Portable corpse cooling device

Abstract

To provide a portable corpse cooling device that can operate even without an external power source and is easy to carry. [Solution] A portable corpse cooling device 1 comprises a box-shaped part 2 that thermally separates an internal IS from an external OS, a cooling unit 3 having a Peltier element 31 that cools the internal IS of the box-shaped part 2, and a battery 41 that supplies power to the cooling unit 3. A corpse storage unit A containing a corpse can be placed in the internal IS of the box-shaped part 2, and the corpse storage unit A is cooled by the cooling unit 3 cooling the internal IS of the box-shaped part 2 with the Peltier element 31.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable corpse cooling device for cooling a corpse or a corpse storage container for storing a corpse.

Background Art

[0002] When a person dies, as a device for preserving the corpse while suppressing damage during the period until cremation, a device for cooling the entire coffin containing the corpse has been proposed.

[0003] As a device for cooling the entire coffin, in Patent Document 1, a corpse storage chamber that defines an internal space capable of storing a corpse or a coffin containing a corpse, which is insulated from the external environment, and an internal temperature control means for circulating cold air in the internal space to control the temperature of the internal space to a negative set temperature, and a space potential generation means for discharging static electricity into the internal space to form an electric field in the internal space. The internal temperature control means includes a cold air generation device that generates cold air outside the corpse storage chamber, a cold air discharge port that discharges the cold air from the cold air generation device into the internal space, and an intake port that sucks air in the internal space and guides it to the cold air generation device. The cold air discharge port is formed at a position near one inner side surface of the corpse storage chamber on the bottom surface inside the corpse storage chamber, and at a position facing the one inner side surface across the cold air discharge port, a stopper member is provided that abuts against one outer side surface of the coffin placed in the corpse storage chamber to restrict the movement of the coffin. The intake port is formed on the bottom surface inside the corpse storage chamber on the opposite side of the cold air discharge port across the stopper member. A corpse preservation device is disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the event of a disaster resulting in numerous deaths, it is anticipated that bodies will be scattered across various locations. To preserve the bodies with minimal decomposition, rapid cooling is necessary at the site where the bodies are located. Therefore, a cooling device that can operate even without external power and is easily transportable is desirable. However, the body preservation device described in Patent Document 1 requires an external power source and is complex and large, equipped with components such as internal temperature control and spatial potential generation means, making it unsuitable for transport and use in the event of a disaster.

[0006] This invention addresses the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a portable corpse cooling device that can operate even without an external power source and is easy to carry. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention is a portable corpse cooling device comprising a box-shaped section that insulates the interior from the exterior, a cooling section having a Peltier element that cools the interior of the box-shaped section, and a battery that supplies power to the cooling section, wherein a corpse or a corpse storage container containing a corpse can be placed inside the box-shaped section, and the corpse or corpse storage container is cooled by the cooling section cooling the interior of the box-shaped section with the Peltier element. In this specification, "corpse storage container" includes not only general coffins and urns for storing corpses, but also bags for storing corpses.

[0008] This configuration includes a battery to supply power to the cooling unit, allowing it to operate even without an external power source. Furthermore, because it incorporates a cooling unit with a Peltier element, the cooling unit's structure is simple and lightweight, preventing the overall device from becoming bulky and making it easily portable.

[0009] In this invention, it is preferable that the inner surface of the box-shaped portion is made of aluminum whose surface has been oxidized.

[0010] This configuration allows the inner wall surface of the box-shaped section to have high conductivity and emissivity due to the oxidized aluminum surface, enabling efficient cooling of the inside of the box. This reduces the amount of power required for operation, thus increasing the operating time, which is the time during which the device can continue to operate without an external power supply. Furthermore, oxidized aluminum exhibits more than three times higher corrosion resistance compared to unoxidized aluminum, making it suitable for long-term use and use under harsh conditions.

[0011] In this invention, it is preferable that the cooling surface of the Peltier element and aluminum whose surface has been oxidized are in direct contact.

[0012] With this configuration, heat transfer between the cooling surface of the Peltier element and the aluminum surface, which has been oxidized, occurs directly by thermal conduction, allowing the cooling unit to efficiently cool the inside of the box-shaped section.

[0013] In this invention, it is preferable that the battery is replaceable with other batteries.

[0014] With this configuration, it is possible to increase the operating time by replacing the batteries.

[0015] Preferably, the present invention is connectable to an external power supply, and power can be supplied to the cooling unit from the connected external power supply.

[0016] With this configuration, in locations where an external power source is available, there is no need to supply power to the cooling unit from the battery, thus suppressing the decrease in battery charge.

