Wearable heat transfer devices and associated systems and methods

Abstract

Wearable heat transfer devices and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a representative heat transfer device can comprise (i) thermoelectric components each having a first side and a second side, (ii) a heat transfer system having a heat exchanger and an array of fluid distribution networks, in which individual fluid distribution networks are thermally coupled to the second side of a corresponding one of the thermoelectric components and fluidically coupled to the heat exchanger, and (iii) a flexible support unit coupled to the first sides of the thermoelectric components and extending at least between individual thermoelectric components, wherein the flexible support unit is a heat spreader configured to enhance heat transfer from a target area.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A heat transfer device, comprising:
 a thermoelectric component including a first side configured to be thermally coupled to a target area and a second side opposite the first side; and   a fluid distribution network thermally coupled to the second side of the thermoelectric component, wherein:
 the fluid distribution network includes (i) microfeatures spaced apart from each other along a first axis to at least partially define one or more channels configured to receive a working fluid, (ii) an inlet region configured to provide the working fluid to the channels, and (iii) an outlet region configured to receive the working fluid from the channels, 
 in operation, the working fluid flows from the inlet region toward the outlet region and absorbs heat from the microfeatures, and 
 the microfeatures are spaced apart from the thermoelectric component along a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis, such that a distance between the first side of the thermoelectric component and an outermost surface of at least one of the microfeatures is no more than 30 millimeters (mm). 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution network further comprises a base member that forms a continuous surface with the microfeatures, and wherein the base member is positioned over and thermally coupled to the thermoelectric component. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric component includes a first face at the first side, a second face at the second side, and a plurality of legs extending between the first face and the second face. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first face, the second face, or the plurality of legs comprise a flexible, non-rigid material. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the thermoelectric component has a footprint of no more than 9 mm 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor positioned to measure a temperature associated with the target area. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , further comprising a controller coupled to the thermoelectric component and the temperature sensor, wherein the controller is configured to operate the thermoelectric component based at least in part on the temperature measured via the temperature sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller coupled to the thermoelectric component, wherein the controller is configured to operate the thermoelectric component such that the first side of the thermoelectric component is set to a first temperature, and wherein, in operation, the fluid distribution network cools the second side of the thermoelectric component to a second temperature greater than the first temperature. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric component is a first thermoelectric component and the fluid distribution network is a first fluid distribution network, the device further comprising:
 a second thermoelectric component including a first side configured to be thermally coupled to the target area and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the second thermoelectric component is spaced apart from the first thermoelectric component; and   a second fluid distribution network thermally coupled to the second side of the second thermoelectric component.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to individually control the first thermoelectric component to have a first temperature and the second thermoelectric component to have a second temperature at least 10 degrees Celsius different than the first temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the first fluid distribution network has a first orientation relative to gravity and the second fluid distribution network has a second orientation relative to gravity that is different than the first orientation. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 9 , further comprising a flexible support unit coupled to the first side of the first thermoelectric component and the first side of the second thermoelectric component, wherein the flexible support unit is configured to be coupled to the target area such that, when the flexible support unit is coupled to the target area, the first thermoelectric component and the second thermoelectric component are arranged to be adjacent to the target area. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein, when the flexible support unit is coupled to the target area, the flexible support unit exerts a compressive force against the target area. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between a first face of the thermoelectric component at the first side and the outermost surface of at least one of the microfeatures is less than mm. 
     
     
         15 . A heat transfer device, comprising:
 a first thermoelectric component including a first side configured to be thermally coupled to a target area and a second side opposite the first side;   a second thermoelectric component including a first side configured to be thermally coupled to the target area and a second side opposite the first side;   a first fluid distribution network thermally coupled to the second side of the first thermoelectric component, wherein:
 the first fluid distribution network includes (i) first microfeatures spaced apart from each other to at least partially define first channels configured to receive a working fluid, (ii) a first inlet region configured to provide the working fluid to the first channels, and (iii) a first outlet region configured to receive the working fluid from the first channels, and 
 in operation, the working fluid flows from the first inlet region toward the first outlet region and absorbs heat from the first microfeatures; and 
   a second fluid distribution network thermally coupled to the second side of the second thermoelectric component, wherein the fluid distribution network includes (i) second microfeatures spaced apart from each other to at least partially define second channels configured to receive the working fluid, (ii) a second inlet region configured to provide the working fluid to the second channels, and (iii) a second outlet region configured to receive the working fluid from the second channels,   wherein the first fluid distribution network has a first orientation relative to gravity and the second fluid distribution network has a second orientation relative to gravity that is different than the first orientation.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , further comprising (i) an inlet fluid distribution passage fluidically coupled to the first inlet region and the second inlet region and (ii) an outlet fluid distribution passage fluidically coupled to the first outlet region and the second outlet region. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the first fluid distribution network is positioned over the first thermoelectric component and the inlet fluid distribution passage is positioned over the first fluid distribution network. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein individual ones of the first channels are no more than 1000 microns wide. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the first thermoelectric component includes a first face at the first side, a second face at the second side, and a plurality of legs extending between the first face and the second face, wherein at least one of the first face, the second face, or the plurality of legs comprises a flexible material. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the first thermoelectric component has a footprint of no more than 9 mm 2 . 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 15 , further comprising a controller coupled to the first thermoelectric component, wherein the controller is configured to operate the first thermoelectric component such that the first side of the first thermoelectric component is set to a first temperature, and wherein, in operation, the first fluid distribution network cools the second side of the first thermoelectric component to a second temperature greater than the first temperature. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the controller is configured to individually control the first thermoelectric component to have a first temperature and the second thermoelectric component to have a second temperature at least 10 degrees Celsius different than the first temperature. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 15 , further comprising a flexible support unit coupled to the first side of the first thermoelectric component and the first side of the second thermoelectric component, wherein the flexible support unit is configured to be coupled to the target area such that, when the flexible support unit is coupled to the target area, the first thermoelectric component and the second thermoelectric component are arranged to be adjacent to the target area. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein, when the flexible support unit is coupled to the target area, the flexible support unit exerts a compressive force against the target area. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein a distance between a first face of the thermoelectric component and the outermost surface of at least one of the microfeatures of the first fluid distribution network is less than 30 millimeters.