Thermoelectric; E.g., Peltier Effect Patents (Class 62/3.2)
  • Patent number: 7305836
    Abstract: A cryogenic container includes an inner vessel for containing a cryogenic fluid, and an outer vessel for insulating the cryogenic fluid from the environment. The inner vessel includes a superconductive layer formed of a material having superconducting properties at the temperature of the cryogenic fluid. The superconductive layer forms a magnetic field around the cryogenic container, that repels electromagnetic energy, including thermal energy from the environment, keeping the cryogenic fluid at low temperatures. The cryogenic container has a portability and a volume that permits its' use in applications from handheld electronics to vehicles such as alternative fueled vehicles (AFVs). A SMES storage system includes the cryogenic container, and a SMES magnet suspended within the cryogenic fluid. The SMES storage system can also include a recharger and a cryocooler configured to recharge the cryogenic container with the cryogenic fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Eden Innovations Ltd.
    Inventor: Gregory J. Egan
  • Patent number: 7305839
    Abstract: A thermal transfer device having a first substrate layer, a second substrate layer and first and second electrodes disposed between the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer. The thermal transfer device also includes a release layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and an actuator disposed adjacent the first and second electrodes. The actuator is adapted to separate the first and second electrodes from the release layer to open a thermotunneling gap between the first and second electrodes, and wherein the actuator is adapted to actively control the thermotunneling gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Stanton Earl Weaver, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7299639
    Abstract: A thermoelectric module having areas of highly thermally conductive material integrated into a substrate layer. For one embodiment copper pads are integrated into the external surface of the substrate of the hot side of the thermoelectric module. The copper pads allow direct connection of a heat removal device to the thermoelectric module thereby reducing thermal resistance. Thermal vias may be formed through the substrate to further reduce thermal resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Javier Leija, Christopher D. Lucero
  • Patent number: 7296416
    Abstract: A system and method includes a vapor compression circuit having a source of waste heat. A thermoelectric device is positioned in heat-transfer relation to the source of waste heat and generates an electric current that powers a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masao Akei, Kirill M Ignatiev, Nagaraj Jayanth, Hung M Pham, Jean-Luc M Caillat
  • Patent number: 7296417
    Abstract: Active cooling technologies such as thermoelectrics can be used to introduce thermal “gain” into a cooling system and, when employed in combination with forced flow liquid metal cooling loops, can provide an attractive solution for cooling high heat flux density devices and/or components. In such configurations, it can be advantageous to configure fluid flows to provide heat transfer between hot-side and cold-side flows. For example, it can be desirable to substantially equilibrate temperature of liquid metal flows entering hot-side and cold-side paths. In this way, thermal differential (?T) across individual thermoelectric elements can be reduced, thereby improving efficiency of the thermoelectric. Various suitable recuperator designs are described including designs that provide heat exchange with and without mixture of respective flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: NanoCoolers, Inc.
    Inventor: Uttam Ghoshal
  • Patent number: 7293416
    Abstract: Active cooling technologies such as thermoelectrics can be used to introduce thermal “gain” into a cooling system and, when employed in combination with forced flow liquid metal cooling loops, can provide an attractive solution for cooling high heat flux density devices and/or components. Total cooling power can be increased by employing multiple thermoelectric elements. Indeed, by employing modern semiconductor technologies, including e.g., thin-film technologies, thermoelectric elements may be cost-effectively employed and configured in large arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: NanoCoolers, Inc.
