GB2568043A

GB2568043A - An air temperature adjustment device

Info

Publication number: GB2568043A
Application number: GB1717948.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Leaney Patrick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-10-31
Filing date: 2017-10-31
Publication date: 2019-05-08
Also published as: GB201717948D0

Abstract

An air temperature adjustment device 99 comprises a body 2 for covering one or more thermal store portions 10 and at least one air channel for allowing passage of air past the thermal store portion(s). The thermal store portion(s) are removable from the body. The passage of air through the air channel(s) may be natural or forced. The air flow may be forced by removable fans (6, fig 5) which may be battery operated. The body and thermal store portions may be hinged together. The thermal store portion(s) may be arranged on a rack (37, fig 5) which may be secured to a substantially vertical surface in use. The device may be hung or supported on a wall using a picture hook or off the top of a door. The thermal store portions(s) may be cold storage portion(s) and may be planar. The body may define the air channel, and the air channel may have a larger opening at the upper end in use. The air channel may comprise a corrugated front 66. The device may have a tray 66 for collecting condensation. The device may be portable and may have feet or legs 5.

Description

AN AIR TEMPERATURE ADJUSTMENT DEVICE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an air temperature adjustment device, in particular a device for adjusting the temperature in a space; more particularly but not exclusively a device for cooling a room.

Background

Increasing unpredictability in the climate across the world has become a feature of the modern world.

In particular maximum temperatures have risen in some locations to such unpleasantly high levels that health issues ensue as people are not used to, or ill equipped, to cope with such conditions.

For example many properties are not fitted with air conditioning equipment and inhabitants of them may find it uncomfortable living in such hot conditions and are unable to afford air conditioning equipment.

Prior Art

EP 2 034 247 (HARBUTA et al) discloses a wall-mounted air-conditioner for cooling and dehumidifying ambient air of room that has a waste water conduit and heat exchanger maintained by inclined wall brackets.

US 7 305 848 (GLOVER) discloses a cooling fan apparatus including a main housing assembly which includes a front housing end, a rear housing end, and a plurality of housing air channels located at the rear housing end. A fan assembly is supported in the main housing assembly near the front housing end. A solid coolant retaining assembly, for retaining a block of water ice, is supported in the main housing assembly and is located between the fan assembly and the rear housing end.

US 6 026 653 (PRESNELL) discloses air conditioning apparatus suitable for use in small boats having enclosed cabins, comprising an insulated compartment; a cooling coil having an inner surface and an outer surface. A small pump causes a liquid cooling fluid to travel along a defined flow path leading from the insulated compartment, across the inner surface of the cooling coil, and back to the insulated compartment. A means for causing air to flow across the outer surface of the cooling coil in heat exchange relationship with the cooling fluid cools the cabin.

The present invention arose in order to overcome problems suffered by existing devices.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided an air temperature adjustment device comprising: a body arranged to cover one or more thermal store portions, and at least one air channel arranged to allow passage of air past the one or more solid thermal store portions, wherein the thermal store portions are displaceable from the body.

In some embodiments the body may be arranged in a substantially vertical manner.

In some embodiments passage of air may be natural or forced.

In some embodiments the thermal store portions comprise cooling or cold store portions, such that the device is arranged to cool surrounding air.

A hot or cold vertical surface generates a vertical upwards or downwards air flow.

In some embodiments the body is arranged to be hung on a vertical surface, such as a wall or a door. In other embodiments the device may be arranged with feet or legs so as to securely stand on a surface, to be considered temporary, such that the device may be easily installed or removed and stored.

In some embodiments the cooling portions are comprised by planar substantially rigid plates, which plates may be easily placed in a domestic freezer for re-freezing.

Calculations show that 3-4 kilograms of ice can cool a medium sized room considerably for a number of hours. The principle of the present invention is similar to standard central heating radiators but wherein natural air flow is downwards due to cooling, rather than upwards due to heating. Some embodiments may also provide means to drive air flow.

