JPWO2000006006A1 - Cooling pillows, cooling garments and cooling helmets - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] The present invention provides a cooling pillow that is easy to prepare, has long-lasting cooling capacity, does not require the hassle of changing the water, and is effective on sleepless summer nights or when you have a fever from a cold; a cooling garment that consumes little power and has a simple structure, allowing you to avoid the heat and stay comfortable even in high-temperature environments; and a cooling helmet that eliminates heat-related discomfort, prevents physical exhaustion, loss of attention, and declines in work efficiency, and improves work safety. The cooling pillow, cooling garment, and cooling helmet are all based on the principle of promoting water vaporization by flowing air in close contact with a fibrous material containing sufficient water near the body, and cooling the head, torso, etc. by absorbing the heat of vaporization. Therefore, they include a fan for blowing air, a flow path for circulating the air, and an evaporative sheet that forms the flow path and contains water.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a cooling pillow that uses the heat absorption effect of water vaporization to cool the human head, torso, etc., and ensures comfortable sleep on hot, uncomfortable nights.
This article relates to cooling clothing that allows users to stay comfortable even in high-temperature environments, as well as cooling helmets that can be used for work helmets, motorcycle helmets, and the like. Background Art: Water pillows are used as a means of cooling the head on hot summer nights or when users have a fever due to a cold. Water pillows sometimes contain ice in addition to water to lower the water temperature so that they can be used for as long as possible. With a typical water pillow, adding ice initially feels very cold, but the temperature gradually rises and the cooling capacity decreases. Furthermore, once the water temperature reaches around 25°C, the user tends to feel less cold, even though the cooling effect is still present, since it was initially very cold. Therefore, when using a water pillow to sleep on a hot midsummer night, it is necessary to frequently replace the water or ice inside, which disrupts sound sleep. Furthermore, water pillows and commercially available cooling pillows that freeze the refrigerant inside in a freezer are often
It requires some preparation before use, which is time-consuming. Furthermore, air conditioners can be used to cool the entire room to avoid overheating while sleeping. However, air conditioners must cool the room air as well as the walls and furniture that come into contact with it, resulting in a lot of wasted energy. Furthermore, as developing countries continue to develop economically, if the penetration rate of air conditioners in these countries reaches the same level as developed countries, the amount of carbon dioxide emissions will increase dramatically, potentially becoming a major factor in global warming. Given the current situation in which global warming is a problem and the desire to reduce fossil fuel use is high, it goes without saying that cooling methods that cool only the human body or only key parts of the body are preferable to energy-consuming and energy-wasting cooling methods like air conditioners. Furthermore, air conditioners are complex and expensive, making them difficult to install anywhere. Furthermore, air conditioners can only be used indoors, not outdoors. Meanwhile, at many work sites, including construction sites, quarries, and heavy machinery manufacturing sites, wearing a helmet while working is mandatory for safety reasons. The Road Traffic Act also requires the wearing of a helmet when riding a motorcycle to ensure safety. Wearing a helmet during hot summer months, especially while working under the blazing sun, can prevent heat dissipation from the head, causing overheating and discomfort. Continuing this condition can lead to exhaustion, decreased attention, and reduced work efficiency. However, if safety is prioritized, wearing a helmet is necessary even in these circumstances, and dangerous work cannot be performed without a helmet. Furthermore, when riding a motorcycle during hot weather, wearing a helmet can increase the temperature inside the helmet, causing decreased attention, which can significantly increase the risk of injury. The present invention was developed in light of the above circumstances and aims to provide a cooling pillow that is easy to prepare, provides long-lasting cooling power, does not require the hassle of changing the water, and is effective on uncomfortable summer nights or when you have a fever from a cold. The present invention has been made in light of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a cooling garment that consumes little power and has a simple structure, allowing users to avoid heat and stay comfortable even in high-temperature environments. Furthermore, the present invention has been made in light of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a cooling helmet that eliminates the discomfort caused by heat when wearing a helmet, prevents physical exhaustion, loss of attention, and reduced work efficiency, and improves work safety. Disclosure of the Invention A cooling pillow according to a first invention includes an air flow passage that serves as an air passage, and a water retention member that is disposed above the air flow passage and retains water in a moist state on at least the side that contacts the passage. The cooling pillow is characterized by cooling a head placed on the water retention member directly or via a heat-transfer member by the heat of vaporization absorbed when the water retained in the water retention member evaporates into the air circulating through the air flow passage. It is desirable that the cooling pillow further include an air blower that forcibly sends air into the air flow passage, and a water supply unit that continuously supplies water to the water retention member by the water absorption action of the water retention member. The cooling garment of the second invention comprises a garment-constituting material having an inner cloth on the side in contact with the body and an outer cloth outside the inner cloth, which form an air flow passage between them, a water supply means for supplying water to the inner cloth of the garment-constituting material, and a ventilation means for circulating air through the air flow passage and discharging the circulating air, the water supplied to the inner cloth being vaporized by circulating air through the air flow passage, and the heat of vaporization is taken away in the process, thereby cooling the wearer. The inner cloth is made of a fibrous material on the side in contact with the air flow passage, and the water supplied from the water supply means permeates the entire inner cloth by capillary action, and the ventilation means operates in a direction to suck air that has flowed into the air flow passage through an opening provided at the end of the air flow passage. A cooling helmet according to a third aspect of the present invention comprises an outer shell for protecting the wearer's head, a water guide member disposed inside the outer shell to form an airflow passage between the outer shell and the water guide member, and allowing water to penetrate at least the surface adjacent to the airflow passage; a water supply means for supplying water to the water guide member; and an air blowing means for blowing external air through the airflow passage. The cooling helmet cools the wearer's head by evaporating the water contained in the water guide member as the air flows through the airflow passage. The water supply means is provided around the lower end of the outer shell, and the water guide member draws water from the water supply means and allows it to penetrate the side adjacent to the airflow passage by capillary action. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention The best mode for carrying out the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. [First Embodiment] Fig. 1 is a plan view of a cooling pillow according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from above, and Fig. 2 is a view of the cooling pillow of Fig. 1 from the rear. The cooling pillow 10 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is designated by the reference numeral 11.
The central portion indicated by is the portion on which a person places their head when sleeping, and the temperature of this central portion 11 is lowered by the action described below to cool the head placed on it. A tank 20 filled with water is provided below the cooling pillow 10, and a cushion material 30 is provided above this. The cushion material 30 is provided to improve the comfort of sleeping, but is not essential to the present invention. The tank 20 corresponds to the water supply unit of the present invention.