    Inventor: Uttam Ghoshal
  • Patent number: 7287385
    Abstract: A system for conditioning a flow of inlet fluid such as air by modifying its temperature and by removing particulate matter and carbon monoxide. The system includes Peltier effect thermal electric coolers sandwiched to form air passages to both cool air for use in a space and to expel waste heat. The system includes catalytic alumina pellets impregnated with heavy metals that will remove harmful carbon monoxide from the flow of conditioned air at ambient temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Inventor: Charles H. Aldrich
  • Publication number: 20070240429
    Abstract: A temperature controlling system adapted for a projection apparatus is provided. The projection apparatus comprises at least a heat generating element, while the temperature controlling system comprises a liquid flow system, a heat generating device, and a heat transferring device. The liquid flow system is disposed along the heat generating element. The heat generating device produces heat with a positive value (endothermic) or a negative value (exothermic) in response to an environment dependent on the location of the projection apparatus. The heat transferring device transfers the heat generated by the heat generating device along the liquid flow system. The present invention maintains the operation of the projection apparatus under the desired working temperature and enables a thermal equilibrium of the projection apparatus without being influenced by the over-temperature or under-temperature of the external environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Applicant: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Chia-Jui Lin, Hsiu-Ming Chang, Kuo-Ching Chang, Hui-Chih Lin, Yu-Ho Tsao
  • Patent number: 7278268
    Abstract: A system and method of cooling a CCD camera may employ a composite material housing design that allows the cold side of a TEC to be mounted relatively close to the CCD and the hot side of the TEC to be isolated from the housing cavity in which the CCD resides. An efficient heat transfer path may facilitate cooling the CCD to a predetermined or selected operating temperature and isolate the CCD from the heat loads generated by operation the TEC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Precision, LLC
    Inventor: Steven C. Quarre
  • Patent number: 7279787
    Abstract: A microelectronic complex including a body of semi-conductor material containing an integrated circuit, and a plurality of contact pads on the body for receiving signal conducting members for connection to an external substrate. The contact pads allow signals to be exchanged between the integrated circuit and the external substrate via the signal conducting members. A majority of the contact pads are disposed on the body of the microelectronic complex according to a configuration whereby the stress effects on the signal conducting members caused by thermal expansion mismatch between the microelectronic complex and the external substrate are minimized. In a specific configuration, a majority of the contact pads form a cluster circumscribing a predetermined area of the microelectronic complex body, whereby the cluster is characterized by a minimum inter-pad distance among the majority of contact pads on the body of the microelectronic complex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Inventors: Richard S. Norman, David Chamberlain
  • Patent number: 7278269
    Abstract: A method of conditioning a space with a refrigeration system includes circulating a first heat sink for a first side of a thermoelectric device and circulating a second heat sink for a second side of the thermoelectric device. The method also includes transferring heat between the first heat sink and the second heat sink to condition the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hung M Pham, Wayne R Warner
  • Publication number: 20070204626
    Abstract: A turbo computer is described. The turbo computer includes a computer case, a turbo switch, a fan and a turbo cooling device. The fan regularly reduces the operating temperature of a CPU of the turbo computer. The turbo switch turns on the turbo cooling device to further reduce the operating temperature of the CPU so as to prevent the frequency downgrade of the CPU. Therefore, the turbo computer can work under a suitable operating temperature and prevent the frequency downgrade or damage caused by a high operating temperature so as to increase the life-span of the CPU and the computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: Channel Well Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun-Wei Pan
  • Publication number: 20070204627
