Patent Publication Number: US-2013233531-A1

Title: Temperature conditioning device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a temperature conditioning device, especially to a temperature conditioning device that regulates human body temperature or animal body temperature. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art(s) 
     When a person has a fever or hyperthermia, an ice pack is used to lower body temperature and ease discomfort. When the person is injured or exercises strenuously, a compression wrap that is filled with ice cubes and cool liquid or is filled with hot liquid is used to comfort uncomfortable body parts. 
     However, as temperature of the ice pack or the compression wrap reaches a normal human body temperature, the user has to resume the temperature of the ice pack or the compression wrap to a lower or a higher temperature by replacing contents in the ice pack or the compression wrap, which is troublesome. As the replacement of contents takes place, the relieving of discomfort for the user must be interrupted. 
     To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a temperature conditioning device to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main objective of the present invention is to provide a temperature conditioning device. The temperature conditioning device has a connection tube assembly, a heat exchange unit, a system controller and a wrap assembly connected to the connection tube assembly. The wrap assembly has a water bag, an air bag and a sleeve wrapped around the air bag and the water bag. The system controller has a water pump for drawing liquid from the heat exchange unit to the water bag to cool or warm a body part of a user, and a pneumatic pump for inflating the air bag to provide holding force. 
     The temperature conditioning device forms a water cycle between the heat exchange unit and the water bag so the water bag is able to keep a cool or warm temperature to comfort a user continuously. 
     Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a temperature conditioning device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of the temperature conditioning device in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view of a container of the temperature conditioning device in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an operational top view of the temperature conditioning device in  FIG. 1 , showing one temperature conditioning device is stored in a bag; and 
         FIG. 5  is another operational top view of the temperature conditioning device in  FIG. 1 , showing two temperature conditioning devices are stored in the bag. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a temperature conditioning device  1  in accordance with the present invention comprises a connection tube assembly  40 , a heat exchange unit  10 , a system controller  20 , a wrap assembly  30 , a temperature gauge  51  and a water filter  52 . 
     With further reference to  FIG. 2 , the connection tube assembly  40  has a first water output tube  41 , a second water output tube  42 , a water input tube  43  and an air input tube  44 . 
     With further reference to  FIG. 3 , the heat exchange unit  10  has a container  11 , a cap  12 , a water exit connector  14 , a water return connector  15 , a pressure limit valve  16  and a check valve  17 . 
     The container  11  is filled with ice cubes and cool liquid or is filled with hot liquid, and has an opening  111  formed through the container  11 . The cap  12  is mounted on the container  11  and is mounted around the opening  111  of the container  11 . 
     The water exit connector  14  is mounted through the container  11 , is mounted through the cap  12 , is connected to the first water output tube  41  and has an outer end, an inner end and a duct  13 . The outer end of the water exit connector  14  protrudes out of the container  11  and is connected to the first water output tube  41 . The inner end of the water exit connector  14  protrudes into the container  11 . The duct  13  is mounted on the inner end of the water exit connector  14  and protrudes inward into the container  11 . Thus, the first water output tube  41  communicates with the container  11 . The water return connector  15  is mounted through the container  11 , is mounted through the cap  12  and is connected to the water input tube  43 . 
     The pressure limit valve  16  is mounted in the water return connector  15 . The check valve  17  is mounted through the container  11 , is mounted through the cap  12  and automatically allows air outside the container  11  to flow into the container  11 . 
     The system controller  20  has a casing  21 , a water pump  22  and a pneumatic pump  23 . The water pump  22  is mounted in the casing  21  and is connected to the first water output tube  41  and the second water output tube  42 . The pneumatic pump  23  is mounted in the casing  21  and is connected to the air input tube  44 . 
     The wrap assembly  30  has an air bag  31 , a water bag  32 , a sleeve  33  and an air release valve  34 . The air bag  31  is connected to the air input tube  44 . The water bag  32  overlaps the air bag  31  and is connected to the second water output tube  42  and the water input tube  43 . The sleeve  33  is wrapped around the air bag  31  and the water bag  32 . The air release valve  34  is mounted through the air bag  31  and automatically releases air overcharged in the air bag  31  to prevent the air bag  31  from blowing up. 
     The temperature gauge  51  is mounted on the second water output tube  42  and the water input tube  43 , is disposed adjacent to the wrap assembly  30  and detects temperatures of the liquids that flow into and flow out of the water bag  32 . Thus, the user is able to observe the difference between the temperature of the liquid flowing into the water bag  32  and the temperature of the liquid flowing out of the water bag  32 . 
     The water filter  52  is mounted on the first water output tube  41  and filters out impurities in the liquid. 
     With further reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , one, two or more temperature conditioning devices  1  may be stored in a bag  60  for the convenience of transportation. 
     The wrap assembly  30  is wrapped around a body part of a user. When the water pump  22  is activated, the water pump  22  draws liquid in the container  11  and pumps the liquid into the water bag  32 . Then the liquid in the water bag  32  is pushed out of the water bag  32 , flows through the water input tube  43 , opens the pressure limit valve  16  in the water return connector  15  and then flows back into the container  11 . The pneumatic pump  23  inflates or deflates the air bag  31  to allow the air bag  31  to tighten or loosen the hold on the body part of the user. 
     As the container  11  is airtight and the water pump  22  draws the liquid out of the container  11 , interior of the container  11  becomes a partial vacuum. The check valve  17  mounted on the cap  12  allows air outside the container  11  to flow into the container  11  to relieve vacuum state. Thus, the water pump  22  is able to keep working without being overloaded. 
     The pressure limit valve  16  allows the liquid to flow back into the container  11  whenever the water pump  22  is activated, and stops the liquid from entering the container  11  whenever the water pump  22  stops working. Therefore, as the water pump  22  stops working, even if the liquid expands or the water bag  32  shrinks, the liquid in the water bag  32  does not flow back into the container  11 . Consequently, cooling or warming effect of the temperature conditioning device is maintained. Moreover, since the water pump  22  does not need to keep working continuously, electric power supply to the water pump  22  is saved and temperature of the water bag  32  does not become too low or too high causing discomfort of the user. 
     Preferably, the system controller  20  further has a pressure detector  24 , an air guiding tube  25  and a solenoid valve  26 . The pressure detector  24  is mounted in the casing  21 . The air guiding tube  25  has two ends respectively connected to the pneumatic pump  23  and the pressure detector  24 . The solenoid valve  26  is electrically connected to and is controlled by the pressure detector  24 , and controls communication between the air guiding tube  25  and the air input tube  44 . The air input tube  44  is connected to the pneumatic pump  23  via the solenoid valve  26  and the air guiding tube  25 . 
     Thus, the pressure detector  24  detects air pressure of pressurized air that is pumped out of the pneumatic pump  23  and controls the solenoid valve  26  to stop the pressurized air from entering the air input tube  44  when the pressurized air is over pressurized, or to allow the pressurized air to enter the air input tube  44  when the pressurized air has normal air pressure. 
     The temperature conditioning device  1  as described has the following advantage. The container  11 , the connection tube assembly  40  and the water bag  32  form a water cycle between the container  11  and the water bag  32 . Therefore, the water bag  32  is able to keep a cool or warm temperature to comfort the user continuously. 
     Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.