Personal Cooling Device

Abstract

A portable personal cooling device comprises a fan housing, a fan motor within the fan housing, and a fan driven by said fan motor to direct a flow of air in a downstream direction. A nozzle is attached to the cooling device and positioned to direct a liquid emerging therefrom into the flow of air. An electrically driven pump and pump motor is coupled to the fan housing for drawing water from a body of water and conducting the water to the nozzle for dispersment into the air flow. The cooling device further includes a clamp for removably attaching the fan housing to a supporting structure without the need for tools. The pump assembly includes a water inlet line for conducting the water from the body of water to the pump. The water inlet line has an inlet end weighted sufficiently to maintain the inlet end below the surface of the water in the water source, and a quantity of buoyant material spaced from the inlet end to maintain the inlet end a predetermined distance below the surface of the water.

Description

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to personal cooling devices, and more specifically to portable personal cooling devices utilizing fans and water mist.

Portable personal cooling devices are known that comprise a fan and nozzle arrangement for entraining water mist into the air flow from the fan to thereby cool an individual more effectively than air-flow alone. For example, hand-held pump-spray bottles with small electrical fans mounted adjacent the spray have been used. However, the volume of the water within the spray bottle is small due to the weight of the water.

There is a need for a portable personal cooling device that can access greater quantities of water, and which are adaptable to the various places that an individual would desire to utilize the device. In addition, there is a need for a portable personal cooling device that can be easily transported, easily set up, and capable of cooling more than a single individual in an adjustably efficient manner.

SUMMARY

A portable personal cooling device constructed in accordance with the invention comprises a fan housing, an electrically driven fan motor within the fan housing, and a fan driven by said fan motor to direct a flow of air in a downstream direction. A nozzle is attached to the cooling device and positioned to direct a liquid emerging therefrom into the flow of air. A pump assembly comprising an electrically driven pump and pump motor is coupled to the fan housing for drawing water from a body of water and conducting the water to the nozzle for dispersment into the air flow. The cooling device further includes a clamp for removably attaching the fan housing to a supporting structure without the need for tools.

The pump assembly includes a water inlet line for conducting the water from the body of water to the pump. The water inlet line preferably has an inlet end weighted sufficiently to maintain the inlet end below the surface of the water in the water source, and a quantity of buoyant material spaced from the inlet end to maintain the inlet end a predetermined distance below the surface of the water. The water flows through a mesh, screen or filter upstream from the pump.

As used herein, the term “body of water” refers to a contained body of water regardless of size so long as the body of water is usable as a coolant source in the manner described herein, and to streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Additional details concerning the present invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a right side perspective view of a portable personal cooling device constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a right front oblique detailed view of the nozzle associated with the cooling device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a right rear perspective view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a right side detail view of the preferred clamp associated with the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a right rear perspective view of the device similar to FIG. 3, but with a portion of the housing removed to reveal the preferred location of the pump;

FIG. 6 is a right side view of the rear portion of the device with a portion of its housing removed and the pump displaced from the device for visual clarity;

FIG. 7 illustrate the inlet end of the inlet line coupling the pump to a source of water; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of a clutch arrangement for selectively powering the pump with the fan motor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of a portable personal cooling device 10 constructed in accordance with the invention is illustrated as comprising a fan housing 12, an electrically driven fan motor (not shown) within the fan housing, and a fan 14 driven by said fan motor to direct a flow of air in a generally downstream direction 16. The fan is located behind a safety grill 14a to minimize the risk of injury to a user from the rotating fan blades. The fan is preferably 5-10 inches in diameter.

A misting nozzle 18, attached to the cooling device, is positioned to direct a liquid emerging therefrom into the generally downstream flow of air. The nozzle 18 is preferably configured with an external or internal screw thread that enables the nozzle to engage mating threads of a nozzle manifold 18a as the nozzle is screwed into the manifold. The nozzle manifold is preferably formed from a plastic or metal bulkhead mounted to the face of the safety grill. It ports the water from the pump output line 32 (FIG. 6) to the misting nozzle, and permits the nozzle to be easily removed for servicing if it becomes clogged. Preferably, the nozzle manifold 18a is a small plastic molded device that snaps onto the safety grill; however, the whole grill can be a molded part and have the manifold integrated directly onto it as one piece, or the manifold can be attached to the grill on any other fashion desired. Naturally, no manifold is required if one wishes to simply affix the nozzle to the grill and the output line 32.