    Abstract: A double-effect thermoelectric cooling apparatus is described. The double-effect thermoelectric cooling apparatus includes a heat-dissipating barrel, a wind guide, cooling fins, and a fan. The heat-dissipating barrel further includes a thermoelectric chip-cooling module and heat-dissipating fins disposed therein. The fan drives a part of air passing through the heat-dissipating fins to remove a heat exchanged by the thermoelectric chip-cooling module. One end of the wind guide is coupled to a heat source of an electronic device, for example, a CPU or a graphic card of a computer. Another end of the wind guide is coupled to the fan to guide another part of the air through the cooling fins reducing the temperature thereof to the heat source of the electronic device to reduce the operating temperature of the heat source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: Channel Well Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun-Wei Pan
  • Publication number: 20070204628
    Abstract: A thermoelectric cooling apparatus is described. The thermoelectric cooling apparatus includes a heat-dissipating barrel, a wind guide, cooling fins, and a guiding fan. The heat-dissipating barrel further includes a thermoelectric chip cooling module and heat-dissipating fins disposed therein to remove the heat exchanged by the thermoelectric chip cooling module. One end of the wind guide is coupled to a heat source of an electronic device, for example, a CPU or a graphic chip of a computer. Another end of the wind guide is coupled to the cooling fins coupled to the thermoelectric chip cooling module. The guiding fan drives air passing through the cooling fins to reduce a temperature thereof and blowing to the heat source to reduce the operating temperature thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Inventor: Chun-Wei Pan
  • Publication number: 20070199333
    Abstract: A thermoelectric heat exchange system for fluids comprising a pumping device, configured to deliver a fluid; a fluid inlet system in fluid communication with the pumping device; a fluid outlet system in fluid communication with the pumping device; a reservoir in fluid communication with the pumping device, and configured to hold a fluid; and a heat exchange system in fluid communication with the fluid delivery system, including: a heat exchange plate in fluid communication with the fluid system, comprising a channel system wherein the width of the channel system is about an order of magnitude greater than the depth of the channel system; a thermoelectric cooling module in thermal communication with the heat exchange plate; and a heat sink in communication with the thermoelectric cooling module, and configured to dissipate heat from the thermoelectric cooling module
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Inventor: ROBERT WINDISCH
  • Patent number: 7257951
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a solar water cooler, which includes a water tank, a condensing panel, and an auxiliary refrigerating devices, wherein the water tank has an insulating panel transversely embedded into the water tank for separating the water tank into an upper cooling chamber and a lower chilling chamber, a pair of inner conduits for respectively communicating the cooling chamber to the chilling chamber, each of the cooling chamber and the chilling chamber has a water inlet port and a water outlet port, a plurality of conduits for respectively communicating the water tank to the condensing panel and the auxiliary refrigerating devices, wherein the auxiliary refrigerating device electrically powered by solar cells and by thermocells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Inventor: Yicun Xing
  • Publication number: 20070175225
    Abstract: A test control circuitry conducts an electrical current through a thermo electric cooler for the purpose of testing the operability of a thermal control unit. At temperatures higher than a temperature threshold, this electrical current is directed such that the thermo electric cooler cools a temperature sensitive switch. The direction of the electrical current is inverted at temperatures lower than such temperature, causing heat to flow to the temperature sensitive switch. These specified temperatures of the test control circuitry are programmable either manually or automatically from a remote computer linked to the control circuitry. Optionally, a temperature sensor such as a thermocouple or thermistor and their associated electrical circuitry is used as temperature sensitive switch. In such cases its temperature threshold is programmable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Inventor: Amit Bahat
  • Patent number: 7249464
    Abstract: A device includes a backpack that includes a cavity extending from a top to a bottom edge thereof. A fan is partially seated within the cavity and blows ambient air towards the operator. A heat sink is mated to the fan, disposed anterior thereof and is situated for allowing the air to pass therethrough. A thermal electric plate is conjoined to the heat sink. A thermal conductive plate is coupled to the thermal electric plate. An aluminum plate is conjoined to the thermal conductive plate. A first fastener is positioned through the heat sink, thermal electric plate and thermal conductive plate. Second and third fasteners are positioned through the aluminum and thermal conductive plates. A mechanism is included for supplying power to the fan and the thermal electric plate from a single power supply source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Inventor: Charles E. Watson