[0017] Preferably, the present invention is connectable to an external power source, and the battery can be charged by the connected external power source.

[0018] With this configuration, the battery level can be increased by connecting to an external power source, making it easy to maintain a high battery level.

[0019] The present invention preferably includes a wheel portion for traveling on a traveling surface and a handle portion for operating the traveling.

[0020] According to this configuration, the carrying performance can be improved.

[0021] The present invention preferably includes a handle for lifting and carrying.

[0022] [[ID=I4]] According to this configuration, the carrying performance can be improved.

Effects of the Invention

[0023] Since the present invention has a configuration including a battery that supplies power to the cooling unit, it can operate even in an environment where an external power source cannot be used. Since it has a configuration including a cooling unit having a Peltier element, it can prevent the device from becoming large-sized and is easy to carry.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing a portable corpse cooling device in an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a front view, (b) is a plan view, and (c) is a right side view. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1(b). [Figure 3] It is a block diagram showing a control unit, a cooling unit, a battery unit, an external power source connection unit, and a temperature measurement unit of a portable corpse cooling device in a state not connected to an external power source in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram showing a control unit, a cooling unit, a battery unit, an external power source connection unit, and a temperature measurement unit in a state connected to an external power source. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing a modified example of a portable corpse cooling device in an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a front view, (b) is a plan view, and (c) is a right side view.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] A portable corpse cooling device 1 (hereinafter referred to as "cooling device 1") according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cooling device 1 is a device for cooling a corpse or corpse storage container A, comprising: a box-shaped part 2 that insulates the internal IS and the external OS; a cooling unit 3 having a Peltier element 31 that cools the internal IS of the box-shaped part 2; a battery unit 4 having a battery 41 that supplies power to the cooling unit 3; an external power supply connection unit 5 for connecting to an external power supply EP; a temperature measuring unit 6 that measures the temperature of the internal IS of the box-shaped part 2; a control unit 7 for controlling the supply of power from the battery 41 to the cooling unit 3; a wheel unit 8 for traveling on a travel surface F; and a handle unit 9 for operating the travel. In this embodiment, the object to be cooled by the cooling device 1 will be described as a corpse storage container A containing a corpse. Although the cooling device 1 of this embodiment is configured to include an external power supply connection unit 5, a wheel unit 8, and a handle unit 9, these are not essential components, and a portable corpse cooling device may be provided without them.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the box-shaped section 2 is a box-shaped body consisting of a ceiling member 21, a floor member 22, and side wall members 23, which have thermal insulation properties, and a corpse storage body A can be placed inside IS.

[0027] The ceiling member 21 functions as a lid for the box-shaped section 2 and is removable. By removing the ceiling member 21, the body storage container A can be inserted into and removed from the internal IS. With the ceiling member 21 attached, the internal IS of the box-shaped section 2 becomes an airtight space, suppressing heat transfer to and from the outside. In this embodiment, the ceiling member 21 is a removable lid, but is not limited to this, and may be connected to the side wall member 23 via a hinge, for example, and be configured to be openable and closable. Also, the box-shaped section 2 may be configured to have a door on the side of the box-shaped section 2 that connects to the internal IS.

[0028] The ceiling member 21 is provided with an opening 211 for mounting the Peltier element 31 of the cooling unit 3. The Peltier element 31 is mounted so that its cooling surface 31a (details will be described later) faces inward into the box-shaped section 2, and the cooling surface 31a and the inner surface 21a of the ceiling member 21 are almost flush. The inner surfaces 21a, 22a, and 23a of the ceiling member 21, the floor member 22, and the side wall member 23, as well as the cooling surface 31a of the Peltier element 31, are in surface contact with an oxidized aluminum plate 24 (hereinafter referred to as oxidized aluminum plate 24). As a result, when the ceiling member 21 is attached to the box-shaped section 2, its inner surface is covered with the oxidized aluminum plate 24.

[0029] Because the surface of the oxidized aluminum plate 24 is oxidized, it has a higher emissivity compared to ordinary aluminum that has not been oxidized. Furthermore, since the interior is unoxidized aluminum, the high thermal conductivity of aluminum is maintained. In other words, the oxidized aluminum plate 24 possesses both high thermal conductivity (heat transfer performance through direct contact) and high thermal radiation (performance to transfer heat to objects at a distance). Since the inner surface of the box-shaped part 2 is covered with the oxidized aluminum plate 24, and the cooling surface 31a of the Peltier element 31 is in surface contact with the oxidized aluminum plate 24, the cooling unit 3 can efficiently cool the interior IS of the box-shaped part 2. In addition, the surface-oxidized aluminum plate 24 exhibits more than three times higher corrosion resistance compared to aluminum that has not been oxidized, making it possible to use it for long periods of time and under harsh conditions.

