Refrigeration – Using electrical or magnetic effect – Thermoelectric; e.g. – peltier effect
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-10
2001-09-04
Doerrler, William (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Using electrical or magnetic effect
Thermoelectric; e.g., peltier effect
C062S003610, C062S003600, C062S244000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282906
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a mobile vehicle temperature controlled compartment, and more particularly to a temperature controlled compartment provided in a mobile vehicle console.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Consoles are conventionally provided in vehicles to provide an enclosed storage space accessible to the vehicle occupants. In such a storage space, vehicle occupants store miscellaneous articles including music tapes, compact disks, coins, address books, etc. The articles conventionally stored in these storage spaces do not require a specific temperature and thus the console temperature generally corresponds to the ambient air temperature in the vehicle. However, some articles, for example beverages, food, insulin, etc., require a temperature controlled environment which would provide a driver and/or passenger convenient and safe storage for these articles. Operators of vehicles continually demand greater conveniences in their mobile vehicles and, therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a temperature controlled compartment wherein articles in need of a cooled or heated environment may be stored. By placing the temperature controlled compartment in the console, which is readily available to the vehicle driver, the distraction of the driver from the road and happenings around the vehicle is reduced.
Thermoelectric devices are known which utilize the Peltier effect in solid state electrical components to operate as small heat pumps. Thermoelectric devices include a plurality of thermocouples mounted between heat sinks. The thermocouples transfer thermal energy from one heat sink to the other dependent on the direction of DC power applied to the thermocouples.
The present invention addresses the above need for convenient mobile vehicle temperature controlled compartments by utilizing thermoelectric devices to control the temperature in the vehicle compartments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A vehicle console encloses at least one compartment, the temperature of which can be controlled by a thermoelectric device, heat exchanger, and air duct assembly. The heat exchanger is mounted in thermal communication with the compartment. The thermoelectric device controls the flow of thermal energy to or from the heat exchanger and transfers the thermal energy to the air duct assembly. The air duct assembly transfers the thermal energy to air flowing therethrough.
Another feature of the invention is that the air duct assembly segregates the incoming air from the outgoing air to improve system performance by keeping the temperature difference between the incoming and outgoing air at a maximum.
The invention also provides a forced air convection device in the temperature controlled compartment. The forced air convection device is mounted in the console and draws air therefrom and forces the same through a heat exchanger which includes a heat exchanger plate and radiator fins that are in thermoconductive contact with the heat exchanger plate so as to temperature condition the air flowing through the convection device. The forced air convection device vents the air into the temperature controlled compartment after temperature conditioning the air.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5701754 (1997-12-01), Choi et al.
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patent: 5941077 (1999-08-01), Safyan
patent: 6026646 (2000-02-01), Hansen et al.
patent: 6092381 (2000-07-01), Hsiao et al.
Doerrler William
Flynn, Theil, Boutell & Tanis, P.C.
Shulman Mark
Tellurex Corporation
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