KR20100014958A - Apparel with heating and cooling capabilities - Google Patents

Abstract

A process and system for heating or cooling comprising a ihermoelectric unit having a cooling surface and a heating surface, the cooling surface being thermally insulated from the heating surface is provided. A heat sink is thermally coupled the thermoelectric unit and a wicking material operatively coupled to the heat sink. The wicking material may be substantially saturated with a mixture of water and DNA to dissipate energy. An apparel item incorporating the system for heating and cooling is also provided.

Description

Clothing with Heating and Cooling Capability {APPAREL WITH HEATING AND COOLING CAPABILITIES}

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to systems and processes for heating and cooling a body or parts of a body, and more particularly to clothing having heating and cooling capabilities, including systems and processes for heating and cooling a body. .

There are currently two groups of personal thermo-regulated apparels. These two groups are active and passive. Active thermostatic clothing is designed to maintain the temperature selected by the user, while passive thermostatic clothing cannot maintain the selected temperature over time. Products currently available in the group of active temperature controlled clothing can be used for a single purpose, such as heating or cooling. Current active heating techniques generally include resistive heating. For example, the trade name Polartec has integrated resistive heating technology into the jacket. Similarly, compression cooling is typically used in most of the cooling apparel articles currently available.

Passive heating systems are generally chemical reaction heating systems. Similarly, passive cooling systems include cooling with phase change materials, but currently available systems do not provide heating and cooling systems and processes that can be incorporated into a variety of applications.

For example, US Pat. No. 4,856,294 to Scaringe et al. Describes a Micro-Climate Control Vest that includes a phase change material with phase change between solid and liquid phases as a cooling medium. The vest can also have an optional second phase change material layer, such as ice, and an optional outer insulation layer. The inner liner containing the phase change material is divided into individual compartments due to the stiffness of the phase change material in the solid state. This makes the garment hard and inflexible, which is inconvenient to wear.

Another example of a garment containing a phase change material is described in US Pat. No. 4,894,931 to Senee et al. Senny describes a battery powered electic heating device that incorporates phase change materials such as salts to warm various body parts. The salt acts as a heat storage medium and also as a temperature controller for a resistance heater because it can absorb large amounts of heat without rising above its melting temperature. As with many other devices having this property, the stiffness of the system in addition to the stiffness of the salt makes it difficult to embed the system in a variety of apparel articles.

Fiedler, US Pat. No. 4,572,158, describes a heating pad that uses a supercooled phase change material, saline for heat storage, to warm body parts. The phase change material can be cooled to room temperature without solidification after liquefaction. Triggers are used to activate the salts, causing exothermic crystallization. The device is sold with a cloth or neoprene cover to prevent skin burns when installed on the skin. It is also difficult to embed this system in garments that heat and cool the body.

US Patent No. 4,851,291 to Vigo et al. Describes another method for preparing fibers having heat storage properties by filling the core of hollow fibers with phase change materials or by absorbing phase change materials onto the surface of non-hollow fibers. The phase change materials described include plastic crystalline materials having a phase change between crosslinked polyethylene glycol and solid crystal-solid crystals. These fibers do not allow absorption of sufficient phase change material into containment material actually used for heating or cooling.

US Pat. No. 6,763,671 to Klett et al. Describes a closed cycle cycle cooling and protection device. The device includes a thermal battery cooling source. Unfortunately, this system must be stationary and completely closed. In addition, even minor damage to the system can render the system inoperable, making it unsuitable for harsh working conditions.

Accordingly, the present invention relates to systems and processes that can be embedded in various garment articles and heat or cool the body. The user can cool or heat an individual himself by inserting a small electronic interface into the insert that supplies or removes heat.

The system according to the invention comprises a novel design of a heat sink and also relates to removing heat from the high temperature side of a thermoelectric unit in cooling applications. Alternatively, it is contemplated that the system can be configured for heating applications.

