Electronic Cooling Mask

Abstract

To provide a mask capable of efficiently cooling gas accompanied with breathing so as not to cause a health problem.SOLUTION: An electronic cooling element 1001 is attached to a mask. When gas accompanied with breathing is cooled, the gas accompanied with breathing is efficiently cooled by providing an electronic cooling part 3001 having a comb-like structure and the like.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of everyday protective equipment, in particular to respiratory masks. [Background technology]

[0002] Masks are widely used in daily life, covering the nose and mouth and preventing airborne contaminants such as pollen, fine particles, dust, viruses and pathogens, thereby providing a protective function for maintaining health. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japan Utility Model No. 003227863 [Patent Document 2] Japan Utility Model No. 003229764 [Patent Document 3] Japan Patent 2008-031581 [Patent Document 4] Japan Patent 2012-533327 [Patent Document 5] International WO / 2010-047382 [Patent Document 6] International WO / 2017-057168

[0004] These patent documents propose a method of cooling the body by electronic cooling and a method of respiratory cooling using a large-scale refrigerant circulation. [Non-patent literature]

[0005] In 2020, if you want to cool down outside, use a neck cooler! Check out the cooling effect of the "Neck Cooler Neo"! https: / / kaden.watch.impress.co.jp / docs / column_review / kdnreview / 1259705.html A great companion for sports: Philips releases a mask with a built-in electric fan that makes it easier to breathe https: / / www.gizmodo.jp / 2020 / 12 / philips-face-mask.html Survey conducted on December 3, 2020

[0006] According to non-patent literature, the first link is a product that has been developed to help people survive the heat by directly contacting the cooling surface of a Peltier element to the neck and using an external power source. No suitable prior patent literature could be found in Japan. The second link is a product that uses an electric fan to suck in air to make breathing easier. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Due to the recent spread of the coronavirus, it has become necessary to wear a mask even during the hot summer months. However, hot air from breathing becomes trapped inside the mask, and the gas inside the mask becomes as hot or humid as body temperature. This creates the problem that heat cannot be expelled through breathing to regulate internal body temperature, raising concerns about health hazards such as heatstroke and heat stroke. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] Unless the breath is taken in steadily at a temperature lower than body temperature outdoors in midsummer, the health hazard concerns cannot be eliminated. Therefore, as a conceivable method for solving this problem, it can be considered to use a mask equipped with a Peltier element to exchange heat between the inside and outside, and to have a cooling surface of the Peltier element on the inside, as in the site information referenced in the non-patent literature in the above-mentioned prior art. Furthermore, this may be achieved by using a paint having a cooling effect, such as a special coating that has been developed in recent years. The whitest paint on earth has been created, which is also effective in beating the heat (confirmed on 2021.04.24) https: / / www.gizmodo.jp / 2021 / 04 / white-paint-for-global-warming.html

[0009] However, when the inventors actually created the device, they found that even with the cooling surface of the Peltier element facing inward, the temperature could not be sufficiently reduced by breathing. In particular, the temperature of the gas produced by breathing inevitably becomes equivalent to body temperature, and the evaporation effect caused by exhalation could not be sufficiently suppressed.

[0010] Under these circumstances, we came to the conclusion that in order to improve the efficiency of waste heat associated with breathing, including the transpiration effect in the waste heat generated by body heat associated with breathing and exhalation, it is necessary to increase the contact area of ​​the cooling section with the exhaled gas. By further providing a comb-shaped heat exchange part that can increase the contact area with the air being breathed on the cooling surface of the Peltier element, we have created a section where the gas during breathing remains inside the oral cavity and the mask, and by providing an additional comb-shaped cooling section between the cooling surface and the oral cavity, we have efficiently solved the problem.

[0011] In addition, as the moisture in the breath cools, it condenses on the comb-shaped cooling section of the present invention. The condensed moisture can then be discharged to the outside using a drain hose or the like, and the discharged moisture can be directed to the heat generating waste heat surface of the present invention, causing the condensed moisture to evaporate inside the waste heat surface. This can improve heat dissipation efficiency by utilizing the evaporative waste heat effect that accompanies the evaporation of the condensed moisture, thereby achieving higher performance waste heat or improved cooling efficiency.

[0012] Furthermore, the device can be configured to reduce the human body's exposure to viruses, bacteria, chemical toxins, dust, etc. through wireless communication functions, making breathing safer. Effect of the Invention

[0013] It was confirmed that by equipping the cooling surface of the Peltier element with a comb-shaped heat exchanger component approximately 0.3 cm to 5 cm in height, rather than simple surface cooling like the neck cooler described in the above-mentioned non-patent document 1, it is possible to lower the temperature of the exhaled and inhaled air below the outside air temperature and the exhaled air temperature.

