Method and apparatus for controlling the temperature of a surface
AssigneePalomar Medical Technologies, Inc.
InventorsGregory Altshuler, James Burke, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for controlling the temperature of a surface to preheat or precool the surface, to heat or cool the surface to effect a therapeutic treatment or to post-heat or post-cool the surface. A roller, preferably mounted to a handle, is provided which contains a material which is heated or cooled prior to treatment as appropriate so as to undergo a phase change and is then rolled over the surface the temperature of which is to be controlled, gradually undergoing a phase change to return to its initial state as it is rolled over the surface to effect the desired heating or cooling of the surface. The roller preferably has a large internal surface area in contact with the material undergoing the phase change.
Claims32
A device for cooling a surface including:
- a roller formed of a material having good heat transfer properties, said roller having an external surface and a plurality of internal channels formed therethrough, each of said channels having internal walls adapted to be in contact with a medium undergoing a heat absorbing phase change;
- and
- a handle which, when connected to the roller, facilitates the rolling of the roller over the surface to be cooled.
A device for controlling the temperature of a surface including:
- a roller formed of a material having good heat transfer properties, said roller having an external surface and a plurality of channels extending therethrough, each of said channels having internal walls adapted to be in contact with a heat transfer medium which undergoes a phase change at a temperature close to the temperature at which the surface is to be controlled, which phase change results in one of the generation of heat if the temperature of the surface is to be raised and the absorption of heat if the temperature of the surface is to be lowered;
- and
- a handle which, when connected to the roller, facilitates the rolling of the roller over the surface the temperature of which is to be controlled.
A method for controlling the temperature of a patient's skin including:
- providing a roller having a material contained therein and in contact with internal walls of a plurality of channels formed in the roller, which material is in a state which causes the roller to be at a temperature close to the temperature to which the patient's skin is to be controlled;
- and
- rolling the roller over a surface of the patient's skin at a rate so as to bring the skin surface to the controlled temperature, the material selectively undergoing a state change as the roller is being rolled over the skin surface.
A roller adapted for use in a device for controlling a surface's temperature, the roller having an external surface and a plurality of internal channels, each said channel being sealed to seal therein a heat transfer medium which undergoes a phase change at a temperature close to the temperature at which the surface is to be controlled and having walls adapted to be in contact with said heat transfer medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.