  • Publication number: 20070163269
    Abstract: A heat dissipation module suitable for performing heat dissipation on a heat source is provided. The heat dissipation module includes a first base, a first radiator, a thermoelectric cooler and a second radiator. The first base has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface contacts the heat source. Both the first radiator and the thermoelectric cooler contact the second surface, while the second radiator is disposed on the thermoelectric cooler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Chao-Tsai Chung, Kuo-Hua Chang
  • Publication number: 20070163270
    Abstract: A liquid cooling system has a thermoelectric cooling module, a heat dissipating assembly, a water block and multiple flexible guide tubes with liquid flows inside. The thermoelectric cooling module has a cold surface and a hot surface. The water block has a contacting surface attached to a processor of a computer. The guide tubes are mounted between the thermoelectric cooling module, the heat dissipating assembly and the water block. With the thermoelectric cooling module, the liquid cooling system can cool a processor of computer hardware with high efficiency, and is able to dissipate extraordinary heat generated by the processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: COOLER MASTER CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yi-Shen CHIEN, I-Ta HSU
  • Publication number: 20070157628
    Abstract: A temperature control apparatus for controlling the temperature of at least a temperature controlled portion of a microchip is provided. The temperature control apparatus includes a heat sink, a temperature control unit, and a surrounding unit. The temperature control unit is disposed adjacent to the heat sink. The temperature control unit includes at least one Peltier-type temperature control device that is configured to control the temperature of at least a temperature controlled portion of a microchip. The surrounding unit is disposed on the heat sink. The surrounding unit is configured to surround the at least one Peltier-type temperature control device. The surrounding unit is configured to define a closed-space together with the heat sink and the microchip. The closed-space contains the at least one Peltier-type temperature control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Onoue
  • Publication number: 20070157627
    Abstract: A heatsink for cooling a light valve, includes: a heat conduction member having a first section for coupling to the light valve and a second section; a thermoelectric cooler having a cold end connected to the second section of the heat conduction member and a hot end; a first cooling fin unit connected to the hot end of the thermoelectric cooler; and a fan disposed adjacent to the second section of the heat conduction member and the first cooling fin unit for generating an airflow in order to lower temperature within the heatsink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventor: Nien-Hui Hsu
  • Patent number: 7240494
    Abstract: A system and method includes a vapor-compression circuit having a working fluid flowing therethrough, a thermoelectric device positioned in a heat-transfer relation with the working fluid, and a power supply providing current to the thermoelectric device to generate a heat flow through the thermoelectric device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masao Akei, Kirill M Ignatiev, Nagaraj Jayanth, Hung M Pham, Jean-Luc M Caillat
  • Patent number: 7235735
    Abstract: A thermoelectric device and method of manufacturing the device, where thermoelectric elements of opposite conductivity type are located on respective opposing sides of a heat source member. Heat sinks are disposed on opposite sides of the thermoelectric elements. Peltier metal contacts are positioned between the thermoelectric elements and each of the heat source member and heat sinks. A plurality of devices may be arranged together in a thermally parallel, electrically series arrangement, or in a thermally parallel, electrically parallel arrangement. The arrangement of the elements allow the direction of current flow through the pairs of elements to be substantially the same as the direction of current flow through the metal contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Nextreme Thermal Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Rama Venkatasubramanian, Edward P. Siivola
  • Patent number: 7216496
    Abstract: There is provided a heating medium circulating apparatus which is small and which does not require a very large installation space. In a heating medium circulating apparatus wherein a temperature controlling object being an object to be temperature-controlled, a main heat exchanger 88 for carrying out main heat exchange with a heating medium, and a circulating pump 84 are provided in a heating medium circulating system 78, a sub-heat exchanger 96 using a thermoelectric element 100 is provided in the heating medium circulating system downstream of the main heat exchanger to control the temperature of the heating medium. Thus, the apparatus itself is small, and the installation space is not very large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Koichi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7218523