[0030] The cooling unit 3 is electrically connected to the battery 41 and includes a Peltier element 31, a heat sink 32, and a fan 33. The Peltier element 31 is a plate-shaped thermoelectric element having a cooling surface 31a and a heating surface 31b. When a DC current is passed through it, heat is absorbed on the cooling surface 31a and heat is generated on the heating surface 31b. As described above, the cooling surface 31a is in surface contact with the oxidized aluminum plate 24. A heat sink 32 is attached to the heating surface 31b to promote heat dissipation. Furthermore, a fan 33 is attached to the heat sink 32, and the airflow from the fan 33 to the heat sink 32 further promotes heat dissipation from the heating surface 31b. Since the Peltier element 31 of the cooling unit 3 is used to cool the corpse storage body A placed inside the box-shaped part 2 IS, it is lighter and prevents the device from becoming larger compared to using a compressor-type cooler. This improves the portability of the cooling device 1.

[0031] The battery unit 4 includes a battery 41 and a housing chamber 42. When the box-shaped body 2 has the ceiling member 21 attached, the battery 41 and the cooling unit 3 are electrically connected, and power is supplied from the battery 41 to the Peltier element 31 and fan 33 of the cooling unit 3. In other words, since power is supplied to the cooling unit 3 from the battery 41 of the cooling device 1, the cooling device 1 can be operated even in environments where an external power supply EP cannot be used.

[0032] The battery 41 is replaceable with other batteries, and the operating time of the cooling device 1 can be increased by replacing the battery 41 used in the battery unit 4 with another battery when the remaining charge of the battery 41 decreases. The battery 41 is not particularly limited as long as it can supply power to the cooling unit 3, and can be a primary battery such as a dry cell battery, or a secondary battery such as a lead-acid battery or a lithium-ion battery.

[0033] The housing chamber 42 has a door 421 and is for housing and protecting the battery 41 inside. The housing chamber 42 has heat dissipation holes 422, which dissipate heat generated from the battery and prevent the inside of the housing chamber 42 from becoming too hot. In addition, a heat dissipation fan (not shown) may be provided in the housing chamber 42 to promote heat dissipation.

[0034] The external power connection unit 5 includes an external power connection interface 51 and an AC / DC converter 52. The external power connection interface 51 is for connecting the external power supply EP and the cooling device 1, and includes a connection port 511. The AC / DC converter 52 converts AC current to DC current, making DC current usable even if the external power supply EP is an AC power supply. Examples of connection ports 511 include USB (Universal Serial Bus) and a socket for a household 100V outlet cable, but it is not particularly limited as long as it can electrically connect the external power supply EP to the cooling device 1 and supply power from the external power supply EP to the cooling device 1.

[0035] When the cooling device 1 is connected to an external power supply EP via an external power supply connection unit 5, power is supplied to the cooling unit 3 from the external power supply EP instead of the battery 41. Furthermore, if the battery 41 is rechargeable, power is supplied to the battery 41 from the external power supply EP, allowing the battery 41 to be charged. As a result, the energy consumption of the battery 41 is reduced, and consequently, the operating time of the cooling device 1 can be increased.

[0036] The temperature measurement unit 6 has a thermometer 61 that measures the temperature of the internal IS of the box-shaped section 2 and transmits the measured temperature information to the control unit 7, which will be described later. Examples of thermometers 61 include thermocouples, but are not particularly limited.

[0037] The control unit 7 is electrically connected to the battery unit 4, the external power supply connection unit 5, and the temperature measurement unit 6. Based on the temperature information of the internal IS of the box-shaped unit 2 obtained from the temperature measurement unit 6, the control unit 7 controls the amount of power supplied from the battery 41 to the cooling unit 3. This control suppresses excessive power supply from the battery 41 to the cooling unit 3, making it possible to increase the operating time of the cooling device 1.

[0038] When the cooling device 1 is connected to an external power supply EP, the control unit 7 controls the amount of power supplied from the external power supply EP to the cooling unit 3 and the battery 41. In this embodiment, the control unit 7 is located within the housing chamber 42, but its location is not limited to this. For example, a control unit housing chamber may be provided, and the control unit 7 may be housed inside it.

