A temperature controlled mobile vehicle compartment for providing a convenient article storage having a heat exchanger thermally connected to a thermoelectric device controlling thermal energy flow to and from the compartment. An air duct assembly cooperates with the thermoelectric device to vent the heat from the device outside the compartment and segregates the inflow air from the outflow air which received the thermal energy.
|
0. 14. A mobile vehicle temperature controlled compartment comprising:
a housing enclosing a compartment for storage of articles therein;
a heat exchanger mounted to said compartment;
a thermoelectric system having first and second heat sinks and a thermoelectric device mounted therebetween, said first heat sink being in thermoconductive contact with said heat exchanger;
an electrical power source electrically connected to said thermoelectric system;
and an air duct assembly having an extension member in thermoconductive contact with said second heat sink, an air inflow duct which receives inflow air from an air source and an air outflow duct which segregates and exhausts air separate from said inflow air;
wherein an air exit of the air inflow duct is provided opposite to the extension member.
1. A mobile vehicle temperature controlled compartment comprising:
a housing enclosing a compartment for storage of articles therein;
a beverage container receiving recess for receiving a base portion of a beverage container provided at an upper surface of said housing; a heat exchanger forming at least part of a wall of said compartment and being in thermoconductive communication with said beverage container receiving recess; a thermoelectric system comprising first and second heat sinks and a thermoelectric device mounted therebetween for moving thermal energy to and from said compartment, said first heat sink being in thermoconductive communication with said heat exchanger; an electrical power source electrically connected to said thermoelectric system; and an air duct assembly having an extension member in thermoconductive communication with said second heat sink for moving thermal energy from said thermoelectric device and venting same into an air flow so as to cool or heat said compartment.
0. 2. A mobile vehicle temperature controlled compartment comprising:
a housing enclosing a compartment for storage of articles therein;
a heat exchanger mounted to said compartment;
a thermoelectric system having first and second heat sinks and a thermoelectric device mounted therebetween, said first heat sink being in thermoconductive contact with said heat exchanger;
an electrical power source electrically connected to said thermoelectric system;
and an air duct assembly having an extension member in thermoconductive contact with said second heat sink, an air inflow duct which receives inflow air from an air source and an air outflow duct which segregates and exhausts air separate from said inflow air.
3. The compartment according to
4. The compartment according to
5. The compartment according to
0. 6. The compartment according to
7. The compartment according to
8. The compartment according to
9. The compartment according to
0. 10. The compartment according to
0. 11. The compartment according to
0. 12. The compartment according to
0. 13. The compartment according to
|
As shown in
Referring to
The modified console 12A further includes an integral beverage container cooler/heater assembly 70 which includes a modified heat exchanger 72 that has upper and lower legs joined to a bight portion with the lower leg 73 forming the compartment bottom wall 22A, the upwardly extending bight portion forming the front wall 28A, and the upper leg 75 extending forwardly from the bight portion 74. A lower portion of the bight portion 74 contacts a plate 46A of the thermoelectric system 42A so that the thermoelectric system 42A can draw or provide heat to the heat exchanger 72.
The upper portion 78 of the upper leg 75 can be formed with a depression in an upper surface thereof for the beverage container 80 to be seated in to aid in the heat transfer between the beverage container and the heat exchanger 72.
The beverage container 80 may also have structure which will assist in transferring the thermal energy to the beverage contained in the container 80 from the heat exchanger 72 and thermoelectric system 42A (FIGS. 5(A) and (B)). The beverage container 80 has an insulated cup portion 82 and a lid 84 which is removably secured to the open top of the cup portion 82 so as to reduce thermal losses or gains through the cup portion open top. The bottom of the cup portion 82 has a reduced diameter bottom portion 86 which is sized to fit within the recess 71. A thermally conductive element 88 is positioned within the cup portion 82 to improve the heat transfer with the heat exchanger upper portion 78 and has a relatively short cylindrical base 91 at the bottom end of the container 80 and a spire 92 integral with and extending upwardly from the base 91 into the beverage containing space defined by the cup portion 82. The spire 92 increases the surface area of the thermally conductive element 88 that is in contact with the beverage to improve the heat exchange with the beverage in the container 80.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5(B), the beverage container 80 does not have a spine 92 but instead has the walls of the container integral with and formed of the same material as the base 91. This enables the heating or cooling of not only a beverage contained therein but also a beverage container such as a can, water bottle, etc.