    Abstract: Liquid cooling systems and apparatus are presented. A number of embodiments are presented. In each embodiment, a heat transfer system capable of engaging a processor and adapted to transfer heat from the processor is implemented. A variety of embodiments of the heat transfer system are presented. For example, several embodiments of a heat transfer system including electron-conducting material is presented. In one embodiment of the present invention, the electron conducting material operates under the peltier principal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: QNX Cooling Systems Inc
    Inventor: Brian A. Hamman
  • Patent number: 7205675
    Abstract: A micro-fabricated device, includes a support structure having an aperture formed therein, and a device substrate disposed within the aperture. The micro-fabricated device further includes a thermally isolating structure thermally coupling the device substrate to the support structure. The thermally isolating structure includes at least one n-doped region and at least one p-doped region formed on or in the thermally isolating structure and separated from each other. In addition, the thermally isolating structure includes an electrical interconnect connecting at least one n-doped region and at least one p-doped region, forming an integrated thermoelectric device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: James C. McKinnell, John Liebeskind, Chien-Hua Chen
  • Patent number: 7190576
    Abstract: An internally disposed cooling device is provided. The cooling device includes a cooling member and a docket member. The cooling member includes a first cooling unit, a second unit and a cryogenic element. The cryogenic element has a cold surface that contacts the first cooling unit, and a hot surface that contacts the second cooling unit. Since the cold surface of the cryogenic element has a temperature much lower than that of the room temperature, the first cooling unit can thus produce cold and dry air to cool down the electronic apparatus. Meanwhile, the second cooling unit is employed to dissipate heat generated from the cryogenic element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignees: Waffer Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Jack Wang, Charles Ma, Michael Lin
  • Patent number: 7185500
    Abstract: A cooling system for cooling a processor installed within a computer case, the active cooling system comprising: (i) a TEC/heat-sink assembly comprising a thermoelectric cooling module (TEC) having a cold plate and a hot plate, the cold plate being coupleable to a processor, for removing heat from the processor, and the hot plate being coupled to a heat sink; (ii) a control microprocessor controllingly coupled to a power inverter, said power inverter for provision of high efficiency cooling to the processor by application of an appropriate voltage to the TEC; the control microprocessor being further coupled to (iii) a temperature sensor located on the cold plate of the TEC, for providing information to the microprocessor regarding temperature of the TEC; said cooling system being powered by a standard PC power supply having sufficient power to accommodate power demands of both the PC and the cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Active Cool Research and Development Ltd
    Inventor: Ronen Meir
  • Patent number: 7181927
    Abstract: A system for exchanging heat with primary coolant flowing through an intravascular catheter or externally-applied pad to warm or cool a patient. A secondary heat transfer element can be engaged with a primary heat transfer element and is not grounded when the primary heat transfer element is fully engaged with the secondary heat transfer element during operation. In contrast, the secondary heat transfer element is grounded when the primary heat transfer element is at a predetermined disengaged position relative to the secondary heat transfer element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Alsius Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Collins, David Seari Kimball
  • Patent number: 7182130
    Abstract: The sample temperature regulator is provided with a heating block (3) having a sample container holder (6) and a temperature-controllable heater (7) and with a cooling block (4) having a cooling mechanism (11). These two blocks are combined with each other through a connecting plate (15) made of a material having a thermal conductivity lower than those of these blocks. This constitution can reduce heat transfer between the heating block and the cooling block and allows them to have wide temperature regulating ranges, as well as increased heating capacity and cooling capacity, respectively. Further, this constitution makes the structure of the temperature regulator simple and compact, so that the regulator has increased durability and can be offered at a low price.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Eyela-Chino Inc.