A pump assembly is coupled to the fan housing and preferably located within the fan housing. The pump assembly (illustrated in Figures and 6) includes an electrically-driven pump 36 and pump motor 36a for drawing water from a body of water via an input line 34 and conducting the water to the nozzle via output line 32 for dispersment into the air flow created by the rotating fan blades.

A clamp 22 is affixed or mechanically coupled to the fan housing 12 for removably attaching the personal cooling device 10 to a supporting structure without the need for tools. While the supporting structure is illustrated in FIG. 1 is a desk top, it should be recognized that any structure can be utilized to support the cooling device, such as the top edge of a water container or a beach cooler, the pole or strut(s) of a beach umbrella, the frame of a beach chair, or structure associated with a vehicle or watercraft, etc., so as to conveniently direct the mist-laden air flow towards one or more individuals.

In FIG. 1, and as best shown in FIG. 4, the fan housing is preferably coupled to the clamp 22 via an intermediate arm 28 pivotably coupled at its lower end to the clamp 22 and at its upper end to the fan housing. The lower pivotable coupling 24 comprises interlocking sections coupled with a bolt or threaded shaft, thumb nuts, knobs or tool-tightened hardware, that permit the personal cooling device to be adjustably pivoted about an axis generally perpendicular to the plane of the Figure. The upper pivotable coupling 26 comprises interlocking sections coupled with a bolt or threaded shaft, thumb nuts, knobs or tool tightened hardware that permit the personal cooling device to be adjustably pivoted about an axis generally parallel to the plane of the Figure. The path of misted air can thereby be adjusted over a wide range of angles in both dimensions to accommodate the height and orientation of the supporting structures encountered by the user vis-à-vis the preferred air flow path.

Further, owing to the compact and integrated assembly of components forming the device, an oscillating fan can be used to repeatedly sweep a chosen arc with a flow of misted air that can cool a number of individuals without lingering too long and uncomfortably in any one region. Accordingly, a pump outlet line 32 is preferably affixed to the housing 12 (as at 30) and coupled for fluid communication to the nozzle 18 to deliver water from a pump 36 (FIG. 5) preferably mounted within the device housing 12. The pump outlet line 32 is conveniently formed from a length of ¼-inch diameter surgical tubing. The essentially integrated assembly of pump and pump motor, fan, nozzle and outlet line render the resulting device conveniently portable and installable while permitting a desired degree of fan oscillation with minimal or no manipulation or vulnerability to damage of components. The “on board” pump-to-nozzle connection permits oscillating movement and device re-positioning that is free of hose tangles and other such impediments. Naturally, the pump and/or pump motor can alternatively be affixed to the exterior of the housing, or be physically separated or separable from the housing, but these alternative configurations are less preferred.

FIG. 5 is a right rear perspective view of the device similar to FIG. 3, but with a portion of the housing removed to reveal the preferred location of the pump 36. As best illustrated in FIG. 6, wherein the pump 36 is illustrated in a position displaced from the cooling device for visual clarity, a pump assembly is shown comprising the pump 36 coupled to a pump motor 36a. The pump motor 36a is carried within a bracket 37 generally positioned within the device's housing behind the fan motor. The bracket holds the pump motor and pump in a position that, combined with the fan and fan motor, yields a center of gravity of the personal cooling device that is balanced for easy and comfortable carrying, set-up and removal by a user. The resultant center of gravity also provides a balanced load on the clamp 22 when the personal cooling device is mounted to a supporting structure to minimize or eliminate a pivoting detachment of the clamp from the supporting structure induced by uneven weight distribution about the clamp. Where an oscillating fan is used, the fan motor, pump and pump motor are positioned with respect to the pivot point of the fan so as to minimize the load placed on the oscillation gears.

