Portable temperature control system

A portable temperature control system comprising a temperature control unit and at least one therapeutic body pad, wherein said temperature control unit comprises:

• a means for circulating a temperature control fluid through a temperature control system;
• a means for cooling or heating said temperature control fluid;
• a liquid heat exchanger coupled to the means for cooling to remove heat from said temperature control fluid;
• an electronic programmable temperature controller for minute adjustments of the temperature of the liquid flowing through the system such that the control system can be programmed to provide cooling and heating cycles in any desired sequence for variable periods of time, wherein the programmable temperature controller comprises a means to sense the temperature of the circulating fluid and to control the current flow through the thermoelectric cooler to maintain the temperature of the circulating fluid within prescribed limits of a preset temperature programmed into the temperature controller and a microprocessor capable of controlling the temperature of the circulating fluid within .+-.2.degree. F. of the preset temperature, wherein the microprocessor of said programmable temperature controller can be programmed to automatically provide heating and cooling cycles in any desired sequence and duration of time;
• a power supply for powering said temperature control system;
• a keypad for programming the cooling and heating cvcles for said variable periods of time, said keypad connected to the electronic programmable temperature controller;
• at least one therapeutic body pad;
• means to attach said at least one therapeutic body pad to said temperature control unit:
• and
• a coded prescription preset system, which allows for the presetting of a prescripted heating and cooling therapy, and which can only be utilized by the use of a prescription passcode.

A portable temperature control system comprising a temperature control unit and at least one therapeutic body pad, wherein said temperature control unit comprises:

• a means for circulating a temperature control fluid through a temperature control system;
• a means for cooling or heating said temperature control fluid;
• a liquid heat exchanger coupled to the means for cooling to remove heat from said temperature control fluid;
• an electronic programmable temperature controller for minute adjustments of the temperature of the liquid flowing through the system such that the control system can be programmed to provide cooling and heating cycles in any desired sequence for variable periods of time;
• a power supply for powering said temperature control system;
• a keypad for programming the cooling and heating cycles for said variable periods of time, said keypad connected to the electronic programmable temperature controller;
• at least one therapeutic body pad;
• means to attach said at least one therapeutic body pad to said temperature control unit;
• and
• an air-liquid separator in said temperature control unit for separating air from the temperature control fluid as the temperature control fluid is recirculated through the pads and the portable temperature control unit prior to the temperature control fluid entering the pump and after exiting the therapeutic pad, said air-liquid separator comprising a small reservoir for containing the temperature control fluid, a shortened tube for transporting said temperature control fluid from said body pad to said reservoir, said shortened tube emptying said temperature control fluid into said reservoir above a highest level of said liquid in said reservoir, and an exit tube extending from near the bottom of the reservoir and leading to a low pressure side of said pump.

A portable temperature control system comprising a temperature control unit and at least one therapeutic body pad, wherein said temperature control unit comprises:

• a means for circulating a temperature control fluid through a temperature control system;
• a means for cooling or heating said temperature control fluid;
• a liquid heat exchanger coupled to the means for cooling to remove heat from said temperature control fluid;
• an electronic programmable temperature controller for minute adjustments of the temperature of the liquid flowing through the system such that the control system can be programmed to provide cooling and heating cycles in any desired sequence for variable periods of time;
• a power supply for powering said temperature control system;
• a keypad for programming the cooling and heating cycles for said variable periods of time, said keypad connected to the electronic programmable temperature controller;
• at least one therapeutic body pad;
• and
• means to attach said at least one therapeutic body pad to said temperature control unit,
• wherein said therapeutic body pad conforms to any desired portion of the anatomy of a body, and comprises:
• a noncrimpable flexible structure having fluid passageways defined therein for circulating the temperature controlled liquid therethrough;
• input and output couplings means to the fluid passageways, whereby a fluid may be made to flow therethrough;
• an outside dermal layer to be placed on a surface of a body of the patient;
• an outside thermal layer;
• a fluid conduit layer positioned between the outside dermal layer and the outside thermal layer, wherein said fluid passageways are positioned between the outside thermal layer and the outside thermal layer;
• and
• an intersecting walled structure to separate input and output couplings means to prevent fluid flowing into said liquid passageways through said input coupling from flowing directly out the output borders of said body pad are wider than the passageways from the outer borders of said body pad such that the temperature control fluid is evenly distributed as it flows through said body pad.

A therapeutic body pad for attachment to a temperature control unit, said body pad conforming to any desired portion of the anatomy of a body, and comprising:

• a noncrimpable flexible structure having fluid passageways defined therein for circulating the temperature controlled liquid therethrough;
• an input and an output to the fluid passageways, whereby a fluid may be made to flow therethrough;
• means for coupling said input and said output to a portable temperature control system;
• an outside dermal layer to be placed on a surface of a body part of the patient;
• an outside thermal layer;
• a fluid conduit layer positioned between the outside dermal layer and the outside thermal layer, wherein said fluid passageways are positioned between the outside dermal layer and the outside thermal layer;
• and
• an intersecting walled structure to separate input and output couplings means to prevent fluid flowing into said liquid passageways through said input couplings, and wherein the passageways along the outer borders of said body pad are wider than the passageways away from the outer borders of said body pad such that the temperature control fluid is evenly distributed as it flows through said body pad.