Cooling Products

Abstract

Comfortable and flexible cooling units and methods of using cooling units for cooling humans, animals or objects, the cooling units including a first weldable textile layer having a peripheral edge, a second weldable textile layer having a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge of the first layer weldable textile layer adjoined to the peripheral edge of the second weldable textile layer around a circumference of the cooling unit, and a phase change material composition contained between the first weldable textile layer and the second weldable textile layer. The phase change material composition may include a pelletized shape stable phase change material which may be suspended in a gel and may be comfortable and conformable.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooling unit comprising:
 a first weldable textile layer having a peripheral edge;   a second weldable textile layer having a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge of the first layer weldable textile layer adjoined to the peripheral edge of the second weldable textile layer around a circumference of the cooling unit; and   a phase change material composition contained between the first weldable textile layer and the second weldable textile layer.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling unit of  claim 1  wherein the phase change material composition comprises a shape stable phase change material. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling unit of  claim 2  wherein the phase change material composition further comprises an aqueous gel. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling unit of  claim 3  wherein the shape stable phase change material is pelletized. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling unit of  claim 4  wherein the pelletized shape stable material comprises a plurality of pellets are of a uniform size. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling unit of  claim 4  wherein the pelletized shape stable material comprises a plurality of pellets are of more than one size. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling unit of  claim 3  wherein the phase change material composition comprises a suspension of approximately 40-60% shape stable phase change material and approximately 40-60% aqueous gel. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling unit of  claim 7  wherein the phase change material composition comprises a suspension of approximately 50% shape stable phase change material and approximately 50% aqueous gel. 
     
     
         9 . The cooling unit of  claim 1  wherein the weldable textile of the first and/or second weldable textile layer comprises a nylon with a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coating or laminate. 
     
     
         10 . The cooling unit of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of spot welds fusing the first and second weldable layers together. 
     
     
         11 . The cooling unit of  claim 1  wherein the first and/or second weldable textile layer has a thickness of about 0.33 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The cooling unit of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first polymer layer having a peripheral edge; and 
 a second polymer layer having a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge of the first polymer layer adjoined to the peripheral edge of the second polymer layer around the circumference of the cooling unit; 
 wherein the first and second polymer layers are located between the phase change material composition and the first and second weldable textile layers. 
 
     
     
         13 . A cooling unit comprising:
 a top weldable textile layer having a peripheral edge;   a bottom weldable textile layer having a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge of the top layer weldable textile layer adjoined to the peripheral edge of the bottom weldable textile layer around a circumference of the cooling unit; and   a phase change material composition contained between the top layer and the bottom layer, the phase change material composition comprising a suspension of pelletized shaped stable phase change material in a gel;   wherein the top and bottom weldable textile layers comprise a natural or synthetic fabric having a polymer coating or polymer laminate.   
     
     
         14 . The cooling unit of  claim 13  wherein the top and bottom weldable textile layers comprise a nylon fabric having a polyvinyl chloride coating or laminate. 
     
     
         15 . The cooling unit of  claim 13  wherein the phase change material composition comprises approximately 50% pelletized shaped stable phase change material and approximately 50% aqueous gel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the cooling unit further comprises a plurality of spot welds distributed throughout a central portion of the cooling unit, wherein the spot welds fuse the first weldable textile layer to the second weldable textile layer. 
     
     
         17 . A method of using a portable cooling unit to cool a human, animal, or object, the steps comprising:
 a. applying a cooling unit to a surface of a human, animal or object, the cooling unit comprising:
 i. a first weldable textile layer having a peripheral edge; 
 ii. a second weldable textile layer having a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge of the top layer weldable textile layer adjoined to the peripheral edge of the bottom weldable textile layer around a circumference of the cooling unit; and 
 iii. a phase change material composition contained between the top layer and the bottom layer; and 
   b. shaping the cooling unit to conform to the surface of the human, animal or object.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the phase change material composition comprises a pelletized shape stable phase change material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising inserting the cooling unit into a fabric carrier having a pocket, the pocket sized and shaped to match the cooling unit. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the fabric carrier comprises an article of clothing.