[0014] Furthermore, in the utility model 003227863, the antibacterial properties of the mask in the normal mask are described as "antibacterial treated fabric". In the present invention, the antibacterial design is performed by metal ions in the heat exchange metal parts, etc., so that the antibacterial design is fundamentally different from that of general antibacterial treated fabric, and therefore has a special effect.

[0015] Furthermore, for utility model 003229764, the gas sucked in by the outside air is electronically cooled. The model does not exchange heat with the trapped gas as in the present invention, but instead uses forced intake and forced cooling by the fan, so there is a relative difference between the time the gas stays in the space in contact with the cooling unit per unit time between the model and the present invention, and the time spent in the model is shorter than that of the present invention, resulting in a significant decrease in cooling performance. The present invention aims to lower the temperature of the gas trapped in the mask by natural breathing or simple fan intake, rather than dynamic intake cooling by a forced intake fan, and has a special effect of sufficiently cooling the gas trapped in the mask at a temperature equivalent to body temperature.

[0016] JP 2008-031581 A describes a method for cooling a refrigerant with a semiconductor element and exchanging heat at the contact part with the clothing to cool a cooling part attached to the clothing and lower body temperature. The present invention directly cools the exhaled air without using a refrigerant, thereby lowering the temperature of the gas drawn into the lungs inside the body, not on the body surface, and promotes cooling from within the body, and has the effect of improving the body cooling efficiency associated with the blood circulation of the body caused by blood cooling associated with heat exchange of blood at the same time as gas exchange in the lungs.

[0017] In JP 2012-533327, section 0053 of the application points out that cleaning the inside of the mask with water may have a detrimental effect on electrically moving parts such as fans. The present invention has the special effect of not causing the problems described above because the cleaning unit does not have any electrically moving parts.

[0018] In the international application WO / 2010-047382, the body is cooled by cooling the refrigerant and circulating the refrigerant in a pad attached to the body. Since the present invention does not use a cooling medium, pumps are not required, improving power efficiency and lowering body temperature by heat exchange of blood in the lungs.

[0019] In contrast to the international application WO / 2017-057168, the part that covers the mouth and nostrils is configured to cool the gas inside the part using a water cooling medium to lower the temperature of the respiratory gas, and the part that uses a valve is configured to exhaust the exhaled air so that the heat from the exhaled air does not remain inside the part. Since the present invention does not use a refrigerant as in the international application, there is no need for a refrigerant circulation pump, improving power efficiency and resulting in a very compact configuration. In this case, by providing a small heat exchange unit that can be configured and contained in the very narrow space between the mask and the body, namely the front of the lips and the lower nostrils, it is possible to cool the air per unit volume that is very small compared to conventional products, and in particular, by efficiently cooling the exhaled air that has risen due to body temperature, it is possible to avoid adverse effects on the body even in places where the surrounding temperature is at or above body temperature. In particular, with regard to this international prior application, since the refrigerant is water, it is virtually impossible to cool to below freezing (even saline solution will cool to about -4°C). Therefore, compared to a cooling section that uses a refrigerant and circulates the refrigerant, the present invention can provide a sufficiently low negative temperature using an electronic cooling section that performs direct heat exchange. However, this invention has the effect of solving the problem that it is impossible to sufficiently lower the temperature of the inhaled gas with a cooling mask that uses water or the like as a refrigerant for safety reasons.

[0020] That is, in all the above-mentioned prior art examples, the heat exchange in the design where the inside and outside of the mask unit are reliably separated by a filter is not configured to directly exchange heat without using a refrigerant, but is configured to cool the heat inside the mask via a refrigerant with a dedicated refrigerant cooling device installed separately, and there is a problem that the power efficiency is very poor because a pump or the like is used to transport the refrigerant. Or, since the forced inhalation gas is directly cooled, the heat exchange structure is very inefficient. Furthermore, some devices have a significantly worse power efficiency and volume ratio because a large fan is driven without using a refrigerant. In addition, since the cooling structure is such that the filter is between the cooling part and the face line, the exhaled air is cooled after passing through the filter, and even if the user is ill, the exhaled air is not sufficiently contaminated for the outside exhaust. Furthermore, by configuring the intake fan on the right, the cooling part in the center, and the exhaust fan on the left, the circulation of the exhaled air can be improved.

