Cooling device

Abstract

To provide a cooling device capable of efficiently cooling the body and not interfering with the mobility and workability of a user.SOLUTION: A cooling device 1 for cooling a body comprises: a main body 2 having an outside air inlet 21 and a blowing section 22; a fan 3 arranged on the outside air inlet 21 side of the main body 2; and a cooling section 4 having a metal plate 5 in contact with the body, a Peltier element 6 abutting the metal plate 5, and a heat sink 7 for dissipating heat from the Peltier element 6. When the cooling section 4 is attached to the main body 2, an air passage 8 is formed through which air sucked in by the fan 3 through the outside air inlet 21 is blown out from the blowing section 22, and the cooling section 4 has an expandable structure that is expandable and contractible in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the metal plate 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device for cooling a body. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Cooling devices that are worn on the body have been proposed that utilize Peltier elements (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] The air conditioning unit described in Patent Document 1 includes a Peltier element, a metal plate joined to one side of the Peltier element, and a metallic heat exchange plate that is larger in area than the metal plate and is placed inside the clothing while joined to the metal plate. This air conditioning unit is said to be able to directly or indirectly cool the wearer's body because the heat absorption effect of the Peltier element causes the metal plate to cool and the temperature is transferred to the heat exchange plate, which then lowers the temperature of the heat exchange plate.

[0004] The temperature regulating garment described in Patent Document 2 includes a Peltier element unit having a Peltier element, a mobile battery that supplies power to the Peltier element, and an insertion hole formed in the back of the garment for attaching the Peltier element unit so that it is in close contact with the wearer's body. This temperature regulating garment is said to be able to effectively cool the body because the Peltier element unit is attached so that it is in close contact with the wearer's body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2021-113371 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2023-092711 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the air conditioning unit of Patent Document 1, the part in contact with the heat exchange plate can obtain the cooling effect of the Peltier element, but the part not in contact with the heat exchange plate cannot obtain the cooling effect. Here, for example, when the air conditioning unit of Patent Document 1 is attached to the back, since the heat exchange plate is a single plate, there is a risk that the heat exchange plate will not conform to the unevenness of the back. As a result, the heat exchange plate will be in a state where it is floating from a part of the back, and it is considered that sufficient cooling cannot be achieved.

[0007] Moreover, the temperature regulating garment of Patent Document 2 is provided with one fan per Peltier element to dissipate heat from the Peltier element. Therefore, when multiple Peltier elements are attached to the temperature regulating garment, the number of fans also increases as the number of Peltier elements increases, which increases the overall weight and may hinder the mobility and workability of the worker wearing the garment.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has an object to provide a cooling device that can cool the body efficiently and does not impede the mobility and workability of the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The characteristic configuration of the cooling device according to the present invention for solving the above problem is as follows: A cooling device for cooling a body, comprising: A main body having an outside air introduction section and an outlet section; A fan disposed on the outside air intake side in the main body; a cooling unit having a metal plate that contacts the body, a Peltier element that contacts the metal plate, and a heat sink that dissipates heat from the Peltier element; Equipped with an air passage is formed through which the air sucked by the fan through the outside air introduction part is blown out from the blowing part when the cooling part is attached to the main body; The cooling section has an expandable structure that is expandable and contractable in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the metal plate.

[0010] According to the cooling device of this configuration, since the cooling unit includes a metal plate that contacts the body, a Peltier element that contacts the metal plate, and a heat sink that dissipates heat from the Peltier element, the metal plate is cooled by the heat absorption effect of the Peltier element, and the heat from the Peltier element can be dissipated by the heat sink. Therefore, the cooling unit can efficiently cool the part of the body that is desired to be cooled. In addition, since the cooling unit has a stretchable structure that can stretch in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the metal plate, for example, even if the cooling unit is placed from the curved back to the waist, the metal plate can always be in close contact with the body and can cool it. In addition, even if the user moves, since the cooling unit can stretch in accordance with the movement of the body, a cooling device that does not hinder the user's mobility and workability can be realized.

[0011] In the cooling device according to the present invention, It is preferable that a plurality of the cooling portions be arranged along the air passage.

