Thermal performance optimization in a thermal therapy device
AssigneeCoolSystems, Inc.
InventorsMark H. Lowe, Bryan Huff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rapid contrast therapy system can provide cold, heat/hot/warm (hereafter referred to as “hot”), and/or rapid contrast therapy, which involves rapidly alternating between cold therapy and hot therapy. The system can circulate cold or hot fluid, such as water, through a hose, into a therapy wrap, and then back to the fluid reservoirs of the system. The system can utilize a vapor compression system or other chiller technology to cool the cold water reservoir, and immersion heaters can be used to heat the hot water reservoir.
Claims19
A system for providing rapid contrast therapy, the system comprising:
- a cold reservoir configured to hold a cold liquid, the cold reservoir including a first liquid level sensor to measure a level of the cold liquid;
- a cold therapy supply valve in fluid communication with the cold reservoir, the cold therapy supply valve directing a flow of the cold liquid to a therapy device;
- a hot reservoir configured to hold a hot liquid, the hot reservoir including a second liquid level sensor to measure a level of the hot liquid;
- a hot therapy supply valve in fluid communication with the hot reservoir, the hot therapy supply valve directing a flow of the hot liquid to the therapy device;
- a return valve directing return flow from the therapy device to at least one of the hot and cold reservoirs;
- and
- a controller directing operation of the cold and hot therapy supply valves to control the flow of the cold liquid and the hot liquid to the therapy device, the controller directing operation of the return valve to control the return liquid flowing from the therapy device to at least one of the cold and hot reservoirs,
- wherein the controller directs the return flow to either the cold reservoir or the hot reservoir depending on the measured liquid level in each of the cold and hot reservoirs such that the measured liquid level in the cold and hot reservoirs does not exceed a corresponding maximum liquid level or fall below a corresponding minimum liquid level.
A method of providing rapid contrast therapy using rapid contrast therapy device, the method comprising:
- applying a therapy wrap to a patient;
- connecting a therapy wrap connector to a treatment device connector, the therapy device connector providing fluid communication between the therapy wrap and a cold therapy supply line, a hot therapy supply line and a pressurized gas supply line;
- measuring a liquid level of a cold and hot liquid within a cold and hot liquid reservoir provided in the therapy device;
- confirming a measured liquid level within each of the cold and hot reservoirs is within a target liquid level range;
- providing at least one of a temperature therapy and a pressure therapy to the patient via the therapy wrap by directing at least one of a cold liquid, a hot liquid and a pressurized gas through therapy wrap via a corresponding cold therapy supply valve, hot therapy supply valve and gas therapy supply valve;
- controlling via a return valve a return flow of the liquid from the therapy wrap to at least one of the cold and hot reservoirs to minimize the unnecessary thermal pollution of hot water from entering the cold tank or cold water from entering the hot tank upon return from the therapy wrap,
- wherein the measured liquid level within either of the cold and hot reservoirs is not within a target liquid level range the return flow is directed to either the cold reservoir or the hot reservoir depending on the measured liquid level in each of the cold and hot reservoirs such that the measured liquid level in the cold and hot reservoirs does not exceed the corresponding maximum liquid level or fall below the corresponding minimum liquid level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.