[0021] The present invention improves volume ratio and power efficiency, reducing the possibility of mechanical system failure such as pumps, and since large volumes of air are not forcibly cooled by forced suction using a fan, there is no need to drastically increase the cooling performance per unit time when forcing air in using a large intake fan. Not only can it lower the temperature of the amount of air required for breathing with sufficiently low power, but it can also adequately filter the exhaled air, and the circulation of the fan allows the infected person's exhaled air to be filtered and exhausted even if the outer mesh of the mask is coarse.

[0022] In this way, compared to conventional conditions, the present invention cools the exhaled air carrying body temperature that is retained in the mask, and also uses a cooling section with a small volume to cool the gas carrying body temperature that is retained in the mask due to breathing, thereby realizing cooling of the hot gas in the mask and enabling sufficient cooling of the gas necessary for breathing within the retention time of the exhaled air associated with breathing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] Appearance with mask on [Diagram 2] Outside the mask [Diagram 3] Inside the mask (a) without filter (b) with filter [Figure 4] Example of a schematic perspective view of the mask structure when viewed from the side [Diagram 5] Example of a schematic perspective view of a mask with a drain structure seen from the side [Figure 6] Example of configuration for forced gas circulation inside the mask: (a) without filter (b) with filter [Figure 7] Examples of mask variations: (a) Commercially available products (b) Direct cooling of the body surface DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS EXAMPLES

[0024] First, the appearance will be described based on Fig. 1. The mask in this photo is made of urethane and is somewhat thick, but there is an issue that it is not strong enough to fix the cooling parts to the mask. To solve this issue, the mask is equipped with a spacer or frame made of resin or the like, so that it is strong enough to hold the cooling unit. The mask is not limited to a urethane mask, and may be made of a suitable mesh material with a certain degree of strength. Furthermore, the cooling efficiency may be improved by appropriately equipping the electronic cooling section with an electric fan.

[0025] In terms of appearance, as shown in Figure 1, the cooling element is configured to operate via external power supply such as USB, and a cooling unit integrated into the mask can be provided using an electronic cooling element. This power supply can be a solar cell, and the cooling unit is equipped with an electronic heat exchanger such as a Peltier element, making it possible to have a simple structure. Furthermore, instead of air cooling as shown in the image, a larger heat exchanger such as liquid cooling can be provided, but a lightweight Peltier element is preferable.

[0026] The cooling section thus configured is configured so that there is a gap between the cooling section and the face with a volume sufficient to temporarily retain the gas produced during breathing, and when the structure of the face section and cooling section is observed from the side, the structure of the gap between the face line 4000 and the comb-shaped cooling section 3001 in Fig. 4 is assumed. The filter section 3002 used in the mask is configured between the oral and nasal cavity section associated with the face line 4000 of the mask and the comb-shaped heat exchange cooling section 3001. It is preferable to consider that the performance of the mask itself can be arbitrarily designed by changing the material of this filter section.

[0027] The comb-shaped cooling section configured as described above can ensure a sufficient volume for the respiratory gas to remain. This configuration can ensure a sufficient volume for the heat exchange associated with cooling in the short time of one breath, so that the intake air in the physical heat exchange associated with breathing can be sufficiently cooled, and the possibility of re-inhaling the gas with a high temperature due to the exhalation can be greatly reduced, and a filter-equipped mask can be configured that can prevent the efficiency of heat waste associated with breathing from being deteriorated due to regular use of the mask. Furthermore, as a configuration for improving breathability, the mask may be made of a mesh material or an electric fan may be used to create a positive pressure inside, thereby reducing the load of breathing.

[0028] Fig. 2 shows the external appearance of the present invention. The electronic cooling mask 1000 is composed of a mask made of ordinary rubber bands or the like that is stronger than a mask, and if necessary, a fixing device 1002 made of resin or the like to support a relatively heavy electronic cooler 1001 (a mask with a cooler is realized by fixing the electronic cooler), and if the mask material is strong enough, the fixing device 1002 may not be included.

[0029] Fig. 3(a) shows a comb-shaped heat exchange cooling unit 3001 configured inside the mask of the present invention. Furthermore, (b) shows a filter, which is the main function of the mask, configured and fixed on top of the comb-shaped heat exchange unit. Also, the circular parts on the left and right sides of the center of each of Figs. 3(a) and (b) may be considered to have valve-shaped structures that allow the exhaled (exhausted) air to be easily discharged when exhaled (exhausted). Also, it may be considered that the performance of the mask changes depending on the performance of the filter shown in (b).

[0030] Furthermore, since it is quite conceivable that the cooling section of the present invention will condense, the cooling section may be configured to reduce the risk of infection associated with breathing in the present invention by using a drain hose for draining water to the outside, and appropriate antibacterial and germicidal materials such as ion coatings of silver or copper to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria caused by increased humidity due to condensation, or the cooling section may be configured to further have functions such as deodorization and sterilization using electrical plasma or ions.

