Temperature control device
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- FUJITSU GENERAL LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-06
Smart Images
Figure JP2025002897_06082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Temperature control device
[0001] The present invention relates to a temperature control device.
[0002] For example, a temperature control device that cools the user's body through clothing or the like when operating in a high-temperature environment is known. As this type of temperature control device, there is one that pumps a refrigerant liquid cooled by a cold storage agent housed in a cooling unit to the wearing part of the user's clothing by a pump unit (Patent Document 1).
[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-135610
[0004] In the structure of Patent Document 1, the temperature control performance is ensured by directly contacting the cold storage agent and the refrigerant liquid in the cooling unit to cool the refrigerant liquid. However, the structure of Patent Document 1 has a risk that the refrigerant liquid may be contaminated when, for example, handling the cooling unit. When the refrigerant liquid is contaminated, there are problems such as the deterioration of the refrigerant liquid and the clogging of the flow path of the refrigerant liquid by impurities mixed in the refrigerant liquid.
[0005] The disclosed technology has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a temperature control device that can ensure temperature control performance and prevent the deterioration of the refrigerant liquid.
[0006] One aspect of the temperature control device disclosed in the present application includes a temperature control member that controls the temperature of the user's body, a heat exchange member that exchanges heat between a heat source and a refrigerant liquid, a flow path member that forms a circulation flow path through which the refrigerant liquid circulates between the temperature control member and the heat exchange member, and a pump provided in the circulation flow path that circulates the refrigerant liquid. The heat exchange member is formed such that the volume of the flow path of the refrigerant liquid can be changed.
[0007] According to one aspect of the temperature control device disclosed in the present application, temperature control performance can be ensured and the deterioration of the refrigerant liquid can be prevented.
[0008] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the temperature control device of Example 1. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the heat exchange member and heat source member in Example 1. Figure 3 is a plan view showing the heat exchange member in Example 1. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the heat exchange member in Example 1. Figure 5 is a plan view showing an example of the second welded portion of the heat exchange member in Example 1. Figure 6 is a plan view showing another example of the second welded portion in Example 1. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state in which the volume of the heat exchange member in Example 1 changes. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the accessories of the heat exchange member in Example 1. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of the temperature control device. Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the temperature control device of Example 2. Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view showing the main part of the temperature control device of Example 2. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the interior of the main part of the temperature control device of Example 2.
[0009] The following describes in detail, with reference to the drawings, an embodiment of the temperature control device disclosed in this application. However, the following embodiment does not limit the temperature control device disclosed in this application.
[0010] (Temperature Control Device) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the temperature control device of Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 1, the temperature control device 1 of Embodiment 1 comprises a temperature control member 3 that partially controls the temperature of the user's body, a heat exchange member 4 that exchanges heat between a heat source and a refrigerant liquid, a flow path member 5 that forms a circulation path 6 through which the refrigerant liquid circulates between the temperature control member 3 and the heat exchange member 4, and a pump 7 provided in the circulation path 6 to circulate the refrigerant liquid. The temperature control device 1 also comprises a control unit 8 that controls the pump 7 and a power supply unit 9 that supplies power to the pump 7 and the control unit 8.
[0011] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 in Example 1. As shown in Figure 2, in the temperature control device 1 of Example 1, the heat source member 10 having a heat source 10a is a coolant. As the heat source member 10, for example, a frozen drink bottle having a frozen beverage which is the heat source 10a and a container 10b containing the beverage is used. After the heat source member 10 is used in the temperature control device 1, the heat source 10a is also used as a beverage. The heat source member 10 is not limited to a drink bottle, and for example, a so-called ice pack in which ice which is the heat source 10a is packed may be used.
[0012] In this embodiment, the temperature control member 3 partially controlling the user's body means, for example, providing a cooling sensation to the user by cooling a part of the body, such as the back. The temperature control member 3 is formed in a bag-like shape by overlapping and joining the outer peripheral portions 11a of two flexible sheet materials 11, thereby forming a flow path 3a for refrigerant liquid between the sheet materials 11. The structure of the temperature control member 3 is the same as that of the heat exchange member 4, which will be described later, and will not be explained here.
[0013] Although not shown in the illustration, the temperature control member 3 is attached to the user's clothing, for example, to a mounting part on the back of work clothes, thereby providing the user with a cooling sensation. The temperature control member 3 is not limited to being attached to clothing, but may also be applied to stroller seats, child seats, pillows, and other bedding.