An air flow passage 40 is placed on the cushion material 30. One end of an evaporative sheet 50 is placed above the central portion 11 of the air flow passage 40, and the other end of the evaporative sheet 50 is inserted into the tank 20 through a slit 21 provided in the tank 20 and immersed in the water therein. The air flow passage 40 serves as a passage through which air blown by a fan 41 provided on the side of the cooling pillow 10 (left side in Figures 1 and 2) flows. The fan 41 corresponds to the air blowing means of the present invention. The air passing through the air flow passage 40 is exhausted to the outside from the side opposite the fan 41 (right side in Figures 1 and 2). The evaporative sheet 50 will now be described with reference to Figure 4. The main body of the evaporative sheet 50 is a water-conducting fabric 51 as shown in Figure 4(c). This water-conducting fabric 51 corresponds to the water-retaining member of the present invention. For example, a towel cloth may be used as the water-conducting fabric 51. The towel cloth has an excellent function of absorbing water and retaining the absorbed water.
The water-conducting fabric 51 is covered with a polyethylene water-conducting fabric cover 54. The bottom end of the water-conducting fabric cover 54 is provided with numerous water-absorption holes 55. When the lower portion of the water-conducting fabric 51 covered with the water-conducting fabric cover 54 is inserted into the tank 20, the water-conducting fabric 51 absorbs water through the water-absorption holes 55 and draws the water upward by capillary action. The water-conducting fabric cover 54 prevents unnecessary evaporation of the water as it is drawn up and prevents the cushioning material 30 from getting wet. The lower portion of the water-conducting fabric 51, while still covered with the water-conducting fabric cover 54, is inserted into a connector 56. The connector 56 is detachably attached to the slit 21 of the tank 20, facilitating the insertion of the water-conducting fabric 51 into the tank 20. The upper portion of the water-conducting fabric 51 is shaped like a comb. A thin cloth 52, which allows for good water penetration, is attached to this portion. The thin cloth 52 and the comb-shaped portion of the water-conducting fabric 51 are placed on the air flow passage 40 via a mesh material 43, which will be described later. Water absorbed from the underside of the water-conducting cloth 51 moves from the comb-shaped portion on the upper side to the thin cloth 52, where it is dispersed and spreads quickly over the entire surface of the thin cloth 52. The comb-shaped portion of the water-conducting cloth 51 and the thin cloth 52 placed on the air flow passage 40 are further covered with a waterproof sheet 53, which prevents the head placed on them from getting wet.
As described above, the waterproof sheet 53 may be formed by combining separate pieces, or may be formed integrally from the beginning.
With the evaporative sheet 50 configured as described above, when the lower end of the water-conducting cloth 51 is inserted into the tank 20, the entire thin cloth 52 becomes wet in about 10 minutes. When the evaporative sheet 50 is used for a long period of time, residues contained in tap water become concentrated and accumulate in the water-conducting cloth 51 and thin cloth 52, making it difficult for the water to evaporate and reducing the cooling effect. For this reason, it is desirable to replace the evaporative sheet 50 periodically. To facilitate this replacement work, the evaporative sheet 50 is removably attached to the upper part of the central portion 1 of the air flow passage 40, for example, by double-sided tape or Velcro. Next, the principle by which the cooling pillow 10 of this embodiment cools the head will be explained. As mentioned above, a fan 41 is provided on the side of the cooling pillow 10. This fan 4
1 sends indoor air taken in from below upward. This air flows through an air flow passage 40 provided on the cushion material 30 and is discharged to the outside from the side opposite to the side where the fan is provided. Fig. 5(a) is a plan view of the air flow passage 40 as seen from above, and Fig. 5(b) is a diagram showing a part of the cross section of the air flow passage 40. The air flow passage 40 has a structure in which a number of linear protrusions 40b running horizontally across the cooling pillow 10 are provided on a rubber plate 40a. This air flow passage 40 is placed on the cushion material 30, and a mesh material 42 with a number of holes is placed on top of this to cover the entire air flow passage 40. Furthermore, the central portion 1
Except for the projection 4, the upper cloth 43 is placed on top of the mesh material 42.
0b has a height of approximately 10 mm and a spacing between the protrusions of approximately 10 mm. The upper cloth 43 can be a high-density cotton cloth used in down jackets, for example. This cloth is woven with approximately 300 cotton threads per centimeter and is almost air-tight at the pressure generated by the fan of this embodiment. Therefore, in the area covered by the upper cloth 43, the upper portion of the space between adjacent protrusions is closed by the upper cloth 43, so that the air flowing through this space does not escape upward, and most of it circulates from left to right through the cooling pillow 10. Meanwhile, in the center portion 11, the upper comb-shaped portion of the water-conducting cloth 51 and the thin cloth 52 attached thereto are placed directly on the mesh material 43, and then a waterproof sheet 53 is placed on top of this. Because the mesh material 43 has numerous holes as described above,
Air flowing underneath comes into close contact with the thin fabric 52. This contact between the air and the thin fabric 52 promotes evaporation of the moisture held in the thin fabric 52. The evaporated moisture is carried to the outside along with the flowing air. When water evaporates into gas molecules, it absorbs the heat of vaporization from the surrounding water molecules, lowering the temperature of the moisture held in the thin fabric 52. Therefore, the head, which is in contact with the thin fabric 52 through the waterproof sheet 53, is cooled, causing the sleeper's head to feel cool. This method can be said to be an application and development of the cooling function through sweating possessed by higher animals, i.e., the ability to sweat when hot and cool the body by absorbing the heat of vaporization as the moisture evaporates. The method of this embodiment can freely control the amount of water evaporation (equivalent to the amount of sweat produced by animals) by changing the amount of air flowing. Furthermore, in the case of sweating, if there is little air flow, moisture does not evaporate and instead flows down as sweat, which is wasted and can wet bedding, causing discomfort. In contrast, with the system of this embodiment, almost 100% of the moisture evaporates, eliminating the problems associated with sweating. Furthermore, the heat of vaporization absorbed by humans and animals when they sweat lowers not only the temperature of the skin but also the temperature of the evaporated moisture. However, this cooled moisture does little to cool the body and is simply dissipated into the air. In contrast, with the system of this embodiment, the moisture in the evaporative sheet that is cooled as it evaporates comes into close contact with the air flowing through the airflow passage 40, thereby cooling that air as well. In other words, the heat absorption effect of water evaporation works in two ways: cooling the evaporative sheet 50 and cooling the air in the airflow passage 40.
