Cooling / heating garment

The garment addresses discomfort from temperature differences by using a back Peltier element and front auxiliary units with adjustable spacing, ensuring uniform temperature regulation across the torso.

JP2025166992APending Publication Date: 2025-11-07TOYOSHIMA & CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024071221
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-04-25
Publication Date
2025-11-07

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Conventional garments using multiple Peltier elements and fans cause discomfort due to temperature differences between the front and back of the torso, especially in high-temperature environments, leading to uneven cooling or heating.

Method used

A cooling and heating garment with a main Peltier element on the back and paired auxiliary elements on the front, combined with fans that exhaust air directly to the wearer's side, and adjustable spacing to ensure consistent temperature regulation across the torso.

Benefits of technology

The garment effectively absorbs or heats from both the front and back of the torso, preventing discomfort from temperature differences by maintaining consistent temperature distribution.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To provide a cooling / heating garment which does not increase likelihood which a wearer does not feel uncomfortable due to a temperature difference between a front side and a backside of the body when a plurality of Peltier element cooling / heating units are used.SOLUTION: A main Peltier element cooling / heating unit 11 and a pair of sub-Peltier element cooling / heating units 13 and 15 are attached to a garment body 9 so that operation faces face a wearer side of a garment body 9, and fans directly discharge air to the outside of the garment body 9. Gap dimension adjustment members 19 are provided as pressing structures for pressing a pair of sub-Peltier element cooling / heating units 13 and 15 provided in a right front body part 5 and a left front body part 7 toward the wearer side so that the operation faces of the pair of the sub-Peltier element cooling / heating units contact a wearer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling and heating garment equipped with a Peltier element. [Background technology]

[0002] Figure 2 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2022-63478 (Patent Document 1) discloses a heating and cooling garment that, in the case of cooling, includes a heat exchange plate cooled by a Peltier element, a Peltier element that cools the heat exchange plate, a heat sink attached to the heat-generating surface of the Peltier element, a fan that exhausts air heated by the heat sink, a fan cover that covers the heat sink and fan, and an air conditioning unit equipped with a body-attached plate, with the fan positioned on the outside of the garment. Figure 15 of this publication also discloses a heating and cooling technology for garments in which the air conditioning unit is placed inside the garment while being worn on the wearer's back using a belt-type fastener that supports the air conditioning unit at three points.

[0003] In addition, Patent Publication No. 2021-46632 (Patent Document 2) discloses a heated and cooled garment that has a unit attached to the back of the garment, with multiple sets of Peltier elements and blowers distributed across a large mesh support. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-63478 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-46632 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The conventional device using multiple sets of Peltier elements and fans shown in Patent Document 2 has multiple sets of Peltier elements and fans attached to the back of the garment, but with this configuration, the wearer's back gets too cold when air conditioning is used, and the power is often turned off. Furthermore, if the wearer's back is strongly cooled over a wide area in a high-temperature environment, such as 40°C to 50°C, the uneven cooling can cause the front of the wearer to feel hotter than it actually is, increasing the likelihood of discomfort. Furthermore, when used for heating, the temperature difference can also increase the likelihood of discomfort.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a cooling and heating garment that, when using multiple Peltier element cooling and heating units, does not increase the likelihood that the wearer will feel uncomfortable due to the temperature difference between the front and back sides of the torso. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The cooling and heating garment of the present invention comprises a garment body having a back body portion, a right front body portion, and a left front body portion, a main Peltier element cooling and heating unit attached to the back body portion, which is configured by combining a Peltier element placed inside the garment body with a fan that exhausts air that comes into contact with the Peltier element, and a pair of sub Peltier element cooling and heating units attached to the right front body portion and the left front body portion, respectively, which are configured by combining a Peltier element placed inside the garment body with a fan that exhausts air that comes into contact with the Peltier element.

