Systems and methods for providing personal climate control

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for providing a personal climate-control system. In at least one embodiment, a personal climate-control system includes a fluid-thermal-conditioning system; a fluid reservoir; a pump; a flow-control manifold configured to provide a flow path for a heat-transfer fluid to heat-transfer-fluid-enabled articles; first and second tubing systems; an electrical connection configured to receive power from an external power supply; a battery configured to provide electrical power to the pump when the electrical connection is not receiving power from an external power supply; and a control module comprising a mode-selector switch and an intensity-selector control, where the mode-selector switch has an off position, a heating position, and a cooling position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a first flow path comprising a fluid reservoir and a fluid-enabled article, wherein the fluid reservoir is configured to transfer heat between material in the fluid reservoir and a heat-transfer fluid in the first flow path;   a second flow path comprising a fluid-conditioning system, the fluid reservoir, and the fluid-enabled article, wherein the fluid-conditioning system is configured to i) receive power from an external power supply and ii) transfer heat between the fluid-conditioning system and the heat-transfer fluid; and   a flow control manifold configured to selectively direct flow of the heat-transfer fluid between the first and the second flow paths.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-conditioning system comprises:
 a fluid block having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path; and   a thermoelectric tile coupled to the fluid block and configured to selectively heat or cool the fluid block.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the thermoelectric tile has a first side coupled to the fluid block and a second side coupled to a heat sink. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a fan configured to move air over the heat sink. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-transfer fluid is water. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-transfer fluid is a non-inflammable liquid. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-transfer fluid is antifreeze. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid reservoir further comprises:
 a fill cap,   a drain tube having a proximate end connected to the fluid reservoir and having a distal end connected to a flow control valve.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump and a rechargeable battery, wherein when the first flow path is selected, the pump receives power from the rechargeable battery and circulates the heat-transfer fluid through the first flow path, and
 when the second flow path is selected, the pump i) receives power from the external power supply and ii) circulates the heat-transfer fluid through the second flow path, and the external power supply recharges the rechargeable battery.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an attachment device configured to attach the system to a vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the attachment device is selected from the group consisting of magnets, straps, buckles, and Velcro. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control manifold further comprises quick-disconnect couplings. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second flow paths comprise a quick-disconnect coupling configured to disconnect the fluid-enabled article from the first and second flow paths. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second flow paths comprise a plurality of fluid-enabled articles. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-enabled article is a vest. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-enabled article is a hat. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a mode-selector switch, wherein:
 responsive to the mode-selector switch being selected to a cool position, the fluid-thermal-conditioning system cooling the heat-transfer fluid, and   responsive to the mode-selector switch being selected to a heat position, the fluid-thermal-conditioning system heating the heat-transfer fluid.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an intensity-selector control, wherein:
 responsive to the intensity-selector control being selected to a higher intensity setting, the thermal-conditioning system increasing the rate of heat transfer to the heat-transfer fluid.   
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 providing a first flow path comprising a fluid reservoir and a fluid-enabled article, wherein the fluid reservoir is configured to transfer heat between material in the fluid reservoir and a heat-transfer fluid in the first flow path;   providing a second flow path comprising a fluid-conditioning system, the fluid reservoir, and the fluid-enabled article, wherein the fluid-conditioning system is configured to i) receive power from an external power supply and ii) transfer heat between the fluid-conditioning system and the heat-transfer fluid; and   providing a flow control manifold configured to selectively direct flow of the heat-transfer fluid between the first and the second flow paths.   
     
     
         20 . A personal climate-control system comprising:
 a fluid-thermal-conditioning system;   a fluid reservoir;   a pump configured to pump a heat-transfer fluid;   a flow-control manifold configured to provide a flow path for the heat-transfer fluid to a plurality of heat-transfer-fluid-enabled articles;   a first tubing system mechanically interconnected to the fluid-thermal-conditioning system, the fluid reservoir, the pump, and the flow-control manifold;   a second tubing system comprising a distal end and a first flow-control valve at the distal end, the second tubing system comprising a connection to the fluid reservoir;   an electrical connection configured to receive power from an external power supply and convey the received power to the fluid-thermal-conditioning system and the pump;   a battery configured to provide electrical power to the pump when the electrical connection is not receiving power from an external power supply; and   a control module comprising a mode-selector switch and an intensity-selector control, wherein the mode-selector switch comprises an off position, a heating position, and a cooling position.