[0012] According to the cooling device of this configuration, since multiple cooling sections are arranged along the air passage, each cooling section is cooled sequentially from the upstream side by air drawn in by the fan through the outside air intake section. In this way, even when multiple cooling sections are provided, cooling can be performed by a common fan, resulting in a lightweight and low-cost cooling device that does not impair the mobility and workability of the user.

[0013] In the cooling device according to the present invention, The expandable structure preferably includes an elastic member that biases the cooling section in a direction pressing it against the body.

[0014] According to the cooling device of this configuration, the telescopic structure is equipped with an elastic member that urges the cooling section in the direction of pressing it against the body, so that the metal plate adheres closely to the body in accordance with the movement of the body, thereby effectively cooling the body.

[0015] In the cooling device according to the present invention, The elastic member is preferably provided near the center of the cooling portion.

[0016] According to the cooling device of this configuration, by providing the elastic members near the center of the cooling part, it is possible to reliably press the cooling part against the body even with a small number of elastic members.

[0017] In the cooling device according to the present invention, It is preferable that a plurality of the elastic members are provided along the outer periphery of the heat sink.

[0018] According to the cooling device of this configuration, by providing multiple elastic members along the periphery of the heat sink, the heat sink fits within the range of the length of the elastic members, so the height of the heat sink can be increased and the heat of the Peltier element can be dissipated efficiently. In addition, since multiple elastic members are provided, the biasing force of the cooling unit on the body can be increased, making it possible to adapt to vigorous body movements.

[0019] In the cooling device according to the present invention, It is preferable that the outside air introduction section has a plurality of intake holes, and the plurality of intake holes are provided above and below the fan in the vertical direction.

[0020] In the cooling device of this configuration, the multiple intake holes in the outside air intake section are provided vertically above and below the fan, so that air can be drawn in from both above and below. Therefore, even if one intake hole is blocked by clothing or the like, outside air can still be drawn in from the other intake hole. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic overall configuration of a cooling device according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows a cooling device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a perspective view of the cooling device as seen from the front side, and (b) is a partially cutaway perspective view of the cooling device as seen from the rear side. [Diagram 3]FIG. 3 shows a cooling device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a left side view, (d) is a right side view, (e) is a bottom view, and (f) is a rear view. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a cooling portion of the cooling device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is an overall perspective view and (b) is an exploded perspective view. [Diagram 5] 5A and 5B show a cooling device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3(b), (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 3(b), and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 3(b). [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows a cooling section of a cooling device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is an overall perspective view and (b) is an exploded perspective view. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 shows a cooling portion of a cooling device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5(a), (b) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5(b), and (c) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5(c). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments described below or the configurations shown in the drawings. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the side on which the front part of the main body is located will be referred to as the "front", the side on which the rear part is located will be referred to as the "rear", and the direction on which the left side part and the right side part of the main body are located will be referred to as the "left-right direction".

[0023] [Outline of the cooling device] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall schematic configuration of a cooling device 1 according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the arrow indicates the direction of air flow. The cooling device 1 includes a main body 2, a fan 3, and a cooling unit 4, and is configured to cool the body by directly or indirectly contacting the cooling unit 4 attached to the main body 2 with the body of the user so as to face the body of the user. For example, the cooling device 1 may be attached to the fabric of the back of the clothing. By wearing the clothing to which the cooling device 1 is attached, or by a user wearing the clothing attaching the cooling device 1 over the clothing, the cooling device 1 can be in close contact with the back of the wearer through the clothing, thereby cooling the back of the wearer. Alternatively, the cooling device 1 may be directly attached to the body of the user, and clothing (having an opening through which the cooling unit 4 is exposed) may be worn over the clothing, in which case a higher cooling effect can be obtained. Here, examples of "clothing" include, but are not limited to, jackets, vests, etc. The cooling device 1 of the present invention can be suitably used in work clothes worn during work.

[0024] <Main body> The main body 2 is not particularly limited as long as it has a box shape with an internal space, but since it is worn on the body, it is preferable that the main body 2 has a thin, approximately flat shape. The main body 2 is preferably made of a lightweight material. Examples of materials that make up the main body 2 include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, polypropylene, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) resin.