    Inventor: Yuta Ohki
  • Patent number: 7177152
    Abstract: A collective and restrictive inhalant and radiating device for appliances includes a heat inhaler in a CPU of a computer or other electric appliances, a first heat radiation block connected to the heat inhaler by a pair of first thermic pipes, a second heat radiation block engaged with the left side of the first heat radiation block having a TE modules on left side and an inlaid concave in underside engaged on a horizontal portion of a U-shaped condensation inhaler, a third heat radiation block connected to a fourth heat radiation block by a pair of second thermic pipe and disposed in the condensation inhaler and engaged with a heating surface of the TE modules. Each of the heat radiation blocks has an electric fan on the top or on a lateral side for blowing in or exhausting out the hot air from the blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Inventor: Yuan-Hsin Sun
  • Patent number: 7159404
    Abstract: A system and method for storing a product in a thermally stabilized state is disclosed. The system includes a thermally-conductive structure having at least an enclosed volume and an open section. The open section is configured to store at least one unit of the product as the product is exposed to ambient air. The system also includes a thermally-conductive fluid sealed within the enclosed volume and being in thermal contact with the enclosed volume. The system further includes at least one thermo-electric device and at least one thermally-conductive probe extending from the at least one thermo-electric device and into the fluid. The probe provides a thermally-conductive path between the fluid and the thermo-electric device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Country Pure Foods, LLC
    Inventors: Marc L. Vitantonio, Jeffrey M. Kalman
  • Patent number: 7155914
    Abstract: A cooling structure for electronic equipment is designed for cooling a heat-generating body (2a) disposed inside a case (20) by recovering heat generated by the heat-generating body (2a) and dissipating the heat to the outside of the case (20). The cooling structure includes a heat-receiving section (4) for recovering heat generated in the heat-generating body (2a), a thermally insulated space (6) provided with an air inflow orifice (42a) and an air outflow orifice (42b) and thermally insulated from the heat-generating body (2a) and heat-receiving section (4) by a thermally insulating member (40), a heat-dissipating section (7) provided inside the thermally insulated space (6), a heat transfer member (5) for transferring the heat recovered in the heat-receiving section (4) to the heat-dissipating section (7), and a fan (22) for generating forcibly an air flow in the thermally insulated space (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Minoru Ishinabe, Hiroki Uchida, Hideshi Tokuhira, Hiroaki Date, Wataru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7143600
    Abstract: A water chilling system includes a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet and a cooling device, such as a thermoelectric cooling probe, situated to cool water contained in the reservoir. A baffle is situated adjacent the inlet to direct water entering the reservoir to a predetermined area of the reservoir such the warmer water entering the reservoir does not immediately mix with the chilled water near the cooling probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Paul DeSantis, Terrence Snyder
  • Patent number: 7134293
    Abstract: An apparatus for cooling a live well includes a cooling chamber, and a pump connected in fluid communication between the cooling chamber and the live well for circulating water between the live well and the cooling chamber. At least one thermoelectric cooler is positioned in a heat exchange relationship with the cooling chamber for removing heat from the cooling chamber and from water circulating in the cooling chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: R&R Design, Inc.
    Inventor: Clifford R. Rabal
  • Patent number: 7134288
    Abstract: A system enclosure uses two heat exchangers and a thermoelectric cooling module to manage heat within the system. An airflow enters the system and is heated by server blades. Portions of the airflow split and travel to various portions of the system enclosure. Some heat is removed from the airflow by passing through the first heat exchanger before circulating around downstream subsystems. The first heat exchanger contacts the cold side of a TEC module, to reduce the temperature of that airflow. The air then enters the network switch module or other subsystem where it is further heated. Thereafter, the second heat exchanger ‘bypasses’ those components by reinserting the upstream heat back into the downstream airflow. The second heat exchanger contacts the hot side of the TEC module. The mixture of all heated air is then expelled from the system enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Joseph Crippen, Jason Aaron Matteson, William Joseph Piazza
  • Patent number: 7124592
    Abstract: The present invention provides a temperature control circuit for a semiconductor light-emitting device, in which scale of the circuit is not enlarged and noise due to the current switching is not generated. In the temperature control circuit of the present invention, although the DC voltage VATC supplied to the Peltier device is generated by the DC-to-DC converting from the external power VCC, the DC voltage VATC is feedback controlled so as to coincide with a target value of the DC voltage that is set based on an error signal generated by detecting a voltage drop of the Peltier device and comparing this drop voltage with a reference voltage. A control signal for setting the temperature of the laser diode to the target temperature through heating up or cooling down the Peltier device by flowing a current corresponding to an error between the target temperature and a practical temperature detected by the thermistor in the Peltier device from the thermoelectric controller current driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Keiji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7096678
