Personal Thermal Management System with Segmented Heating Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Specifying a thermal environment that addresses the thermal comfort of all individuals is challenging due to individual differences in internal and external temperature sensitivity, making it difficult to maintain optimal body temperature and comfort through existing textile and clothing systems.
Innovation Solution
A personal thermal management system (PTMS) that includes cooling and heating components, utilizing phase change materials (PCMs) and graphene sheets, strategically positioned to target thermally sensitive areas, allowing for wireless control via computing devices to maintain thermal comfort regardless of ambient temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional textile and clothing systems are used to maintain thermal comfort, then the system must accommodate all individuals, but individual differences in temperature sensitivity make it difficult to achieve optimal thermal comfort for everyone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the thermal management system into multiple independent heating zones with individual temperature control. Each zone can be adjusted separately based on local thermal needs, allowing the system to adapt to individual differences in temperature sensitivity without requiring a completely different system for each person.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic temperature control where each heating zone can independently adjust its temperature settings in real-time. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to respond to changing thermal comfort requirements of different individuals during the same usage period.
2Reliability
If more material and components are used to improve thermal protection, then thermal comfort is improved, but the system becomes heavier and thicker
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements heating elements with varying densities and power outputs in different zones of the garment. Areas requiring greater thermal protection have higher density heating elements, while areas needing less protection have lower density elements. This local differentiation achieves optimal thermal protection where needed without uniformly increasing the weight and thickness of the entire system.
3Productivity
If heating components are strategically positioned to target thermally sensitive areas, then thermal comfort is improved with reduced material usage, but the system requires precise positioning and control
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into multiple independently controllable zones, each targeting specific thermally sensitive areas of the body. This segmentation allows precise thermal management of individual regions without requiring the entire system to be manufactured with high precision, as each zone can be optimized and adjusted independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates temperature sensors and control mechanisms that monitor thermal conditions in each zone and automatically adjust heating output. This feedback control compensates for variations in component positioning and ensures accurate thermal delivery to target areas without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances.
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 PTMS provides automatic thermal acclimatization, improving thermal protection and comfort by reacting to temperature fluctuations, maintaining optimal body temperature with reduced material and component usage, making it lighter, thinner, and more efficient.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing phase change materials (PCMs)
Implementation Method 2
graphene sheets
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a wearable personal thermal management system and an associated method of manufacture. The PTMS comprises a harness that includes one or more cooling components and/or heating components. The harness include an upper-torso wearable portion and/or a lower-torso wearable portion. The PTSM provides a heating and/or cooling effects to one or more thermally sensitive areas of its user when worn.