[0008] Compared to a simple fan, a Peltier element can provide a localized cool or warm environment to the wearer. Therefore, unlike heated and cooled clothing that uses a fan to blow air inside the clothing, heated and cooled clothing using a Peltier element can cause the wearer to feel a large temperature difference simply depending on whether the Peltier element is touching the wearer. Workers performing various construction work often work with their backs hunched. When working with their backs hunched, the back of the garment naturally comes into contact with the wearer's back. Conversely, in this position, the front of the garment tends to be away from the wearer's front. Due to this situation, it has traditionally been common practice to place the Peltier element on the back of the garment.

[0009] Therefore, in the present invention, the main Peltier element cooling / heating unit and a pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling / heating units are attached to the garment body so that their operating surfaces face the wearer's side and the fan directly exhausts air to the outside of the garment body. A pressing structure is provided to press the pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling / heating units toward the wearer, so that their operating surfaces contact the wearer. Since the wearer naturally wears a jacket such as a shirt, the operating surfaces contact the wearer through the jacket. Using this pressing structure, the operating surfaces of the pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling / heating units can always be in contact with the front of the wearer's torso, even when the worker works with their back bent. As a result, the cooling / heating garment of the present invention reliably absorbs or heats heat from both the front and back of the wearer's torso, preventing the wearer from feeling uncomfortable due to the temperature difference between the front and back of the torso. The operating surfaces are the surfaces cooled by the Peltier elements during cooling and the surfaces heated by the Peltier elements during heating.

[0010] When a pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling / heating units are attached to the right and left front body portions so as to be positioned symmetrically with respect to an imaginary plane that bisects the back body portion and passes through the center of the main Peltier element cooling / heating unit, the aforementioned pressing structure may be configured by providing one or more spacing adjustment members between the right and left front body portions along an imaginary line passing through the pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling / heating units. When the spacing adjustment member is used to widen the spacing between the right and left front body portions and then the spacing adjustment member is used to narrow the spacing between the right and left front body portions, the working surfaces of the pair of Peltier element cooling / heating units can be easily and reliably pressed against the front of the wearer's torso. As a result, heat can be reliably absorbed or heated from the front and back of the wearer's torso regardless of the wearer's posture during work.

[0011] The spacing adjustment member can include a pair of belts connected at one end to the right and left front body portions, and a buckle member having a male member on one of the pair of belts and a female member on the other of the pair of belts that detachably engages with the male member. At least one of the male member and female member has a structure that holds the belt so that the length of the corresponding belt can be adjusted. This type of spacing adjustment member can be constructed inexpensively using commercially available parts, and can press the working surfaces of a pair of sub Peltier element heating and cooling units provided on the pair of right and left front body portions against the front of the wearer's torso with an inexpensive structure.

[0012] The performance of the pair of sub Peltier element cooling and heating units is preferably half or less of the performance of the main Peltier element cooling and heating unit, which prevents a large difference in the amount of heat absorbed or heated between the front and back sides of the wearer, thereby preventing the wearer from feeling a temperature difference.

[0013] A battery storage compartment for storing a battery that supplies power to the main Peltier element cooling and heating unit and the pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling and heating units is provided in one of the right or left front body sections, and one of the pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling and heating units is located below the battery storage compartment. A lower opening is formed in the bottom of the battery storage compartment so as to open toward the inside of the garment body, through which a power supply line that supplies power from the battery to the main Peltier element cooling and heating unit and the pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling and heating units passes. A switch-equipped controller is provided on the power supply line, which passes through the lower opening and is adjacent to one of the auxiliary Peltier element cooling and heating units. In addition, it is preferable to provide an exposure through-hole in one of the right or left front body sections to expose the operating portion of the switch-equipped controller. This shortens the distance between the switch-equipped controller and the power source, so that when the switch-equipped controller is exposed through the exposure through-hole, the length of the power supply line between the battery and the switch-equipped controller does not become a hindrance or a resistance when exposing the operating part of the switch-equipped controller through the exposure through-hole.