The present invention includes a combination of thermoelectric devices and evaporative cooling in the form of novel heat sinks attached to thermoelectric devices. In addition, heat pipes or similar heat transfer systems can be used in locations where evaporation cannot occur immediately on the hot side of the thermoelectric unit. In one embodiment, a heating or cooling system includes a thermoelectric unit having a heating surface and a cooling surface insulated from the heating surface, a heat sink thermally coupled to the thermoelectric unit, and a wicking operatively coupled to the heat sink. Wicking material. The wicking material can be substantially saturated with a mixture of water and DNA to dissipate energy. A breathable layer is disposed on the wicking material to evaporate the water around. In addition, a phase change material is disposed between the body and the cold side of the thermoelectric unit to store cold energy to increase the functional time of the system. The system may include a unit that may be filled by a user to saturate the wicking material with a mixture of water and DNA. The battery unit or any other power source powers the thermoelectric unit.

The system according to the invention can be embedded in various various garment articles described in detail below. Some apparel articles include jackets, vests, helmets, costumes, hats, underwear, pants and socks.

The objects and features of the novel invention are described in detail in the appended claims. Operational configuration and manner together with additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood with reference to the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings below.

1 shows an exemplary heat pipe that can be used in accordance with the present invention;

2 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary system in accordance with the present invention;

3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment according to the present invention;

4 is a perspective view of an exemplary heat sink in accordance with the present invention;

5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a system in use in accordance with the present invention;

6 is a sectional view of another embodiment according to the present invention;

7 is a perspective view of a representative embodiment of a system embedded in a jacket according to the present invention; And

8 is a cross-sectional view of a representative embodiment of a system embedded in a helmet in accordance with the present invention.

The invention will be described more fully with reference to certain specific embodiments with reference to the following illustrative figures. With reference to the drawings, the details shown are by way of example only and for the purpose of exemplarily discussing certain embodiments of the invention, and also in order to provide a thorough understanding and understanding of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. Displayed. In this regard, no attempt has been made to structurally show the invention in detail beyond what is necessary for a basic understanding of the invention, and to those skilled in the art how several forms of the invention may be actually implemented. It was described with reference to.

In the present invention, the following definitions are used for the terms listed below. It should be noted that some of these terms have different definitions when used in other sentences.

The term "clothing" refers to jackets, biking shorts, viking shoes, viking jerseys, sportswear, sports bras, spandex pants, underwear, shorts, tops, shirts, gloves, shoes, boots, ski boots, roller skates, ice skates. Skates, rollerblades, socks, wristbands, heart rate monitors, wristwatches, uniforms, baseball caps, golf caps, hat visors, headbands, caps, glasses, sunglasses, headphones, medals, pendants, jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, feet, chemicals Chemical suit, bio suit, space suit, space helmet, bulletproof vest, fire suit, motorcycle leather goods, goggles, hard hat, construction helmet, welding mask, car racing helmet, motorcycle helmet, car Racing suits, car racing underwear, bicycle helmets, football helmets, batting helmets, racket batting helmets, baseball batting helmets, softball helmets, ski helmets, ski suits and underwear, equestrian helmets, jockey riding helmet Fencing masks, fencing, fencing tunic, wrapper shin, knee pads, hats military equipment, and any one of the items, such as clothing or similar costumes and military helmets speaks extensively.

The term "phase change material" refers to any material that has a high heat of fusion so that it can accumulate or release large amounts of energy while liquefied or solidified at any temperature. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that various phase change materials (both organic and inorganic) may be applied to the present invention, such as PCM Latest ^™ or calcium chloride hexahydrate from PCM Energy Pct. Other examples include heptanone-4, n-undecane, TEA-16, ethylene glycol, water, Thermasorb 65 and Thermasorb 43. It will be appreciated that many different phase change materials can be applied to the system of the present invention.

The term "wicking material" refers to any material that has the ability to attract other materials into it. According to the invention, the wicking material comprises, for example, cotton, wicking fibers such as 4DG fibers, candle wick, super absorbents and sponges.

The term “coolant” generally refers to a fluid flowing through the system according to the invention for transferring heat generated by the system according to the invention to other areas of the system for use or dissipation of that heat. . Examples of coolants that can be employed in accordance with the invention include ammonia, water, ethyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol.

