초록 ▼

Cooling apparatus (and method) for reducing the risk of, and/or alleviating, male infertility, particularly in a heated environment, includes: a pouch to enclose the scrotal area of the male user; a thermoelectric cooling device to be worn by the male user at a distance from the pouch; and a fluid p

Cooling apparatus (and method) for reducing the risk of, and/or alleviating, male infertility, particularly in a heated environment, includes: a pouch to enclose the scrotal area of the male user; a thermoelectric cooling device to be worn by the male user at a distance from the pouch; and a fluid pump also to be worn by the male user for pumping a cooling fluid from the cold side of the thermoelectric cooling device to the pouch, and a cooling fluid over the hot side of the thermoelectric cooling device to dissipate the heat generated therein to the atmosphere. The thermoelectric cooling device and pump are incorporated in a waistband to be worn around the waist of the male user.

대표청구항 ▼

1. Cooling apparatus for use by a male to reduce the risk of, and/or alleviate, male infertility, particularly in a heated environment, comprising: a waistband to be worn around the waist of the male user;a pouch carried by said waistband, said pouch being configured and dimensioned to enclose the s

1. Cooling apparatus for use by a male to reduce the risk of, and/or alleviate, male infertility, particularly in a heated environment, comprising: a waistband to be worn around the waist of the male user;a pouch carried by said waistband, said pouch being configured and dimensioned to enclose the scrotal area of the male user;a thermoelectric cooling device carried by said waistband, said thermoelectric cooling device having a cold side and a hot side and fluid pumping means carried by said waistband for pumping a first fluid through a cooling path across said cold side of said thermoelectric cooling device to said pouch to cool said pouch and the scrotal area enclosed thereby, and a second fluid through a heat-dissipation path across said hot side of the thermoelectric cooling device to an outlet from said waistband remotely located from said pouch to thereby dissipate the heat produced by said thermoelectric cooling device in cooling said pouch at a location remote from said pouch. 2. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said waistband includes a front side carrying said thermoelectric cooling device and said pouch spaced below said thermoelectric cooling device, and a back side in which said outlet of the heat-dissipation path is located. 3. The cooling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said front side of the waistband also carries said fluid pumping means; and wherein said cooling path, through which the cooling liquid is circulated, includes a conduit from said fluid pumping means to said cold side of the thermoelectric cooling device, a conduit from the cold side of the thermoelectric cooling device to said pouch, and a conduit from said pouch to said fluid pumping means. 4. The cooling apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said pouch includes a further, elongated conduit traversing substantially the complete surface area of the pouch through which the cooling liquid is circulated. 5. The cooling apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said fluid pumping means includes a fan for forcing ambient air over said hot side of the thermoelectric cooling device to dissipate the heat therefrom to the atmosphere via said outlet at the back side of the waistband. 6. The cooling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said fan is carried by the front side of the waistband to dissipate heat from the front side of the waistband generated in the hot side of the thermoelectric cooling device, as well as in the fan, through said outlet at the back side of the waistband. 7. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fluid pumping means includes a liquid pump for pumping a cooling liquid across the cold side of said thermoelectric cooling device through said cooling path to said pouch, and a fan for pumping ambient air across the hot side of said thermoelectric cooling device through said heat-dissipation path to said outlet in the waistband remotely located from said pouch. 8. The cooling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said back side of the waistband carries said fan. 9. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fluid pumping means includes a fan for pumping ambient air across the cold side of said thermoelectric cooling device through said cooling path to said pouch, and also across the hot side of said thermoelectric cooling device through said heat-dissipation path to said outlet in the waistband remotely located from said pouch. 10. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said waistband and said pouch are incorporated in an undergarment to be worn by the male user. 11. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said waistband and said pouch are incorporated in a jock strap to be worn by the user, in which an upper end of the pouch is secured to the front side of the waistband to depend below the waistband, and a lower end of the pouch is secured by leg straps connected to the opposite sides of the waistband. 12. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said waistband further carries a battery for powering said thermoelectric cooling device, and a controller for controlling said thermoelectric cooling device. 13. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said thermoelectric cooling device is a Peltier device.