When the air in the airflow passage 40 is cooled, the temperature gradient near the head becomes very large because the airflow passage 40 is located very close to the head. This large temperature gradient promotes heat dissipation, which makes the person feel even cooler. Regarding the effect of cooling the air in the airflow passage 40 and thereby promoting heat dissipation from the head, when the fan 41 is operated at an appropriate rotation speed and the temperature of the air discharged through the airflow passage 40 is measured, it is observed to be slightly higher than room temperature. This means that, for example, when the room temperature is 28°C, the air near the thin cloth 52 is temporarily cooled to, for example, about 24°C by the cooled water, but is then warmed again by the heat of the head (approximately 37°C) to about 29°C. This increase in air temperature indicates that the head is being cooled. At this time, the thin cloth 52 and waterproof sheet 53 are very thin, resulting in low thermal resistance and good thermal conductivity. This further enhances the above-mentioned effect. When 1 cc of water evaporates, approximately 580 calories of heat are absorbed. Therefore, even a small amount of evaporation can maintain a significant level of coolness. Assuming the air flow rate is approximately 0.2 liters per second, approximately 20-30 cc of water will evaporate overnight. If 30 cc of water is consumed while sleeping (approximately 8 hours), approximately 17 kilocalories of heat will be absorbed, roughly equivalent to a 10°C increase in the temperature of a 1.7 liter water pillow. Because the coolness is maintained effectively during this time, the area on which the head rests will not warm up due to the head's body heat. The fan required to blow this amount of air requires only a very small amount of power, approximately 0.2 watts. Furthermore, because of this low power consumption, the fan noise is extremely low. However, since the fan is located close to the ear, a slight rotational noise can still be heard. If this rotational noise is bothersome, it can be blocked using a soundproofing device. In this case, the original noise level is low enough that a simple soundproofing device can almost completely block it. Furthermore, if the capacity of the tank 20 is set to about 1000 cc,
Once the tank 20 is filled with water, it does not need to be refilled for several tens of days. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the tank 20. The tank 20 has a slit 21. As mentioned above, this slit 21 is designed to easily fit the connector 56 into which the lower part of the water-conducting fabric 51 is inserted. The slit 21 is located slightly higher than the surrounding area to prevent the water inside from spilling. Water is filled into the tank 20 through a water filling hole 22. On the right side of the tank 20, there is a battery 24 for supplying power to the fan 41, a volume 25 for adjusting the fan rotation speed, a power switch 26, and a circuit box 2 containing other necessary circuits.
3 is provided. The cooling pillow of the above embodiment can be modified in various ways. For example, in the above embodiment, a fan is provided to circulate indoor air through the air flow passage. However, since air convection typically occurs indoors, air flows to a certain extent even without a fan. By utilizing this air flow, especially in low-humidity conditions, the water contained in the water-retaining member evaporates to a certain extent even without a fan, cooling the head. Therefore, a fan is not necessary in such conditions. In addition, in this embodiment, the evaporative sheet and air flow passage are provided only on the pillow for cooling. However, the evaporative sheet and air flow passage may be extended to the shoulders and back as needed to simultaneously cool these areas. While the present invention effectively utilizes the phenomenon in which water evaporates, absorbing the heat of vaporization from the surrounding area to lower the ambient temperature, this principle itself can be applied almost as is to devices other than pillows. For example, commercially available pet cushions are available in which a wet towel is wrung out and placed on the area where the pet sits, or in which a highly absorbent polymer or other material is soaked in water,
This is placed in a position where a pet sits. When a pet feels hot, it can sit on it to feel cool. However, after a certain amount of time has passed, the area where the pet sits will warm up due to the pet's body heat, making it difficult for the pet to feel cool. Therefore, as in the above embodiment, an air flow passage is provided in the area where the pet sits, and a water retention member is placed on top of this, which retains water in a moist state at least on the side in contact with the flow passage, and air is blown through the air flow passage by a blowing means such as a fan, thereby promoting evaporation of the water retained in the water retention member and cooling the pet sitting on it. Furthermore, in the same way, it is possible to use it on things other than pillows and pet cushions, for example, in cars, buses,
The cooling pillow of the present invention can be widely applied to objects that are used in close contact with the body, such as train seats, indoor sofas, cushions for people to sit on, and futons, and it goes without saying that these are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. As explained above, the cooling pillow of the present invention cools the head using the heat of vaporization of water, so it maintains a certain cooling capacity for a long time, and does not require the trouble of changing the water, etc.
This provides a cooling pillow that is suitable for use on hot summer nights or when you have a fever due to a cold, without the need to pre-cool it in a refrigerator, etc. [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the cooling garment of the second embodiment, Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the cross section of the material that constitutes the cooling garment, Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 22 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 24 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 25 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 27 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 28 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 29 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 30 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 31 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 32 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 33 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling garment, Fig. 34 is a cross-sectional view
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a pocket with a sponge inserted, FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the lower end of the cooling garment, and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the portion where a fan is attached. As shown in FIG. 7, the cooling garment 110 of this embodiment is a vest-type garment without sleeves, and when worn, the head and both hands are inserted through the opening 111 at the lower end, and the head is put out through the opening 112 at the upper end, and the arms are put out through the openings 113a and 113b on both sides, so that it can be worn so that it fits almost perfectly to the upper body. However, the garment may also be of the type that closes in front with buttons or a zipper. The material constituting the cooling garment 10 is, as shown in FIG. 8, an inner cloth 12 on the side closest to the body surface.
0 and an outer cloth 121 on the outside thereof, and between the inner cloth 120 and the outer cloth 121,
A number of spacers 123 are provided to hold the two at a substantially constant distance and form airflow passages 122 therebetween. The cooling garment 110 is usually worn by first putting on an undergarment 125 on bare skin 124 as shown in FIG. 8, and then putting on the cooling garment 110 on top of the undergarment 125.
