GB2369493A

GB2369493A - Temperature climate control for cigar storage in boxes and cabinets with thermoelectric unit

Info

Publication number: GB2369493A
Application number: GB0028960A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Loey Salam
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-11-28
Filing date: 2000-11-28
Publication date: 2002-05-29
Also published as: GB0028960D0

Abstract

A cigar box (1) having a built-in thermoelectric unit (5) utilises the cooling/heating effects to control the temperature of the stored cigars as close as possible to the optimum storage temperature of 21.1{C. The thermoelectric unit (5) comprises a thermoelectric module (14), cold and hot heat extenders (15) and (16) all attached to a heat sink (17) and a fan (18). An electrical circuit (4), which controls the heating or cooling modes and the amount of power supplied to the thermoelectric device, is placed in a separate base (2) which also preferably includes an AC/DC adapter (3). A thermocouple (7) monitors the temperature inside the box, with a feedback loop to the electrical circuit (4), to determine the amount and direction of current to achieve heating or cooling in the thermoelectric module (14).

Description

TEMPERATURE CLIMATE CONTROL FOR CIGARS STORAGE IN BOXES AND CABINETS The present invention relates to the temperature control of cigars, and more specifically to the temperature climate control of cigar boxes, cabinets and cigar storage products.

Cigars are properly stored, at a temperature of 21. 1 C and 70% relative humidity. Cigars kept

at these conditions will not only last long (5-10 years) but will help to mature and age the cigar enhancing its flavour and allowing it to develop the characteristic known as"a cool smoke".

Cigars are naturally hygroscopic products. They establish equilibrium with the surrounding atmospheric humidity. At a relative humidity of 68% and below a cigar will slowly dry out and loose the essential oils responsible for its taste. At 74% and higher, organic molecules will break down out-of-order, producing unwanted tastes. More importantly, at 80% or higher cigars are susceptible to growing mold.

The experience of cigar smokers show that a temperature of 21. 1 C is considered optimum due to two reasons. The first is that at lower temperatures the cigar will not age, mature, mellow, or develop the complex character of a well-cured smoke. In addition, the technique of blending by marrying the taste of different types of cigars kept in one box, at temperatures other than 21. 1 oc, will not obtain the required subtle changes in flavour.

The second reason is at temperatures higher than 21. 1 C there are many known insects in all their development phases: egg, larva, pupa and adult, that could pose a danger to cigars, such as a worm called Lacioderma or the tobacco beetle. This insect is capable of damaging stored tobacco in both raw material and manufactured product.

Even though cigar makers use conventional techniques to fumigate their warehouses every thirty days, the worm eggs, laid within are not destroyed. The eggs are extremely small, and often present on the underside of tobacco leaves. They are sensitive to temperature, and may start hatching when temperature is over or in between 23.8-26. 6 C.

At present Cigar storage boxes and cabinets that are being offered on the market have tackled the problem of humidity by a self-regulating humidity device. Such a device consists of a wet oasis material saturated with propylene glycol and distilled water in a mix of approximately 50/50. Such a mixture has a vapour pressure equivalent to a 70 % relative humidity. Such boxes and cabinets do not offer a temperature control mechanism, which can keep the temperature at 21. 10C. In fact some large storage cigars cabinets use conventional refrigeration, especially in summer times, to keep cigars cool at very low temperatures rather than leaving it at temperatures above 21 C.

Accordingly, a need in the art exists for a compact, low power and accurate temperature climate control device to keep the cigars at their optimum storage temperature.

It is a primary object of the present invention to utilises the thermoelectric cooling/heating effects in thermoelectric modules to control the temperature of the stored cigars as close as possible to 21. 1 C. Thus offering for the first time a product, which can provide optimum cigars storage conditions of temperature and humidity.

It is further object of the present invention to take an advantage of the modular nature of thermoelectric modules to provide devices, which control temperatures in small cigar boxes and large cigar cabinets, independent of the storage size unit.

The objects of the present invention are fulfilled by providing a thermoelectric cooling/heating unit into the cigar box. The thermoelectric unit comprises of a thermoelectric module, cold and hot heat extenders, all attached to a heat sink, which in turn is screwed to the back of a wooden box and cooled by a fan. An electrical circuit placed in a separate base for the cigar box controls the heating or cooling modes and the amount of power supplied to the thermoelectric device. The separate base also houses an AC/DC adapter. A thermocouple monitors the temperature inside the box, with a feedback loop to the electrical circuit.

Depending on whether the temperature is above or below 21. 1 C the direction of the current is decided to achieve heating or cooling in the thermoelectric module. Besides the thermocouple, the cigar box also contains an electronic humidity sensor, thus both temperature and humidity level inside the box could be read from a digital display housed on the top of the box.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become appreciated, as the same becomes better understood with reference to the specification, claims and drawings wherein: FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the temperature climate control cigar box.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional schematic view of an embodiment of a temperature climate control cigar box, with all system components according to the present invention; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional schematic view of the thermoelectric unit components.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic chart of all electrical components used in the temperature climate control cigar box according to the present invention; Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the temperature climate control cigar box, comprising of a cigar box 1 and a separate base 2 for accommodating the electrical components of the box. The employment of a separate base 2 to house all the necessary electrical components removes the need to overload the cigar box 1 with unnecessary components but those essential ones. Hence, through such design the cigar box 1 weight and size are kept to a minimum and more importantly the portability aspect of the cigar box 1 is not comprised by direct electrical wiring to the main for power.

