Abstract:
A portable cooling or heating system suitable for use on a vehicle such as a car, plane or boat, that does not have its own air conditioning system. The system is intended to be combined with a portable cooler chest and includes an electric fan unit that can be powered from the power supply on a vehicle. The cooling is provided by ice and the like. The system can also be used to heat a confined space by placing a hot material in the chest.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation in part of copending U.S. Application Ser. No. 10/267,395, filed on Oct. 9, 2002. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention:  
           [0003]    This invention relates to new systems and methods for providing portable air conditioning. More particularly, the invention relates to systems and methods for delivering portable cooling or heating suitable for use in a vehicle such as a car, boat, plane, that does not already have its own air conditioning system or a substantial power supply.  
           [0004]    2. General Background and State of the Art:  
           [0005]    A variety of vehicles, typically smaller cars, airplanes, and boats, do not have their own cooling/heating system. In hot or cold weather these vehicles can be very uncomfortable. The addition of an add-on air conditioning system to a vehicle is a complex and expensive undertaking. With respect to certain airplanes, it is very difficult to install an add-on system because of available engine power, and certain FAA regulations severely restrict such add-ons. Adding a typical commercially available air conditioning system with either an electrical compressor or a belt driven compressor is not feasible for many such vehicles. Electrical compressors typically require 50 to 100 amps of power or more—which exceed the available power in many vehicles. A belt driven unit requires a significant amount of horse power which is not available in many vehicles. Thus, there has long been a need for a portable cooling/heating system for vehicles without such a system.  
           [0006]    One such cooling system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,165 to Bigelow. This air-conditioning system included a fan with a radiator that sits on top of a height adjustable support frame within an open ice chest. A pump pumps a heat exchange fluid, typically water taken from an ice-water mixture contained in the icechest, through a hose into the radiator, from which the fluid flows back into the ice chest. A single housing encloses the radiator and fan, and is attached to a collapsible frame which enables a user to position and angle the fan so that it points out of the open ice chest. The fan pulls air through a back end of the radiator, cooling the air, and then blows the cooled air out through a front end of the radiator. In an alternative embodiment, the fan&#39;s housing and frame rest on top of a closed ice chest, and the hose through which the heat exchange fluid flows enters the ice chest through openings drilled in the lid of the ice chest.  
           [0007]    Another cooling system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,281 (Oliphant, et al.). The cooling system of this device is intended to be used with an 8 to 32 ounce cup of ice water or some other appropriate fluid. The cooling unit is dimensioned to fit into the top of a cup, and contains two small batteries, typically C-size batteries, an intake fan with an on/off switch, and an air exit opening. When on, the fan pulls air in through an intake opening into contact with the fluid mixture in the cup. The fluid mixture can be either hot or cold, depending upon whether the device is to be used for cooling or heating. The air, either cooled or heated, then exits through a spout shaped air exit opening. This device is useful for an individual to cool or warm oneself, but is insufficient for cooling or heating a cabin of a vehicle, such as a boat or airplane.  
           [0008]    Each of the prior art systems has certain drawbacks associated with them. For example, the power requirements of the Bigelow air-conditioning unit are rather substantial for a vehicle battery, since power is needed for both the fan and the pump. Additionally, the fan/radiator unit takes up substantially the entire space of the cooler or ice chest and thereby prevents the cooler from being used for its intended purpose of cooling food or beverages.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable cooling system which is small enough so that it does not occupy an inordinate amount of space, yet is efficient enough to heat or cool a vehicle so its passengers are comfortable, and not place undue demands on the vehicles&#39; electrical power supply system. It is further an object of the present invention to provide a portable air-conditioning system that utilizes a conventional portable ice chest without compromising its primary function of cooling food and beverages.  
           [0010]    One exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a cooling unit sized to fit inside a commercially available, insulated ice chest. Many such ice chests have a ridge on the inside of the chest upon which the cooling unit of the invention can rest. The cooling unit itself includes a fan to draw air from outside into the ice chest, and an exhaust vent by which air can exit the ice chest. The fan on the cooling unit can have an electrical connection for connection to an electrical power supply. When the ice chest is filled with ice, the air drawn into the chest by the fan and vented through the exhaust vent is cooled by movement through ice located in the chest. The cooling unit can optionally include an air directional wall that extends vertically downward from the cooling unit into the chest to force air into contact with the ice and facilitate the cooling process.  
           [0011]    In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the ice chest itself is modified, so that the air intake motor assembly is mounted in one side wall of the ice chest, and the air exhaust vent is mounted in a wall opposite of the wall with the motor assembly.  