10. The cooling garment 110 has airflow channels 122 open to the outside at the hem, neck, and shoulder-to-armpit areas (see FIG. 7). As described below, external air flows into the airflow channels 122 through these channels. The front side of the inner cloth 120, i.e., the side facing the airflow channels 122, is made of a fine fibrous material. When water is supplied to this side, it immediately diffuses the water in all directions due to capillary action. In contrast, the back side of the inner cloth 120 is waterproofed, so that even if water penetrates the front side, it does not penetrate to the inside. The inner cloth 120 may be made of a waterproof backside or may be made of a water-diffusing fabric with a waterproof material, such as vinyl, layered on one side (the inner side). The outer cloth 121 may be made of the high-density cotton fabric described in the first embodiment. High-density cotton fabric is made by weaving cotton threads at a high density of approximately 300 threads per centimeter, so it allows almost no air to pass through even when there is a slight pressure difference on both sides. Therefore, only a small amount of the air flowing through the air flow passage 122 leaks to the outside through the outer fabric 121. However, since the pressure applied to the air flowing through the air flow passage 122 is extremely small, as will be described later, it is also possible to use ordinary cotton fabric instead of high-density cotton fabric. Using such a cotton material for the outer fabric 121 widens the options for colors and patterns, allowing for free design that takes fashion into consideration, and making it possible to provide cooling garments with a variety of designs. The spacer 12 forming the air flow passage 122 between the inner fabric 120 and the outer fabric 121
3 is made of a cylindrical flexible sponge with a bottom diameter of 3 mm and a height of 5 mm. The inner cloth 120 and the spacer 123, and the outer cloth 121 and the spacer 123 are bonded together using adhesive as follows: First, a plate-shaped sponge of an appropriate size and thickness of 5 mm is prepared, and an appropriate amount of adhesive is applied to both sides of this sponge and allowed to harden, forming a strong adhesive film on both sides of the sponge.
The adhesive may be, for example, Aronmelt 110P80HH manufactured by Toa Chemical Industries Co., Ltd.
The sponge thus obtained is punched out using an appropriate mold, and a diameter of 3 mm is obtained.
A large number of cylindrical spacers 13 made of sponge, each 5 mm high, are prepared. The adhesive is firmly applied to the top and bottom surfaces of each spacer 113. Next, a jig 135 as shown in Figure 12 is prepared. This jig 135 has a large number of through holes 136, each about 4 mm thick and about 3.1 mm in diameter, spaced at appropriate intervals, for example, 20 mm.
The jig 135 is placed on a flat table or the like, and the spacers 123 are inserted one by one into each hole of the jig. Then, the inner cloth 120 is placed on top of the jig 135 so that its inside (the side made of fibrous material) is in contact with the spacers 123, and the whole is heated with an iron or the like. This heating temporarily melts the adhesive on the side of each spacer 123 that has been ironed, but after the iron is removed, it solidifies again. This allows each spacer 123 to be attached to the inner cloth 120.
Once the spacers 123 and the inner cloth 120 are firmly bonded, the jig 135 and the inner cloth 120 are turned inside out as they are, the jig 135 is removed, the outer cloth 121 is placed on top of it, and heated with an iron in the same manner as before to bond the outer cloth 121 and each spacer 123 firmly.
As a result, a material is obtained in which a large number of spacers 123 are arranged in a staggered pattern at intervals of 20 mm, and air flow passages 122 are formed between the inner fabric 120 and the outer fabric 121. By using the jig 135 in this way, a large number of spacers 123 are arranged in a staggered pattern at intervals of 20 mm, and an air flow passage 122 is formed between the inner fabric 120 and the outer fabric 121.
3 can be easily bonded to the inner cloth 120 and the outer cloth 121 at once. As described above, by arranging the spacers 123 in a staggered pattern at intervals of 20 mm,
It has sufficient strength even when ordinary external force is applied. For example, even if a person wears a cooling garment made of this material and sits on a chair, leaning against the backrest, the air flow passages will not be crushed. However, the spacing and arrangement pattern of the spacers 123 and the dimensions of the spacers 123 are merely examples, and the cooling garment 1
The thickness can be changed arbitrarily depending on the purpose of the ten and which part of the body it is used on.
The cooling garment 110 has a pocket 114 on the chest.
The inside of the pocket 114 is made of a water-impermeable material, or is lined with a water-impermeable material such as vinyl, or is waterproofed. As shown in FIG. 9, a sponge 130 can be inserted into the pocket 114. The sponge 130 can be made of, for example, PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), which can absorb large amounts of water. The lower end of the pocket 114 is provided with a water-guiding piece 131, as shown in FIG. 9. This piece guides water contained in the sponge 130 to the front side of the inner cloth 120, i.e., the side facing the air flow passage 122. Therefore, the water contained in the sponge 130 is supplied to the inner cloth 120 through the water-guiding piece 131. When water is supplied to the inner cloth 120, it immediately diffuses to the surrounding area due to capillary action of the fine fibrous material on the front side, as described above. Furthermore, tap water contains impurities such as chlorine, and it is thought that if the cooling garment 110 is used with tap water for a long period of time, the impurities, such as chlorine, will precipitate, making it difficult for the inner cloth 120 to penetrate water. To prevent this, impurity removal means made of ion exchange resin or the like may be provided at the lower end of the pocket 114 or at an appropriate location on the water guide piece 131, which serves as a water passageway, to prevent impurities from spreading into the inner cloth 120. In this case, it is desirable that this impurity removal means be replaceable.
The pocket 114 is provided in the chest area of the cooling garment 110 and is positioned relatively high when worn by a person. Therefore, water can be easily transferred from the sponge 130 in the pocket 114 to the inner cloth 1.
When the water is guided to the inner cloth 120, it spreads quickly throughout due to the influence of gravity as well as capillary action. When the water has spread throughout almost the entire inner cloth 120, the permeability due to capillary action is saturated and suppressed, but the influence of gravity continues, so the density of the water increases closer to the bottom end of the cooling garment 110, and water may drip from the bottom end.
As shown in Figure 10, a strip-shaped PVA sponge 132 is attached to the entire periphery of the lower end of the inner cloth 120. By having this PVA sponge 132 absorb excess water that has seeped in from above, it is possible to prevent the water from dripping. As shown in Figures 7 and 11, a fan 140 serving as air blowing means is attached to the back of the cooling garment 110. A battery 141 that serves as the power source for the fan 140 is attached to the back of the cooling garment 110.
As shown in Fig. 11, the fan 140 is attached to the lower part of the cooling garment 110. However, as mentioned above, if the garment is of the type that closes in front with buttons or a zipper, it is desirable to provide two fans symmetrically on the upper back or shoulders. As shown in Fig. 11, the fan 140 rotates in a direction that draws air out of the air flow passage 122 of the cooling garment 110. When the fan 140 is rotated in this direction,
The pressure inside the air flow passage 122 drops, and air flows into the air flow passage 122 from the openings provided in the hem, neck area, and areas from the shoulders to the armpits. This air circulates throughout the cooling garment 110 and reaches the fan 140, where it is sucked into the fan 140 and discharged to the outside. In the process of circulating, the air flowing through the air flow passage 122 comes into close contact with the water that has permeated the inner cloth 120, promoting the evaporation of the moisture. When water evaporates, it takes heat of evaporation from the surroundings, lowering the surrounding temperature. As mentioned above, the amount of heat taken away when water evaporates is
The calorie content is about 580 cal per cc. Therefore, even if only a small amount of water evaporates, a significant cooling effect can be achieved. In addition, air flows in through many openings and flows uniformly throughout the entire air flow passage 122, so that the moisture evaporates almost uniformly throughout the cooling garment 110. Therefore, the temperature of the inner cloth 120 rises rapidly after the fan 140 starts operating.