[0031] In addition, it is more effective if the comb-shaped heat exchange metal part for expanding the gas contact area of ​​the cooling part has a high thermal conductivity, and it is possible to design a wide range of heat exchange parts, such as heat exchange parts with undulations of about 3 mm to about 5 cm in order to expand the contact area, and it is preferable to have a design that improves the heat exchange efficiency more thermodynamically, and the inventor has conducted experiments using comb-shaped, fin-shaped, thorn-shaped, columnar, and forest-shaped heat exchange parts with heights of about 3 mm to 15 mm. Furthermore, it is possible to configure the electronic cooling element so that it can be stacked in multiple layers, such as two layers, to achieve more efficient and sufficient cooling for the user.

[0032] Furthermore, the moisture generated by the condensation described above may be discharged from the inside of the mask to the outside using a drain hose, and the moisture from the condensation discharged by the drain hose or the like may be flowed into the heat dissipation section of the heat exchanger section composed of electronic components or the like provided on the outside, thereby evaporating the moisture on the heat dissipation section and improving the heat dissipation efficiency on the outside, thereby improving the overall cooling performance of the mask of the present invention.

[0033] Furthermore, the heat exchanger structure of the cooling section and the waste heat section, which are configured to sandwich the semiconductor cooling element 1004, can be configured to use a drain hose 5001 facing from the inside to the outside as shown in Figure 5 to drain the moisture condensed on the inner cooling surface of the heat exchange component to the mask outer evaporation waste heat section 5002, thereby further improving the waste heat efficiency by absorbing heat as heat of vaporization associated with the evaporation of the condensed moisture.

[0034] Furthermore, the filter section 3002 of the present invention may be made replaceable to PM2.5 compatible or N95 equivalent using any fixing means, thereby changing the performance according to the purpose of use, or the cooler fixing device 1002 may be provided with a fixing mechanism having a removable function such as a spring or ratchet mechanism, thereby making it possible to remove the electric fan section or the cooling section with electric fan 1001, thereby making it easier to clean the product of the present invention.

[0035] Furthermore, a microphone may be provided at any location where sound is easily picked up, such as inside the mouth of the mask filter or mask product, for example, between the parts on the outside of the mask and the filter, inside the filter, or inside the parts for fixing the filter to the mask, and a speaker may be provided on the outside of the mask, so that voices inside the mask can be transmitted to the outside, or remote calls can be realized using a wireless communication function (more specifically, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. *including registered trademarks) linked to the voice signal picked up by the microphone and a speaker or earphone.The voice audible to the outside can be optimized or noise reduction can be performed by using a circuit or program that changes or improves the sound and / or quality of the voice obtained through the microphone, such as a voice changer, equalizer, or noise canceller.

[0036] By providing the mask with such functions, it is possible to improve and / or facilitate voice communication with the patient by providing the mask to the patient in an isolated state. In addition, it may be configured to link with a smartphone. Furthermore, it may be configured to have a data link function in the USB connection for power supply, and to have a compute module such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark) externally or together with a battery.

[0037] Furthermore, the mask may be configured to sterilize the inhaled and exhaled air using an electronic sterilization device (including ion, plasma cluster, metal ion generator, ozone generator, hypochlorous acid generator, etc. *registered trademarks). An electric fan may be provided to properly circulate such sterilized air, an electric fan may be provided to create an appropriate positive pressure inside the mask as described above, or a fan may be provided to enhance exhaust performance, or antibacterial treatment may be performed on the components used in the mask to prevent the increase of germs due to humidity. Such electronic sterilization devices may be provided, for example, on the exhaust valve side, to reduce the risk of infection from the patient's exhaled air by providing a structure that sterilizes the patient's exhaled air as much as possible.

[0038] Furthermore, by using a solar cell, it is possible to charge the battery while it is in use outdoors, or by using a multiplex structure such as a double cooling structure by further providing a heat exchange medium circulating section for liquid cooling on the outside of the electronic heat exchange component, it is possible to improve the efficiency of high-temperature heat exchange in a dual-medium cooling structure such as that used in nuclear fuel reprocessing reactors. This dual medium may be realized by a multi-cooling configuration such as a liquid cooling or gas cooling structure from the electronic heat exchange element, or a triplex structure in which gas cooling from the electronic heat exchange element and further liquid cooling are performed. The battery as the power source can be built-in or can be connected to an external wire regardless of priority wireless, and can be implemented in any manner.

