Patent Application
20080012258
The figures of the drawing are described as follows:
Referring now to the figures in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to
The climate-control system 10 comprises an enclosure 14 and a climate-control unit 16. The enclosure 14 is for operatively connecting to the perambulator, wheelchair, or the like 12, contains an environment, is completely sealed from the ambient so as to isolate the environment contained in the enclosure 14 from the ambient, and is for enclosing an occupant of the perambulator, wheelchair, or the like 12 so as to isolate the occupant of the perambulator, wheelchair, or the like 12 from the ambient. The climate-control unit 16 is operatively connected to the enclosure 14 and regulates the environment contained in the enclosure 14, as desired.
The configuration of the enclosure 14 can best be seen in
The enclosure 14 comprises a left side panel 18, a right side panel 20, and a cover panel 22, and as shown in
The left side panel 18 of the enclosure 14 has edges 36, and is for securing to the left side 24 of the perambulator, wheelchair, or the like 12 by adhesive tape, laces, strings, strips of fabric having hook and loop fasteners, or the like. The right side panel 20 of the enclosure 14 has edges 38, and is for securing to the right side 26 of the perambulator, wheelchair, or the like 12 by adhesive tape, laces, strings, strips of fabric having hook and loop fasteners, or the like. The cover panel 22 of the enclosure 14 has edges 40, and is for covering the top 28, the front 30, the bottom 32, and the rear 34 of the perambulator, wheelchair, or the like 12.
The left side panel 18 of the enclosure 14 is made from a resilient material, such as flexible plastics, such as polyvinyl chloride films, flexible thermoplastic sheets, such as transparent polyolefins, shape memory alloys, such as Flexon, RTM, or combinations thereof, and is sheathed in a flexible sheet or web, such as cloth or a plastic sheet, so as to be resistant to rain, UV radiation, or the like, or alternatively is dip-coated with a molten thermoplastic material that cools to form an adherent coating.
The right side panel 20 of the enclosure 14 is made from a resilient material, such as flexible plastics, such as polyvinyl chloride films, flexible thermoplastic sheets, such as transparent polyolefins, shape memory alloys, such as Flexon, RTM, or combinations thereof, and is sheathed in a flexible sheet or web, such as cloth or a plastic sheet, so as to be resistant to rain, UV radiation, or the like, or alternatively is dip-coated with a molten thermoplastic material that cools to form an adherent coating.
The cover panel 22 of the enclosure 14 is made from a resilient material, such as flexible plastics, such as polyvinyl chloride films, flexible thermoplastic sheets, such as transparent polyolefins, shape memory alloys, such as Flexon, RTM, or combinations thereof, and is sheathed in a flexible sheet or web, such as cloth or a plastic sheet, so as to be resistant to rain, UV radiation, or the like or alternatively is dip-coated with a molten thermoplastic material that cools to form an adherent coating.
The edges 40 of the cover panel 22 of the enclosure 14 are attached to the edges 36 of the left side panel 18 of the enclosure 14 and the edges 38 of the right side panel 20 of the enclosure 14, either permanently by stitches, adhesive, or the like, or removably by mating zippers, hook and loop fasteners, or the like, allowing the cover panel 22 of the enclosure 14 to be separated from the left side panel 18 of the enclosure 14 and the right side panel 20 of the enclosure 14 for storing separately.
The configuration of the climate-control unit 16 can best be seen in
The climate-control unit 16 comprises a main housing 42, a cooling module 44, a heating module 46, a humidifying module 48, a dust filter module 50, a pollen filter module 52, and a main control panel 54.
The main housing 42 of the climate-control unit 16 has a rear wall 56 positioned on the cover panel 22 of the enclosure 14 at the rear 34 of the perambulator, wheelchair, or the like 12, for allowing access of the main housing 42 of the climate-control unit 16 by a pusher of the perambulator, wheelchair, or the like 12.
The rear wall 56 of the main housing 42 of the climate-control unit 16 communicates with the cover panel 22 of the enclosure 14 so as to allow the climate-control unit 16 to regulate the environment contained in the enclosure 14, as desired.
The cooling module 44 of the climate-control unit 16 is disposed in the main housing 42 of the climate-control unit 16 and cools, on-demand, the environment contained in the enclosure 14.
The heating module 46 of the climate-control unit 16 is disposed in the main housing 42 of the climate-control unit 16 and heats, on-demand, the environment contained in the enclosure 14.
The humidifying module 48 of the climate-control unit 16 is disposed in the main housing 42 of the climate-control unit 16 and humidifies/dehumidifies, on-demand, the environment contained in the enclosure 14.
The dust filter module 50 of the climate-control unit 16 is disposed in the main housing 42 of the climate-control unit 16 and filters dust, on-demand, from the environment contained in the enclosure 14.
The pollen filter module 52 of the climate-control unit 16 is disposed in the main housing 42 of the climate-control unit 16 and filters pollen, on-demand, from the environment contained in the enclosure 14.
The main control panel 54 of the climate-control unit 16 is disposed on the main housing 42 of the climate-control unit 16 and selectively operates the cooling module 44, the heating module 46, the humidifying module 48, the dust filter module 50, and the pollen filter module 52 of the climate-control unit 16.
The climate-control unit 16 further comprises a secondary housing 58 and a secondary control panel 60. The secondary housing 58 of the climate-control unit 16 is for disposing within the enclosure 14. The secondary control panel 60 of the climate-control unit 16 is disposed on the secondary housing 58 of the climate-control unit 16 and is operatively connected to the main control panel 54 of the climate-control unit 16 for allowing the occupant of the perambulator, the wheelchair, or the like 12 to operate the climate-control unit 16 from within the enclosure 14.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.
While the embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described as embodied in a climate-control system for a perambulator, wheelchair, or the like, however, they are not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions, and changes in the forms and details of the embodiments of the present invention illustrated and their operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the embodiments of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the embodiments of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt them for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of the embodiments of the present invention.