[0025] The main body 2 has an outside air inlet 21 and a blowing section 22. The outside air inlet 21 and the blowing section 22 are preferably disposed near opposing ends of the main body 2, and for example, the outside air inlet 21 is provided at the bottom of the main body 2, and the blowing section 22 is provided at the top of the main body 2. By disposing the outside air inlet 21 and the blowing section 22 near opposing ends of the main body 2, respectively, it is possible to prevent air from stagnating in the main body 2, and it is possible to smoothly blow out the air drawn into the main body 2 from the outside air inlet 21 from the blowing section 22.

[0026] <Fan> The fan 3 is disposed on the outside air inlet 21 side in the main body 2. The fan 3 operates by receiving power from a built-in battery, takes in air from the outside air inlet 21 into the main body 2, and blows it toward the blowing section 22. Examples of the fan 3 include an axial fan, a sirocco fan, a turbo fan, and a cross-flow fan. Of these, when the direction in which air is sucked from the outside air inlet 21 and the direction in which air is sent toward the blowing section 22 are aligned, it is preferable to use an axial fan, and when the direction in which air is sucked from the outside air inlet 21 and the direction in which air is sent toward the blowing section 22 are different, it is preferable to use a sirocco fan, a turbo fan, or a cross-flow fan.

[0027] <Cooling section> The cooling unit 4 has a metal plate 5 that contacts the body, a Peltier element 6 that abuts against the metal plate 5, and a heat sink 7 that dissipates heat from the Peltier element 6. The cooling unit 4 is configured by arranging the metal plate 5 on the heat absorbing surface of the Peltier element 6 and the heat sink 7 on the heat generating surface. By arranging in this manner, the metal plate 5 is cooled by the heat absorbing action of the Peltier element 6, and the heat of the Peltier element 6 can be dissipated by the heat sink 7. Therefore, the cooling unit 4 can efficiently cool the parts of the body that are to be cooled.

[0028] The cooling unit 4 is detachably attached to the main body 2. By making the cooling unit 4 detachable from the main body 2, for example, when changing the cooling unit 4 to a higher performance one or when the cooling unit 4 breaks down, the cooling unit 4 can be easily replaced. When the cooling unit 4 is attached to the main body 2, an air passage 8 is formed through which the air sucked by the fan 3 through the outside air introduction section 21 is blown out from the blowing section 22. By arranging the heat sink 7 of the cooling unit 4 in the air passage 8, the heat sink 7 can be cooled by the air passing through the air passage 8. When the cooling unit 4 is attached to the main body 2, it is preferable that the cooling unit 4 is attached to the main body 2 without any gaps. By attaching the cooling unit 4 to the main body 2 without any gaps, it is possible to prevent the air sucked by the fan 3 through the outside air introduction section 21 from leaking to the outside and reducing the wind pressure. In addition, since the cooling unit 4 does not rattle, the user can feel good when wearing it.

[0029] It is preferable that a plurality of cooling sections 4 are arranged along the air passage 8. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, when the first cooling section 41 and the second cooling section 42 are provided, the air sucked by the fan 3 through the outside air introduction section 21 passes through the first heat sink 71 of the first cooling section 41, and then passes through the second heat sink 72 of the second cooling section 42, and is blown out from the blowing section 22. In this way, by arranging a plurality of cooling sections 4 along the air passage 8, each cooling section 4 is cooled in order from the upstream side by the air sucked by the fan 3 through the outside air introduction section 21. Also, even when a plurality of cooling sections 4 are provided, cooling can be performed by a common fan 3, so that the cooling device is lightweight and low-cost, and the mobility and workability of the user are not reduced.

[0030] <Stretchable structure> The cooling unit 4 has an expandable structure that can expand and contract in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the metal plate 5. As a result, even if the cooling unit 4 is arranged, for example, from the curved back to the lumbar region, the cooling unit 4 expands and contracts according to the surface shape of the body, so that the metal plate 5 always adheres to the body and can cool it. In addition, even if the user moves, the cooling unit 4 can expand and contract according to the movement of the body, so that the cooling device 1 that does not interfere with the user's mobility and workability can be realized. Although there is no particular limitation on the expandable structure, it is preferable to have an elastic member that biases the cooling unit 4 in a direction pressing it against the body. If such an elastic member is provided, the metal plate 5 can reliably adhere to the body according to the movement of the body and can effectively cool it. Although there is no particular limitation on the elastic member, a metal coil spring, a leaf spring, and the like can be mentioned.

