Personal Hydration System With Cooling or Warming Capability

Abstract

A wearable system with cooling and/or warming capability, and the components thereof are disclosed. The system may include a liquid transport system for transporting cooling or heating fluid between a reservoir and a pad, which pad is configured for wearing adjacent to a wearer's body. A pump is provided for pumping the liquid through the system, including for recirculating liquid from the pad into the reservoir.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable liquid transport system for attachment to a supporting article worn by a wearer, said system being configured for transporting cooling or heating liquid between a reservoir and a cooling and/or heating pad, which pad is configured for wearing adjacent to a wearer's body, wherein said liquid transport system is configured to be joined to such a reservoir and a pad, said liquid transport system comprising:
 a pump for generating the flow of a liquid between a reservoir and a pad, said pump comprising an inlet and an outlet, wherein said inlet is configured to be in liquid communication with a reservoir and said outlet is configured to be in liquid communication with a pad;   wherein said liquid transport system further comprises a plurality of conduits, each of said conduits being in liquid communication with at least one of said pump and said pad, wherein said liquid transport system is configured for directing the flow of liquid from the reservoir into multiple flow paths when said liquid transport system is joined to a reservoir and a pad, said multiple flow paths comprising:
 a) a first flow path from a reservoir through said pump to a pad to deliver chilled or heated liquid from the reservoir to the pad; 
 b) a second flow path from the pad to the reservoir to recirculate the liquid back into the reservoir. 
   
     
     
         2 . The portable liquid transport system of  claim 1  in combination with a supporting article comprising a body armor ballistic plate carrier that supports said system on a wearer's body. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The portable liquid transport system of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of conduits comprise:
 b. a first conduit having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the first conduit is configured for connecting to a reservoir, and wherein the second end portion of the first conduit is connected to the inlet of said pump; 
 c. a second conduit having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the second conduit is connected to the outlet of said pump, and wherein the second end portion of the second conduit is configured for connecting to a pad that is configured for wearing adjacent to a wearer's body; and 
 d. a third conduit having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the third conduit is configured for connecting to a pad that is configured for wearing adjacent to a wearer's body and said second end portion of the third conduit is configured for connecting to a reservoir. 
 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The portable liquid transport system of  claim 4  wherein the pump is selected from the group consisting of an electric pump, a manual pump, and a passive pumping mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The portable liquid transport system of  claim 6  wherein the pump comprises an electric pump, and the electric pump is a diaphragm pump. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The portable liquid transport system of  claim 7  further comprising a switch electrically connected to said diaphragm pump for turning said pump on and off. 
     
     
         10 . A wearable portable personal system with cooling and/or heating capability, said personal system comprising:
 a reservoir for containing a cooling or heating substance that comprises at least some chilled or heated liquid, said reservoir being configured for carrying by a wearer on a supporting article;   a pad configured for wearing adjacent to a portion of a wearer's body, said pad being in liquid communication with said reservoir;   a pump in liquid communication with said reservoir and said pad, said pump configured for generating the flow of a liquid from one of said reservoir and said pad when said pump is activated, said pump having an inlet and an outlet;   a plurality of conduits, each of said conduits being in liquid communication with at least one of said pump and said reservoir, wherein said conduits are configured for directing the flow of liquid from the reservoir into multiple flow paths, said multiple flow paths comprising:
 a) a first flow path from a reservoir through said pump to a pad to deliver chilled or heated liquid from the reservoir to the pad; and 
 b) a second flow path from the pad to the reservoir to recirculate the liquid back into the reservoir. 
   
     
     
         11 . The portable personal system of  claim 10  wherein the reservoir and the pad each have a liquid holding capacity, and the liquid holding capacity of the reservoir is greater than that of the pad. 
     
     
         12 . The portable personal system of  claim 10  in combination with a supporting article comprising a body armor ballistic plate carrier that supports said system on a wearer's body with body. 
     
     
         13 . The portable personal system of  claim 12  wherein the body armor ballistic plate carrier comprises a pocket for a ballistic plate, and the cooling/heating pad is placed inside the pocket for a ballistic plate. 
     
     
         14 . The portable system of  claim 13  wherein the cooling/heating pad is placed inside the pocket for a ballistic plate and a ballistic plate is also positioned inside said pocket, wherein said cooling/heating pad is positioned between the ballistic plate and the wearer's body. 
     
     
         15 . A method of cooling or warming a user's body comprising:
 a) wearing a personal system with temperature adjustment capability, said system comprising:
 a reservoir for containing a cooling or heating substance at least some of which is a liquid; 
 a pad configured for wearing adjacent to a portion of a wearer's body; 
 a pump configured for generating the flow of liquid between said reservoir and said pad when said pump is activated, said pump having an inlet and an outlet; 
 a plurality of conduits each having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein said plurality of conduits comprise:
 an outflow line extending between the reservoir and the inlet of the pump; 
 a pad inflow line extending between the outlet of the pump and the pad; and 
 a return line extending between the pad and the reservoir; and 
 
   b) activating said pump to transport liquid from said reservoir to said pad in order to cool or warm the wearer, said pump being activated so that after cooling or warming the wearer, some of said liquid is recirculated from said pad back into said reservoir.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the reservoir and the pad each have a liquid holding capacity, and the liquid holding capacity of the reservoir is greater than that of the pad. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said system is joined to a body armor ballistic plate carrier worn by the user. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the body armor ballistic plate carrier comprises a pocket for a ballistic plate, and the cooling/heating pad is placed inside the pocket for a ballistic plate. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the cooling/heating pad is placed inside the pocket for a ballistic plate and a ballistic plate is also positioned inside said pocket, wherein said cooling/heating pad is positioned between the ballistic plate and the wearer's body.