	US 11,903,872 B2
	Heat exchange module, system and method
Julio L. Vergara, Los Angeles, CA (US); Daniel M. Estrada, Los Angeles, CA (US); Mayank Kalra, Los Angeles, CA (US); Andrew Padula, Laguna Niguel, CA (US); and Ryan Cohn, Los Angeles, CA (US)
Assigned to THE REGENTS OF THEUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, Oakland, CA (US); and HYPOTHERM DEVICES, INC., Los Angeles, CA (US)
Filed by THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, Oakland, CA (US); and HYPOTHERMIA DEVICES, INC., Los Angeles, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 20, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/137,124.
Application 16/137,124 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2017/024628, filed on Mar. 28, 2017.
Application PCT/US2017/024628 is a continuation in part of application No. PCT/US2016/024592, filed on Mar. 28, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/400,836, filed on Sep. 28, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2019/0099288 A1, Apr. 4, 2019
Int. Cl. A61F 7/02 (2006.01); A61F 7/00 (2006.01); F25B 21/02 (2006.01); F28F 9/18 (2006.01); F28F 3/08 (2006.01)

CPC A61F 7/02 (2013.01) [A61F 7/007 (2013.01); F25B 21/02 (2013.01); F28F 3/08 (2013.01); F28F 9/18 (2013.01); A61F 2007/0002 (2013.01); A61F 2007/0039 (2013.01); A61F 2007/0056 (2013.01); A61F 2007/0075 (2013.01); A61F 2007/0233 (2013.01); A61F 2007/0255 (2013.01); F24H 2250/06 (2013.01); F25B 2321/025 (2013.01); F25B 2700/21 (2013.01); F28F 2275/025 (2013.01); F28F 2275/06 (2013.01); F28F 2275/085 (2013.01)]

31 Claims

1. A heat exchange module, comprising:

a channel enclosure including a channel for heat-transfer liquid and a thermally-conductive plate assembly which includes thermally-conductive first and second plate pieces for heat transfer with the liquid when present and flowing in the channel;

a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) assembly which includes a first TEC whose reference side is in heat transfer relation with the first plate piece and a second TEC whose reference side is in heat transfer relation with the second plate piece;

a heat distribution cover assembly which includes a tray assembly, a plurality of tiles and a frame which holds the tray assembly and the plurality of tiles together;

the tray assembly including a first tray having a first opening through which a user side of the first TEC is accessible and a second tray having a second opening through which a user side of the second TEC is accessible; and

the plurality of tiles including a thermally-conductive first tile which is in heat transfer relation with the user side of the first TEC and a thermally-conductive second tile which is in heat transfer relation with the user side of the second TEC;

wherein the plate assembly includes thermally-conductive third and fourth plate pieces for heat transfer with the liquid when present and flowing in the channel; the TEC assembly includes a third TEC whose reference side is in heat transfer relation with the third plate piece and a fourth TEC whose reference side is in heat transfer relation with the fourth plate piece; the tray assembly including the first tray having the first opening through which the user side of the first TEC passes and the second tray having the second opening through which the user side of the second TEC passes; the plurality of tiles includes a thermally-conductive third tile which is in heat transfer relation with the user side of the third TEC and a thermally-conductive fourth tile which is in heat transfer relation with the user side of the second TEC;

wherein the tiles are arranged in a 2×2 array having an x-axis between the first and second tiles and the third and four tiles, and a y-axis between the first and third tiles and the second and fourth tiles, and the frame allows the 2×2 array to bend about the x-axis and about the y-axis.

13. A heat exchange module, comprising:

a heat distribution cover assembly which includes plurality of thermally-conductive tiles and a plastic frame which snap-fit or hook-fit holds the plurality of tiles together; and

15. A heat transfer assembly, comprising:

a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) assembly which includes a first TEC whose reference side is configured to be positionable in heat transfer relation with a flow of heat transfer liquid and a second TEC whose reference side is configured to be positionable in heat transfer relation with the flow of the heat transfer liquid;

a heat distribution cover assembly which includes a tray assembly, a plurality of heat-conductive tiles and a frame which holds the tray assembly and the plurality of tiles together;

the tray assembly including a first tray having a first opening through which a user side of the first TEC passes and a second tray having a second opening through which a user side of the second TEC passes; and

wherein the first and second trays each include tray perimeter rims and the first and second tiles each include tile perimeter rims, and the frame snap-fit or hook-fit holds the first and second trays and the first and second tiles together via the tray and tile perimeter rims, allowing flexing between the tiles along an axis between them.

17. A heat exchange module, comprising:

a heat distribution cover assembly which includes a tray assembly, a plurality of tiles and a frame which holds the tray assembly and the plurality of tiles together;

wherein the tray assembly includes the first, second, third and fourth trays being arranged in a 2×2 array, a first hinge operatively between adjacent edges of the first and second trays, a second hinge operatively between adjacent edges of the first and third trays, a third hinge operatively between adjacent edges of the third tray and the fourth tray and a fourth hinge operatively between adjacent edges of the fourth tray and the second tray.

18. A heat exchange module, comprising:

a heat distribution cover assembly which includes a tray assembly, a plurality of tiles and a frame which holds the tray assembly and the plurality of tiles together;

wherein the trays each have a tray perimeter rim, and the tiles each have a tile perimeter rim;

wherein the frame snap-fit or hook-fit holds the plurality of trays and the tiles together via the tray and tile perimeter rims.