[0031] <Metal plate> The metal plate 5 comes into contact with the body. The metal plate 5 is cooled by the heat absorption effect of the Peltier element 6, which will be described later. The material constituting the metal plate 5 may be a single metal such as aluminum, copper, iron, titanium, nickel, or tin, or an alloy such as an aluminum alloy, a copper alloy, or a stainless steel. Among these, it is preferable to use aluminum or an aluminum alloy, which is lightweight and has a high thermal conductivity. In addition, when the metal plate 5 comes into direct contact with the body, the corrosion of the metal plate 5 can be prevented by applying a coating treatment to the surface of the metal plate 5.

[0032] <Peltier element> The Peltier element 6 is a roughly square, flat-plate element having two electrodes, and when a current is passed between the two electrodes, one surface of the plate absorbs heat and the other surface generates heat. When the direction of the current is changed, the heat absorbing surface and the heat generating surface are switched. In the cooling device 1, the surface in contact with the metal plate 5 is the heat absorbing surface, and the surface in contact with the heat sink 7 is the heat generating surface. The Peltier element 6 is arranged so as to abut against the metal plate 5.

[0033] <Heat sink> The heat sink 7 dissipates heat from the Peltier element 6. The Peltier element 6 is fixed to abut against the center of the bottom surface of the heat sink 7 so that the heat dissipation performance is not biased. The heat sink 7 has a base plate thermally connected to the Peltier element 6 and a plurality of heat dissipation fins erected on the base plate, and dissipates heat from the Peltier element 6 by supplying air to the heat dissipation fins. It is preferable that the base plate of the heat sink 7 has a sufficient area so that it can abut against the entire heat generating surface of the Peltier element 6. The heat sink 7 is disposed in an air passage 8, and the heat of the heat sink 7 is taken away by the air passing through the air passage 8. This enables the continuous transfer of heat from the Peltier element 6 to the heat sink 7, and the cooling performance of the Peltier element 6 can be maintained. The material constituting the heat sink 7 is preferably a metal with excellent thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, copper, or a copper alloy.

[0034] Next, an embodiment of a cooling device according to the present invention will be described.

[0035] First Embodiment FIG. 2 shows a cooling device 1A according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a perspective view of the cooling device 1A as viewed from the front side, and (b) is a partially cutaway perspective view of the cooling device 1A as viewed from the back side. The cooling device 1A is used by being worn on the back of a user. As shown in FIG. 2(a), the cooling device 1A has an outside air inlet 21 disposed at the bottom of the main body 2 and an outlet 22 disposed at the top, and two cooling sections 4a (a first cooling section 41a and a second cooling section 42a) attached between the outside air inlet 21 and the outlet 22. As shown in FIG. 2(b), a fan 3 is disposed on the outside air inlet 21 side in the main body 2, and an air passage 8 is provided for blowing out the air sucked by the fan 3 through the outside air inlet 21 from the outlet 22.

[0036] <Main body> FIG. 3 shows a cooling device 1A according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a plan view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a left side view, (d) is a right side view, (e) is a bottom view, and (f) is a rear view. The main body 2 in the cooling device 1A is curved as a whole in order to be worn on the back of a user, and includes a horizontally long rectangular (rectangular) bottom surface portion 10 as shown in FIG. 3(e), a front surface portion 11, a rear surface portion 12, a left side surface portion 13, and a right side surface portion 14, each of which has a shape shown in FIG. 3(a) to (f) and is connected to the four sides of the bottom surface portion 10 in an upright manner, and a horizontally long rectangular (rectangular) top surface portion 15 as shown in FIG. 3(a). As shown in FIG. 3(f), the rear surface portion 12 has a contour similar to that of the front surface portion 11, and is disposed opposite the front surface portion 11 at a predetermined interval. The bottom portion 10 , the left side portion 13 , the right side portion 14 , and the top portion 15 are configured to connect the front portion 11 and the back portion 12 .