[0014] A reinforcing plate is preferably fixed to one of the right and left front body sections, and engages with the outer periphery of the switch-equipped controller so as to surround the exposure through-hole, thereby positioning the switch-equipped controller. Providing such a reinforcing plate can prevent damage to the front body section when the switch-equipped controller is attached.

[0015] It is preferable that one of the right and left front body sections is provided with a pressing member that presses the back surface of the switch-equipped controller fitted into the exposure through-hole toward the exposure through-hole. The provision of such a pressing member simplifies the positioning and fixing of the switch-equipped controller. The pressing member may also be formed of an elastic band that is fixed to the back surface of one of the right and left front body sections and extends in a direction intersecting with the exposure through-hole.

[0016] A lining fabric may be sewn to the inside of one of the right and left front body sections to form a first power supply line passage through which the power supply line passes, at a position facing the battery storage section, and the power supply line may pass through the lower opening, be routed around one of the sub Peltier element heating and cooling units, and then pass through the first power supply line passage and be drawn out to the main Peltier element heating and cooling unit side. Arranging the power supply line in this manner prevents excessive force from being applied to the power supply line, thereby preventing breaks in the power supply line and poor connections.

[0017] A lining may be sewn to the inner side of the other of the right and left front body sections to form a second power feeder passage through which the power feeder passes at a position symmetrical to the first power feeder passage. Forming the second power feeder passage with the lining can easily form a power feeder passage that does not apply undue force to the power feeder.

[0018] It is preferable that a plurality of clamping members for clamping the power feeder cable are arranged at predetermined intervals on the back surface of the back body, right front body, and left front body located between the first and second power feeder cable passages, thereby enabling the power feeder cable to be securely positioned within the garment body.

[0019] The clothing itself can be any material, but if it is a vest, the armholes of the vest can also be used for exhaust, which has the advantage of increasing the cooling effect. If the wearer puts on the vest and then wears clothing equipped with a fan that pushes outside air inside the vest, the wearer's perceived temperature can be further reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of the cooling and heating garment of the present embodiment worn by a wearer. [Figure 2] This is an exploded view of the cooled and heated garment with the shoulders open. [Figure 3] 10 is a front view of the cooling and heating garment with the main Peltier element cooling and heating unit and a pair of sub Peltier element cooling and heating units removed. FIG. [Figure 4] 1A to 1C are front, side and rear views of the main Peltier element cooling and heating unit, and FIG. 1D is a front view of the engaging member. [Figure 5] 10(A) and 10(B) are diagrams used to explain how to attach the main Peltier element cooling and heating unit to the clothing body. [Figure 6] 10(A) to 10(C) are front, side and rear views of the sub Peltier element cooling and heating unit, and FIG. 10(D) is a front view of the engaging member. [Figure 7] (A) is a perspective view of the battery, (B) is a diagram showing the state when the battery is stored in the battery storage section, and (C) is a diagram used to explain when connecting a power supply line to the battery. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram used to explain routing of power supply lines. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram used to explain a controller with a switch provided on a power supply line. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams used to explain how to use a controller with a switch. [Figure 11] 10 is a view showing a state in which the male member of the buckle member of the gap dimension adjusting member is housed. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The following describes in detail the cooling and heating garment 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. The following description will be given taking the cooling and heating garment 1 as an example, assuming that it is used for cooling. FIG. 1 is a front view of the cooling and heating garment 1 worn by a wearer, FIG. 2 is a developed view of the cooling and heating garment 1 with the shoulders open, and FIG. 3 is a front view of the cooling and heating garment 1 with the main Peltier element cooling and heating unit 11 and a pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling and heating units 13 and 15 (described later) removed. The cooling and heating garment 1 according to this embodiment has the form of a vest. The cooling and heating garment 1 includes a garment body 9 having a back body section 3, a right front body section 5, and a left front body section 7. The main Peltier element cooling and heating unit 11 is attached to the back body section 3 of the garment body 9, and a pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling and heating units 13 and 15 are attached to the lower regions of the right front body section 5 and the left front body section 7. In this embodiment, the back body section 3, the right front body section 5, and the left front body section 7 are primarily formed of mesh fabric.

