steps of: providing a layer of the material in thermal contact with the fluid, the material containing particles of a gel embedded therein, the gel having a gel volume phase transition critical temperature (VPTCT) at about the predetermined temperature; and permitting the fluid to flow through the material to regulate a temperature of the fluid, wherein the gel particles in the material absorb the fluid and expand when the temperature of the fluid is below the gel volume phase transition critical temperature, and the gel particles contract and expel the fluid when the temperature of the fluid is above the gel volume phase transition critical temperature.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the material is an open cell foam material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer of the material includes gel particles in an amount approximately 5% to 80% by weight of total dry weight of the material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a layer of the material includes providing a wet suit to a diver.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the gel is a hydrogel powder having a VPTCT in the range of about 18° C. to about 25° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the layer of the material includes gel particles in an amount approximately 20% to 80% by weight of total dry weight of the material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the gel particles are formed from a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the gel contains a hydrophobic monomer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 , and further including a step of placing the layer of the material in contact with an object.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for controlling the flow of a fluid in an open cell foam substrate to regulate the temperature of the fluid approximately at a predetermined temperature, the method comprising the steps of; providing a layer of the open cell foam substrate containing gel particles embedded therein, the gel particles having a gel volume phase transition critical temperature (VPTCT) at about the predetermined temperature; and permitting the fluid to flow through the open cell foam substrate to change the temperature of the fluid, wherein the gel particles in the open cell foam substrate absorb the fluid and expand in volume when the temperature of the fluid is below the gel volume phase transition critical temperature, and the gel particles expel the fluid and contract in volume when the temperature of the fluid is above the gel volume phase transition critical temperature.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for controlling the flow of a fluid in an open cell foam substrate to regulate the temperature of the fluid approximately at a predetermined temperature, the method comprising the steps of; providing a layer of the open cell foam substrate containing gel particles embedded therein, the gel particles having a gel volume phase transition critical temperature (VPTCT) at about the predetermined temperature; and permitting the fluid to flow through the open cell foam substrate to change the temperature of the fluid, wherein the gel particles in the open cell foam substrate absorb the fluid and expand in volume when the temperature of the fluid is below the gel volume phase transition critical temperature, and the gel particles expel the fluid and contract in volume when the temperature of the fluid is above the gel volume phase transition critical temperature.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 9 , and further including a step of placing the layer of the open cell foam substrate in contact with an object.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 11 , and further including a step of providing an inner layer between the layer of the open cell foam substrate and the object.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the layer of the open cell foam substrate includes gel particles in an amount approximately 5% to 80% by weight of total dry weight of the open cell foam substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the layer of the open cell foam substrate includes gel particles in an amount approximately 20% to 80% by weight of total dry weight of the open cell foam substrate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 10 , and further including a step of packaging the layer of the open cell foam substrate in a wet suit.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the gel particles comprise a hydrogel powder having a VPTCT in the range of about 18° C. to about 25° C.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the gel particles are formed from a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the gel particles contain a hydrophobic monomer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the fluid comprises water.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for controlling the flow of a fluid in an open cell foam substrate to regulate the temperature of the fluid approximately at a predetermined temperature, the method comprising the steps of: providing a layer of the open cell foam substrate containing gel particles embedded therein, the gel particles having a gel volume phase transition critical temperature (VPTCT) at about the predetermined temperature; and permitting the fluid to flow through the open cell foam substrate to change the temperature of the fluid, wherein the gel particles undergo a volume change response by which the gel particles absorb the fluid and expand in volume when the temperature of the fluid is below the gel volume phase transition critical temperature, and the gel particles expel the fluid and contract in volume when the temperature of the fluid is above the gel volume phase transition critical temperature.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for controlling the flow of a fluid in an open cell foam substrate to regulate the temperature of the fluid approximately at a predetermined temperature, the method comprising the steps of: providing a layer of the open cell foam substrate containing gel particles embedded therein, the gel particles having a gel volume phase transition critical temperature (VPTCT) at about the predetermined temperature; and permitting the fluid to flow through the open cell foam substrate to change the temperature of the fluid, wherein the gel particles undergo a volume change response by which the gel particles absorb the fluid and expand in volume when the temperature of the fluid is below the gel volume phase transition critical temperature, and the gel particles expel the fluid and contract in volume when the temperature of the fluid is above the gel volume phase transition critical temperature.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 20 , and further including a step of placing the layer of the open cell foam substrate in contact with an object.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 21 , and further including a step of providing an inner layer between the layer of the open cell foam substrate and the object.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 20 , wherein the fluid comprises water.
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