[0014] As the flow path member 5, a pair of pipes 5a formed from an elastic resin material or the like is used. A pair of pipes 5a is connected to each of the temperature control member 3, the heat exchange member 4, and the pump 7, and refrigerant liquid is supplied to each through one end of the pair of pipes 5a and discharged through the other end. As the refrigerant liquid, for example, water or alcohol is used. The pair of pipes 5a are bundled together, for example, by a binding member (not shown). The binding member may be provided with an insulating member (not shown) that prevents heat conduction between the pair of pipes 5a.
[0015] (Heat exchange member) The heat exchange member 4 is formed so that the volume of the flow path 4a of the refrigerant liquid can be changed. Figure 3 is a plan view showing the heat exchange member 4 in Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 3, the heat exchange member 4 is formed in a bag shape having a flow path 4a inside by overlapping and joining the outer peripheral portions 11a of two flexible sheet materials 11. The sheet material 11 is made of an elastic material that allows the volume of the flow path 4a to be changed, for example, a resin material such as polyethylene, but it may also be made by laminating sheets of a metal material with a higher thermal conductivity than a resin material. By forming the heat exchange member 4 with sheet material 11 in this way, it becomes possible to bring the heat exchange member 4 into contact with the heat source 10a, and the temperature control performance of the temperature control device 1 can be appropriately ensured.
[0016] The heat exchange member 4 has a plurality of welded portions 12 where stacked sheet materials 11 are joined together, a coolant liquid flow path 4a formed around each of the plurality of welded portions 12 between the sheet materials 11, and a set of connecting pipes 4b that are connected to each pipe 5a which are flow path members 5.
[0017] The plurality of welded portions 12 include a first welded portion 12A formed along the outer circumference 11a of the sheet material 11, and a plurality of second welded portions 12B arranged on the inner circumference side of the first welded portion 12A to form a flow path 4a. The plurality of welded portions 12 also include a substantially T-shaped third welded portion 12C that partitions the flow path 4a so that the refrigerant liquid supplied from one pipe 5a in the flow path member 5 is discharged from the other pipe 5a. The welded portions 12 (12A to 12C) are not limited to a structure in which the flat surfaces of the sheet material 11 are joined together, but may also be a structure in which protrusions formed on a part of the sheet material 11 are joined together.
[0018] A pair of pipes 5a are arranged side by side on the outer circumference 11a of the heat exchange member 4 and are connected to the flow path 4a by passing through the first welded portion 12A. The third welded portion 12C extends from between the pair of pipes 5a arranged on the outer circumference 11a toward the center of the heat exchange member 4, thereby partitioning the flow path 4a.
[0019] The multiple second welded portions 12B are formed, for example, in the shape of circles of the same dimensions, and when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sheet material 11, the multiple second welded portions 12B are evenly distributed on the surface of the sheet material 11. As a result, the shape of the flow path 4a can be formed evenly in the direction along the surface of the sheet material 11, thereby suppressing fluctuations in the flow of refrigerant in the flow path 4a and improving the heat exchange capacity of the heat exchange member 4. Furthermore, because the multiple second welded portions 12B are evenly distributed on the surface of the sheet material 11, the swelling of the flow path 4a portion of the heat exchange member 4 (contraction of the flow path 4a portion in the modified example described later) is made uniform, and it is possible to prevent the change in a part of the flow path 4a from becoming too large. As a result, it is possible to avoid uneven contact between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10, and thus the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 can be made to contact appropriately.
[0020] Furthermore, the multiple second welded portions 12B are arranged in a staggered pattern along the surface of the sheet material 11, and a meandering flow path 4a is formed around each second welded portion 12B. This makes it less likely for the flow path 4a to collapse when the heat exchange member 4 is bent along the dashed line L in Figure 3, for example, and prevents obstruction of the flow of refrigerant liquid in the heat exchange member 4.
[0021] The multiple second welded portions 12B are formed in a circular shape on the surface of the sheet material 11. When stress acts on the outer edge of the second welded portions 12B due to volume changes in the flow path 4a of the heat exchange member 4, the stress is easily distributed across the outer edge of the second welded portions 12B, preventing stress from concentrating in a part of the second welded portions 12B. This prevents the second welded portions 12B from being damaged by stress. In addition, because the second welded portions 12B are formed in a circular shape, the refrigerant liquid can be diffused by the second welded portions 12B, and the refrigerant liquid can reach the entire heat exchange member 4, thereby improving the heat exchange capacity.