The temperature drops uniformly. If the fan 140 were to rotate in the direction that blows air into the air flow passage 122, a strong wind would hit the inner fabric 120 near the fan 140, causing a large amount of moisture to evaporate in this area, increasing the humidity in the air. Even if this air circulates through the air flow passage 122, the water cannot be sufficiently evaporated at its destination, resulting in uneven amounts of water evaporating and uneven cooling. Meanwhile, the temperature gradient around the surroundings has a significant impact on how warm-blooded humans perceive temperature. For example, even if there is a heat source (cold source) that is significantly lower in temperature than body temperature (approximately 37°C), if it is far from the body, the temperature gradient near the body surface is small, and therefore the person does not feel very cool. On the other hand, even if the temperature difference with body temperature is not that great, if the cold source is close to the body surface, the temperature gradient near the body surface is large, resulting in a feeling of coolness. Experiments have shown that people performing light work feel most comfortable when the temperature gradient is approximately 31°C at a point a few millimeters from the body surface. Therefore, if the cooling garment 110 of this embodiment is worn in an environment where the ambient temperature is 35°C and the humidity is 70%, and an appropriate amount of air is blown in, the temperature of the inner cloth 120 can be lowered by approximately 5 to 6°C. Since the inner cloth 120 is located a few mm from the body surface, if the temperature of this part drops by 5 to 6°C, the temperature gradient near the body surface becomes very large, and the wearer feels very cool. Therefore, when indoors,
An air conditioner is not required.
The cooling garment 110 has the advantage of being able to be worn outdoors. Therefore, wearing the cooling garment 110 allows you to stay comfortable even when doing outdoor activities in hot weather. Also, by changing the rotation speed of the fan 140 or by turning the fan on and off at regular time intervals to change this time interval, the cooling effect of the cooling garment 110 changes. Therefore, in order to feel the most comfortable according to the ambient temperature and the type of activity,
The rotation speed of the fan 140 and the time interval between turning it on and off can be adjusted. Furthermore, when the ambient temperature is not so high, the cooling garment 110 of this embodiment can achieve a cooling effect by simply blowing air with the fan 140 without supplying water to the inner cloth 120. This is because, as mentioned above, the temperature gradient near the body surface has a significant impact on how a person feels the temperature. When a person is in a room with little air convection,
The temperature of the surrounding area gradually decreases from approximately 37°C on the body surface as it moves away from the body, so the temperature gradient is not that large.
When the fan 140 is operated at a sufficient rotation speed without supplying water to the inner cloth 120, the cooling effect of water evaporation does not occur, but the temperature in the immediate vicinity of the body surface becomes approximately the same as room temperature. As a result, the temperature gradient in the vicinity of the body surface becomes quite large, and the wearer feels considerably cooler just by having the fan 140 blow air.
If the cooling garment of this embodiment becomes widely used, it will reduce electricity consumption throughout society, especially during the summer when electricity demand is high, and will also help reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels. Furthermore, because the cooling garment's structure is extremely simple, its manufacturing costs are extremely low. Therefore, it can be widely used in developing countries, particularly those found in tropical and subtropical regions. Even if these countries' economies develop to the same level as developed countries, the demand for air conditioners is not expected to increase significantly. This will contribute to curbing the increase in carbon dioxide emissions on a global scale. However, uniform cooling of the upper body may result in overcooling of certain parts of the body. In such cases, for example, the side of the inner lining 120 in contact with the airflow passage in the abdominal area may be made of a water-impermeable material, or the inner lining 120 may be cut away only in the abdominal area. Furthermore, holes may be drilled in various places in the inner lining 120 to allow sweat to escape during outdoor work or exercise. By drilling holes in the inner fabric 120, the area directly above the underwear becomes an airflow channel 122, which allows the area to come into contact with the circulating air. Therefore, drilling holes in the inner fabric 120 is expected to have the effect of quickly drying sweaty underwear. As mentioned above, the heat of vaporization of 1 cc of water is approximately 580 cal. Therefore, evaporating 17.2 cc of water per hour would provide the aforementioned cooling of 10 kcal per hour. According to calculations, the amount of air required to evaporate this amount of water is approximately 1 liter per second, depending on the temperature and humidity. Many fans capable of circulating this amount of air are commercially available, including fairly small ones. Furthermore, if the length of the spacer 23 is 5 mm, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the airflow channel 122 is not significant, even for a fan sized for an average-sized person. Therefore, the power consumption of the fan 140 is expected to be limited to approximately 1 watt. Some secondary batteries used in home video cameras and the like can last for approximately 10 hours with a power supply of several watts. Using such a secondary battery as the battery 141 for the fan 140 allows the battery to last for more than 10 hours, while keeping the combined weight of the fan 140 and battery 141 to less than several hundred grams. Therefore, once charged, there is no need to recharge it while out and about under normal use, and it does not interfere with outdoor activities. Next, a modified version of the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 13 shows a cooling garment 150 that is a modification of the second embodiment. Note, however, that identical components to those in the cooling garment of the second embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described again. In the second embodiment, the outer surface of the inner cloth 120 is made of a thin fibrous material, and capillary action is utilized to diffuse water throughout the garment. However, it is possible that capillary action alone will not ensure that water is evenly distributed throughout the inner cloth. Therefore, in the cooling garment 150, as shown in Figure 13, water supply pipes 152 are arranged throughout the garment as indicated by dotted lines, and water is supplied to the inner cloth 120 through these water supply pipes 152 from a pump 151 attached to the back of the waist. The water supply pipes 152 are arranged along the fibrous material on the outside of the inner cloth 120, and are made very thin so as not to block the air flow passage 122 between the inner cloth 120 and the outer cloth 121. The water supply pipes 152 are closed except for the section connected to the pump 151, and many tiny holes are provided along the path at intervals of, for example, about 10 cm. Pump 151
The pump 151 supplies water from the tank 153 to the water supply pipe 152 in pulses at regular time intervals, and when the water pressure in the water supply pipe 152 increases instantaneously as water is supplied from the pump 151, water seeps out evenly from each hole little by little and is supplied to the inner cloth 120.
