Patent Application
20080041066
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
As shown in
The housing unit 1 includes a housing body 11, and a partition plate 14 disposed in and connected to the housing body 11 such that the partition plate 14 divides an interior of the housing body 11 into first and second compartments 12, 13. The housing body 11 is formed with a first opening 111 and a first mounting hole 112 in spatial communication with the first compartment 12. The housing body 11 is further formed with a second opening unit 113 and a second mounting hole 114 in spatial communication with the second compartment 13. In this embodiment, the second opening unit 113 includes second and third openings 1131, 1132. The second mounting hole 114 is disposed between the second and third openings 1131, 1132. The housing unit 1 further includes several air filters 18 that are disposed to cover the first, second and third openings 111, 1131, 1132, respectively.
The thermal energy storing unit 3 is mounted to the partition plate 14 of the housing unit 1, is disposed in the first compartment 12, and is adapted to contain antifreeze liquid. In this embodiment, the thermal energy storing unit 3 is embedded in the partition plate 14 of the housing unit 1, and the antifreeze liquid is water mixed with ethylene glycol.
The energy exchange unit 4 is disposed in the first compartment 12, and includes a meandering pipe 41 that is connected to the thermal energy storing unit 3 to form a closed loop therewith.
The pump 5 is connected in series to the pipe 41 of the energy exchange unit 4, and is operable to deliver the antifreeze liquid contained in the thermal energy storing unit 3 to the energy exchange unit 4 and to return the antifreeze liquid in the energy exchange unit 4 back to the thermal energy storing unit 3.
The thermoelectric semiconductor device 6 is disposed in the second compartment 13, and has a first side 61 in thermal contact with the thermal energy storing unit 3. In this embodiment, the second mounting hole 114 is registered with the thermoelectric semiconductor device 6.
The heat guide 7 is disposed in the second compartment 13, and is fixed to a second side 62 of the thermoelectric semiconductor device 6 that is opposite to the first side 61. In this embodiment, the heat guide 7 is a comb-shaped heat sink.
The turbulence unit 8 includes first and second fans 81, 82 mounted in the first and second mounting holes 112, 114 in the housing body 11, respectively. The first fan 81 is operable to draw air out of the first compartment 12, and the second fan 82 is operable to draw air into the second compartment 13.
The power supply unit 2 is mounted in the housing unit 1, and is connected electrically to the pump 5. With further reference to
Preferably, a temperature monitoring unit 9 is attached to the thermal energy storing unit 3, is connected electrically to the power supply unit 2, and is used to monitor temperature of the antifreeze liquid in the thermal energy storing unit 3.
The thermoelectric semiconductor device 6 is operable to absorb heat at one of the first and second sides 61, 62, and to dissipate heat at the other one of the first and second sides 61, 62. In particular, when the air cooling/heating device is operated in a first mode, the first side 61 absorbs thermal energy, and the second side 62 dissipates thermal energy. On the other hand, when the air cooling/heating device is operated in a second mode, the second side 62 absorbs thermal energy, and the first side 61 dissipates thermal energy.
Take the air cooling/heating device working in the heating mode as an example for the following description on operating principles of the air cooling/heating device. With electrical power supplied by the power supply unit 2, the thermoelectric semiconductor device 6 is capable of producing a stable heat source at the first side 61 thereof such that the thermal energy storing unit 3 is maintained at a heated state. The pump 5 delivers the heated antifreeze liquid between the thermal energy storing unit 3 and the energy exchange unit 4 via the pipe 41 such that temperature of air in the first compartment 12 is increased by the heated antifreeze liquid. The heated air is drawn out of the first compartment 12 by the first fan 81 of the turbulence unit 8. As the first fan 81 draws the heated air out of the first compartment 12, air from outside of the air cooling/heating device is drawn into the first compartment 12 through the first opening 111 as a result of air circulation. On the other hand, the second side 62 of the thermoelectric semiconductor device 6 absorbs thermal energy via the heat guide 7 such that temperature of air in the second compartment 13 is decreased. As the second fan 82 of the turbulence unit 8 draws air from outside of the air cooling/heating device into the second compartment 13, the cooled air is drawn out of the second compartment 13 via the second and third openings 1131, 1132 as a result of air circulation. With air circulating as described, the air cooling/heating device is effectively operating as an air heater.
On the contrary, by reversing the electrical polarity of the thermoelectric semiconductor device 6 such that the first side 61 produces a cold source and the second side 62 dissipates thermal energy, the air cooling/heating device can effectively operate as an air cooler.
In view of the thermoelectric semiconductor device 6, the air cooling/heating device according to the present invention can provide a large power output while having a compact size and consuming a smaller amount of electricity to reduce manufacturing and operating costs.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation and equivalent arrangements.