[0022] [Layout of Peltier element heating and cooling units] The main Peltier element cooling / heating unit 11, attached to the upper center of the back body portion 3, is configured by combining a Peltier element 11A placed inside the garment body 9 and a fan 11B that exhausts air that comes into contact with the Peltier element 11A, as shown in Figures 4(A) to 4(D). The Peltier element 11A shown in Figure 4 has an element body (not shown) located behind the working surface 11C (Figure 4(A)) that is cooled or heated. As shown in Figure 4(B), when the working surface 11C is used as the cooling surface, the fan 11B is configured as a centrifugal fan that draws in air through multiple air vents 11Ba provided on the outer periphery, blows it onto the element body (not shown), and then exhausts it through multiple exhaust holes 11D shown in Figure 4(C). The main Peltier element heating and cooling unit 11 also has a through-hole 11E that passes through an attachment through-hole H1 [Fig. 3] provided in the back body part 3, an engaged part 11F consisting of a female threaded part formed in the through-hole 11E, an annular flange part 11G that extends radially from the end of the through-hole 11E on the fan 11B side, and an engaging member 11I [Fig. 4(D)] that has an engaging part 11H consisting of a male threaded part that is inserted into the attachment through-hole H1 and engages with the engaged part 11F formed in the through-hole 11E that protrudes from the back body part 3. The main Peltier element heating and cooling unit 11 is fixed to the garment body 9 by inserting a through-hole 11E into the mounting through-hole H1 [Fig. 3] provided in the back body 3 as shown in Fig. 5(A), and engaging (turning) an engaging member 11I into the through-hole 11E as shown in Fig. 5(B), with a portion of the back body 3 surrounding the mounting through-hole H1 sandwiched between the annular flange portion 11G and the engaging member 11I.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of sub-Peltier element cooling / heating units 13 and 15 are attached to the lower regions of the right front body portion 5 and the left front body portion 7. Because the pair of sub-Peltier element cooling / heating units 13 and 15 have the same structure, their structure will be described using the sub-Peltier element cooling / heating unit 13 as an example, as shown in FIGS. 6(A) to 6(D). The sub-Peltier element cooling / heating unit 13 is configured by combining a Peltier element 13A placed inside the garment body 9 with a fan 13B that exhausts air that comes into contact with the Peltier element 13A. The element body (not shown) of the Peltier element 13A shown in FIG. 6(A) is located behind the working surface 13C that is cooled or heated. When the working surface 13C is used as the cooling surface, the fan 13B is configured as a centrifugal fan that draws in air through multiple air vents 13Ba provided on the outer periphery, blows it onto the element body (not shown), and then exhausts it through multiple exhaust holes 13D shown in FIG. 6(C). The sub Peltier element cooling and heating unit 13 also has a through-hole 13E that passes through a mounting through-hole H2 (H3) [Fig. 3] provided in the right front body part 5, an engaged part 13F consisting of a female thread formed in the through-hole 13E, an annular flange part 13G that extends radially from the end of the through-hole 13E on the fan 13B side, and an engaging member 13I [Fig. 6(D)] that has an engaging part 13H consisting of a male thread that is inserted into the mounting through-hole H2 (H3) and engages with the engaged part 13F formed in the through-hole 13E that protrudes from the right front body part 5. With the engaging part 13H engaged with the engaged part 13F, the sub Peltier element cooling and heating unit 13 is fixed to the right front body part 5 of the garment body 9, with a portion of the right front body part 5 surrounding the mounting through-hole H2 being sandwiched between the annular flange part 13G and the engaging member 13I. The sub Peltier element cooling / heating unit 15 is fixed to the left front body part 7 in the same manner.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 2, in this embodiment, a pair of sub Peltier element cooling and heating units 13 and 15 are attached to the lower regions of the right front body part 5 and the left front body part 7 so as to be disposed in symmetrical positions with respect to an imaginary plane PP that passes through the center of the main Peltier element cooling and heating unit 11 and bisects the back body part 3. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, a gap dimension adjusting member 19 (pressing structure) that adjusts the gap between the right front body part 5 and the left front body part 7 is provided between the right front body part 5 and the left front body part 7 along an imaginary line PL that passes through the pair of sub Peltier element cooling and heating units 13 and 15. The pressing structure presses the pair of sub Peltier element cooling and heating units 13 and 15 toward the wearer so that the working surfaces (13C) of the pair of sub Peltier element cooling and heating units 13 and 15 provided on the right front body part 5 and the left front body part 7 come into contact with the wearer.