[0037] 3(b) to (f), the bottom surface portion 10, the front surface portion 11, and the back surface portion 12 of the main body 2 are provided with an outside air introduction portion 21 for introducing outside air. The outside air introduction portion 21 has a plurality of intake holes 25, which are provided above and below the fan 3 when viewed in the thickness direction of the main body 2. This allows air to be sucked in from both above and below as if sandwiching the fan 3. Even if the intake hole 25 on one side is blocked by clothing or the like, outside air can still be introduced from the intake hole 25 on the other side.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 3(a), the main body 2 has an air outlet 22 formed on the top surface 15 for blowing out air introduced from the outside air inlet 21 to the outside.

[0039] <Fan> The fan 3 is disposed on the outside air intake section 21 side inside the main body 2. In this embodiment, the fan 3 is a sirocco fan. The sirocco fan is a substantially cylindrical blower in which multiple blades are arranged in an annular shape along the circumferential direction of the central axis of rotation, and the air sucked in along the central axis is blown out radially outward from between the rotating blades. Therefore, the fan 3 can suck in air from multiple air intake holes 25 provided above and below the fan 3 in the thickness direction of the main body 2, and send the air toward the blowing section 22 formed on the upper surface portion 15.

[0040] <Cooling section> 4 shows a cooling unit 4a of a cooling device 1A according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is an overall perspective view and (b) is an exploded perspective view. As shown in Fig. 4(a) and (b), the cooling unit 4a includes a casing 90a composed of a casing main body 91, a lid body 92, and a bottom body 93, a Peltier element 6, a heat sink 7a, a holder 94, and an elastic member housing portion 95 disposed inside the casing 90a, an elastic member 9a disposed inside the lid body 92 and the elastic member housing portion 95, and a metal plate 5 attached to the lower part of the bottom body 93. The thickness direction of the main body 2 coincides with the direction perpendicular to the surface of the metal plate 5.

[0041] Fig. 5 shows a cooling device 1A according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 3(b), (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 3(b), and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Fig. 3(b). Note that wiring and the like connected to the fan 3 and the battery 28 are omitted. In Fig. 5(a), dashed arrows indicate the flow of air. In Fig. 5, the first cooling section 41a is in an expanded state, and the second cooling section 42a is in a contracted state.

[0042] 5(a), in a state in which the first cooling section 41a and the second cooling section 42a are attached to the main body 2, an air passage 8 is formed through which the common fan 3 draws in air through the outside air introduction section 21 and blows it out from the blowing section 22. In this embodiment, since the first cooling section 41a and the second cooling section 42a are arranged along the air passage 8, the first heat sink 71a and the second heat sink 72a are cooled by the air drawn in by the fan 3 through the outside air introduction section 21.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the elastic member 9a is disposed in a space formed by the cover 92 and the elastic member housing 95, and the elastic member housing 95 is disposed on the holder 94. As a result, the elastic member 9a is provided near the center of the cooling unit 4a. By providing the elastic member 9a near the center of the cooling unit 4a, the cooling unit 4a can be reliably pressed against the body even with a small number of elastic members 9a. In addition, the cover 92 that houses the elastic member 9a and the elastic member housing 95 become barriers to the air passage 8, and the air passes under the holder 94. Therefore, the air flows avoiding the elastic member 9a, so that the air can be directly applied to the heat sink 7a, and the heat of the Peltier element 6 can be efficiently dissipated. In this embodiment, one elastic member 9a is provided near the center of the cooling unit 4a, and the elastic member 9a is a metal coil spring.

[0044] 5(b) and (c), in this embodiment, the batteries 28 are disposed on both sides of the first cooling section 41a and the second cooling section 42a. By disposing the batteries 28 in this manner, the thickness of the main body 2 can be reduced, resulting in a cooling device 1A that does not impair the mobility and workability of the user.