[0039] An example of the control unit 7 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figures 3 and 4 are block diagrams showing the control unit 7, cooling unit 3, battery unit 4, external power connection unit 5, and temperature measurement unit 6 in a state where they are not connected to the external power supply EP, and in a state where they are connected to the external power supply EP, respectively. The control unit 7 has a CPU 71, RAM 72, ROM 73, and input / output interface 74, which are interconnected by a bus 75. The CPU 71 performs initial settings or specific calculations upon receiving input signals, and controls are sent to each element connected to the control unit 7 in response to these. The CPU 71 generates control signals to be output to each unit and executes control by outputting control signals through program control. The RAM 72 is used for temporary reading and writing of data. The ROM 73 stores the program in read-only mode.

[0040] The wheel section 8 is attached to the bottom of the box-shaped section 2 and has a plurality of wheels 81 for the cooling device 1 to travel on the running surface F. The handle section 9 is for operating the movement of the cooling device 1.

[0041] According to the cooling device 1 of this embodiment, an oxidized aluminum plate 24 is provided on the inner surface of the box-shaped part 2, so that the cooling unit 3 can efficiently cool the inside IS of the box-shaped part 2. Because a Peltier element 31 is used, it is lighter than when using a compressor-type cooler, and the size of the device can be prevented, thus improving the portability of the cooling device 1. Power is supplied to the cooling unit 3 from the battery 41 of the cooling device 1, so the cooling device 1 can be operated even in environments where an external power supply EP cannot be used. In environments where an external power supply EP can be used, power can be supplied to the cooling unit 3 by the external power supply EP and the battery 41 can be charged, and the energy consumption of the battery 41 is suppressed, so as a result the operating time of the cooling device 1 can be increased. The cooling device 1 is equipped with wheels 8 and a handle 9, making it easy to carry.

[0042] <Variation> As shown in Figure 5, the cooling device 101, a modified version of the cooling device 1 of this embodiment, is further equipped with a handle 110 for lifting and carrying, in place of the wheel portion 8 and the handle portion 9. The cooling device 101 can be easily carried even in places where it is difficult to move by wheels, by grasping the handle 110 and lifting the cooling device 101. The shape of the handle 110 is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of lifting the cooling device 101. Parts common to the cooling device 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their illustrations and descriptions are used accordingly.

[0043] This embodiment is illustrative and can, of course, be modified without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. For example, the cooling device may have a configuration that includes a wheel portion 8, a handle portion 9, and a grip 110. [Industrial applicability]

[0044] The portable corpse cooling device according to the present invention has excellent portability and can operate even in environments where external power is unavailable, making it usable in disaster areas and other places where a rapid response is required, thus having great potential for industrial use. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] 1. 101: Portable corpse cooling device (cooling device) 2: Box-shaped part 21: Ceiling components 211: Opening 21a:Inner surface 22: Flooring components 22a:Inner surface 23: Side wall member 23a:Inner surface 24: Aluminum plate with an oxidized surface (oxidized aluminum plate) 3: Cooling section 31: Peltier element 31a: Cooling surface 31b: Heating surface 32: Heatsink 33: Fan 4: Battery section 41:Battery 42: Confinement Room 5: External power connection section 51: Interface for connecting external power supply 511: Connection port 52: AC / DC converter 6: Temperature measurement unit 61:Thermometer 7: Control Unit 71: CPU 72: RAM 73 :ROM 74: Input / Output Interface 75: Bus 8: Wheel section 81 :Wheel 9: Handle 110: Handle A: Body storage container EP: External power supply F: Running surface IS: Internal OS: External

Claims

1. A box-shaped section that provides thermal insulation between the inside and outside, A cooling unit having a Peltier element and cooling the inside of the box-shaped part, The cooling unit is equipped with a battery that supplies power to it, A body or a body storage container containing a body can be placed inside the aforementioned box-shaped section. A portable corpse cooling device characterized in that the cooling unit cools the inside of the box-shaped part by the Peltier element, thereby cooling the corpse or corpse container.

2. The portable corpse cooling device according to claim 1, wherein aluminum with an oxidized surface is provided on the inner surface of the box-shaped part.

3. The portable corpse cooling device according to claim 2, wherein the cooling surface of the Peltier element and the aluminum whose surface has been oxidized are in direct contact.

4. The portable corpse cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the battery is replaceable with another battery.

5. It can be connected to an external power supply. The portable corpse cooling device according to claim 1, wherein power can be supplied to the cooling unit from the connected external power supply.

6. It can be connected to an external power supply. A portable corpse cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the battery can be charged by the connected external power supply.

7. A portable corpse cooling device according to claim 1, comprising a wheel section for traveling on a running surface and a handle section for operating the travel.

8. A portable corpse cooling device according to claim 1, further comprising a handle for lifting and carrying.

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