Abstract: A thermionic heating and cooling device for heating or cooling a portion of a user's body utilizes thermal diodes having a first surface in thermal contact with a flexible thermal transfer band strapped to a portion of the user's body and a second surface spaced apart therefrom with a thermally conductive porous carbon foam heat sink secured to their second surface which is partially enclosed by a shroud and a surrounding air filter. A small enclosure worn by the user contains an air pump, a battery and a switch. A flexible conduit connects the air pump and shroud and draws ambient air through the porous carbon foam medium. The thermal diodes are connected to the battery by leads extending through the conduit. A voltage bias between the diode surfaces creates a cold surface and hot surface opposite each other and causes electrons to flow in one direction and transfer heat from the first surface to the second and into the heat exchanger, and the heat is prevented from returning to the first surface.

Abstract: A personal thermoelectric Peltier effect heating and cooling device for heating or cooling a portion of a user's body utilizes a porous carbon foam heat sink secured to one surface of a Peltier thermovoltaic member. The heat sink is formed of a thermally conductive open cell foam medium through which air can pass and is partially enclosed by a shroud and a surrounding air filter. The opposed surface of the Peltier thermovoltaic member is secured to a flexible metallic thermal transfer band that is releasable strapped to a portion of the user's body. A miniature vacuum air pump and a battery are contained in a small enclosure that is releasably secured on another portion of the user's body remote from the thermal transfer band. A flexible tubular conduit connects the air pump inlet to the shroud and draws ambient air through the thermally conductive open cell foam medium.