Palm cooling glove to enhance heat transfer/removal
View Patent ↗Palm cooling gloves and similar articles are disclosed which may be worn during exercise or when exposed to warm ambient temperatures. Unlike other items related to thermal exchange, the disclosed devices provide for intermittent cooling in order to ultimately increase the overall rate and magnitude of conductive heat loss from the human body. According to an example embodiment, gloves are provided with high thermal conductivity for rapid rates of heat transfer when the palm is to be cooled, and low thermal conductivity when the palm is not to be cooled. During non-cooling periods, a cooling agent is temporarily stored within a compartment located on the back (dorsal aspect) of the glove. The compartment is comprised of materials with a low thermal conductivity so that the cooling agent retains more of its cold, which allows it to be used repeatedly when palm cooling is again needed to rid the body of excess heat. With a glove that offers both scenarios, users can engage in intermittent palm cooling and reap the benefits of excess body heat removal/transfer.
1 . A palm cooling glove, comprising
a covering sized and shaped to cover part or all of a human hand, the covering having a palmar side, a dorsal side, a first tube sized for a little finger, and a second tube sized for a thumb;
a fastener;
a flap attached to the covering where the palmar side and dorsal side meet below the first tube, wherein the flap is configured to be moveable between and reversibly fixable at the palmar side with the fastener and the dorsal side of the glove while the glove is worn and without removing the glove from the human hand; and
a cooling agent with a thermal conductivity of at least 0.606 W/(m K) and a heat capacity of at least 4.184 Joules, the cooling agent being attachable to the flap,
wherein a first thermal conductivity exists between the cooling agent and an interior of the covering when the cooling agent is fixed at the dorsal side, wherein a second thermal conductivity exists between the cooling agent and the interior of the covering when the cooling agent is fixed at the palmar side, wherein the first thermal conductivity is less than the second thermal conductivity.
2 . The palm cooling glove of claim 1 , further comprising a compartment at the dorsal side of the covering sized to accommodate the flap, configured to insulate the cooling agent, and configured to reversibly fix the flap at the dorsal side.
3 . The palm cooling glove of claim 2 , wherein the flap is a nylon-based mesh with gaps between strands of the mesh.
4 . The palm cooling glove of claim 1 , wherein the flap has a thickness no greater than 0.2 cm.
5 . The palm cooling glove of claim 1 , wherein the flap includes a pouch.
6 . A palm cooling glove, comprising
a covering sized and shaped to cover part or all of a human hand, the covering having a palmar side, a dorsal side, a first tube sized for a little finger, and a second tube sized for a thumb;
a fastener;
a compartment;
a flap attached at a side of the covering moveable between and reversibly fixable at the palmar side with the fastener and the dorsal side with the compartment while the glove is worn and without removing the glove from the human hand; and
a cooling agent attachable to the flap and moveable with the flap between the palmar side and the dorsal side without removing the cooling agent from the flap,
wherein a first thermal conductivity exists between the cooling agent and an interior of the covering when the cooling agent is fixed at the dorsal side, wherein a second thermal conductivity exists between the cooling agent and the interior of the covering when the cooling agent is fixed at the palmar side, wherein the first thermal conductivity is less than the second thermal conductivity.
7 . The palm cooling glove of claim 6 , wherein the flap comprises a pouch, wherein the cooling agent is attachable to the flap by insertion of the cooling agent into the pouch.
8 . The palm cooling glove of claim 7 , wherein the pouch is a mesh with gaps between strands of the mesh.
9 . The palm cooling glove of claim 8 , wherein the mesh is nylon-based.
10 . The palm cooling glove of claim 6 , wherein the compartment is sized to accommodate the flap.
11 . The palm cooling glove of claim 10 , wherein the compartment is insulated.
12 . The palm cooling glove of claim 6 , wherein the covering comprises open fingertips.