[0025] The gap dimension adjustment member 19 of this embodiment includes a pair of belts 19A and 19B, one end of which is connected to the right front body portion 5 and the left front body portion 7, respectively, and a buckle member 19E having a male member 19C attached to one of the pair of belts 19A and 19B and a female member 19D attached to the other belt 19B, which is detachably fitted to the male member 19C. This type of buckle member 19E is called a side-release buckle member, in which the engagement with the female member 19D is released by pressing the two elastic pieces of the male member 19C. It should be noted that a buckle member called a front-release buckle member may be used instead of a side-release buckle member. In this embodiment, the female member is structured to hold the corresponding belt 19A so that the length of the belt 19A can be adjusted. This type of buckle member is commercially available at low cost. By pulling belt 19A after fastening buckle member 19E, the distance between right front body portion 5 and left front body portion 7 is shortened and the working surfaces (13C) of the pair of auxiliary Peltier element heating and cooling units 13 and 15 can be pressed against the front of the wearer's torso. By using such a pressing structure consisting of distance dimension adjustment member 19, the working surfaces of the pair of auxiliary Peltier element heating and cooling units 13 and 19 can be kept in contact with the front of the wearer's torso at all times, even when the worker works with their back bent, and therefore heat can be absorbed or heated reliably from both the front and back of the wearer's torso, and the wearer is less likely to feel uncomfortable due to the temperature difference between the front and back sides of the torso.

[0026] In this embodiment, two spacing adjustment members (front belts) 21 and 23 are further provided on the spacing adjustment member 19 at positions slightly away from the imaginary line PL. The two spacing adjustment members 21 and 23 have the same configuration as the spacing adjustment member 19, so a description thereof will be omitted. Note that the two spacing adjustment members 21 and 23 also indirectly assist in the effect of keeping the working surfaces of the pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling and heating units 13 and 15 in contact with the front of the wearer's torso at all times, but the spacing adjustment member 19 directly contributes to producing this effect. When the garment main body 9 is worn with the spacing between the right front body portion 5 and the left front body portion 7 widened by these spacing adjustment members 19, 21, and 23, and then the spacing between the right front body portion 5 and the left front body portion 7 is narrowed by the spacing adjustment members 19, 21, and 23, the working surfaces (13C) of the pair of Peltier element cooling and heating units 13 and 15 can be easily and reliably pressed against the front of the wearer's torso. As a result, heat absorption or heating can be reliably performed from the front and back of the wearer's torso, regardless of the posture in which the wearer works.

[0027] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, between the back body part 3 and the right front body part 5, and between the back body part 3 and the left front body part 7, adjustment belt structures 25 and 27 are provided, respectively, to adjust the distance between them.

[0028] In this embodiment, the performance of the pair of sub Peltier element cooling and heating units 13 and 15 is half or less the performance of fan 11B of main Peltier element cooling and heating unit 11. This prevents a large difference in the total amount of heat absorption, heating, or exhaust between the front and back sides of the wearer, thereby preventing the wearer from feeling a temperature difference.

