US 12,346,136 B2
Thermal diode and thermal switch bi-directional heat transfer in building envelopes
Ravi Anant Kishore, Lakewood, CO (US); Sampath Kommandur, Golden, CO (US); Charles William Booten, Arvada, CO (US); Lance Michael Wheeler, Wheat Ridge, CO (US); Shuang Cui, Dallas, TX (US); and Zhiying Xiao, Lakewood, CO (US)
Assigned to Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, Golden, CO (US)
Filed by Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, Golden, CO (US)
Filed on Apr. 29, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/648,714.
Application 18/648,714 is a continuation of application No. 17/715,144, filed on Apr. 7, 2022, granted, now 12,001,228.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/236,779, filed on Aug. 25, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/171,626, filed on Apr. 7, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0281010 A1, Aug. 22, 2024
Int. Cl. G05D 23/12 (2006.01); H01H 37/44 (2006.01)
CPC G05D 23/121 (2013.01) [H01H 37/44 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for performing thermal management, the device comprising:
a first conductor in direct thermal contact with a heat source;
a second conductor in direct thermal contact with a heat sink;
an insulator positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor and having a length;
a connector extending greater than the length; and
a piston configured to move the connector; wherein;
the connector is configured to move between a first position and a second position,
in the first position the connector being in thermal contact with the second conductor and the insulator,
in the second position the connector being in thermal contact with the first conductor and the second conductor, and
at a first temperature the piston is configured to move the connector from the first position to the second position; and
when in the second position the device is configured to allow heat to flow from the heat source to the heat sink.