The term "liquid" refers to a fluid capable of freely forming a separate surface at the boundary of the bulk state. This surface is a free surface on which liquid is not constrained by the container. Solutions that can be used to saturate the wicking material according to the invention of the present invention include water and ethyl alcohol. In accordance with the invention it can be seen that fluids such as urine can also be used.

According to the present invention, the system and process are based on the thermoelectric effect which enables simultaneous cooling of one junction and heating of the other junction in the thermocouple. The thermoelectric effect occurs when a current is passed through two different metals or semiconductors (N-type and P-type) interconnected at two junctions. Current thermoelectric devices are networks of thousands of P-N junctions with all P-type materials facing one side and N-types facing the other. Depending on the direction of the current, either the P-type or N-type surface becomes hot or cold. Thus, the thermoelectric unit embedded in the system according to the invention is a high efficiency heat pump that directly converts electricity into heating and cooling power. When power is supplied to the thermoelectric unit, current causes one side (low temperature side) of the unit to absorb heat. On the other hand, the other side (high temperature side) of the thermoelectric unit emits heat (high temperature side). Thereby, the thermoelectric unit causes heat to flow from the low temperature side to the high temperature side. When the current flows in reverse, the heat moves in the opposite direction to reverse the high temperature side and the low temperature side. As a result, the heating and cooling according to the invention can be selected by the user. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various reconfigurations of the system according to the invention are possible in order to provide the user of the system with various types of heating and cooling effects.

Heat pipes may be used in certain embodiments according to the present invention. Heat pipes are thermally conductive tubes that can quickly transfer heat from one place to another by evaporating water on the hot side of the pipe and condensing it on the cold side. A general example of a heat pipe is shown in FIG. As shown at 2, the working fluid absorbs thermal energy as it evaporates into steam. The vapor moves to a low temperature end 8 along the vapor cavity 4 as shown at 6. At reference numeral 10, the vapor is then condensed back into the fluid state and absorbed by the wick 12 to release thermal energy. The working fluid flows back to the hot end 14, as generally shown at 16.

Referring to FIG. 2, one embodiment of a thermoelectric system is schematically illustrated. In this embodiment, a flexible heat pipe is embedded in the system. A cooling plate 20 having a buried thermocouple is supported by part of the human body. The heat pipe steam conduit 22 is connected to the heat pipe condenser unit 24. Such heat pipe condenser units can be clipped to the hips or other areas of the user to make efficient use of the system. Battery pack 28 supplies energy to the thermoelectric system allowing the operator to operate or stop the system. Thereby, if a person wishes to cool a part of the body, for example, the liquid will evaporate out of the cold plate 20 and out of the heat pipe steam conduit 22. The steam will move to a condenser unit 24 that condenses the steam and releases thermal energy. The heat pipe liquid return 26 returns the liquid to the cold plate 20.

In this particular embodiment, the core of the heat pipe is polycarbonate, or similar materials such as polyvinyl chloride, Kevlar ^® composite or various other flexible composite materials and carbon nanotubes, or silver, carbon fiber and graphite. It can be made of a similar material having a high thermal conductivity such as. The bottom pipe may be coated with silver nanoparticle paste or carbon nanofibers having a thermal conductivity of about 200 W / mK. The ends of the heat pit may have high concentration graphite contained in the material and carbon nanotubes having a thermal conductivity of 400 W / mK. As other possible material combinations, carbon fibers and gold nanoparticles and the like can be used.

The system can be worn on the body, for example. A cross-sectional view of such a system is shown in FIG. 3. The cooling plate 30 incorporating the thermoelectric module 32 is worn on the human body 34. A cushioning gel 36 may be placed between the cold plate 30 and the torso 34 to provide support and comfort to the user of the system. As the body cools, the steam in the heat pipe 38 will move to a condenser that is installed away from the body 34. Velcro attachment 40 may provide an attachment mechanism between heat pipe 38 and body armor 42. Insulation 44 also provides insulation between the heat pipe and the cooling plate 30. In addition to the cushion gel 36, a conductive fiber layer can be placed between the thermoelectric unit and the user's skin.