[0029] [Power supply configuration for Peltier element heating and cooling unit] 1, 2, and 7(B), in this embodiment, a battery storage compartment 29 for storing a battery B that supplies power to the main Peltier element cooling and heating unit 11 and the pair of sub Peltier element cooling and heating units 13 and 15 is provided in the left front body part 7. As shown in FIG. 7(A), this embodiment uses a battery B consisting of various types of lithium secondary batteries. One end of this battery B is provided with a connector B1 to which a power supply connector 33 of a power supply line 31 is connected, as shown in FIG. 7(C), and a power switch B2 has the function of indicating the charging and discharging states by lighting a lamp.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 7(B), the battery B is stored in the battery storage compartment 29 by opening a zipper 30 that closes the upper opening at the top end of the battery storage compartment 29. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the sub-Peltier element heating and cooling unit 15 is disposed below the battery storage compartment 29. As shown in Fig. 8, a lower opening 29A is formed at the bottom of the battery storage compartment 29 so as to open toward the inside of the garment body 9, and through which passes a power supply line 31 that supplies power from the battery B to the main Peltier element heating and cooling unit 11 and the pair of sub-Peltier element heating and cooling units 13 and 15.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 2, 8, and 9, the power supply line 31 is provided with a switch-equipped controller 35 that passes through the lower opening 29A and is located adjacent to the sub-Peltier element cooling and heating unit 15. As shown enlarged in FIG. 9, the switch-equipped controller 35 is a controller that includes a memory unit that stores not only power on / off commands but also power supply modes for supplying power to the main Peltier element cooling and heating unit 11 and the pair of sub-Peltier element cooling and heating units 13 and 15. The switch-equipped controller 35 outputs power on / off commands and changes in power supply mode through the operation of two switches 35A and 35B. For example, as shown in FIG. 10(A), the power is turned on by pressing and holding switch 35A, and the power is turned off by pressing and holding switch 35B. After the power is turned on, the switch 35A flashes for a predetermined period of time, as shown in FIG. 10(B). The power supply mode in the switch-equipped controller 35 is configured so that after the power is turned on, the power supply mode can be selected from "strong," "weak," and "fluctuation" by changing the number of times the switch 35A is pressed within a short period of time. Here, "fluctuation" is a mode that automatically changes between strong and weak at predetermined intervals.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, the left front body portion 7 has an exposure through-hole H4 next to the attachment through-hole H3, which exposes the operation portions (35A, 35B) of the switch-equipped controller 35. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a reinforcing plate 37 is fixed around the exposure through-hole H4 and engages with the outer periphery of the switch-equipped controller 35 to position the switch-equipped controller 35. The provision of such a reinforcing plate 37 prevents damage to the left front body portion 7 when the switch-equipped controller 35 is attached. When the exposure through-hole H4 is positioned as in this embodiment, the distance between the switch-equipped controller 35 and the battery B serving as the power source is shortened, as shown in FIG. 8. This shortens the length of the power supply cable 31 between the battery B and the switch-equipped controller 35 when the switch-equipped controller 35 is exposed through the exposure through-hole H4. This prevents the length of the power supply cable 31 from interfering with or interfering with the exposure of the operation portions (35A, 35B) of the switch-equipped controller 35 through the exposure through-hole H4. In other words, if the length of this portion of the power supply line 31 increases, the springiness of the power supply line 31 increases the likelihood that the switch-equipped controller 35 will slip out of the exposure through-hole H4. The left front body portion 7 is provided with a pressing member 39 that presses the back surface of the switch-equipped controller 35 fitted into the exposure through-hole H4 toward the exposure through-hole H4. In this embodiment, the pressing member 39 is configured as an elastic band fixed to one back surface of the left front body portion 7 and extending in a direction intersecting the exposure through-hole H4. Providing such a pressing member 39 simplifies the positioning and fastening of the switch-equipped controller 35. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8 , a clamping member 41 is provided to clamp and guide a portion of the power supply line 31 leading out of the switch-equipped controller 35 to prevent misalignment. The clamping member 41 is configured to be openable and closable using a hook-and-loop fastener known as Velcro (registered trademark).