It may be envisaged that the device may be hung on the wall from a picture hook or door or similar with a weight limit exceeding 4-5 kgs. It may be envisaged that the embodiments of the device may therefore be portable, and may comprise legs or feet to allow placement in a plurality of different locations.

The body may therefore comprise a displaceable cover for removal to allow access to the displaceable plates for their re-use. This cover may be arranged to be easily and repeatedly removable, for example so as to clip or catch onto the body, and may comprise a section of the body. Some embodiments may comprise grub screws or magnetic parts.

The channel may be defined by the body, and/or may be defined by the cover.

In some further embodiments the device comprises a fan mechanism or one or more fans, which mechanism may be arranged to drive or urge air past the thermal portions, and/or along the channel. In some embodiments the fan or fans may be mounted on plates, which mounting may be reversible, or temporary, for example such that the fans may be displaced for charging or so that addition or replacement of a fan mechanism is enabled.

In this way the device is envisaged to be able to cool a room without the need for conventional air conditioning which is often expensive to install and run.

In some such embodiments the mechanism comprises an electrical energy source, which source may be a rechargeable energy source and/or a displaceable energy source.

In this way a user may be enabled to replace the energy source as required, the energy source for example comprising a standard battery or similar; or may be enabled to recharge the battery locally or remotely. For example in some embodiments the device may include a power cable or socket for attachment thereof, which may enable an onboard or permanent battery to be recharged as appropriate.

In some embodiments the device or body may comprise a tray for receipt of accumulated condensation.

The thermal store portions may comprise internal activation means, for example comprises gel and an agitator, where the gel may be reset when the thermal energy is dispersed.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which:

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows an isometric view of a first embodiment of the device according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows an isometric view of the first embodiment with the device as shown in Figure 1, with the thermal store portions accessible, but having removable fans and fan support plate;

Figure 4 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment as shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows an exploded isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 but with removable fans and fan support plate included; and

Figure 6 shows a reverse isometric exploded view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 but with removable fans and fan support plate included.

Detailed Description of Figures

With reference to the Figures there is shown an embodiment of an air temperature adjustment device 99 comprising a body 2 arranged to cover one or more thermal store portions 10, and at least one air channel arranged to allow passage of air past the one or more solid thermal store portions 10, wherein the thermal store portions 10 are displaceable from the body 2.

The channel is provided by a corrugated front 66, or rear surface 3 thereof, of the body 2, which also comprises two sides.

The thermal store portions 10 are arranged on a rack 37 behind the body 2, which rack 37 is connected to the body 2 with easily detachable hinges 12 that allow the body 2 to swing open for quick access to the thermal store portions 10 for checking or changing as well as permitting removal of the body for example for cleaning.

The thermal store portions 10 may then be displaced from the device and remotely cooled, for example using a domestic freezer.

The device comprises a single unit for mounting of the rack 37 using a single support line from the rack which can be hung or supported off the wall using for example a picture hook, or off the top of a door. The legs 5 support and separate the device from the wall or door.

The pictured embodiment in figures 5 and 6 further comprises two easily removable fans 6 (and their support plate 9), arranged at the top of the body 2 and a controller 7. This controller may be wirelessly enabled to allow inter-machine operability such as Bluetooth (RTM) or wireless internet or radio wave control.

The embodiment in figs 1-4 (without fans 6 and support plate 9) require no power during use so make no noise, so if used during the night will not disrupt the user’s sleep.

In this way there is provided a passive, wall mounted cooling device with an optional, easily-detachable battery powered fan mechanism which is arranged to produce increased flow past the thermal store portions 10 and body 2.

In this way the device is ideal for environments where opening a window or turning on air conditioning is not possible. Due to its portability the device may be envisaged to be used as a temporary solution to such problem.

The body 2 is constructed from a strong light weight thermally conducting material such as aluminium, finished in a matte white or any finish which may be aesthetically pleasing to the eye such that the device is pleasing to the eye as well as unobtrusive for temporary purposes.