The heat once escaped by the above-mentioned thermoelectric system should be dissipated. Direct heat dissipation by a heat sink attached to the high temperature side of the thermoelectric unit can be difficult to embody in this embodiment since the system is worn under a thick outer vest. Thus, a heat pipe as described above is incorporated to transport the heat from the thermoelectric unit to a place where it can safely and efficiently dissipate outward.

The heat sink block or strip may be a thin aluminum pad (or similar conductive alloy, metal, or material such as magnesium, carbon-fiber, and / or carbon-carbon material or carbon-carbon composite) having a thickness of about 0.25 inches. Heat pipes may be attached to the hot side of each thermoelectric unit in which it may be operated. Various sizes of heat sink blocks or strips may be selected based on the use and size of the system. Thermally conductive adhesives such as double-sided tape, epoxy cement, highly thermally conductive heat film adhesives and the like can be used to mount the heat sink onto the thermoelectric unit. The coolant in the heat pipe absorbs heat and transfers heat to the radiator or condenser by the original wicking action of the heat pipe.

The heat pipe may be insulated to prevent warm air from moving to the body and is flexible to provide comfort to the user. For example, insulation that may be used is wool, Thermal Ceramics 400 Mineral Fiber Paper, Thermal Ceramics Min-K Type LW Insulating Tape, and Zirconia ZYK-15 Zirconia Cloth, and the like.

When the system is stopped, residual energy must be stored or dissipated so that heat is not transferred back to the individual using the system. The main purpose of using a heat capacitor is to dissipate energy. The thermal energy transferred from the thermoelectric unit must be stored in the form of other energy that can continue to dissipate to the external environment or increase the efficiency of the overall system. The entire system is designed to add or remove about 173 kcal / hour (200 watts) from the human body. However, with small design changes, this capacity can increase or decrease significantly.

According to the present invention, a heat accumulator can be used as shown in FIG. The heat accumulator may be placed next to the user's hip or other location convenient for special use and use. As shown in FIG. 4, the regenerator may be a vacuum packed container 50 containing water filled with artificially synthesized deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and having an internal fin 52. The heat pipe 54 passes through the fin 52 and the heat accumulator 50 so that the heat accumulator dissipates heat removed from the human body. The amount of water, the amount of DNA, and the number of pins will depend on the size of the regenerator. The heat is dissipated by the evaporation of water and the breakdown of hydrogen bonds in the DNA. To evaporate 10 g of water, about 6 kcal of energy is required. To break 1 mole of hydrogen bonds, the system needs 10 kcal. The regenerator preferably contains 200 g of water having DNA consisting of 10 moles of hydrogen bonds.

As described above, the bottom pipe 54 is passed through the heat accumulator 50, so that heat exchange can occur between the heat pipe and the coolant, for example water and DNA. The use of such regenerators with large surface areas allows for significantly improved heat transfer between the heat pipes and the coolant.

In one embodiment, the heat accumulator has square fins 1 inch long and 1/16 inch thick. 64 pins per square inch can be layered on top of a 2 inch square box. This provides 1280 pins per regenerator. Placing a thin cover over the pin can help prevent damage and / or tearing.

This embodiment provides a surface area of 1.6 × 10 ⁻⁴ per fin, or a net finned surface area of only 0.205 m 2. If we assume that the convection heat transfer coefficient is 70 and ΔT is 5 ° C (T _atmosphere is 40 ° C and the T _{high temperature side} of the thermoelectric unit is 45 ° C), then 72W of heat is dissipated from the box by forced air convection. .

The fluid in the regenerator box can absorb 5434 J net heat. If the box ideally accepts 200 W and loses 145.5 W, there is a net difference of 56.5 W. Thus, the 56.5 W of heat will be stored by the breakdown of hydrogen bonds and through evaporation of water.