[0033] As shown in Figure 8, the power supply line 31 with the power supply connector 33 inserted into the battery storage section 29 passes through the lower opening 29A, is routed around the periphery of the sub Peltier element cooling and heating unit 15, and then passes through the first power supply line passage 42 and is drawn out to the side of the main Peltier element cooling and heating unit 11. Arranging the power supply line 31 in this manner prevents excessive force from being applied to the power supply line 31, and prevents breaks in the power supply line 31 or poor connections from occurring.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 2, a lining fabric is sewn to the inside of the left front body part 7 so as to form a first power feeder passage 42 that opens at the top and bottom and through which the power feeder 31 passes. Similarly, a lining fabric is sewn to the inside of the right front body part 5 so as to form a second power feeder passage 43 through which the power feeder 31 passes, at a position symmetrical to the first power feeder passage 42. Forming the first power feeder passage 42 and the second power feeder passage 43 out of the lining fabric makes it possible to easily configure power feeder passages that do not apply excessive force to the power feeder 31.

[0035] 2, four clamping members 45A to 45D for clamping and securing the power feeder 31 are arranged at predetermined intervals on the back surfaces of the back body 3, right front body 5, and left front body 7, which are located between the first power feeder passage 42 and the second power feeder passage 43. These clamping members 45A to 45D are made of hook-and-loop fasteners, similar to the clamping member 41 described above. By providing the clamping members 45A to 45D in this way, the power feeder 31 can be firmly positioned within the garment body.

[0036] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10, on the lining fabric forming the first power feeder passage 42 and the lining fabric forming the second power feeder passage 43 provided in the right front body portion 5 and the left front body portion 7, storage rubber loops 47 are attached into which the male members 23A or female members (not shown) constituting the buckle portions 21A and 23A of the spacing adjustment members 21 and 23 are inserted and held when the two spacing adjustment members 21 and 23 are not used.

[0037] (others) In the above embodiment, the pair of auxiliary Peltier element heating and cooling units 13 and 15 are attached to the lower regions of the right front body part 5 and the left front body part 7 so as to be positioned symmetrically with respect to an imaginary plane PP which passes through the center of the main Peltier element heating and cooling unit 11 and bisects the back body part 3, but the mounting positions of the pair of auxiliary Peltier element heating and cooling units 13 and 15 are not limited to the positions in this embodiment, and may be positioned higher than the positions in this embodiment as long as the effects of the invention can be obtained.

[0038] While wearing the vest of this embodiment, the wearer may also wear harness wear equipped with a fan that pushes outside air inside. Using it in this way can further lower the wearer's perceived temperature.

[0039] The above embodiment is described for cooling, but when used for heating, the direction of current flow to the Peltier element can be changed to stop the fan, or the fan can be driven appropriately to adjust the temperature. [Industrial Applicability]

[0040] The cooling and heating garment of the present invention can reliably absorb or heat from both the front and back of the wearer's torso, thereby preventing the wearer from feeling uncomfortable due to the temperature difference between the front and back of the torso. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1. Cooling and heating clothing 3 Back body part 5 Right front body 7 Left front body 9 Clothes body 11 Main Peltier element heating and cooling unit 13,15 Secondary Peltier element heating and cooling unit 19 Spacing dimension adjustment member (pressing structure) 19E Buckle member 21, 23 Spacing dimension adjustment member 29 Battery compartment 31 Power line 35 Switched controller 37 Reinforcement plate 42 First Power Supply Passage 43 Second Power Line Passage B battery

Claims

1. a garment body having a back body portion, a right front body portion, and a left front body portion; a main Peltier element heating / cooling unit attached to the back body portion, the main Peltier element being configured by combining a Peltier element disposed inside the garment body and a fan for discharging air that has come into contact with the Peltier element; a pair of auxiliary Peltier element heating and cooling units each attached to the right front body portion and the left front body portion, each of which is configured by combining a Peltier element disposed inside the garment body with a fan that exhausts air that has come into contact with the Peltier element; the main Peltier element cooling / heating unit and the pair of sub Peltier element cooling / heating units are attached to the garment body such that their operating surfaces face the garment body toward a wearer, and the fans directly exhaust the air to the outside of the garment body; The cooling and heating garment is provided with a pressing structure that presses the pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling and heating units toward the wearer so that the working surfaces of the pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling and heating units come into contact with the wearer.