[0022] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the heat exchange member 4 in Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 4, the heat exchange member 4 has a heat conduction layer 13 laminated across the welded portion 12 (first welded portion 12A, a plurality of second welded portions 12B and third welded portion 12C) and the flow path 4a on the outer surface of the sheet material 11 that does not come into contact with the coolant liquid, that is, on the surface of the sheet material 11 opposite to the flow path 4a. The heat conduction layer 13 is a thin film formed of a material having thermal conductivity, for example, aluminum foil is used. The heat conduction layer 13 is formed, for example, by depositing a metal material onto the resin sheet material 11.
[0023] For example, when the heat exchange member 4 is wrapped around the outer surface of the heat source member 10, the heat exchange member 4 may have a portion that contacts the heat source member 10 and a portion that does not contact the heat source member 10. Even in such a case, because the heat exchange member 4 has a heat conduction layer 13, heat can be conducted via the heat conduction layer 13 between, for example, the refrigerant liquid flowing through the channel 4a that contacts the heat source member 10 and the refrigerant liquid flowing through the other channel 4a that does not contact the heat source member 10, thus enabling efficient heat exchange between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10. Similarly, heat can also be exchanged via the heat conduction layer 13 between, for example, the second welded portion 12B that contacts the heat source member 10 and the channel 4a, thus enabling efficient heat exchange between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10.
[0024] (Welded portion) Figure 5 is a plan view showing an example of the second welded portion 12B of the heat exchange member 4 in Embodiment 1. Figure 6 is a plan view showing another example of the second welded portion 12B in Embodiment 1.
[0025] As shown in Figure 5, the shape of the second welded portion 12B on the surface of the sheet material 11 may be annular, and the central part of the second welded portion 12B on the surface of the sheet material 11 does not have to be welded. If the outer edge of the second welded portion 12B is formed in a circular shape, as described above, the stress acting on the outer edge of the second welded portion 12B can be dispersed, preventing damage to the second welded portion 12B due to volume changes in the flow path 4a of the heat exchange member 4. Also, as described above, the refrigerant liquid can be diffused by the second welded portion 12B, and the refrigerant liquid can be distributed throughout the entire heat exchange member 4, thereby improving the heat exchange capacity.
[0026] Furthermore, the shape of the second welded portion 12B on the surface of the sheet material 11 may be formed as a hexagon, for example, as shown in Figure 6. Similar to the case where it is formed as a circle, when stress acts on the second welded portion 12B due to a change in the volume of the flow path 4a of the heat exchange member 4, the stress is distributed to the six vertices of the outer edge of the second welded portion 12B, thus preventing stress from concentrating in a part of the second welded portion 12B.
[0027] From the viewpoint of distributing the stress acting on the outer edge of the second welded portion 12B, it is desirable that the second welded portion 12B be formed as a regular polygon. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of diffusing the coolant liquid throughout the heat exchange member 4 by multiple second welded portions 12B, if the angle of the vertices of the outer edge of the second welded portion 12B is 90 degrees or more, it is possible to avoid a small meandering angle in the flow path 4a, so a regular polygon with five or more vertices is desirable. Also, similar to the second welded portion 12B, from the viewpoint of avoiding stress concentration in the welded portion 12 due to volume changes in the heat exchange member 4, it is desirable to form the welded portion 12 such that the inner edge of the first welded portion 12A and the outer edge of the third welded portion 12C do not have right-angle or acute-angle portions.
[0028] Furthermore, the heat exchange member 4 is formed so that the volume of the flow path 4a into which the refrigerant liquid can flow under atmospheric pressure is smaller than the volume of the flow path 3a in the temperature control member 3. As a result, even when the amount of refrigerant liquid circulated in the temperature control device 1 (total amount of refrigerant liquid) is small, the portion of the flow path 4a of the heat exchange member 4 can be appropriately expanded, bringing the heat exchange member 4 into contact with the heat source member 10 and enabling proper heat exchange.
