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US 2008/0188915 A1Published application
Apparatus For Providing A Heating And Cooling Effect
OwnerRichard Mills, Nick Dulakeinventors
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OwnerRichard Mills, Nick Dulakeinventors
Estimating the term…
A device configured to treat a human or animal body part or limb by providing a heating and/or cooling effect in addition to a compressive force. A metallic conductive material is positioned in thermal contact with at least one Peltier cell whereby the heating and cooling effect generated at an active face of the Peltier cell is conducted and distributed over the surface area of the conductive material. The conductive material comprises a significantly greater surface area than the active face of the Peltier cell. A compressive force may be applied to the human or animal body part or limb by the control of a fluid into an expandable sack secured with the conductive material to the body part by suitable strap means.
A device configured to provide a heating and a cooling effect to a region of a human or animal, said device comprising:
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said expandable sack is capable of being expanded by a fluid introduced into said expandable sack.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said expandable sack is divided into a plurality of channels, said channels being in fluid communication with one another.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said expandable sack is an inflatable sack configured to be inflated by introduction of air into said inflatable sack.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said conductive material is a metal.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said conductive material comprises at least two separate pieces of conductive material joined together and movable relative to one another.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a portion of said conductive material is enclosed by a fabric material.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a portion of said conductive material is covered by a foam material.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a portion of said conductive material is covered by a polymer material.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said conductive material is a metallic mesh.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said conductive material comprises a non-uniform thickness.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said conductive material is copper.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said means for securing said conductive material is a wrap configured for positioning around a body part or limb of said human or animal.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising heat dissipation means positioned at said thermoelectric module, said heat dissipation means configured to dissipate heat from said thermoelectric module.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising an insulating material positioned at said conductive material.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a temperature sensor positioned at said thermoelectric module or said conductive material.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said control means is configured for the adjustable regulation of an amount of fluid introduced into said expandable sack so as to provide a massaging action to said human or animal when said device is secured to said region of said human or animal.
The device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said thermoelectric module is a Peltier module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.