    Abstract: An electrical apparatus that is cooled via natural convection includes an electrical component, a vertical heat dissipation surface in thermal communication with the electrical component, and a diverter extending from the heat dissipation surface. The diverter disrupts vertical airflow over the heat dissipation surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: GELcore LLC
    Inventor: James T. Petroski
  • Patent number: 7096677
    Abstract: A device for storage of an opened food container such as a wine container. The device includes a housing for receiving the opened food container in a substantially vertical orientation. A poppet valve assembly is provided for insertion in an opening in the opened food container and biased to enable it to accommodate opened food containers of varying sizes. The device includes a pressurized source of heaver-than-air inert gas located within the housing, a regulator for reducing the pressure of the inert gas from a first pressure at the pressurized source of the heavier-than-air inert gas to second pressure at the poppet valve assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Inventors: Gregory J. Luzaich, Teddy R Bryant
  • Patent number: 7096676
    Abstract: A cooling device including a housing with at least one cooling channel for cooling a liquid, and with at least one thermoelectric cooling element including a layer of semiconductor material that is sandwiched between two plates, at least one of the plates having an electrically insulating contact surface that, in use, is in direct contact with the cooling liquid, the at least one cooling element being sealingly mounted in a carrier such that the contact surface remains free to contact the cooling liquid, the carrier and the contact surface defining a wall portion of the cooling channel, wherein the at least one cooling element is along its outer perimeter of the at least one cooling element being formed by the outer edges of the surface of at least one of the plates and at least a portion of the rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Top-Cool Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Marcus Jozef Gertrudis Zelissen, Daniël Arnoldus Maris Zelissen
  • Patent number: 7094341
    Abstract: Processes and apparatus are disclosed for separating and purifying aqueous solutions such as seawater by causing a substantially impermeable mat of gas hydrate to form on a porous restraint. Once the mat of gas hydrate has formed on the porous restraint, the portion of the mat of gas hydrate adjacent to the restraint is caused to dissociate and flow through the restraint, e.g., by lowering the pressure in a collection region on the opposite side of the restraint. The purified or desalinated water may then be recovered from the collection region. The process may be used for marine desalination as well as for drying wet gas and hydrocarbon solutions. If conditions in the solution are not conductive to forming hydrate, a heated or refrigerated porous restraint may be used to create hydrate-forming conditions near the restraint, thereby causing gas hydrates to form directly on the surface of the restraint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Marine Desalination Systems, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Michael David Max
  • Patent number: 7089749
    Abstract: A system for retaining and controlling the temperature of a beverage, suitable for installation in an automobile, includes a generally cylindrical, open-topped heat-conductive expandable cupholder, a heat-conductive liner, one or more thermoelectric devices located on a vertical exterior side of the cupholder, a heat sink contacting the thermoelectric device and thermally insulated from the cupholder; and a switch. The placement of the thermoelectric device and an improved arrangement for contact between the cupholder and the cup enable more efficient heat transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Robin Contino
    Inventor: Chris Schafer
  • Patent number: 7082778
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip cooling system having a body that forms an enclosed spray chamber, and having a thermal-transmittance wall configured to conformingly adjoin to a chip, a substrate or printed circuit board carrying one or more chips, or another such heated device. Inkjet-type sprayers are configured to spray cooling fluid on the thermal-transmittance wall to cool the chip. A controller transmits a control signal to the sprayer to cause the sprayer to spray at a rate leading to the cooling fluid being vaporized by the semiconductor device without the device either drying or becoming covered by a pool. The cooling system uses cooling fluid surface tension forces to draw liquid cooling fluid up a porous member from the spray chamber back to the sprayers, to be sprayed again. The cooling system uses gravity and/or pressure within the spray chamber to direct vaporized cooling fluid upward from the spray chamber to a condenser. The condenser is configured to cool and condense the vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Chandrakant D. Patel, Cullen E. Bash
  • Patent number: 7082772