           [0012]    In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the cooling unit is designed to function as a lid for closing or covering the cooler. The lid includes two openings. A first opening contains a fan to draw air inside the cooler. A second opening is an exhaust vent for allowing air from inside the cooler to exit to the surrounding environment. Air is thereby circulated from the surrounding environment outside of the cooler through the fan into the cooler, and is pushed back out through the second opening. When the ice chest is filled with ice, the air drawn into the chest by the fan and vented through the exhaust vent is cooled by movement through ice located in the chest. The fan on the cooling unit has an electrical connection for connection to an electrical power supply.  
           [0013]    The lid in accordance with the present invention could be sold separately from the cooler, to fit a variety of different cooler models and sizes, and enable a person already owning a cooler to replace its lid with the lid of the present invention, to utilize their cooler as a personal cooling apparatus. Similarly, a cooler could be sold already fitted with a lid comprising the cooling unit in accordance with the present invention.  
           [0014]    The ice chest can also be filled with hot water or other hot liquid to heat the air being drawn into the chest, so that the device of the present invention can serve as a heating unit.  
           [0015]    In all embodiments of the present invention, the ice chest be used to store food and beverages while simultaneously providing heating or cooling functionality to the surroundings. This was a disadvantage of the prior art, in that the heating/cooling apparatus took up much of the inner space of the cooler so as to prevent use of the cooler in maintaining the temperature of foods or beverages. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 a  illustrates a top view of an exemplary embodiment of the portable cooling apparatus of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 b  illustrates a bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of the portable cooling apparatus of the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 illustrates a cutaway side view of an exemplary embodiment of the portable cooling apparatus of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 illustrates a cutaway side view of an alternative embodiment of the cooling apparatus of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIGS. 4 a  to  4   d  are photographs illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the portable cooling system of the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIGS. 5 a  to  5   c  illustrate another exemplary embodiment of cooling system of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]    In the following description of the preferred embodiments reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.  
         [0023]    A top view of the cooling unit of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 1 a , and a bottom view of the cooling housing  10  is shown in FIG. 1 b . The cooling unit  1  includes a housing  10  sized generally to fit in the top of a commercially available ice chest. One such ice chest model is available from Igloo Products of Houston, Tex. The housing includes a molded, recessed pull handle  2 , an opening  3  for the placement of an electric motor and fan unit  7 , and an opening  4  for an air exhaust vent. In one embodiment, the motor and fan unit  7  is attached to housing  10  by a plurality of spring clips  8 . Alternatively, the motor and fan unit  7  can be screw mounted to the housing  10 , as shown in FIG. 4. Attached to the housing is a power cord  5  that connects to the motor unit. In one preferred embodiment, the unattached end of power cord  5  includes a cigarette plug  6  for connecting to a vehicle&#39;s cigarette lighter to form a 12 VDC connection for providing power to the motor unit. This enables the motor and fan unit  7  to be powered by a vehicle&#39;s battery.  
         [0024]    A cutaway side view of the cooling unit of the invention is depicted in FIG. 2. An ice chest  20  is shown with an opening  21  at a top end of the chest  20 . Ice chest  20  includes handles  15 , a drain plug  11 , and is at least partially filled with ice  17 . The ice  17  can be partially melted or otherwise mixed with water. Cooling unit  1  is shown placed in the opening  21  of ice chest  20 . If the inside of the ice chest  20  is lacking a ridge on the inside near the opening  21 , a set of hooks  16  can be provided that hook onto the top end of ice chest  20  and which provide a resting place onto which the housing  10  of cooling unit  1  can be rested. A beverage container  25  is shown to illustrate that the ice chest&#39;s primary function of cooling food and beverages is compatible with the addition of the cooling unit  10 .  
         [0025]    In operation, the motor and fan unit  7  pulls air from the outside through opening  3 , and blows the air into and through the ice  17  contained inside the ice chest  20 . Coming into contact with the ice  17  cools the air. The cooled air then exits the ice chest  20  through the exhaust vent  4 . Placed inside exhaust vent  4  can be a set of louvers  18  that are rotatable about an axis of the opening  4 , and are also tiltable, so as to control the direction of the air being exhausted from the ice chest  20 . The flow of the air through the ice chest is indicated by the arrow in the figure. The cooling unit  1  can also optionally include an air directional wall  9  to force air into contact with the ice  17 . The air directional wall  9  can include a plurality of holes in the event the ice chest  20  is overfilled with ice, thus otherwise blocking the air flow.  