[0029] The pump 7 is positioned upstream of the heat exchange member 4 in the circulation channel 6 of the flow channel member 5. Therefore, the pump 7 generates positive pressure in the flow channel 4a of the heat exchange member 4 using the coolant, causing the coolant to expand the portion of the flow channel 4a, thereby increasing the volume of the flow channel 4a. As a result, the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 make proper contact, so that heat exchange between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 is performed appropriately, and the temperature control performance of the temperature control device 1 is ensured.
[0030] The control unit 8, although not shown, has a control circuit for controlling the pump 7 and is electrically connected to the pump 7. The power supply unit 9, although not shown, has a secondary battery, a power switch, and a connection terminal to which an external power supply is connected, and is electrically connected to the pump 7 and the control unit 8.
[0031] (Operation of the Temperature Control Device) The operation of the temperature control device 1, configured as described above, will now be explained. As shown in Figure 1, in the temperature control device 1, the refrigerant liquid circulates through the circulation channel 6 by driving the pump 7, and the refrigerant liquid cooled by the heat source member 10 is sent from the heat exchange member 4 to the temperature control member 3. The temperature control member 3 cools a part of the user's body with the refrigerant liquid supplied from the heat exchange member 4, and the refrigerant liquid that has absorbed the body's heat is sent from the temperature control member 3 to the pump 7. The pump 7 sends the refrigerant liquid supplied from the temperature control member 3 to the heat exchange member 4, where the heat source member 10 cools the coolant liquid. Thereafter, the temperature control device 1 repeats the circulation of the refrigerant liquid.
[0032] In the temperature control device 1, when heat is exchanged between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10, the refrigerant liquid circulating in the temperature control device 1 does not come into direct contact with the heat source member 10, and the refrigerant liquid flows only inside the temperature control device 1. Therefore, in the temperature control device 1, when handling the heat source member 10, such as when replacing the heat source member 10, it is possible to avoid contact between the heat source member 10 and the user with the refrigerant liquid. Thus, in the temperature control device 1, it is possible to prevent the refrigerant liquid from becoming contaminated and deteriorating due to dust and other particles adhering to the heat source member 10. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the circulation channel 6 from becoming clogged with dust and other impurities mixed in the refrigerant liquid, and the reliability of the operation of the temperature control device 1 is improved.
[0033] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state in which the volume of the heat exchange member 4 changes in Embodiment 1. In Figure 7, the heat exchange member 4 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a housing portion 4c for housing the heat source member 10, and a cylindrical heat insulating member 15 is provided along the outer circumferential surface of the heat exchange member 4. The housing portion 4c of the heat exchange member 4 has a plurality of second welded portions 12B arranged on its inner surface that is in contact with the heat source member 10, and is arranged so that the portion near the flow path 4a is in contact with the heat source member 10. The heat insulating member 15 is formed of, for example, a foamed material, and suppresses the loss of heat from the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 by the outside air.
[0034] As shown in Figure 7, when the heat source member 10 is inserted into the inner circumference of the cylindrical heat exchange member 4, or when the heat exchange member 4 is wrapped around the outer circumference of the heat source member 10 (see Figure 2), a gap G may be created between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10. When a gap G is created, a proper contact state cannot be obtained between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10, which may reduce the efficiency of heat exchange between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10, and may result in inadequate temperature control performance.
[0035] In the temperature control device 1, when refrigerant liquid is supplied to the flow path 4a of the heat exchange member 4, the portion of the sheet material 11 corresponding to the flow path 4a expands, and the volume of the flow path 4a increases. As a result, even if there is a gap G between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10, the gap G is eliminated by the increase in the volume of the flow path 4a, and the contact area between the portion of the flow path 4a in the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 increases. Consequently, heat exchange between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 can be promoted.
[0036] In this disclosure, the volume change of the heat exchange member 4 includes cases where the volume change is not visible from the outside of the heat exchange member 4. For example, if the sheet material 11 is thick and rigid, the sheet material 11 is difficult to deform, and even if a minute volume change occurs in the heat exchange member 4, it is difficult to confirm from the outside of the heat exchange member 4, but even in this case, a volume change is still considered to have occurred. In other words, the volume change in this disclosure refers to a change in which at least a part of the flow path 4a of the heat exchange member 4 expands or contracts, even if the amount of change in the flow path 4a of the heat exchange member 4 is small. Even such a small volume change can reduce the gap G (see Figure 7) between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10, thereby promoting heat exchange.
