Cool Air on the Go Solo Brands’ Portable Multi-Function Air Conditioner

Solo Brands, LLC has filed a patent for a portable multi-function air conditioning unit that uses a combination of ice-cooled liquid and a spray nozzle to deliver conditioned air – a compact, self-contained solution designed for outdoor and off-grid cooling without the infrastructure requirements of conventional air conditioning.

The Problem

Conventional air conditioning relies on a vapour-compression refrigeration cycle that requires a compressor, refrigerant and a significant electrical power supply. While effective, this approach is inherently stationary and dependent on grid power or a substantial generator. For outdoor activities, construction sites, camping, sporting events and emergency situations, these requirements make conventional air conditioning impractical or completely unavailable.

Evaporative coolers – sometimes called swamp coolers – offer a simpler, more portable alternative but depend on relatively dry air conditions to work effectively. In humid climates, the evaporation rate is limited by high ambient moisture levels, significantly reducing cooling performance. They are also typically bulky, designed for semi-permanent installation, and not well suited to truly portable applications.

Portable cooling options for personal or small-area use tend to fall into two categories: small battery-powered fans that provide airflow but no meaningful temperature reduction, and ice-based coolers that cool the immediate area by passive convection but do not actively distribute cooled air. Neither delivers the combination of genuine temperature reduction, portability and active air distribution that would make outdoor cooling practical in a wide range of conditions.

What This Invention Does

Solo Brands’ invention combines an insulated reservoir (capable of holding liquid and ice), a heat exchanger, a pump, a fan and a spray nozzle in an integrated portable device. The system operates in two simultaneous functional modes that work together to condition and deliver cooled air.

In the first mode, the pump moves a portion of the cold liquid from the reservoir through the heat exchanger. The fan then draws air across the heat exchanger, cooling the air through direct heat exchange with the cold liquid before discharging it through an outlet port. This is analogous to how a car’s heater core works but in reverse – using cold liquid rather than hot coolant to condition the air passing through.

In the second mode, the pump also discharges a separate portion of the liquid through a spray nozzle, creating a fine mist of cold liquid droplets. The discharged air from the fan intermingles with this mist at or near the outlet port, providing additional evaporative cooling on top of the heat exchange cooling. The combination of these two effects – heat exchange cooling and evaporative mist cooling – delivers a greater temperature reduction than either mechanism could achieve alone.

The device is powered by an onboard power supply and requires no external connections, making it genuinely portable and suitable for use anywhere the user can carry it and supply it with water and ice.

Key Features

Dual cooling mechanism. The device combines heat exchange cooling (liquid through heat exchanger, fan across it) with evaporative mist cooling (spray nozzle discharging cold liquid into the airstream), delivering greater temperature reduction than either mechanism alone.

Insulated ice-compatible reservoir. The liquid reservoir is insulated to maintain cold liquid temperatures, and is designed to hold both liquid and ice to maximise cooling capacity and extend operating duration.

Single pump, dual function. A single pump serves both the heat exchanger loop and the spray nozzle, simultaneously supplying cold liquid to both cooling mechanisms.

Integrated lid-outlet design. The outlet port for conditioned air is associated with either the reservoir or the lid, integrating the air delivery function into the structural form of the device.

Self-contained power supply. The device includes an onboard power supply for the pump and fan, enabling fully portable, off-grid operation.

Who Is Behind It?

Solo Brands, LLC is a US-based consumer outdoor and lifestyle brand company, whose portfolio has included brands such as Solo Stove, Chubbies, Oru Kayak and others. The inventor named is John P. Brinkman, whose background spans consumer product engineering. The application is filed through FB Rice Pty Ltd, one of Australia’s major intellectual property firms, and is a divisional of an earlier filing (AU 2024205294), indicating recent and active development in portable cooling technology.

Why It Matters

Portable cooling is a growing market segment driven by several converging trends: rising temperatures and more frequent heat events due to climate change; the growth of outdoor recreation and events culture; the expansion of outdoor working environments in sectors like construction, agriculture and emergency services; and an increasing consumer expectation that comfortable temperature management should be achievable anywhere, not just in fixed buildings.

A compact, self-contained unit that delivers genuine cooling through a combination of heat exchange and evaporative mechanisms – without requiring grid power or refrigerant – addresses a real gap in the market between passive cooling (ice packs, shade) and full air conditioning. For consumers spending time outdoors in hot conditions, a portable multi-function air conditioner that can run from ice and a battery could meaningfully improve comfort and safety. And in emergency or disaster response contexts, where grid power is unavailable and heat stress is a genuine health risk, such a device could have applications beyond recreation.

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AU 2026201582 was published in the Australian Official Journal of Patents on 19 March 2026 and is open for public inspection. Patent applications represent inventions that are sought to be protected and do not necessarily reflect commercially available products.