A suitable pump motor and pump is the CPM40 micro pump offered by Ningbo Rhino Pump & Valve Manufacturing Co., Ltd in Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, China. In the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the pump motor has a cylindrical housing that drops into a cylindrical opening in the bracket 37. To limit the depth of the pump motor's insertion into the bracket, a generally rectangular stop-block 35 circumvents an upper portion of the pump motor housing to provide a stop surface supported by the bracket (FIG. 5). To prevent the pump assembly from rotating within the bracket, the bracket is provided with a pair of shoulders 37a, 37b that engage the sides of the stop block 35 when the stop block is supported by the bracket.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other configurations for positioning the pump assembly and, if desirable, preventing or limiting its rotation are possible and within the scope of the invention. For example, the pump motor may be provided with a non-cylindrical housing that, when supported within a non-cylindrical bracket, is inherently or nearly non-rotatable and has a self-limited insertion depth. Alternatively, the pump motor can be affixed to the bracket (or otherwise within the housing) by means of mechanical fasteners such as screws, rivets, Velcro® and the like, or by means of adhesive or glue.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5, the pump is fluidically coupled to a water inlet line 34 that conducts water from a body of water to the pump. The pump inlet line 34 is conveniently formed from a length of ¼-inch diameter surgical tubing.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the inlet line 34 had an inlet end 38 weighted sufficiently to maintain the inlet end below the surface of the water in the water source. By way of example, a brass fitting 37 is coupled onto the inlet end to provide the desired amount of weight. A float 40 comprising a quantity of buoyant material is spaced from the inlet end to maintain the inlet end at a generally predetermined distance below the surface of the water. The buoyant material 40 is preferably adjustably spaced from the tip of the inlet end so that the depth of immersion can be controlled, and the inlet end can thereby be maintained at one inch or more below the surface of the water of a lake, pond, ocean and the like to avoid the entry of scum, oil and/or debris. A screen, mesh or filter (not shown, but preferably at or near the inlet end) provides a degree of filtering to prevent clogging of the inlet line and/or pump and damage to the pump from debris within the water. The pump is preferably a vacuum pump that pulls the water from the water source and allows for a self-priming feature over 10 meters above the source of water.

The water pumped to the nozzle can be any of a number of sources. For example, the water can be contained within an ice chest and be derived from melting ice therein. Alternatively, the chest itself (including a cooler) can be filled or partially filled with water that is to be pumped to the nozzle, with the device being clamped to a surface or edge of the chest or nearby supporting structure. If used at the beach or lakeside, a barrel or chest can be replenished periodically from the ocean or lake to provide a misting spray from the device, or the inlet line can be immersed on the ocean or lake. The fitting 37 can be provided with a surface that is sized and shaped to provide a secure connection with the drain of a cooler (when the cooler has a drain) so that water draining from the cooler can be conducted to the fan with minimal or no leakage around the fitting. Preferably the fitting is tapered so as to securely accommodate drains of different cross-section. Aboard watercraft or on a pier, the inlet line can be immersed in the water with the float, ensuring that the inlet end is sufficiently submerged to avoid surface contaminants, such as oil, and debris.

Moreover, detachable fittings can be provided for use at the inlet end of the inlet line to enable the substitution of fittings adapted to securely communicate with respective water sources.

The pump is preferably activated and deactivated independently of the fan so that a mist is entrained into the air flow only when desired, and the quantity of available water can be used more efficiently if in limited supply. The pump switch may be electronic or mechanical; if electronically activated, it may be automatically operated intermittingly so as to provide intermittent periods of misting. The switch can also be configured to be activated by a user's hand, foot or any other body part.

Independent activation of the pump and fan can be accomplished by connecting them in parallel to a power source through respective switches, by utilizing a single switch that selectively connects (1) only the fan motor or (2) both the fan motor and pump to a power source, or by selectively coupling/decoupling a drive shaft associated with the pump and the driveshaft of the fan motor via a clutch arrangement. One clutch arrangement is schematically illustrated in FIG. 8, wherein a finger-actuated lever 60 is employed to selectively slide a first gear 62 associated with the driven shaft of a pump 66 into and out of engagement with a second gear 64 coupled to the fan motor to respectively activate and delivery of water to the mist-generating nozzle for entrainment into the air flow from the rotating fan.