[0037] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the accessories for the heat exchange member 4 in Embodiment 1. The temperature control device 1 may also include an accessory 21 to which the heat exchange member 4 is attached, as shown in Figure 8. The accessory 21 for the heat exchange member 4 is formed as a drink cover when a drink bottle is used as the heat source member 10. The accessory 21 includes a cylindrical heat insulating member 15 having a bottom portion 15a, a covering material 22 that covers the heat insulating member 15, a handle 23, and a pocket 24.
[0038] A cylindrical heat exchange member 4 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the heat insulating member 15. A wire fastener 25 is provided on a part of the heat insulating member 15, and the heat exchange member 4 is divisibly arranged along the wire fastener 25. Therefore, by opening and closing the wire fastener 25, the heat source member 10 can be easily inserted into and removed from the inner circumferential part of the heat insulating member 15. In addition, a holding portion 15b is formed on the inner circumferential part of the heat insulating member 15 to press the heat exchange member 4 against the inner circumferential part of the heat insulating member 15, thereby suppressing displacement of the heat exchange member 4. A pocket 24 is provided on the outer circumferential part of the accessory 21 and houses, for example, an electrical unit (not shown) in which a pump 7, a control unit 8, and a power supply unit 9 are integrally configured.
[0039] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing a modified version of the temperature control device 1. In this modified version, the flow of refrigerant in the circulation channel 6 is in the opposite direction to that of the embodiment 1 described above.
[0040] As shown in Figure 9, in a modified version of the temperature control device 1, the pump 7 is positioned downstream of the heat exchange member 4 in the circulation channel 6. Therefore, in this modified version, when refrigerant liquid is sent from the channel 4a of the heat exchange member 4 to the pump 7, a negative pressure is created in the channel 4a of the heat exchange member 4 by the refrigerant liquid, causing the portion of the channel 4a in the sheet material 11 to shrink and become concave, thereby reducing the volume of the channel 4a. As a result, the heat exchange member 4 comes into contact with the heat source member 10 through multiple second welded portions 12B, and heat is exchanged with the refrigerant liquid via each second welded portion 12B, so that heat exchange between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 is performed appropriately.
[0041] (Effects of Example 1) As described above, the temperature control device 1 of Example 1 comprises a temperature control member 3 for controlling the temperature of the user's body, a heat exchange member 4 for exchanging heat between a heat source 10a and a refrigerant liquid, a flow path member 5 that forms a circulation path 6 through which the refrigerant liquid circulates between the temperature control member 3 and the heat exchange member 4, and a pump 7 provided in the circulation path 6 for circulating the refrigerant liquid. The heat exchange member 4 is formed so that the volume of the flow path 4a of the refrigerant liquid can be changed. As a result, the temperature control device 1 can ensure temperature control performance by bringing the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 into contact due to the volume change of the heat exchange member 4. In addition, the temperature control device 1 can prevent the deterioration of the refrigerant liquid by avoiding contact between the heat source member 10 and the user when handling the heat source member 10. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the circulation path 6 from becoming clogged with impurities mixed in the refrigerant liquid and to improve the reliability of the operation of the temperature control device 1.
[0042] Furthermore, in the temperature control device 1 of Embodiment 1, the pump 7 is positioned upstream of the heat exchange member 4 in the circulation channel 6 of the flow channel member 5. Therefore, the pump 7 generates positive pressure in the flow channel 4a of the heat exchange member 4 using the coolant, causing the coolant to expand the portion of the flow channel 4a, thereby increasing the volume of the flow channel 4a. As a result, the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 make proper contact, so that heat exchange between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 is performed appropriately, and the temperature control performance of the temperature control device 1 can be ensured.
[0043] Furthermore, in the temperature control device 1 of Example 1, the heat exchange member 4 is formed in a bag shape with a flow channel 4a inside, using a flexible sheet material 11. This makes it possible to bring the heat exchange member 4 into contact with the heat source 10a, thereby ensuring the temperature control performance of the temperature control device 1 appropriately.
