Phase Change Matters

U.S. patent application 20200132897 (applicant TruIris LLC, Columbus, Ohio):

"Wearable ocular devices (such as ocular prostheses or contact lenses) utilizing diffraction gratings to produce color, as well as methods for producing such devices, are provided. A diffraction grating on the device may diffract the incident light to the observer. The result may be colored light that appears to originate from the wearer's eyes. The diffraction grating may achieve a look or feeling that is qualitatively or quantitatively different from the look or feeling achieved by previous devices that use dyes or inks."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20200132897.pdf

U.S. patent application 20200136209 (applicant Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc., Plano, Texas):

"A battery module including a battery cell and a thermal management system for removing heat from the battery cell. The thermal management system includes two or more unit cells in an array. Each unit cell includes a primary shell comprising a primary phase change material (PCM), and a secondary shell comprising a secondary PCM that is thermally coupled to the primary shell. The battery cell is thermally coupled to the primary shell at a heat transfer interface and the secondary shells of adjacent unit cells in the array are separate."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20200136209.pdf

U.S. patent application 20200131363 (applicant Rogers Corp., Chandler, Ariz.):

"A method of manufacturing a polyurethane phase-change composition comprises forming a curable composition comprising a homogeneous mixture of an organic isocyanate, a polyol having a hydroxyl functionality of 1.5 to 5, and a phase-change material; and curing the curable composition to obtain a polyurethane phase-change composition, wherein the polyurethane phase-change composition has a transition temperature, determined by differential scanning calorimetry according to ASTM D3418, of 5 to 70° C."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20200131363.pdf

U.S. patent application 20200072523 (inventors Chang Yup Seo, Woodridge, Ill.; Soujanya N. Jampala, Chicago, Ill.; Sameer H. Israni, Darien, Ill.; and Robert R. Sever, Arlington Heights, Ill.):

"This invention relates to a novel two-stage dry ice system for preserving perishable items during transport and methods thereof. The improved two-stage dry ice system includes dry ice and a phase change material specifically configured within a single and continuous holding volume with perishable items. Preservation of the perishable items for extended durations in comparison to other refrigeration techniques can be achieved as a result of the two-stage dry system having the ability to re-orient itself during transport."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20200072523.pdf

More U.S. patent applications:

Sanitary mask | Turbo machine starter-generator | Phase change nanoparticles for lithium-ion battery safety | Thermal management material and matrix | Breast prosthesis

U.S. patent application 20200071076 (applicant Alert Innovation Inc., North Billerica, Mass.):

"An automated order fulfillment system is disclosed having different temperature zones and robots and containers capable of and/or configured to work in these different temperature zones."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20200071076.pdf

U.S. patent application 20200088473 (applicant Climate Change Technologies Pty. Ltd., Wayville, Australia):

"A thermal energy storage apparatus, including: a block of a heat-absorbing material, the block defining at least one receptacle and being a contiguous block of compressed sintered graphite; and a phase change material stored in the or each receptacle, the phase change material being one that expands as it cools, wherein separation of side walls of the or each receptacle progressively increases as they extend upwardly from the base, whereby as the phase change material solidifies and expands it is urged upwardly to reduce pressure applied to the heat-absorbing material."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20200088473.pdf

U.S. patent application 20200071586 (applicant Microtek Laboratories, Dayton, Ohio): 

"Solid gel beads formed from a gel product of a 5 carbon to 60 carbon alkane phase change material, 5 carbon to 60 carbon alkene phase change material, or a combination thereof and a styrene-based polymer are homogeneous, has an uneven exterior surface, and a major axis length in a range of 1000 μm to 100 mm. Methods for making the solid gel bead include providing water having a preselected temperature based on a linear relationship to the melting point of a phase change material composition, mixing the phase change material composition with the styrene-based polymer at or below the preselected temperature with stirring to form a pulp, and mixing the pulp into the water with turbulent mixing while maintaining the temperature of the mixture at the preselected temperature."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20200071586.pdf

U.S. patent application 20200041147 (assignee Fruition LLC, Lexington, Mass.):

"A carrying case utilizes a layer of phase change materials and a thermal insulation layer in order to provide a temperature-stabilized environment for enclosed payloads such as musical instruments during transport through an environment in which temperatures differ greatly from those to which they are normally exposed. In one aspect, the phase change materials and thermal insulation provide an extended period of temperature constancy, without the addition of either active thermal control or excessively bulky insulation."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20200041147.pdf

U.S. patent application 20200037823 (inventor David Pensak, Wilmington, Del.):

"Devices that utilize phase change materials to maintain objects, such as beverage containers, within a precise temperature range for extended periods, without the need for ice, open flames, or mechanical heating or refrigeration, are disclosed."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20200037823.pdf

U.S. patent application 20200038600 (applicant Insuline Medical Ltd., Jerusalem, Israel):

"A drug delivery control apparatus (e.g. a treatment apparatus) may be configured to control an amount of drug contained in a drug depot delivered or otherwise perfused or diffused into the circulatory system of a patient comprising a cooling element configured for cooling a treatment area by removing heat from the treatment area. The cooling element may be arranged above or near the treatment area. A heat disposal assembly is in thermal communication with the cooling element and configured for directing the removed heat to a heat zone away from the treatment area. A power source, a controller and a housing may be configured to at least partially house at least the cooling element and the heat disposal assembly. ... the heat disposal assembly comprises a phase change material configured to absorb at least some heat from the treatment area."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20200038600.pdf