A representative embodiment of a system embedded in a vest according to the present invention is shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the thermoelectric array 70 covers most of the user's torso. The flexible heat pipe 72 is coupled to the thermoelectric array 70 to remove heat from the user's body. Each thermoelectric unit in the thermoelectric array may have a heat sink or strip as described above. The heat pipe carries the vaporized liquid to the regenerator 74. The flexible heat pipe 72 may be attached to the heat accumulator 74 by a detachable plug or other means to operatively connect the heat pipe to the heat sink, thereby dissipating heat. Battery pack 76 is attached to the system. The battery pack can provide variable temperature control and can be attached to body armor, vests or other apparel or clothing that the user can wear.

The battery can be selected with the maximum possible amperage / hour (ah) value and the minimum weight. Preferably, the battery will be rechargeable and will be as lightweight as possible. The back of the vest may include a pocket to hold the battery comfortably. Battery types that can be embedded in the system include lithium ions, lithium metal hydrides, in particular lithium polymers. Other power sources can be envisioned. For example, other power sources, wind, solar, and mechanical power sources can be used to power the system.

The thermoelectric array may consist of approximately six to nine thermoelectric units. This number may increase or decrease to accommodate people with various body sizes. In one embodiment, each thermoelectric unit is attached to a steel pad having a thickness of approximately 1/16 inch. The steel pad thermally connects the heat sink and the thermoelectric unit on one side and increases the conductivity between the body and the thermoelectric unit on the other side.

Each thermoelectric unit is attached to the surface of the user's vest at the top of the aluminum mesh to serve as a heat sink or strip, for example with the base of the aluminum cup, which is the box in which the thermoelectric unit is placed. Preferably, each thermoelectric unit is thin and it is about 0.5 inches or less. Similarly, aluminum cups can have very thin walls to reduce weight as well as heat resistance. As mentioned above, another suitable material that can be used in place of the aluminum mesh is a steel mesh or carbon fiber fabric. Carbon nanotubes can also be used as heat sinks in place of aluminum. Composites of CNTs, polymers and fibers can also be used to perform heat transfer and also serve as heat sinks.

Such thermoelectric units provide effective and direct heat transfer from the body. Thermal backflow is solved through a timing circuit. Thus, when the system stops operating, the power does not immediately shut off, preventing heat reflux until the temperature reaches equilibrium.

As an example, when the system according to the invention is embedded in a vest, the system may comprise a comfortable custom natural cotton vest with a metal blend 'cloth' panel attached to it and placed over the user's chest. This panel can be made of a cotton chamber immersed in aluminum to enable effective heat exchange between the thermoelectric unit and the body. Because aluminum with a thermal conductivity (k) value of 222 W / mK provides essentially negligible thermal resistance, the user feels the same temperature as the low temperature side of the thermoelectric unit, while the cotton core is at tension Provide additional strength.

Although the fabric provides more comfort to the user, the vest can also be constructed without the fabric using thin aluminum conductor pads directly connected to the cotton fabric of the vest.

The thermoelectric system according to the invention can also have a wide range of operating temperatures which depend on the current. The heat transfer rate is directly proportional to the current passing through the thermoelectric unit. A current regulator control is attached to the thermoelectric array, allowing the user to control the temperature of the vest to suit their situation. Since the thermoelectric unit cannot draw current from the battery by self regulation, the current regulator will also prevent battery drain.

In certain embodiments, heat pipes may be used but are not required. A cross section of this embodiment is shown in FIG. At least one thermoelectric unit 80 is seated on the user's body. A cushion gel can be placed between the thermoelectric unit and the user's body for additional comfort. In addition to the cushion gel, a layer of conductive fabric or other conductive material may be located between the user's body and the thermoelectric unit. A phase change material is thermally coupled to the side of the thermoelectric unit facing the body to store heat or act as a heat absorbent material, increasing the one-time service life. These layers can be joined as an adhesive or other bonding material. The battery 82 is attached to the thermoelectric unit to provide electricity to the thermoelectric unit. On the hot side of the thermoelectric unit 80, there is a heat sink 84 made of aluminum, or a similar conductive alloy, a metal, or a material such as magnesium, carbon-fiber, and / or a carbon material or a carbon composite, which heat sink Can be partially or fully exposed to the hot side of the thermoelectric unit. As mentioned above, when power is supplied to a thermoelectric unit or units, current causes one side of the thermoelectric unit to absorb heat and the other side (high temperature side) to release heat. The thermoelectric unit allows heat to flow from the low temperature side to the high temperature side. If the current reverses, the heat will move in the opposite direction, warming rather than cooling the part of the person's body. As the cold side of the thermoelectric unit cools the body, heat is directed to the hot side of the thermoelectric unit through a heat sink 84 made of aluminum or other alloy.

