Heated Garment Temperature Cycling for Longer Battery Runtime
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional heating controls in heated garments are inefficient, leading to decreased temperature levels over time due to battery power depletion, resulting in reduced runtime and insufficient warmth for the wearer.
Innovation Solution
A controller system that dynamically adjusts the heater temperature by setting a requested temperature level for a first period and then dropping to a lower level for a second period, cycling between the two to maintain a consistent feeling while extending the operational runtime from a single battery pack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the heater maintains a high temperature level continuously, then the wearer experiences high warmth, but the battery power depletes quickly reducing runtime
Solution Approach 1:
The heater control system implements periodic cycling between a first temperature level and a second temperature level. The controller alternates between these two temperature levels over time, providing high warmth during the first temperature level while allowing battery recovery during the second temperature level, thus extending overall operational runtime while maintaining wearer comfort.
2Reliability
If the heater operates at maximum power continuously, then warmth is maintained, but energy consumption increases rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The heater control system dynamically adjusts the temperature level between a first temperature level and a second temperature level based on battery power availability. The controller monitors battery status and transitions between temperature levels to optimize the balance between maintaining warmth reliability and managing energy consumption efficiently.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the heater temperature is reduced to conserve battery, then runtime increases, but the wearer experiences insufficient warmth
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic cycling between a higher first temperature level and a lower second temperature level. During the first temperature level phase, the wearer receives adequate warmth. During the second temperature level phase, reduced heating conserves battery power. The periodic alternation ensures that overall warmth requirements are met while extending operational runtime.
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
This approach maintains a consistent warmth perception and significantly increases the runtime of heated garments by efficiently managing battery power, allowing for prolonged warmth without rapid battery depletion.
Implementation Method 1
heating elements may include heater arrays that use carbon fiber heaters, conductive ink fabrics, and/or thermoelectric heating/cooling devices
Implementation Method 2
heating elements may include heater arrays that use carbon fiber heaters, conductive ink fabrics, and/or thermoelectric heating/cooling devices
Data Source
AI summary
A heated garment including a garment body, a heater coupled to the garment body, and a controller for controlling the heater including an electronic processor. The controller is configured to receive an input signal indicating a first heater mode, determine a requested heater temperature level based on the first heater mode, determine a temperature, determine, based on the temperature, that the heater is able to maintain the requested heater temperature level for a first period of time, set a heater temperature level to the requested heater temperature level for the first period of time, and set the heater temperature level to a second temperature for a second period of time after the first period of time has elapsed.