The supplied water diffuses radially from the holes due to the capillary action of the inner cloth 120. This ensures that the water is distributed throughout the entire cooling garment 150. The amount of water supplied is set to about 1 cc per water supply, and the number of water supplies is set to 17 times per hour.
Assuming a temperature of about 100°C, if the evaporation rate per hour is set to about 17 cc, the cooling effect will be about the same as that of the cooling garment of the second embodiment. As explained above, the cooling garments of the second embodiment and its modified examples utilize the fact that the water supplied to the inner cloth takes the heat of evaporation from the surroundings when it evaporates, so they have an extremely simple structure and can be manufactured at low cost, and they can provide sufficient cooling with much less power consumption than air conditioners. Furthermore, unlike air conditioners, they can be used both indoors and outdoors, so
This is extremely useful when engaging in outdoor activities during hot seasons such as midsummer. Next, a cooling helmet according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling helmet according to the third embodiment. In the figure, an outer shell 210 is for protecting the head and is obtained by molding a material with sufficient strength. A duct 211 for introducing air is formed on the outer shell 210. The duct 211 is formed from the top of the helmet toward the front and downward. A fan 212 is provided near the tip of the duct 211,
By rotating this fan 212, air is sucked in from the tip of the duct 211. This fan 212 corresponds to the air blowing means of the present invention. A hole 213 connected to the duct 211 is provided at the top of the outer shell 210.
Air drawn in by fan 212 and passed through duct 211 is introduced into the interior of outer shell 210 via holes 213. Heat insulating material 219 is attached to almost the entire inside of outer shell 210. This is to maintain a lower temperature inside the helmet compared to the outside as much as possible and to further increase cooling efficiency based on a principle that will be described later. A water-guiding sheet 220 is provided inside heat insulating material 219 so as to cover the entire head of the person wearing the helmet.
However, a spacer 222 is provided between the water guide sheet 220 and the heat insulating material 219.
A space is formed to serve as an air flow passage 221. An opening 223 is provided around almost the entire periphery near the lower end of the water guide sheet 220. This is because the fan 21
2 and introduced into the inside of the outer shell 210 through the duct 211 and the hole 213.
However, instead of providing an opening in the water guide sheet 220, an opening may be provided around the lower end of the outer shell 210 so that the air can be discharged to the outside. The water guide sheet 220 is sufficiently moist on the side of the air flow passage 221 (outside), but
The head side (inside) is completely dry. Therefore, the head will not get wet when wearing the helmet. The water-conducting sheet 220 may be made of different materials for the outside and inside, for example, a combination of water-permeable gauze and a water-impermeable polyethylene cover, with the gauze material on the outside and the polyethylene cover on the inside. A support belt 224 made of woven strips of mesh material is provided on the inside of the water-conducting sheet 220. When wearing this helmet, the support belt 224 is
24 comes into contact with the wearer's head, and the weight of the helmet is applied to the wearer's head through this support band 224. A ring-shaped sponge 225 made of PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) or the like is provided along the periphery of the outer shell 210 at the lower end of the helmet. The sponge 225 is held in place by fitting exactly into an annular groove created when the lower end of the water-guiding sheet 220 is folded outward. The folded tip of the water-guiding sheet 220 is fixed to the lower end of the outer shell 210. The sponge 225 can hold about 100 cc of water.
When the sponge 225 is held by the water guide sheet 220 as described above, the outer surface of the water guide sheet 220 comes into close contact with the sponge 225.
The water held in the sponge 225 is absorbed by the capillary action of the fibers forming the water guide sheet 220 and spreads throughout the water guide sheet 220.
The entire outer surface of the cooling helmet 20 is always kept wet. Water can be supplied to the sponge 225 through the opening 223 of the water guide sheet 220, or the sponge 225 can be removed from the helmet, soaked in water, and then attached back to its original position. Next, the cooling principle of the cooling helmet of this embodiment will be described.
When the helmet is put on with the water drawn up from 25 having spread over almost the entire surface of the water guide sheet 220 and the fan 212 is turned on, outside air passes through the duct 211 and is introduced into the inside of the helmet from the holes 213. This air passes through the air flow passage 221 formed between the heat insulating material 219 and the water guide sheet 220, flows to the underside of the helmet, and is discharged from the openings 223. During this flow process, the air comes into close contact with the outside of the water guide sheet 220, which promotes evaporation of the moisture contained in the water guide sheet 220. The evaporated moisture is released from the openings 223 together with the circulating air.
The liquid is then transported to the outside through 23. When the liquid evaporates and turns into gas molecules, it absorbs the heat of vaporization from the surroundings.
This causes a drop in the temperature of the moisture held in the water-guiding sheet 220. This lower temperature cools the head, which is located very close to the water-guiding sheet 220. Therefore, the head of the person wearing the helmet is cooled via the water-guiding sheet 220.
The cooling effect of evaporative cooling is so strong that even when working in the heat of midsummer, wearing the cooling helmet of this embodiment can provide a significant cooling sensation. This effectively prevents physical exhaustion, loss of attention, and decline in work efficiency. As with the previous embodiments, this cooling principle utilizing the evaporative cooling of water can be considered an application and development of the cooling function of sweating found in higher animals, i.e., sweating in hot weather and cooling the body by the evaporative cooling that is absorbed as the water evaporates. Furthermore, this embodiment's system allows for the amount of water evaporation (equivalent to the amount of sweat produced by animals) to be freely controlled by varying the volume of airflow. The volume of air can be adjusted by turning a volume control (not shown) connected between the fan and the power source. The battery (not shown) that powers the fan can be attached to the helmet itself, or it can be housed in a suitable case, for example, around the waist, and connected to the helmet via a wire. Furthermore, the heat of vaporization taken away when people or animals sweat lowers not only the temperature of the skin but also the temperature of the vaporized water, but this cooled water does little to cool the body and is simply dissipated into the air. In contrast, in the method of this embodiment, the air cooled at the same time as evaporation flows very close to the head, resulting in a very large temperature gradient near the head. When the temperature gradient becomes large, heat dissipation from the head is promoted, which makes the person feel even cooler. Furthermore, since this cooled air is discharged into the inside of the helmet through the opening 223,
The cooling air blowing against the head and face also provides a refreshing feeling. As mentioned above, approximately 580 calories of heat are removed when 1 cc of water evaporates. Therefore, even a small amount of water evaporates per unit time to achieve a sufficient cooling effect. Furthermore, because only a small amount of water needs to be evaporated per unit time, a very small fan is required, reducing power consumption and significantly extending battery life. Next, a modified version of the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. This cooling helmet is characterized by its ability to be manufactured based on commercially available work helmets. Therefore, the following will mainly describe its manufacturing method. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the most common commercially available work helmet. As shown in this figure, work helmet 230 consists of an outer shell 231 and a head support strap 232 attached to its inner side. The head support strap 232 is made of a strip of knitted fabric shaped to cover the head when the helmet is worn, and is fixed to the outer shell 231 by a metal fitting 234 at the inside of the lower end of the outer shell 231. A spacer 235 is provided near the metal fitting 234 of the head support band 232, and maintains a certain distance between the head support band 232 and the inside of the outer shell 231. This is because when the helmet 230 is worn,
Furthermore, even if something hits the helmet from the outside while wearing it, the head will not be hit by the outer shell 231.