[0045] Second Embodiment 6 shows a cooling section 4b of a cooling device 1B according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is an overall perspective view and (b) is an exploded perspective view. In the second embodiment, the same or similar parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference symbols in the drawings and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. In the following, the cooling section unique to the second embodiment will be mainly described. <Cooling section> 6(a) and (b), the cooling unit 4b includes a casing 90b, a Peltier element 6 arranged inside the casing 90b, a heat sink 7b, and an elastic member holder 96, a back portion 98 having an insertion rod 97 inserted into the elastic member holder 96, an elastic member 9b arranged inside the elastic member holder 96, and a metal plate 5 attached to the lower part of the casing 90b. The thickness direction of the main body 2 coincides with the direction perpendicular to the surface of the metal plate 5.

[0046] Fig. 7 shows a cooling section 4b of a cooling device 1B according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to Fig. 5(a), (b) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to Fig. 5(b), and (c) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to Fig. 5(c). Note that wiring and the like connected to the fan 3 and the battery 28 are omitted. In Fig. 7, the first cooling section 41b is in an extended state, and the second cooling section 42b is in a contracted state.

[0047] 7(a), in a state in which the first cooling section 41b and the second cooling section 42b are attached to the main body 2, an air passage 8 is formed through which the common fan 3 draws in air through the outside air introduction section 21 and blows it out from the blowing section 22. In this embodiment, since the first cooling section 41b and the second cooling section 42b are arranged along the air passage 8, the first heat sink 71b and the second heat sink 72b are cooled by the air drawn in by the fan 3 through the outside air introduction section 21.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the elastic member 9b is disposed in the space of the elastic member holder 96 disposed around the heat sink 7b, and the elastic member holder 96 is disposed in the casing 90b together with the heat sink 7b. As a result, a plurality of elastic members 9b are provided along the outer periphery of the heat sink 7b. By providing a plurality of elastic members 9b along the outer periphery of the heat sink 7b, the heat sink 7b fits within the range of the length of the elastic members 9b, so that the height of the heat sink 7b can be increased accordingly, and the heat of the Peltier element 6 can be efficiently dissipated. In addition, since a plurality of elastic members 9b are provided, the biasing force of the cooling unit 4b on the body can be increased, and the cooling unit 4b can be adapted to vigorous body movements. In this embodiment, two elastic members 9b are provided at opposing positions, and the elastic members 9b are metal coil springs.

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 7(b) and (c), the elastic member 9b arranged in the elastic member holder 96 is pressed by an insert rod 97 on the rear portion 98 to contract.

[0050] In the second embodiment, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a part of the air passage 8 in front of the cooling portion 4b is narrowed. By adopting such a configuration, the flow rate of the air blown into the cooling portion 4b can be increased, so that the heat of the heat sink 7 can be dissipated more quickly.

[0051] The above describes an embodiment of the cooling device of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the above embodiment, and the configuration can be changed as appropriate within the scope of the spirit of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0052] The cooling device of the present invention can be used, for example, in ventilation-equipped work clothes (so-called "air-conditioned clothing (registered trademark)") worn by workers at construction sites, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1, 1A, 1B Cooling device 2 Main unit 3 Fan 4, 4a, 4b Cooling section 5 metal plate 6 Peltier element 7, 7a, 7b Heat sink 8 Air passage 21 Outside air intake section 22 Air outlet

Claims

1. A cooling device for cooling a body, comprising: A main body having an outside air introduction section and an outlet section; A fan disposed on the outside air intake side in the main body; a cooling unit having a metal plate that contacts the body, a Peltier element that contacts the metal plate, and a heat sink that dissipates heat from the Peltier element; Equipped with an air passage is formed through which the air sucked by the fan through the outside air introduction part is blown out from the blowing part when the cooling part is attached to the main body; The cooling unit is a cooling device having an expandable structure that can expand and contract in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the metal plate.

2. The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the cooling sections are arranged along the air passage.

3. The cooling device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the expandable structure includes an elastic member that biases the cooling portion in a direction pressing the cooling portion against the body.

4. The cooling device according to claim 3 , wherein the elastic member is provided near a center of the cooling portion.

5. The cooling device according to claim 3 , wherein the elastic member is provided in a plurality of members along an outer periphery of the heat sink.

6. 3. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the outside air introduction section includes a plurality of intake holes, the plurality of intake holes being provided above and below the fan in the vertical direction.

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