A drip tray 8 is attached to the bottom of the body 2 so as to catch condensation that accumulates on the outer and inner surfaces of the body 2 and thermal store portions, which tray 8 is detachable from the body 2 so it can be easily emptied.

In the pictured embodiment the rack 37 is a wireframe.

The thermal store portions 10 sit in the rack against front wires 13, and in wireframe pockets 14 and can easily be replaced with freshly frozen replacements by opening the front cover of the rack that holds them, in a process easy enough to accommodate for all ages and levels of ability.

It is envisaged that in relation to the pictured embodiment air around the embodiment is cooled in three paths, wherein a first path 1 is created as warm air hits the body and is cooled, becoming heavier and falling, so as to pull more warm air towards the cover and produce circulation.

Second and third paths are created as the warm air is pulled into an opening at the top of the body, which is then cooled as it passes in front and behind the thermal store portions 10, so as to fall, pulling more warm air into the device 99 and adding to the existing circulation.

In this way it may be envisaged that the embodiment will cool the space until the thermal store portions 10 thaw and need replacing with freshly frozen thermal store portions which can be taken out of the freezer.

These can then be easily slid into the rack 37.

With no fan mechanism as shown in the embodiments pictured in Figures 1 and 2 the device may provide a completely unpowered or natural convective cooler which can be hung on the wall and used to cool down a medium sized room in a house/flat during hot days in the summer, being particularly valuable for older users who suffer from heat or users near noisy streets where opening windows is problematic. Natural convection is silent having no moving parts and no local use of electricity wherein cooling comes from thermal store portions previously frozen elsewhere.

in some further embodiments it may be envisaged that the thermal store portions may contain a material that goes through a phase-change during the process of warm up or cool down, for example ice to liquid water and viceversa.

A particularly useful embodiment is the use of a phase change cooling material whereby the phase change takes place predominantly at a temperature lower than the nominal melting point of ice. Such cooling material are possible for example through the use of eutectic solutions (for example salt/water), mineral and edible vegetable oils with melting points below 0 degrees centigrade and mixtures of water and a freezing point depressant such as propylene glycol. The advantage of a phase change material at temperatures lower than 0 degrees centigrade is the additional driving force for natural air circulation, which makes the unpowered natural convective cooler more efficient at cooling. In this way embodiments of the device of the present invention having natural convection and portability provide an easy solution to cooling in a huge variety of environments and locations.

The embodiment with the removable fans provides accelerated cooling if desired using forced convection with a battery operated mechanism comprising two small fans attached to the top of the body.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention as defined by the claims, in particular but not solely combination of features of described embodiments.

Claims

1. An air temperature adjustment device comprising a body arranged to cover one or more thermal store portions, and at least one air channel arranged to allow passage of air past the one or more thermal store portions, wherein the thermal store portions are displaceable from the body.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the body is arranged in a substantially vertical manner.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the passage is according to thermal convection.

4. A device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the passage is forced.

5. A device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the body and thermal store portions are hinged together.

6. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the thermal store portions are arranged on a rack.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the rack is secured to a substantially vertical surface in use.

8. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the thermal store portions are planar.

9. A device according to any preceding claim comprising a body that opens away from the thermal store portions so as to enlarge the air channel(s).

10. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the air channel comprises a corrugated body section.

11. A device according to claim 9 wherein the enlargement is uppermost in use.

12. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the thermal store portions contain a phase change cooling material.

13. A device according to claim 12 wherein the phase change of the phase change cooling material occurs below 0 degrees centigrade.

14. A device according to any preceding claim wherein there is a tray for receipt of

5 accumulated condensation.

15. A device according to any preceding claim comprising one or more fans.

16. A device according to any of the preceding claims arranged to be portable for

10 temporary use.

17. A device according to claim 16 comprising a plurality of feet or legs.