Arm immersion cooling apparatus and method
AssigneeU.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command
InventorsDavid Degroot, Richard Gallimore, Gary Proulx, Karen Buehler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A two person portable apparatus (10) for reducing the core temperature of one or more human beings includes a trough (14) made of a waterproof, flexible fabric (56) and a generally rectangular frame (12). Portions (68, 70, 72, 74) of the fabric (56) are looped over sides (24, 26, 28, 30) of the frame (12) so that the trough is supported by and suspended from the frame. The apparatus includes four legs (16, 18, 20, 22) hinged to corners of the frame and pivotable inwardly under the trough. Cooling water is placed in the trough and the hands and forearms of human beings are immersed in the cooling water.
Claims20
An apparatus (10) for reducing the core temperature of one or more human beings, comprising:
- a fabric piece (56) of waterproof, flexible material having a generally rectangular-shaped major portion (58) with opposing long sides (60, 62) and opposing short sides (64, 66) and four flaps (68, 70, 72, 74), each flap extending from a respective one of the opposing long sides and the opposing short sides;
- a generally rectangular frame (12) with two short sides (24, 26) and two long sides (28, 30), each of the four flaps of the fabric piece being looped over a respective one of the short and long sides of the frame and attached to the major portion of the fabric piece, the major portion of the fabric piece forming sides and a bottom of a collapsible trough (14) supported by and suspended from the frame (12);
- four legs (16, 18, 20, 22) having first ends (16a, 18a, 20a, 22a) disposed generally at four respective corners of the frame (12), each leg being hinged at its first end to the frame and pivotable inwardly from an unfolded position of the apparatus (10), generally perpendicular to a plane of the frame, to a folded position of the apparatus (10), substantially parallel to the plane of the frame and under the trough (14), wherein a pair of the legs (16, 18) disposed at one end of the long sides of the frame (12) comprises a first leg section (40) and a pair of the legs (20, 22) disposed at another end of the long sides of the frame (12) comprises a second leg section (42);
- and
- four longitudinal braces (44, 46, 48, 50), two of the braces (44, 46) being pivotally attached at first ends (44a, 46a) to a respective leg (16, 18) of the first leg section (40)and two of the braces (48, 50) being pivotally attached at first ends (48a, 50a) to a respective bushing (52, 54) and a respective leg (20, 22) of the second leg section (42) and, in the unfolded position of the apparatus (10), each of the four braces (44, 46, 48, 50) being releaseably fixed to the rectangular frame (12) at second ends (44b, 46b, 48b, 50b) of each of the four braces (44, 46, 48, 50);
- wherein a weight of the apparatus (10) is in a range of 45 pounds to 102 pounds.
A method of making an apparatus (10) for reducing the core temperature of one or more human beings, comprising:
- providing a fabric piece (56) of waterproof, flexible material having a generally rectangular-shaped major portion (58) with opposing long sides (60, 62) and opposing short sides (64, 66) and four flaps (68, 70, 72, 74), each flap extending from a respective one of the opposing long sides and the opposing short sides;
- providing a generally rectangular frame (12) with two short sides (24, 26) and two long sides (28, 30);
- looping each of the four flaps (68, 70, 72, 74) of the fabric piece (56) over a respective one of the short (24, 26) and long sides (28, 30) of the frame (12);
- and then,
- attaching each of the four flaps (68, 70, 72, 74) to the major portion (58) of the fabric piece (56).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.