This is to prevent the head from hitting the inside of the head support band 232. A space 233 between the head support band 232 and the inside of the outer shell 231 becomes an air passage when a water guide sheet, which will be described later, is attached. When wearing the helmet 230, the string extending from the head support band 232 is tied under the chin with a buckle or the like to secure the helmet 230 to the head. Since the metal fittings 234 shown in Figure 15 are detachable, the head support band 232 can be attached to the outer shell 2
31. In reality, the top of the outer shell 231 has a
15. The head support belt 232 is provided with holes similar to those shown in FIG. 4, and further provided with a duct and a fan, but these are omitted in FIG. 15. The head support belt 232 removed from the outer shell 231 is covered with the water guide sheet 236 shown in FIG. 16. The shape and dimensions of the water guide sheet 236 are the same as those of the head support belt 2
The water guide sheet 236 is made slightly larger than the head support band 232, taking into consideration that it will be placed over the outside of the metal fittings 234.
In this state, the head support band 232 is again placed inside the outer shell 231, and the head support band 232 covered with the water guide sheet 236 is
The water guide sheet 236 is fixed to the outer shell by a metal fitting 234. At the lower end of the water guide sheet 236, a PV panel that can contain water is provided as a water supply means.
A sponge 237 made of a material such as a carbon fiber sheet 236 is provided. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, a circular sponge is provided around almost the entire periphery of the lower end, but here sponges several centimeters in length are placed at regular intervals. In the cooling helmet of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 14, the fan draws in outside air from the tip of the duct and sends it into the helmet from the top of the outer shell. In contrast, here, the configuration is reversed, drawing air up from inside the helmet and discharging it to the outside from the top of the helmet. When the fan rotates, outside air is drawn in through the gaps between the sponges 237. Then, the water-guiding sheet 236
and the outer shell 231, and finally flows upward through the air flow passage 233 between the outer shell 231 and the outer shell 231.
The air is discharged to the outside through the hole at the top of the helmet. The principle of promoting the evaporation of water contained in the water guide sheet as the air flows through the air flow passage 233 and cooling the head is the same as in the third embodiment, so a detailed description will be omitted. As described above, flowing air from the bottom to the top of the helmet has the following advantages. The water guide sheet 236 draws water contained in the sponge 237 from the bottom to the top by capillary action. However, because water rises against gravity, the amount of water contained in the water guide sheet 236 is greater at the bottom end where the sponge 237 is located and less at the top near the top. Meanwhile, the humidity of the air entering the air flow passage gradually increases due to the evaporation of water as it flows through the air flow passage, and conversely, the ability to evaporate water gradually decreases. Therefore, when air flows from the bottom to the top, more water evaporates at the bottom end where there is more moisture and less water evaporates toward the top where there is less moisture. In other words, by flowing air from the bottom to the top of the helmet, the amount of water evaporated can be rationally changed in accordance with the amount of water contained in the water guide sheet 236. Next, another modification of the third embodiment will be described. By wearing the cooling helmet of the above embodiment or the first modification, it is possible to ensure that the head stays cool during work, but even so, the head will sweat when performing heavy labor outdoors in the heat of midsummer. Therefore, in order to effectively evaporate this sweat, small air holes are provided at the top of the water-guiding sheet of the above embodiment or the first modification. In this way, in the case of the third embodiment, air drawn in from outside by the fan is not only supplied to the air flow passage, but is also blown directly onto the wearer's head through the air holes, causing the air to flow downward between the head and the water-guiding sheet. Furthermore, in the case of the cooling helmet of the first modification, when the fan draws in air, not only does the air flow upward through the air flow passage, but the air also flows upward between the wearer's head and the water-guiding sheet. This air flow effectively evaporates sweat on the wearer's head,
During this process, heat of evaporation is lost. Therefore, the wearer feels even cooler due to the evaporation of sweat from the head in addition to the evaporation of water contained in the water-conducting sheet. Furthermore, the evaporation of sweat eliminates the discomfort of the head caused by damp sweat. This effectively prevents a decrease in attention during work and improves work efficiency. In this case, the amount of air flowing between the head and the water-conducting sheet varies depending on the size of the air holes, so it is desirable to experimentally determine the optimal size of the air holes for each application. Note that various modifications to the third embodiment are possible, and these modifications are also within the technical scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, a duct is provided along the outer shell and a fan is provided near its tip to draw in outside air. However, a fan may be provided near the top of the outer shell, for example, and the duct may be omitted. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiments, the sponge serving as the water supply means is provided around the lower periphery of the outer shell. However, it may be located, for example, near the top of the outer shell. Alternatively, the water supply means may be a plastic or other container attached to the bottom end of the helmet or the outside of the outer shell, filled with water, and the water-guiding sheet may be immersed therein. Furthermore, while the above embodiment has primarily described a work helmet, it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to various helmets, including motorcycle helmets. Furthermore, rather than a work or motorcycle helmet, the present invention can be applied to a regular hat if it is equipped with a portion having a certain degree of strength equivalent to the helmet's outer shell and additionally equipped with a water supply means and air supply means. This hat can be used to cool the head during outdoor activities in hot weather. In the case of a motorcycle helmet, the fan serving as the air supply means can be omitted. That is, an air intake is provided in the motorcycle helmet, and air is drawn in through the air intake using the wind pressure experienced by the helmet while riding the motorcycle. This air is then directed into the air flow passage where the water-guiding sheet is located, evaporating the water contained in the water-guiding sheet. In this case, the air intake serves as the air supply means. This configuration eliminates the need for a fan or a power source to drive the fan, simplifying the structure and reducing manufacturing costs. As explained above, when using the cooling helmet according to the present invention, the head is cooled efficiently by utilizing the heat of vaporization of water, so that even when working outdoors in the hot summer or when driving a motorcycle, the head is cooled and feels cool, reducing physical fatigue and fatigue.
