Dual-Fluid Flexible Cooling Pack for Conformable Skin Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wearable cooling systems are heavy, uncomfortable, and lack sufficient cooling power due to their rigid structure and inefficient heat transfer, which is exacerbated by the use of solid cooling packs that fail to conform to the human body's curvature, leading to hotspots and reduced cooling efficacy.
Innovation Solution
A thermal modification device comprising two elongated flexible containers, one filled with water and the other with a phase change material (PCM), where the mass ratio of water to PCM is optimized to ensure flexibility and direct skin contact, eliminating the need for heat-sealed divisions and allowing for long-lasting, efficient cooling without excessive weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If solid cooling packs are used to provide cooling, then cooling power is improved, but flexibility and skin contact are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state parameter of the cooling material from solid to liquid. The cooling pack contains a liquid cooling substance that can flow and conform to body contours, providing both flexibility and effective skin contact while maintaining cooling power through high specific heat capacity of the liquid medium.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a flexible membrane or pouch to contain the liquid cooling substance. This flexible enclosure allows the cooling pack to adapt to various body shapes and surfaces, ensuring continuous skin contact without requiring the cooling material itself to be solid and moldable.
2Temperature
If ice packs are used to absorb heat, then cooling capacity is improved, but comfort and safety are worsened due to low temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces an intermediary liquid layer between the cooling substance and the skin. This liquid medium absorbs heat from the body and transfers it to the cooling substance, preventing direct contact with extremely cold surfaces while maintaining effective heat transfer. The intermediary layer acts as a thermal buffer that protects skin from harmful cold temperatures.
3Stability of the object's composition
If cooling packs are made rigid for structural stability, then durability is improved, but adaptability to body curvature is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs flexible membranes or thin-walled pouches to contain the cooling substance. These flexible enclosures provide structural integrity to contain the liquid while allowing the pack to bend, fold, and conform to irregular body surfaces. The flexible shell maintains durability through appropriate material selection while enabling adaptability to various curvatures.
4Temperature
If heavy cooling materials are used to increase cooling power, then cooling efficacy is improved, but portability and comfort are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes liquid cooling substances that leverage hydraulic principles for efficient heat transfer. Liquid has high specific heat capacity and good thermal conductivity, providing effective cooling with relatively low mass compared to solid materials. The liquid medium can be pumped or circulated to enhance heat transfer efficiency, reducing the total amount of cooling material needed and thereby reducing weight.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device provides comfortable, long-lasting cooling by ensuring direct skin contact and minimizing air gaps, achieving effective heat transfer while maintaining a lightweight and flexible design that conforms to the body's curvature, thus overcoming the limitations of existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
a second elongated flexible container including a second substance disposed therein... wherein the second substance is a phase change material
Implementation Method 2
thermal exchanges occur between the skin of the user, the first substance and the second substance to modify the skin temperature of the user
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal modification device for modifying the skin temperature of a user, the thermal modification device including: a first elongated flexible container including a first substance disposed therein and a first wall and a second wall, wherein the first substance is a fluid having thermal properties of a first substance; and a second elongated flexible container including a second substance disposed therein and a first wall and a second wall, wherein the second substance is a fluid having thermal properties of a second substance, wherein a ratio of the mass of the first substance and the mass of the second substance is at least one of about 0.22 and about 0.31, the first elongated flexible container and the second elongated flexible container are disposed with the second wall of the first elongated flexible container disposed in contacting relationship with the first wall of the second elongated flexible container.