GB2437710A - Bed cooling accessory - Google Patents
Bed cooling accessory Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2437710A GB2437710A GB0608681A GB0608681A GB2437710A GB 2437710 A GB2437710 A GB 2437710A GB 0608681 A GB0608681 A GB 0608681A GB 0608681 A GB0608681 A GB 0608681A GB 2437710 A GB2437710 A GB 2437710A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- bed
- cooling
- accessory
- support surface
- fluid
- 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.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 18
- 239000012809 cooling fluid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 239000003507 refrigerant Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 230000005679 Peltier effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 239000011159 matrix material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 13
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000000112 cooling gas Substances 0.000 abstract 1
- 239000002826 coolant Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000003570 air Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000012080 ambient air Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000001704 evaporation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000008020 evaporation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005057 refrigeration Methods 0.000 description 2
- 208000001034 Frostbite Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 206010038743 Restlessness Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005485 electric heating Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002631 hypothermal effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000002739 metals Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 230000000116 mitigating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004065 semiconductor Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
- A47C21/00—Attachments for beds, e.g. sheet holders, bed-cover holders; Ventilating, cooling or heating means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses
- A47C21/04—Devices for ventilating, cooling or heating
- A47C21/042—Devices for ventilating, cooling or heating for ventilating or cooling
- A47C21/044—Devices for ventilating, cooling or heating for ventilating or cooling with active means, e.g. by using air blowers or liquid pumps
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
- A47C21/00—Attachments for beds, e.g. sheet holders, bed-cover holders; Ventilating, cooling or heating means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses
- A47C21/04—Devices for ventilating, cooling or heating
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G9/00—Bed-covers; Counterpanes; Travelling rugs; Sleeping rugs; Sleeping bags; Pillows
- A47G9/02—Bed linen; Blankets; Counterpanes
- A47G9/0207—Blankets; Duvets
- A47G9/0215—Blankets; Duvets with cooling or heating means
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
- A61F7/00—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
- A61F7/00—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body
- A61F2007/0054—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
- A61F2007/0056—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water for cooling
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
- A61F7/00—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body
- A61F2007/0054—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
- A61F2007/0056—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water for cooling
- A61F2007/0057—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water for cooling of gas, e.g. air or carbon dioxide
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
- A61F7/00—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body
- A61F7/007—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body characterised by electric heating
- A61F2007/0075—Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body characterised by electric heating using a Peltier element, e.g. near the spot to be heated or cooled
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Biomedical Technology (AREA)
- Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
- Vascular Medicine (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
- Mattresses And Other Support Structures For Chairs And Beds (AREA)
- Thermotherapy And Cooling Therapy Devices (AREA)
Abstract
A bed accessory 10 incorporating means for cooling the support surface on which the occupant lies. The bed accessory may be in the form of a mattress, mattress cover or an under blanket. Preferably the device is cooled by a matrix of Peltier effect devices. Alternatively the device may be cooled by circulating a cooling fluid or gas such as water drawn from a reservoir, air or a refrigerant vapour through one or more tubes 12 to extract heat from the support surface. A control unit 14 may be included to regulate the temperature.
Description
<p>--</p>
<p>BED ACCESSORY</p>
<p>Field of the invention</p>
<p>The present invention relates to a bed accessory, which may term is used herein to refer to a mattress, a mattress cover or an under blanket.</p>
<p>Background of the invention</p>
<p>Blankets are known, for use as under blankets as well as over blankets, which incorporate an electric heating element to warm a bed. Such blankets make it more comfortable to enter a bed under cold conditions.</p>
<p>The present invention, on the other hand, is predicated on the realisation that some people get too warm in bed and have to move and turn in the bed in order to find a cooler and more comfortable position. This can lead to restless nights and loss of sleep.</p>
<p>Summary of the invention</p>
<p>With a view to mitigating this problem, the present invention provides a bed accessory incorporating means for cooling the support surface of the bed on which the bed occupant lies.</p>
<p>The cooling means preferably include an electrically operated cooling element. In such an embodiment of the invention, Peltier effect devices may be used as cooling elements.</p>
<p>In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the bed accessory may include one or more tubes through which a cooling fluid is circulated to extract heat from the bed support surface.</p>
<p>The cooling fluid may be a liquid, a vapour or a gas that is pumped through the tube(s) in the bed accessory.</p>
<p>If a gas is used as a fluid, then it may simply be ambient air or air that has been cooled by passing through a refrigeration unit. If the fluid is a vapour then it may be a refrigerant that is cooled by means of a compressor. As a liquid, it is possible to use water drawn from a tank cooled by a refrigerator or more simply by evaporation.</p>