This can effectively prevent a decline in attention, a decline in work efficiency, etc. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the present invention circulates ambient air near the surface of the body, and brings this air into close contact with water dispersed over a wide area to vaporize the water, and utilizes the absorption of heat of vaporization that occurs during this process to lower the temperature near the body surface and forcibly increase the temperature gradient, thereby cooling the body.The present invention can be applied to pillows that ensure a comfortable sleep on hot and uncomfortable nights, clothing that allows people to stay comfortable even in high-temperature environments, helmets, hats, etc.

[Brief explanation of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cooling pillow of a first embodiment as seen from above, FIG. 2 is a view of the cooling pillow of FIG. 1 as seen from the rear, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the center of the cooling pillow, FIG. 4 is an overall view of an evaporative sheet, a cross-sectional view of the evaporative sheet, and a view showing a water-guiding fabric that constitutes the evaporative sheet, FIG. 5 is a plan view of an air flow passage as seen from above and a cross-sectional view of the air flow, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a tank, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cooling garment of a second embodiment, FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a cross-section of a material that constitutes the cooling garment, FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a pocket with a sponge inserted, FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the lower end of the cooling garment, FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a portion where a fan is attached, FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a jig for uniformly arranging spacers between an inner cloth and an outer cloth,
FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the cooling garment of the second embodiment; FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling helmet of a third embodiment; FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a general work helmet; FIG. 16 is a side view of a water-guiding sheet attached to the work helmet shown in FIG. 15;
is.

[Procedure Amendment] Submission of Translation of Amendment under Article 34 of the Patent Cooperation Treaty

[Submission date] April 21, 2000 (2000.4.21)

[Procedural Correction 1]

[Name of document to be corrected] Statement

[Item to be amended] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction details]

[Claims]

───────────────────────────────────────────────────── Continued from the front page (81) Designated States: EP (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE), AU, BR, CA, CN, CU, CZ, GH, ID, IL, IN, JP, KE, KR, LK, MG, MX, NZ, PL, RO, RU, SG, TR, UA, UG, US, VN, ZW (Note) This publication is based on the international publication of the International Bureau (WIPO). Please note that the effect of the international publication of the Japanese-language patent application (Japanese-language utility model registration application) related to this publication arises pursuant to Article 184-10, Paragraph 1 of the Patent Act (Article 48-13, Paragraph 2 of the Utility Model Act), and is unrelated to this publication.

Claims (18)

[Claims] [Claim 1] A cooling pillow comprising: an air flow passage for air to pass through; and a water retention member provided above the air flow passage, which retains water in a moist state on at least the side in contact with the flow passage; wherein the cooling pillow cools the head placed on the water retention member directly or via a heat transfer member by the heat of vaporization absorbed when the water retained in the water retention member evaporates into the air flowing through the air flow passage. [Claim 2] A cooling pillow as described in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an air blowing means that forcibly sends air into the air flow passage, and a water supply unit that continuously supplies water to the water retention member by the water absorption action of the water retention member. 3. The cooling pillow according to claim 1, wherein the water retention member is detachably attached above the air flow passage. 4. A cooling pillow according to claim 2, further comprising a control means for controlling the blowing capacity of said blowing means. [Claim 5] A cooling device comprising: an air flow passage for air passage; and a water retention member provided above the air flow passage, which retains water in a moist state on at least the side in contact with the flow passage, characterized in that the cooling device cools a person or animal standing on the water retention member directly or via a heat transfer member by the heat of vaporization absorbed when the water retained in the water retention member evaporates into the air flowing through the air flow passage. 6. The inner cloth on the side that comes into contact with the body and the outer cloth on the outside of the inner cloth,
A cooling garment comprising: a garment-constituting material that forms an air flow passage therebetween; a water supply means that supplies water to the inner cloth of the garment-constituting material; and an air blowing means that circulates air through the air flow passage and discharges the air after circulation, wherein the water supplied to the inner cloth is vaporized by circulating air through the air flow passage, and the heat of vaporization is taken away in the process, thereby cooling the wearer. 7. A cooling garment as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the inner cloth is made of a fibrous material on the side in contact with the air flow passage, and water supplied from the water supply means is allowed to permeate the entire garment by capillary action. 8. A cooling garment according to claim 6, wherein said air blowing means is operated in a direction to suck in air that has flowed into said air flow passage from an opening provided at the end of said air flow passage. 9. The water supply means according to claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the water supply means comprises a water retaining means for retaining water and a water conducting means for conducting water from the water retaining means to the inner cloth.
Cooling garment as described. 10. The cooling garment according to claim 9, wherein said water retaining means comprises a sponge. [Claim 11] A cooling garment as described in claim 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that the water supply means comprises a tank for holding water, a water supply pipe arranged along the inner cloth, and a pump for sending water in the tank to the water supply pipe, and the water in the tank is sent to the water supply pipe by the pump, and water is supplied to the inner cloth through holes provided in the water supply pipe. [Claim 12] A cooling helmet comprising: an outer shell for protecting the head of a wearer; a water-guiding member disposed inside said outer shell to form an air flow passage between said outer shell and said water-guiding member, and allowing water to penetrate at least the surface of said water-guiding member that contacts said air flow passage; water supply means for supplying moisture to said water-guiding member; and air blowing means for blowing external air through said air flow passage, wherein the cooling helmet cools the head of the wearer by evaporating the moisture contained in said water-guiding member as the air flows through said air flow passage. [Claim 13] A cooling helmet as described in Claim 12, characterized in that the water supply means is provided around the lower end of the outer shell, and the water guide member allows water drawn up from the water supply means to permeate the side adjacent to the air flow passage by capillary action. 14. The air blowing means according to claim 12 or 13, wherein, when the helmet is worn, the air blowing means blows air in an upward direction from the lower end of the helmet.
Cooling helmet as described. 15. A cooling helmet according to claim 12, 13 or 14, wherein said water supply means is made of a sponge-like water-retaining material. 16. A cooling helmet according to claim 12, 13, 14 or 15, wherein said air blowing means is a fan, and said cooling helmet has control means for controlling the number of revolutions of said fan. 17. A cooling helmet according to claim 12, 13, 14 or 15, wherein the air blowing means is an air intake that takes in outside air by utilizing wind pressure received while riding. 18. A cooling helmet according to claim 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17, characterized in that the water guide member has an air hole, and a portion of the air flowing through the air flow passage is caused to flow between the water guide member and the head through the air hole.