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional schematic view cigar box 1 and the base 2 with all their system components. All the sides of the cigar box 1 have spaced inner and outer walls made out of wood separated by polystyrene foam insulation 10. The insulation is essential to minimise the heat transfer from and to the box from the surrounding ambient, thus reducing drastically the electrical power consumption to keep the cigars 11 at an optimum temperature of 21. 1'C.

The separate wooden base 2, which houses an AC/DC power adapter 3 and an electrical control circuit 4 for the box. The electrical circuit controls the cigar temperature by continuously monitoring the temperature inside the box via a thermocouple 7. The electrical circuit regulates the power to the thermoelectric unit 5 to heat or cool the box according to the feed back from the thermocouple 7. If the temperature inside the box is below 21. 1 C, the thermoelectric unit is operated into a heating mode and if above 21. 1 C, the unit is operated into a cooling mode.

The humidity of the cigar 11 are kept at 70% relative humidity by using a self-regulating humidity device 6 (Credo) available in the market and comprises of a wet oasis material saturated with propylene glycol and distilled water in a mix of approximately 50/50. An electronic ceramic humidity sensor 8 measures the humidity level inside the cigar box 1. The temperature and the humidity levels inside the cigar box 1 are both displayed on an LED display 9 at the top of the cigar box 1.

All the electrical components in the cigar box 1 interface with the electrical circuit 4 in the separate base 2 through an electrical contact socket 12. The contact socket function is to permits the cigar box 1 to be removed from and to be replaced on the separate base 2 with ease and without any difficulties.

Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of the thermoelectric unit components. The unit comprises of a thermoelectric module 14 sandwich between two plates of aluminium referred to as the cold sink extender 15 and the hot sink extender 16. These plates increase the distance from the heat sink 17 to the cold sink extender 15, thus reducing the heat conduction from hot to cold extender, through allowing for thicker insulation 10 and longer bolts.

The thermoelectric module 14 and the two extender plates 15 and 16 are all bolted to an aluminium heat sink 17 and insulated all around with polystyrene insulation 10. The insulation around restricts the heat to a direct path only through the thermoelectric and the heat sink, thus reducing heat flow to the sides. A fan 18 is bolted to the heat sink to provide forced convection cooling to this set-up. The whole thermoelectric unit 5 is in turn is fixed by bolts to the wooden wall of the cigar box 1.

Figure 4 shows a diagrammatic chart of all electrical components to control the temperature in the cigar box 1 according to the present invention. An AC/DC adapter 3 with filter circuit converts the voltage to 12 volts and reduces the ripple to less than 1%. The electrical circuit 4 monitors the thermocouple 7 readings all the time and accordingly regulates the power to the thermoelectric module 14, using a Proportional Integral (PID) control which offers optimum temperature control. Such control also protects the thermoelectric module 14 from the thermal cycling induced by using on/off control, hence ensuring the reliability and long life of the thermoelectric module 14. Measures to prevent condensation from occurring during cooling inside the cigar box 1 is considered. The maximum electrical power supplied to the thermoelectric module 14 is limited to achieve a cold side temperature higher than a calculated dew temperature inside the cigar box 1 based on a relative humidity of 70% and temperature of 21. 1 DC.

The output of the thermocouple 7 and the electronic humidity sensor 6 are feed to an LED display 9, which is powered by a small rechargeable battery button (not shown in the figures). Hence the user could still see the temperature and the humidity reading even if the cigar box 1 is removed from the separate base 2.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A system for controlling the temperature of cigars in a box comprising: (a) A box with its sides have spaced inner and outer walls made out of wood separated by polystyrene foam insulation to minimise the heat transfer between the box and the surrounding.

(b) A thermoelectric unit attached inside the box, comprising from at least one thermoelectric module for keeping the temperature inside the cigar box at approximately 21. 1 C, the unit also comprises from cold and hot sink extenders, heat sink and fan.

(c) An electrical controller in separate base for the cigar box, to activate and control the thermoelectric module through a feed back from a thermocouple in the cigar box.
2. The thermoelectric unit and the electrical controller as recited in claim 1 to be employed for bigger cigar storage units such as cabinets, where more than one thermoelectric modules could be employed to remove bigger amount of heat from bigger cigar storage areas than the typical cigar box size.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 to be employed for bigger cigar storage units such as cabinets, relying on the modularity of the thermoelectric modules to remove bigger amount of heat from bigger cigar storage areas. Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A system for controlling the temperature of cigars in a box comprising (a) a box with its sides having spaced inner and outer walls made out of wood separated by polystyrene foam Insulation to minimise the heat transfer between the exterior and the interior box, (b) a thermoelectric unit attached inside the box, comprising at least one thermoelectric module for keeping the temperature inside the cigar box at approximately 21. 1 OC, the unit also comprises cold and hot sink extenders all attached to a heat sink, which in turn is screwed to the back of a wooden box and cooled by a fan, (c) the cigar box also contains a thermocouple and an electronic humidity sensor, thus both temperature and humidity level inside the box could be read from a digital display housed on the top of the box, (d) a base that is separable from the cigar box containing an electrical controller, to activate and control the thermoelectric module through a feed back from a thermocouple in the cigar box. The separate base also houses an AC/DC adapter.