    Abstract: A cooling system for audio equipment uses a temperature sensor and Peltier effect module in a feedback control loop. The cooling system reads the temperature sensor to obtain the temperature of an audio component of the equipment, and adjusts the drive for the Peltier effect module that cools the audio component, to prevent overheating of the component. The cooling system may include an autonomous power supply that generates electric power from the audio signal driving a loudspeaker of the audio system. In another embodiment, the cooling system cools an audio component installed in a vehicle, even when the vehicle is unattended. To prevent discharge of the vehicle's battery, the cooling system employs a battery supervisor for turning the cooling system off when the battery has discharged down to a predetermined state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Directed Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. Welch
  • Patent number: 7082031
    Abstract: A method and device for thermal conduction is provided. Devices and methods are shown that include the ability to dissipate increased amounts of heat due to the use of an active heat transfer device. Devices and methods are shown that share the necessary heat transfer between a passive heat transfer device and an active heat transfer device, thus increasing the amount of heat dissipated while maintaining reliability of the individual components. Devices and methods are shown that include an increased length of the heatsink which can keep large temperature differences between heat transfer structures and the heat transfer fluid such as air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Javier Leija, Ioan Sauciuc, Gregory M. Chrysler
  • Patent number: 7073338
    Abstract: A thermally controlled storage space system (10), such as for the dashboard (40) of a vehicle (12). The system (10) has a housing (22), which is configured to couple a portion of the vehicles air control system (48), such as a heating system, a ventilation system, or an air-conditioning system. A heat exchanger (26) is coupled to the housing (22) and to a thermoelectric device (28). A temperature sensor (62) generates a temperature signal indicative of the temperature within the housing (22). A controller (18), which is coupled to the thermoelectric device (28), adjusts the temperature within the housing (22) in response to the temperature signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Jody K. Harwood, Joseph J. Davis, Jr., James D. Hughes
  • Patent number: 7063754
    Abstract: The magnetic material for magnetic refrigeration according to the present invention has an NaZn13-type crystalline structure and comprises iron (Fe) as a principal element (more specifically, Fe is substituted for the position of “Zn”) and hydrogen (H) in an amount of 2 to 18 atomic % based on all constitutional elements. Preferably, the magnetic material for magnetic refrigeration preferably contains 61 to 87 atomic % of Fe, 4 to 18 atomic % of a total amount of Si and Al, 5 to 7 atomic % of La. The magnetic material for magnetic refrigeration exhibits a large entropy change in a room temperature region and no thermal hysteresis in a magnetic phase transition. Therefore, when a magnetic refrigeration cycle is configured using the magnetic material for magnetic refrigeration, a stable operation can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuaki Fukamichi, Asaya Fujita, Yoshiaki Iijima, Akiko Saito, Tadahiko Kobayashi, Masashi Sahashi
  • Patent number: 7047757
    Abstract: A vacuum laser constant temperature device is adopted for a housing that has a heat dissipation module arranged therein. The device has a metallic partition adjacent to the heat dissipation module to enclose a airtight vacancy formed with the housing, a thermoelectric cooling chip with a heating portion connecting to a side of the metallic partition and a cooling portion, a semiconductor laser lighting module arranged in the airtight vacancy and connecting to the cooling portion of the thermoelectric cooling chip, and a heat insulation layer arranged both on an opposite side of the metallic partition and in the airtight vacancy. Heat generated by the semiconductor laser lighting module can be transferred to the heat dissipation module via the thermoelectric cooling chip and the metallic partition. The thermoelectric cooling chip makes an output power of the semiconductor laser lighting module keep constant within various environments without the condensation thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Eins OE-Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sheng-Pin Su, Chun-Kun Yu
  • Patent number: 7047762
    Abstract: A device for storage of an opened food container such as a wine container. The device includes a housing for receiving the opened food container in a substantially vertical orientation. A poppet valve assembly is provided for insertion in an opening in the opened food container and biased to enable it to accommodate opened food containers of varying sizes. The device includes a pressurized source of heaver-than-air inert gas located within the housing, a regulator for reducing the pressure of the inert gas from a first pressure at the pressurized source of the heavier-than-air inert gas to second pressure at the poppet valve assembly. The poppet valve assembly also includes a spring-loaded check ball, low-pass port, shuttle and orifice to control pressure and flow path of the heavier-than-air inert gas and to direct the heavier-than-air inert gas to the opened food container thus displacing any air that may have been present therein through an exhaust port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Inventors: Gregory J. Luzaich, Teddy R. Bryant