Wicking material 86, such as cotton, is disposed on the aluminum heat sink. Since the wicking material 86 may have water and DNA, heat may be dissipated by evaporation of water and destruction of hydrogen bonds in the DNA. In a heat sink, the water is mixed with DNA to act as a regenerator. DNA has a hydrogen bond, and when water mixed with DNA is heated, the hydrogen bond absorbs heat and is destroyed. When the system is turned off to stop the supply of heat to the heat sink, the DNA is recharged. This allows the DNA to be a good self recharging material that can be used in the system according to the invention. Wicking material 86 absorbs energy and promotes dissipation of energy. Porous material, which is a breathable fabric or other substitute, is bonded to the wicking material to evaporate the water into the atmosphere.

If evaporation from the specific area of the article of clothing is not feasible or feasible, heat pipes may be used to transfer heat from the hips, armpits or other material in the area where the evaporation and dissipation of water from the wicking material is convenient. Can be.

In addition, as the water evaporates, it will be desirable to add more water to the system. Any pack can be operatively connected to the system to repopulate the system as desired. The pack can be carried on the user's body and connected at any time, or optionally carried and attached when needed. It is preferable to use water as the evaporating liquid, but other liquids such as ammonia or ethyl alcohol can be used.

Another example is shown in FIG. 7. Temperature controller 92 is located on the user's jacket to facilitate control of the system. The temperature controller 92 is operatively connected to the battery pack 94 to provide energy to the thermoelectric unit 96. The thermoelectric unit may be selected such that the cold side is closest to the body or the hot side is closest to the body, depending on the manner of use of the system according to the invention. As mentioned above, aluminum or other acceptable material is disposed around the thermoelectric unit to act as the heat sink 98. Wicking material 100 having water and DNA is used as described above to dissipate energy into the atmosphere. A breathable layer disposed operatively on the wicking material 100 evaporates water or similar material out of the jacket 102.

A helmet incorporating the system is shown in FIG. The thermoelectric unit 110 may rest directly on the user's head or have a gel or cushion material between the user and the thermoelectric unit. The battery 112 supplies power to the thermoelectric unit. The heat sink material 114 is operatively connected to the thermoelectric unit. The wicking material 116 is operatively connected to the aluminum heat sink. Wicking material 116 has water and other liquids that evaporate or dissipate DNA or energy. The phase change material 118 enables evaporation from the helmet to the surroundings. Conversely, if it is not possible to carry out evaporation at the point of the thermoelectric unit, heat is transferred to the helmet or other part of the body to enable evaporation in different areas. In addition, the entire helmet can act as a heat sink and can evaporate water or other liquid from the entire surface.

It is envisioned that the system according to the invention may be embedded in a variety of already described garment articles.

In all embodiments as described above, the components that make up the personal thermal control device may include an actuation switch, a control circuit board (printed circuit board or other method), one or more thermoelectric units, one or more batteries, and one or more water (or other suitable). Material) supply. The components can be permanently or temporarily attached to a distribution and / or clothing article in an article of clothing containing the system according to the invention. Depending on the particular application or garment, two or more components may be located or combined together. Such components may be divided into smaller subcomponents, for example, one or more thermoelectric units may be installed remotely from one or more other thermoelectric units to provide more distributed cooling. Likewise, batteries may be distributed throughout the garment or installed in one location depending on the application and the needs of the user.

The actuation switch can be communicatively coupled with the control circuit board such that the duration of the heat transfer cycle or other adjustment is made by the user, the control circuit board being operatively connected to the thermoelectric unit to receive temperature information.