<p>The temperature in the bed is preferably controllable, such as by varying the temperature of the fluid or its flow rate through the tube(s) The accessory may thus be in the form of a blanket resembling a conventional electric blanket but incorporating in the place of heating wires a sinuously laid cooling tube or wires connected to a set of Peltier devices.</p>
<p>Alternatively, similar cooling means may be incorporated into a mattress cover or into a mattress.</p>
<p>The heat extracting power of the cooling means need not be high as the aim it to maintain the support surface cool, at say around 15 C, not at a temperature which would risk causing frost bite or hypothermia to the bed occupant.</p>
<p>The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a section through an under blanket embodying the present invention.</p>
<p>The drawing shows an under blanket 10 having an internal pocket which encloses a cooling element 12 laid in a sinuous path. The ends of the cooling element project from the blanket 12 and are connected to a control unit 14 which allows the bed occupant to set the desired degree of cooling. The input lines 16 to the control unit 14 represent electric power lines or fluid supply and return lines.</p>
<p>If the bed accessory is electrically operated, then it / is most conveniently formed as a mattress and the cooling element may for formed as a matrix of individual Peltier devices (not shown) connected to two D.C. supply wires. When a current is passed through two dissimilar metals or semiconductors (n-type and p-type) that are connected to each other at two junctions (Peltier junctions), the current causes a transfer of heat from one junction to the other.</p>
<p>Thus, a current can be passed through the devices to transfer heat from the support surface of the mattress to the body of the mattress from which the heat can be dissipated into the ambient atmosphere. The control unit 14 would in this case include a rectifier and a current regulator while the input lines 16 would be connected to a mains supply.</p>
<p>The illustrated bed accessory is designed to be fluid cooled. The cooling element 12 is a tube through which a fluid cooling medium is circulated, the fluid being a vapour, liquid or gas.</p>
<p>As mentioned above, when using a gas as the fluid cooling medium, then it is most conveniently ambient air or air that has been cooled by passing through a refrigeration unit. If the fluid is a liquid, then it is preferably water drawn from a tank cooled by a refrigerator or more simply by evaporation. One can envisage using a refrigerant a fluid cooling medium through the accessory but this is likely to prove be excessive in terms of cost, complexity and cooling effect.</p>
<p>The control unit 14 is used in these cases to vary temperature in the bed by varying the temperature of the fluid or its flow rate through the tube(s).</p>
Claims (1)
- <p>CLAIMS</p><p>1. A bed accessory incorporating means for cooling the support surface of the bed on which the bed occupant lies.</p><p>2. A bed accessory as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling means comprises a matrix of Peltier effect devices serving to cool the support surface of the bed.</p><p>3. A bed accessory as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling means comprise one or more tubes through which a cooling fluid is circulated to extract heat from the bed support surface.</p><p>4. A bed accessory as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cooling fluid is a gas.</p><p>5. A bed accessory as claimed in claim 4, wherein the gas is air.</p><p>6. A bed accessory as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fluid is a liquid.</p><p>7. A bed accessory as claimed in claim 6, wherein the water drawn from a reservoir.</p><p>8. A bed accessory as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fluid is a refrigerant vapour.</p><p>9. A bed accessory as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a control unit is provided to enable the bed occupant to regulate the temperature of the support surface.</p>
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB0608681A GB2437710A (en) | 2006-05-03 | 2006-05-03 | Bed cooling accessory |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB0608681A GB2437710A (en) | 2006-05-03 | 2006-05-03 | Bed cooling accessory |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB0608681D0 GB0608681D0 (en) | 2006-06-14 |
GB2437710A true GB2437710A (en) | 2007-11-07 |
Family
ID=36603797
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB0608681A Withdrawn GB2437710A (en) | 2006-05-03 | 2006-05-03 | Bed cooling accessory |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
GB (1) | GB2437710A (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2473272A (en) * | 2009-09-08 | 2011-03-09 | Mike Biddell | Bedcover with thin film Peltier device temperature control |
Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2998817A (en) * | 1959-08-07 | 1961-09-05 | Gary Armstrong Stebbins | Inflatable massaging and cooling mattress |
US4423308A (en) * | 1981-06-22 | 1983-12-27 | Simmons U.S.A. Corporation | Thermally controllable heating mattress |
US4884304A (en) * | 1988-09-28 | 1989-12-05 | Life Support Systems, Inc. | Bedding system with selective heating and cooling |
EP0360931A1 (en) * | 1987-04-23 | 1990-04-04 | Steve Feher | Blanket |
WO1997036560A1 (en) * | 1996-04-01 | 1997-10-09 | Saringer Research Inc. | Cold therapy device |
GB2313549A (en) * | 1996-05-16 | 1997-12-03 | Kci Medical Ltd | Cooling system for the body |
US5989285A (en) * | 1996-08-15 | 1999-11-23 | Thermotek, Inc. | Temperature controlled blankets and bedding assemblies |
-
2006
- 2006-05-03 GB GB0608681A patent/GB2437710A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2998817A (en) * | 1959-08-07 | 1961-09-05 | Gary Armstrong Stebbins | Inflatable massaging and cooling mattress |
US4423308A (en) * | 1981-06-22 | 1983-12-27 | Simmons U.S.A. Corporation | Thermally controllable heating mattress |
EP0360931A1 (en) * | 1987-04-23 | 1990-04-04 | Steve Feher | Blanket |
US4884304A (en) * | 1988-09-28 | 1989-12-05 | Life Support Systems, Inc. | Bedding system with selective heating and cooling |
WO1997036560A1 (en) * | 1996-04-01 | 1997-10-09 | Saringer Research Inc. | Cold therapy device |
GB2313549A (en) * | 1996-05-16 | 1997-12-03 | Kci Medical Ltd | Cooling system for the body |
US5989285A (en) * | 1996-08-15 | 1999-11-23 | Thermotek, Inc. | Temperature controlled blankets and bedding assemblies |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2473272A (en) * | 2009-09-08 | 2011-03-09 | Mike Biddell | Bedcover with thin film Peltier device temperature control |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB0608681D0 (en) | 2006-06-14 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |