Thermoelectric heat pump appliance with carbon foam heat sink

摘要

A personal thermoelectric Peltier effect heating and cooling device for heating or cooling a portion of a user's body utilizes a porous carbon foam heat sink secured to one surface of a Peltier thermovoltaic member. The heat sink is formed of a thermally conductive open cell foam medium through which air can pass and is partially enclosed by a shroud and a surrounding air filter. The opposed surface of the Peltier thermovoltaic member is secured to a flexible metallic thermal transfer band that is releasable strapped to a portion of the user's body. A miniature vacuum air pump and a battery are contained in a small enclosure that is releasably secured on another portion of the user's body remote from the thermal transfer band. A flexible tubular conduit connects the air pump inlet to the shroud and draws ambient air through the thermally conductive open cell foam medium. Electrical leads connected between the battery and the Peltier thermovoltaic member extend through the flexible tubular conduit. An on/off switch on the enclosure selectively energizes the air pump and the Peltier thermovoltaic member. A polarity reversing switch on the enclosure supplies selected polarized electrical energy to the Peltier thermovoltaic member for cooling or heating.