Thermal transfer pad with profiled surface to regulate skin temperature

A thermal transfer pad with a profiled surface to regulate skin temperature, comprising:

• a thermal pad configured to be heated or cooled, the thermal pad having an application surface configured to be placed facing skin of a user;
• and,
• protrusions extending from the application surface;
• wherein:
• each protrusion of the protrusions has a tip that is configured to be placed against the skin;
• the tip of each protrusion has a height h comprising a maximum distance between the tip and the application surface;
• the protrusions comprise a thermally conductive material configured to transfer heat between the thermal pad and the skin;
• the application surface is partitioned into:
• conductive zones from which protrusions protrude, and
• air channel zones from which no protrusions protrude;
• the air channel zones and do not contact the skin when tips of the protrusions are placed against the skin;
• the protrusions are configured to support the skin at the tips of the protrusions while maintaining the air channel zones out of contact with the skin during therapeutic application of the thermal transfer pad;
• the height h of the protrusions is between 1 mm and 6 mm, inclusive;
• the height h of the protrusions and spacing between adjacent protrusions are cooperatively selected to maintain the air channel zones out of contact with the skin by avoiding deformation of the skin into the air channel zones and by avoiding collapse of the protrusions during therapeutic application of the thermal transfer pad;
• the protrusions have an effective transfer surface that is an orthogonal projection of tips of the protrusions onto the application surface;
• and
• a surface area of the effective transfer surface comprises between 5% and 40%, inclusive, of a surface area of the application surface;
• wherein the protrusion tips define conductive contact regions between the thermal transfer pad and the skin, and the air channel zones define recessed non-contact air channel zones that reduce conductive heat transfer through the application surface.