Electric power may be provided to the fan and pump from batteries, solar cells or any other convenient power source (or combination thereof), and a power cord 42 (FIG. 1) to couple the device to an external power source may terminate in a fixed or changeable plug 44 that is compatible with the cigarette lighter of a vehicle, solar cells, battery pack and/or a standard type power receptacle plug. Moreover, batteries used to power the device can be external, or externally or internally mounted, and can be rechargeable or single use. Preferably, the device is configured to operate cordlessly with a rechargeable battery.

The preferred embodiment accordingly provides an easily carried, easily installed and removed, self-contained personal cooling device that is usable on land, in the air and on the water. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the cooling device can be sized and/or positioned to simultaneously cool more than a single individual, and the term “personal” as used herein should accordingly not be construed to limit the device's application to the cooling of a single individual at a time.

Various modifications and changes may be made to the illustrated structure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which is to be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A portable personal cooling device comprising

a housing;

an electrically driven fan motor within the housing, and

a fan driven by said fan motor to direct a flow of air in a downstream direction;

a misting nozzle positioned to direct a liquid emerging therefrom into the flow of air;

a pump assembly comprising an electrically driven pump fixedly coupled to the housing for drawing water from a body of water and conducting the water to the nozzle for dispersment into the air flow; and

a clamp for removably attaching the housing to a supporting structure without the need for tools.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the pump assembly includes

a water inlet line for conducting the water from the body of water to the pump, the water inlet line having an inlet end weighted sufficiently to maintain the inlet end below the surface of the water in the water source, and a quantity of buoyant material spaced from the inlet end to maintain the inlet end a predetermined distance below the surface of the water, and

a mesh, screen or filter through which the conducted water flows to the pump.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the water inlet line has a tapered fitting at its inlet end permitting secure connection to the drain of an ice chest or cooler enabling water within the cooler can be pumped to the nozzle.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the water inlet line includes a detachable fitting at its inlet end that enables substitution of fittings adapted to securely communicate with respective water sources.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein the quantity of buoyant material is movable towards and away from the inlet end to provide the inlet end with a desired immersion depth.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the pump is driven by the same motor as the fan.

7. The device of claim 1 including a safety grill mounted to the housing downstream of the fan to minimize the risk of injury to a user from the rotating fan blades.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the misting nozzle attached to the cooling device, is formed from a plastic or metal bulkhead mounted to the face of the safety grill.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the bulkhead snaps onto the safety grill.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein the safety grill and manifold are a molded plastic part.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the pump assembly is located within the fan housing.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the housing is pivotably coupled to the clamp.

13. The device of claim 1 including a pump outlet line affixed to the housing and coupled for fluid communication to the nozzle to deliver water from the pump to the nozzle.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the fan is an oscillating fan, and the pump, motor, fan and nozzle oscillate as a single unit.

15. The device of claim 14 including a fluid conduit in fluid communication between the pump and nozzle mounted for oscillation with the pump and nozzle.

16. The device of claim 1 including a pump motor in addition to said fan motor for driving the pump.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the pump motor is carried by the housing.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the pump motor is positioned within the housing.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the device is configured so that the pump can be activated and deactivated independently of the fan so that a mist is entrained into the air flow only when desired.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the pump and the fan are electrically coupled in parallel to a source of electricity through at least one switch.

21. The device of claim 19 including a clutch arrangement for selectively coupling and decoupling the pump to the fan motor.

22. The device of claim 1 including a battery compartment carried by the device for holding a battery,

connectors carried by the device for electrically coupling the device to the battery so that the device can be operated cordlessly.

23. The device of claim 1 including a rechargeable electrical storage device mounted within the device so that the device can be operated cordlessly.

24. The device of claim 1 wherein the water pump is a vacuum diaphragm pump.