2. the pair of sub Peltier element heating and cooling units are attached to the right front body portion and the left front body portion so as to be disposed at positions symmetrical with respect to an imaginary plane that passes through the center of the main Peltier element heating and cooling unit and divides the back body portion into two, The heating and cooling garment of claim 1, wherein the pressing structure is configured such that one or more spacing dimension adjustment members that adjust the spacing between the right front body portion and the left front body portion are provided between the right front body portion and the left front body portion along an imaginary line passing through the pair of Peltier element heating and cooling units.

3. The gap dimension adjustment member includes a pair of belts each having one end connected to the right front body portion and the left front body portion, and a buckle member including a male member provided on one of the pair of belts and a female member provided on the other of the pair of belts and detachably fitted with the male member, 3. The cooled and heated garment according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the male member and the female member has a structure for holding the belt so that the length of the corresponding belt can be adjusted.

4. 3. The cooling and heating garment according to claim 2, wherein the performance of the pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling and heating units is equal to or less than half the performance of the main Peltier element cooling and heating unit.

5. a battery storage section for storing a battery that supplies power to the main Peltier element cooling / heating unit and the pair of sub Peltier element cooling / heating units is provided in one of the right front body section and the left front body section; one of the pair of auxiliary Peltier element cooling and heating units is disposed below the battery housing section, a lower opening through which a power supply line for supplying power from the battery to the main Peltier element cooling / heating unit and the pair of sub Peltier element cooling / heating units passes is formed at the bottom of the battery storage section, the lower opening opening toward the inside of the garment body; a switch-equipped controller is provided on the power supply line at a portion that passes through the lower opening and is adjacent to one of the sub Peltier element heating and cooling units, The cooling and heating garment according to claim 2, wherein one of the right front body portion and the left front body portion is provided with an exposure through-hole for exposing an operating portion of the switch-equipped controller.

6. The heated and cooled garment of claim 1, wherein a reinforcing plate is fixed to one of the right front body portion and the left front body portion, engaging with the outer periphery of the switch-equipped controller so as to surround the exposure through-hole and positioning the switch-equipped controller.

7. The cooling and heating garment of claim 6, wherein one of the right front body portion and the left front body portion is provided with a pressing member that presses the back surface of the switch-equipped controller engaged with the exposure through-hole toward the exposure through-hole.

8. The cooling / heating garment according to claim 7, wherein the pressing member comprises an elastic band fixed to the back surface of one of the right front body portion and the left front body portion and extending in a direction intersecting the exposure through-hole.

9. a lining fabric is sewn to the inner side of one of the right front body portion and the left front body portion so as to form a first power supply line passage through which the power supply line passes at a position facing the battery storage portion; The heating and cooling garment according to claim 5, wherein the power supply line passes through the lower opening, is routed around one of the auxiliary Peltier element heating and cooling units, and then passes through the first power supply line passage and is pulled out to the main Peltier element heating and cooling unit side.

10. 10. The cooling and heating garment according to claim 9, wherein a lining is sewn to the inner side of the other of the right front body portion and the left front body portion so as to form a second power supply line passage through which the power supply line passes, at a position symmetrical to the first power supply line passage.

11. 10. The cooled and heated garment according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of clamping members for clamping and securing the power supply lines are arranged at predetermined intervals on the back surfaces of the back body portion, the right front body portion, and the left front body portion, which are located between the first power supply line passage and the second power supply line passage.

12. The cooling and heating garment according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the garment body is a vest.

13. 13. A method for using the cooling and heating garment according to claim 12, wherein the wearer wears a garment equipped with a fan for pushing outside air inside the garment while wearing the vest.

Citation Information

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