Patent ID: 6125636
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: A61F,A62B,F25B,H01L

Abstract:
A self-contained dry-operating device to thermally alter external temperature of a portion of a user's body, comprising:a heat dissipating member having a user-facing surface and an opposite rear surface, said member adapted to urgingly contact said portion of said user's body;a Peltier thermo-voltaic module, having a first surface spaced-apart from a second surface, disposed such that said first surface is in thermal contact with a portion of said rear surface of said member;means for coupling a source of polarized electrical energy to energize said module;wherein when said means for coupling energizes said module with a first bias polarity said module reduces temperature of said rear surface to cool said user; and when said means for coupling energizes said module with a second bias polarity said module increases temperature of said rear surface to warm said user; anda control unit coupled to provide said module with a pulsed drive signal defining module-on and module-off times, said control unit including means for sensing a bias potential across said module during at least some said module-off times and for feeding back sensed said bias potential to temperature control operation of said module.