[0044] Also, in the temperature control device 1 of Example 1, the heat exchange member 4 has a plurality of second welding portions 12B where the laminated sheet materials 11 are joined to each other, and a refrigerant liquid flow path 4a formed around each of the plurality of second welding portions 12B between the sheet materials 11. When viewed from a direction orthogonal to the surface of the sheet material 11, the plurality of second welding portions 12B are evenly distributed on the surface of the sheet material 11. Thereby, since the shape of the flow path 4a can be evenly formed in the direction along the surface of the sheet material 11, fluctuations in the flow of the refrigerant in the flow path 4a can be suppressed, and the heat exchange capacity of the heat exchange member 4 can be improved. Further, since the plurality of second welding portions 12B are evenly distributed, changes in the portion of the flow path 4a of the heat exchange member 4 are made uniform, and it is possible to avoid the contact state between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 from becoming non-uniform. Therefore, the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 can be appropriately brought into contact with each other.
[0045] Also, in the heat exchange member 4 of the temperature control device 1 of Example 1, the plurality of second welding portions 12B are arranged in a staggered pattern in the direction along the surface of the sheet material 11. Thereby, for example, when the heat exchange member 4 is bent, the flow path 4a is less likely to be crushed, and it is possible to suppress the flow of the refrigerant liquid in the heat exchange member 4 from being obstructed.
[0046] Also, in the heat exchange member 4 of the temperature control device 1 of Example 1, the plurality of second welding portions 12B are formed in a circular or regular polygonal shape on the surface of the sheet material 11. Thereby, when stress acts on the outer peripheral edge of the second welding portion 12B along with a change in the volume of the flow path 4a of the heat exchange member 4, the stress is likely to be dispersed, and it is possible to avoid stress concentration on a part of the second welding portion 12B. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the second welding portion 12B from being damaged by stress. In addition, for example, when the second welding portion 12B is formed in a circular shape, the refrigerant liquid can be diffused by the second welding portion 12B, and the refrigerant liquid spreads throughout the entire heat exchange member 4, so the heat exchange capacity can be improved.
[0047] In addition, in the heat exchange member 4 of the temperature control device 1 of the first embodiment, a heat conduction layer 13 is laminated over a plurality of second welding portions 12B and the flow path 4a on the outer surface of the sheet material 11 that does not contact the refrigerant liquid. Thereby, for example, heat exchange can be performed via the heat conduction layer 13 between the flow path 4a in contact with the heat source member 10 and other flow paths 4a not in contact with the heat source member 10, so that heat exchange between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 can be efficiently performed. Similarly, for example, heat exchange can be performed via the heat conduction layer 13 between the second welding portion 12B in contact with the heat source member 10 and the flow path 4a, so that heat exchange can also be efficiently performed between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10.
[0048] In addition, the volume of the flow path 4a into which the refrigerant liquid can flow under atmospheric pressure in the heat exchange member 4 of the temperature control device 1 of the first embodiment is smaller than the volume of the flow path 3a in the temperature control member 3. Thereby, even when the circulation amount (total amount of the refrigerant liquid) of the refrigerant liquid in the temperature control device 1 is small, the portion of the flow path 4a of the heat exchange member 4 can be appropriately inflated, and the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10 can be brought into contact to appropriately perform heat exchange.
[0049] In addition, the heat exchange member 4 of the temperature control device 1 of the first embodiment has a housing portion 4c for housing the heat source member 10. The housing portion 4c has an inner surface in contact with the heat source member 10, and a plurality of second welding portions 12B are arranged on this inner surface. Thereby, by housing the heat source member 10 in the housing portion 4c, the second welding portion 12B of the heat exchange member 4 and the vicinity portion of the flow path 4a can be easily brought into contact with the heat source member 10 to perform heat exchange.
[0050] In addition, in a modified example of the temperature control device 1, the pump 7 is arranged on the downstream side of the heat exchange member 4 in the circulation flow path 6 of the flow path member 5. Thereby, a negative pressure is generated in the flow path 4a of the heat exchange member 4 by the coolant, and a dent occurs in the portion of the flow path 4a, so that the volume of the flow path 4a changes to decrease. Therefore, in the heat exchange member 4, the plurality of second welding portions 12B and the heat source member 10 are in contact, and heat exchange is performed with the refrigerant liquid via each second welding portion 12B, so that appropriate heat exchange can be performed between the heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10.
[0051] Other embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the other embodiments, components identical to those in Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as in Embodiment 1 and their descriptions are omitted. Embodiment 2 differs from Embodiment 1, which uses a drink bottle or the like as the heat source member 10, in that it is equipped with a dedicated heat source member 10.