         [0026]    An alternative embodiment of the cooling system of the invention is depicted in FIG. 3. In this embodiment, the ice chest  20  is itself modified with the addition of a first side opening  12  for the placement of the motor and fan unit  7 , and a second side opening  13  for the exhaust vent  18 . The motor and fan unit  7  is in this embodiment protected by a mesh screen  14 . In operation, the motor and fan unit pulls air in from the outside through the first opening  12 , blows the air across and through the ice as indicated by the arrows, so the cooled air exits through the exhaust vent  18 . As with the first embodiment, the exhaust vent can include a set of louvers that are rotatable about an axis of the second opening  13 , and are also tiltable, so as to control the direction of the air being exhausted from the ice chest  20 . A beverage container  25  is shown to illustrate that the ice chest&#39;s primary function of cooling food and beverages is compatible with the addition of the cooling unit  10 .  
         [0027]    [0027]FIGS. 4 a  to  4   d  depict four photographic images of the cooling unit  1  of the invention inside and on top of an ice chest  20 . FIG. 4 a  depicts a front view of an open ice chest with the cooling unit of the invention pleaded in the top opening of the ice chest. Note that in this embodiment, the motor and fan unit and the air exhaust vent are attached to the housing by means of screws. FIG. 4 b  depicts a side view of the cooling unit of the present invention, here shown removed from the inside of the ice chest resting on top of same. The ridge on the inside of the ice chest upon which the cooling unit rests is visible in the right hand side of the image. The thickness of the housing is dimensioned so that the unit does not protrude above the top of the ice chest while resting upon the ridge. FIG. 4 c  depicts the underside of the housing of a cooling unit resting on top of the ice chest. The fan blades of the motor and fan unit are visible in the left side of the image. Finally, FIG. 4 d  depicts a top view of the housing of the cooling unit, here placed inside the ice chest and resting on the inside ridge.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIGS. 5 a  through  5   d  illustrate yet other exemplary embodiments of the present invention. In these embodiments, the air conditioning unit is created by using a housing which also functions as a lid to a cooler.  
         [0029]    A top view of the cooling unit of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 5 a , and side views of the cooling unit and lid housing are shown in FIGS. 5 b  and  5   c . The cooling unit  1  includes a lid housing  30  sized generally to fit on the top of a commercially available ice chest. The lid housing  30  may be fixed with hinges, so as to be opened from one side, or from the rear, or may be completely removable from the cooler. The housing includes an opening  3  for the placement of a motor and fan unit  7 , and an opening  4  for an air exhaust vent. The fan unit, for example, may be a conventional 12-volt brushless fan. As with other above mentioned embodiments, the exhaust vent can include a set of louvers that are rotatable and tiltable, so as to control the direction of the air being exhausted from the cooler. In an exemplary embodiment, the lid housing  30  may also comprise caps  31  and  32  for covering each of the openings  3  and  4  when they are not in use. The caps  31  and  32  may be hinged to the lid housing  30 , or may be removably attached to the lid housing by snap closure or other convenient methods. When closed, the caps provide a fully sealed environment so that the lid housing  30  can be used for enclosing the cooler and utilizing the cooler for conventional purposes. Connecting to the motor unit is a power cord  5  to provide power to the fan. In one exemplary embodiment, the lid housing  30  is further molded to comprise a storage channel  33  for holding the power cord  5  when it is not in use. The storage channel  33  may, for example, be located around the perimeter of the lid housing.  
         [0030]    In the embodiment shown in the front view of FIG. 5 d , at least one of the caps  131  opens downwardly from the cover. This embodiment is otherwise closely similar to that shown in FIGS. 5 a - c , in that it includes a lid housing  130  sized generally to fit on the top of a commercially available ice chest. The lid housing  130  may be fixed with hinges, so as to be opened from one side, or may be completely removable from the cooler. The housing includes an intake opening  103  for the placement of the motor and fan unit, and an opening  104  for an air exhaust vent. As with other above mentioned embodiments, the a set of louvers can be provided, so as to control the direction of the air being exhausted from the cooler. In this exemplary embodiment, the lid housing  30  includes at least one hinged cap  131  for covering each of the openings  3  and  4  when they are not in use. The hinged caps is hinged to the lid housing  130  so as to swing downwardly so as to form a baffle, or directional wall, between the intake and outlet openings, as shown in FIG. 5 d . The lid can otherwise be substantially the same as is shown in FIGS. 5 a - c.    
         [0031]    As described above, the lid housing in accordance with the present invention could be sold separately from the cooler, to fit a variety of different cooler models and sizes. Similarly, a specialized cooler in accordance with the present invention could be sold already fitted with a lid comprising the cooling unit in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0032]    It should be noted that the air conditioning apparatus of the invention can also function as a heating unit if the ice chest is filled with a hot liquid, instead of a cool liquid such as an ice-water mixture.  
         [0033]    The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The portable cooling device of the present invention may also be supplemented by features and other than those described herein. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.