Referring to
While it is believed that operation of the present invention is apparent based on the above description, the operation of the present invention is outlined below for convenience. If it is desired to cool the compartment 18, then DC electrical power from the power source 44 is sent to the thermoelectric system 42. The direction of current flow causes the thermoelectric system to transfer thermal energy from one heat sink plate 46 and transfer the thermal energy to the other heat sink plate 48. The heat sink plate 46 will transfer thermal energy from thermally conductive element 40 which in turn transfers thermal energy from the heat exchanger 36. The heat exchanger 36 is bound on its outer facing sides by insulated walls 22, 28 and transfers thermal energy from the enclosed compartment 18. Thermal energy builds up at the heat sink plate 48 and is transferred to the extension member 56 and radiator fins 58 of air duct housing 54. The extension member 56 and radiator fins 58 transfers the thermal energy to air passing through the air duct assembly. The fan 68 pulls air in through the inflow air duct 54 and pushes air out of the outflow air duct 66 past the radiating fins 58 and extension member 56. Thusly, heat is transferred from the compartment 18 and is vented out in air from air duct 66. If it is desired to heat the compartment 18, then the DC power supplied to the thermoelectric system is reversed to force heat to flow toward the compartment 18.
The
The
While the above description only shows a single compartment, it will be within the scope of this invention to have a plurality of compartments whereby at least one of which has features above described. Further, it will be understood that the above described invention is described mounted within a vehicle console, it will work within any type of vehicle, for example automobiles, trucks, trailers, tractors, boats, aircraft, etc., wherein a temperature controlled compartment is desired, and does not have to be mounted within a console.
Although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
10660821, | Feb 18 2014 | TOHO PHARMACEUTICAL CO , LTD | Temperature-regulated transport box |
11946686, | Mar 22 2018 | Applied Materials, Inc | Thermally stable flow meters for precision fluid delivery |
7937954, | Dec 27 2005 | HANON SYSTEMS | Cooling and heating cabinet device of rear seat for vehicles using thermoelectric element |
8127565, | Mar 12 2009 | Refrigerating device | |
8555656, | Oct 28 2010 | Thermally conductive cup and holder | |
9358915, | Jun 03 2013 | Hyundai Motor Company; Kbautotech Co., Ltd. | Storage assembly for vehicle |
9416994, | Jun 03 2013 | Hyundai Motor Company; Kbautotech Co., Ltd. | Cooling and heating cup holder |
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
4301658, | Dec 11 1979 | Koolatron Industries, Ltd. | Control circuitry for thermoelectric cooler |
4384512, | May 11 1981 | Beverage heater and cooler | |
4823554, | Apr 22 1987 | Vehicle thermoelectric cooling and heating food and drink appliance | |
5099649, | Aug 23 1990 | IPV INHEIDENER PRODUKTIONS-UND VERTRIEBSGESELLSCHAFT MBH | Apparatus for cooling a glove compartment in a motor vehicle |
5701754, | Sep 29 1995 | Automobile refrigerator | |
5927091, | Jul 10 1998 | Dual-purpose refrigerator for use on an automobile | |
5941077, | Dec 21 1998 | Chill-hot buffet serving tray | |
6026646, | Aug 24 1998 | Prince Corporation | Thermal storage system for a vehicle |
6092381, | Nov 08 1997 | Hsinlon A/C Systems Limited | Refrigerator for a motor vehicle |
6412287, | Dec 21 2000 | Delphi Technologies, Inc | Heated/cooled console storage unit and method |
6449958, | Aug 18 2000 | Contained beverage cooling apparatus | |
6640551, | Aug 26 2002 | Whirlpool Corporation | Thermal conditioning beverage container holder |
6732534, | Aug 03 2000 | Tellurex Corporation | Vehicle temperature-conditioned container with a power control circuit and a defrost circuit |
6918257, | Aug 26 2002 | Whirlpool Corporation | Thermal conditioning beverage container holder |
20040068992, |
Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Feb 16 2005 | Tellurex Corporation | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / |
Date | Maintenance Fee Events |
Feb 28 2013 | M2553: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 12th Yr, Small Entity. |
Date | Maintenance Schedule |
May 04 2013 | 4 years fee payment window open |
Nov 04 2013 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
May 04 2014 | patent expiry (for year 4) |
May 04 2016 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 4) |
May 04 2017 | 8 years fee payment window open |
Nov 04 2017 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
May 04 2018 | patent expiry (for year 8) |
May 04 2020 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 8) |
May 04 2021 | 12 years fee payment window open |
Nov 04 2021 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
May 04 2022 | patent expiry (for year 12) |
May 04 2024 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 12) |