[0039] 6(a) and (b), the air sucked in from the intake hole 6001 by a fan or the like passes through the comb-shaped cooling part of the cooling part 6002 and is exhausted from the exhaust hole 6003 by a fan or the like, and a filter is fixed to cover the cooling part with a fixture such as 6004, etc., so that the filtered air in the breath and the forcedly circulated air are separated, so that bacteria, viruses, etc. are not exhausted to the outside even if the user is ill. Of course, it should be considered that the configuration of the present invention can be implemented even without intake and exhaust holes and forced circulation by a fan, and it should be considered that it can be implemented without intake and exhaust holes and without an exhaust valve.

[0040] In addition, the specifications described as the intake and exhaust fans may be configured to be intake only or exhaust only, and the cooling part 3001 is configured between the mask with cooler (1001-3009) as the mask exterior part and the replaceable inner filter part (3002), and since the cooling part is non-invasive to the filter part, there is no need to consider the gap between the filter and the cooling part, and it does not affect filter replacement, making filter replacement easy and ensuring and maintaining the safety of the mask, so it can be considered to be a preferable structure when using the present invention. Note that the intake and exhaust holes are not necessarily required.

[0041] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 7, several variations are possible, such as (a) using a normal commercially available mask (7001) as the inner filter without using a dedicated filter, making it easy to obtain the filter part, and (b) equipping the mouth area cooling part (7002) that extends the cooling part to the inside of the mask using a high thermal conductivity part such as metal, making it possible to provide a mouth area cooling part as a body surface cooling part, and to directly cool the body surface, improving the feeling of coolness when wearing the mask. Furthermore, it is possible to secure a gap area for breathing by making the mouth area cooling part a mesh panel, or to directly cool the area around the lips using a pipe-shaped refrigerant circulating part from the semiconductor cooling part. [Industrial Applicability]

[0042] In order to lower the temperature of the gas inside the mask, which is a factor that inhibits the waste heat associated with breathing, a comb-shaped cooling part with an expanded contact area is provided, making it possible to sufficiently cool the mask, and by avoiding the rise in body temperature caused by a mask used in the oral and nasal cavities in summer, it is possible to take care not to cause health problems such as heatstroke and heat stroke. Depending on the performance of the filter material, an electrically-cooled electronically cooled mask at the level of a surgical mask can be realized, which is expected to make the environment for people's activities and exercise more comfortable even in a virus environment such as coronavirus. In addition, by making it possible to configure an electric circuit, a highly convenient and safe mask that allows remote calls, which were not possible in the past, can be realized. Furthermore, by using a solar cell, it is possible to charge the mask while it is in use outdoors, and by using an arbitrary multiplexing structure such as a double cooling structure by further providing a heat exchange medium circulating part for liquid cooling on the outside of the electronic heat exchange component, it is possible to realize high-temperature heat exchange efficiency in a dual medium cooling structure such as that used in nuclear fuel reprocessing reactors. In addition, it may be configured to detoxify the exhaled breath by an electronic disinfection device for the exhaled breath. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 1000 Cooler Mask Outer 1001 Electronic cooler with electric fan 1002 Mask holder with cooler 1003 Electronic cooler power cable 1004 Semiconductor cooling element 3000 Cooler inside the mask 3001 Cooler-equipped mask with inner comb-shaped heat exchanger 3002 Cooler-equipped mask with dust and disease prevention filter inside 3003 Exhaust valve 4000 Face Line 4011 Microphone section 4012 Speaker section 4013 Computer and WiFi Department 5001 Drain hose 5002 Mask outer transpiration heat dissipation part 6001 Intake hole 6002 Electronic cooling section 6003 Exhaust hole 6004 Filter Fixture 7001 Commercially available masks 7002 Mouth area cooling parts

Claims

1. In the field of everyday protection products, A mask for use in the nasal and oral cavity for respiratory safety to maintain health, The mask is provided with a heat exchange part that directly exchanges heat between the inside and outside of the mask. In the cooling section provided inside the heat exchange component, The air you breathe remains in the mask under the influence of body heat. By cooling the exhaled air under the influence of the remaining body temperature with the cooling unit, It is constructed to prevent the re-inhalation of exhaled air while still warm, The heat exchange parts provided inside the mask are arranged in a comb-like and / or column-like shape, It is characterized by being provided in the gap space between the body and the mask under the nostrils and in front of the lips, Electronic cooling mask for nasal and oral cavity

2. A mask according to claim 1 in the technical field of everyday protective products, A mask for use in the nasal and oral cavity for respiratory safety to maintain health, Between the outer mask part and the inner filter part, The heat exchanger can be made with any irregularities, including comb-like. The present invention is characterized by comprising: Electronic cooling mask for nasal and oral cavity

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