[0052] Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the temperature control device of Embodiment 2. As shown in Figure 10, the temperature control device 2 of Embodiment 2 includes a heat source member 10, a heat exchange member 4, a pump 7, a control unit 8, a power supply unit 9, and a case member 31 that houses a part of the flow path member 5.
[0053] Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view showing the main parts of the temperature control device 2 of Embodiment 2. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the interior of the main parts of the temperature control device 2 of Embodiment 2, with a portion of the case member 31 removed.
[0054] As shown in Figure 11, the heat source member 10 in Embodiment 2 comprises a frozen liquid which is a heat source 10a and a flattened container 10b in which the liquid is contained. In the heat source member 10, the container 10b is formed in a flattened shape, which increases the contact area with the heat exchange member 4 and improves the heat exchange efficiency.
[0055] As shown in Figures 10, 11, and 12, the case member 31 has a housing section 31a in which the heat source member 10 is housed. The housing section 31a is covered by a pair of case plates 32, an insulating member 33 placed between the case plates 32, and a lid member 34. A pair of heat exchange members 4 are also arranged in the housing section 31a, flanking the heat source member 10, and the outer periphery 11a of each heat exchange member 4 is fixed to the insulating member 33 by a frame member 35. Each heat exchange member 4 is connected to a circulation channel 6 by a pair of pipes 5a.
[0056] The lid member 34 has an insertion / removal opening 34a into which the heat source member 10 is inserted and removed from the housing 31a, an opening / closing lid 34b for opening and closing the insertion / removal opening 34a, and an insulating lid 34c positioned above the housing 31a.
[0057] In Example 2, as in Example 1, the portion of the flow path 4a of each heat exchange member 4 expands, and the temperature control performance is ensured by the contact between each heat exchange member 4 and the heat source member 10. Furthermore, in Example 2, the heat source member 10 and each heat exchange member 4 are housed in the housing portion 31a of the case member 31, thereby suppressing the loss of heat from the heat source member 10 and each heat exchange member 4 by the outside air.
[0058] (Effects of Example 2) As described above, the temperature control device 2 of Example 2 can ensure temperature control performance and prevent deterioration of the refrigerant liquid, similar to Example 1.
[0059] 1, 2 Temperature control device 3 Temperature control member 4 Heat exchange member 4a Flow path 4c Housing section 5 Flow path member 6 Circulation flow path 7 Pump 10 Heat source member 10a Heat source 11 Sheet material 12B Second welded section (welded section) 13 Heat conductive layer
Claims
1. A temperature control device comprising: a temperature control member for controlling the temperature of a user's body; a heat exchange member for exchanging heat between a heat source and a refrigerant liquid; a flow path member that forms a circulation path through which the refrigerant liquid circulates between the temperature control member and the heat exchange member; and a pump provided in the circulation path for circulating the refrigerant liquid, wherein the heat exchange member is formed so that the volume of the flow path for the refrigerant liquid can be changed.
2. The temperature control device according to claim 1, further comprising a heat source member having the heat source, wherein the heat source member is provided in contact with the heat exchange member.
3. The temperature control device according to claim 1, wherein the pump is located upstream of the heat exchange member in the circulation channel.
4. The temperature control device according to claim 1, wherein the pump is located downstream of the heat exchange member in the circulation channel.
5. The temperature control device according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange member is formed in the shape of a bag having the flow channel inside, using a flexible sheet material.
6. The temperature control device according to claim 5, wherein the heat exchange member has a plurality of welded portions formed by joining stacked sheet materials together, and a flow path for the refrigerant liquid formed around each of the plurality of welded portions between the sheet materials, and when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sheet material, the plurality of welded portions are evenly distributed on the surface.
7. The temperature control device according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of welded portions are arranged in a staggered pattern along the surface of the sheet material.
8. The temperature control device according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of welded portions are formed in a circular or regular polygonal shape on the surface of the sheet material.
9. The temperature control device according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange member has a flow path volume into which the refrigerant liquid can flow under atmospheric pressure that is smaller than the volume in the temperature control member.
10. The temperature control device according to claim 6, wherein a heat conductive layer is laminated on the outer surface of the sheet material that does not come into contact with the refrigerant liquid, extending across the plurality of welded portions and the flow path.
11. The temperature control device according to claim 6, wherein the heat exchange member has a housing portion for housing a heat source member having the heat source, the housing portion has an inner surface in contact with the heat source member, and the plurality of welded portions are arranged on the inner surface.