Refrigeration – Structural installation – With body applicator
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-05
2001-02-27
McDermott, Corrine (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Structural installation
With body applicator
C062S406000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192702
ABSTRACT:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A personal cooling device taking the form of a lightweight, low-cost manufactured personal air conditioner which is battery powered and which may utilize one of a plurality of cooling packs, but the preferred one is a gel pack that is easily installed and which provides cooling for the user under hot weather conditions, as may be found in outside amusement parks and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
With the popularity of amusement parks like those found in warm climates such as Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm and the like, it has been necessary to locate these amusements centers in areas where land values are moderately priced, but which have the deficit of being uncomfortable in a climatic sense during hot spells especially during summer months.
It is not unusual in these amusements parks, during the height of the tourist season as encountered in summer months, to have temperatures in the 90° plus area. Being able to have a personal, lightweight cooling device such as a portable fan which emits cool air to which the invention is directed is a decided plus for any attendee at for example, amusement parks during uncomfortable warm weather conditions.
2. Description of the Related Art
As far as known, the prior art has attempted to provide various ingenious means of having cool air with just the utilization of a fan, but none have come up with the idea of a personal air conditioning type of device which is easily manufactured, relatively low-cost and simple in operation.
The patents in the prior art of which the inventor is aware are as follows:
Ice Cooled Screen Apparatus and Method, U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,774
This patent relates to an apparatus and method for providing an ice cooled fan screen wherein a support frame is designed as a chamber suitable for holding ice and wherein the device is intended to be placed in front of a fan such that the movement of air through the ice cooled fan screen provides the cooling effect.
Air Cooling and Directing Apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,556
This patent relates to a plastic container of the type to confine a freezable liquid much like that found in conventional gel packs, wherein the container is mountable over the protective enclosure of a multi-bladed air moving fan such that air driven by the fan passes through the channels of the container to thereby provide cool air.
Fan Air Cooler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,827
This patent relates to a fan air cooler for attachment to a conventional electric fan and has a grid of spaced strips filled with a frozen fluid material. The strips have spaced fluid sacks which resemble ice cubes and the attachment is secured to a fan housing by magnets, adhesive or VELCRO such that the air passing through the attachment is cooled.
Ice Cooled Air Conditioner and Method, U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,301
This patent discloses a battery operated fan device which may be used in environments such as camping tents and similar such locations where high voltage of electrical power is not available and wherein the battery operated fans are positioned to direct air through conduits or ducts, which allow for the passage of the air, in a heat exchange relationship, through frozen material such as ice to thereby provide cool air.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a personal cooling device comprising the combination of a body member forming an open-top housing containing a switch actuated, motor operated fan adapted to be battery energized and having a platform positioned over the fan blade, which platform is adapted to receive a coolant member such as a gel pack with a screw-type cap member being releasably secured to the open top housing to provide ease of access into the housing in order to replace the gel pack after the same has been used up with respect to providing cooling.
In its most specific form, the invention is directed to a personal cooling device comprising the combination of a body member having an upper, wide-mouth portion forming a recess and a lower conically shaped portion, the upper wide-mouth portion having a retaining means within the recess and being adapted to retain a coolant member, such as a gel pack, in releasable fashion thereon. A fan blade is operatively disposed within the recess and below the retaining means and the housing wall contiguous to the fan blade has spaced apertures communicating to the ambient atmosphere, while the lower conically shaped portion houses a motor operatively connected to the fan blade and being adapted to receive batteries in energizing relationship to the motor. Switch and circuit means for energizing the motor and a cap member releasably associated with the wide mouth portion of the body member completes the device. The device also has a clip provision whereby the same may be clipped onto the waistband of a wearer, when not being directly utilized to cool the face of the wearer and to provide that accomplishment, a means of attaching a tether on lanyard to the device is employed so that the cooling device may be hung around the neck of a wearer.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a personal cooling device of lightweight, essentially maintenance-free operation which may be hung around the neck of a wearer for personal cooling.
It is another important object of the invention to provide a personal cooling device which forms a container which is easily accessible and which is adapted to hold a coolant such as a gel pack.
It is another important specific object of the invention to provide a personal cooling device which may be utilized in amusement park environs such that a battery operated fan provides, in conjunction with a gel pack coolant, a supply of cool air for as long as two hours.
It is another important specific object of the invention to provide a personal cooling device which is easily carried on the waistband of a garment of the wearer and wherein in an alternative mode, the device may be worn around the neck in order to provide cooling air.
It is another even more specific important object of the invention to provide a personal cooling device that is capable of giving cooling and soothing air in an otherwise heated and uncomfortable environment.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the hereinafter following commentary taken in conjunction with the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4612774 (1986-09-01), Budreau
patent: 4751827 (1988-06-01), Villarreal
patent: 4860556 (1989-08-01), Hammett
patent: 5046329 (1991-09-01), Travis
patent: 5062281 (1991-11-01), Oliphant et al.
patent: 5197301 (1993-03-01), Holcomb
patent: 5953933 (1999-09-01), Cheng
Cislo & Thomas LLP
Jiang Chen-Wen
McDermott Corrine
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