The actuation switch may be a solid state electronic timing switch operable by a user to activate and stop a heat transfer cycle regulated by optional electronics such as timers and / or other monitoring or control circuitry. According to one embodiment, the optional electronic device provides timed cycling (pulsing) of the thermoelectric unit, extending the operating time for the battery charge, avoiding supercooling, increasing the user's comfort, It also helps in the recovery of the battery. According to some embodiments of the invention, the control circuit board may be a programmable logic device programmed to intermittently operate the thermoelectric unit in a specific pattern of cycles. These patterns can be programmed through an external computing source, such as a laptop computer. According to some embodiments of the invention, the control circuit board may also include a wireless receiver or transceiver and may be programmed and / or reprogrammed via a wireless signal.

State information between one or more control signals and / or several distributed components may be transmitted via wireless means. In another embodiment, the transmission of state information between one or more power, control signals and / or several distributed components is through one or more fine conductive wires formed as part of the material of the article of clothing.

It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein. Accordingly, the above description is not to be considered as limiting, but merely as illustrative of various embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications may be made in other forms within the spirit of the appended claims.

The cooling and heating system according to the present invention can be embedded in a variety of various articles of clothing. Some of the articles of clothing include jackets, vests, helmets, costumes, hats, underwear, pants and socks.

Claims (20)

A thermoelectric unit having a cooling surface and a heating surface, the cooling surface being insulated from the heating surface; A heat sink thermally coupled with the thermoelectric unit; And A heating or cooling system comprising a wicking material operatively coupled to the heat sink. The heating or cooling system of claim 1, wherein the wicking material is saturated with a mixture of water and DNA to dissipate energy. The heating or cooling system of claim 1, wherein the heat sink and the wicking material maximize a surface area for evaporation. 3. The heating or cooling system of claim 2 further comprising a breathable layer disposed on the wicking material to evaporate the water to ambient. 3. The heating or cooling system of claim 2 further comprising a phase change material operatively coupled to the thermoelectric unit. 3. The heating or cooling system of claim 2 further comprising a unit that resaturates the wicking material with the water and DNA mixture. 3. The heating or cooling system of claim 2 further comprising a battery unit for powering the thermoelectric unit. The heating or cooling system of claim 2 wherein said heating or cooling system is embedded in an article of clothing. The heating or cooling system of claim 8, wherein the article of clothing is selected from a jacket, vest, helmet, costume, hat, underwear, pants, socks. The heating or cooling system of claim 1, wherein said heat sink is an aluminum layer. The heating or cooling system of claim 1, wherein the heat sink is selected from a layer of aluminum, metal, or composite material. A thermoelectric unit having a cooling surface and a heating surface, the cooling surface being insulated from the heating surface; A heat sink material thermally coupled with the thermoelectric unit; A wicking material operatively coupled to the heat sink; And A heated or cooled article of clothing comprising a battery unit for powering the thermoelectric unit. The article of clothing of claim 12, wherein the wicking material is saturated with a mixture of water and DNA configured to dissipate energy. The article of clothing of claim 13, further comprising a breathable layer disposed on the wicking material to evaporate the water to ambient. 15. The article of clothing of claim 13, further comprising a phase change material operatively coupled to the thermoelectric unit. 15. The article of clothing of claim 13, further comprising a unit for resaturating the wicking material with the water and DNA mixture. The article of clothing of claim 13, wherein the article of clothing is selected from a jacket, vest, helmet, costume, hat, underwear, pants, socks. The article of clothing of claim 13, wherein the heat sink is an aluminum layer. Providing a garment article having a cooling surface and a heating surface, the cooling surface comprising a thermoelectric unit insulated from the heating surface; Providing a heat sink material thermally coupled with the thermoelectric unit; Providing a wicking material operatively coupled to the heat sink; And Providing a battery unit for powering the thermoelectric unit. 20. The heating or cooling process of claim 19, wherein said wicking material is saturated with a mixture of DNA and water configured to dissipate heat.

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