COOLING PAD; COOLING APPARATUS; COOLING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A COOLING PAD AND A COOLING APPARATUS

Abstract

A cooling pad (10) for medical or veterinary applications, the cooling pad comprising a first heat exchanger (20); a second heat exchanger (30), a heat transfer fluid; a piping system (40); and an integrated pump device (50) for the heat transfer fluid; wherein the first heat exchanger (20) and the second heat exchanger (30) have the heat transfer fluid flowing through them; wherein the piping system (40) fluidically connects the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; wherein the pump device (50) is adapted to cause an exchange of the heat transfer fluid between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; wherein the cooling pad (10) comprises a hermetically sealed fluid circuit for the heat transfer fluid, the fluid circuit comprising the first heat exchanger (20), the second heat exchanger (30), the piping system (40) and the pump device (50). Further, a corresponding cooling device (60), cooling system (1) and corresponding method (200) are proposed.

Claims

1. A cooling pad for medical or veterinary applications, the cooling pad comprising a first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger, a heat transfer fluid; a piping system; and an integrated pump device for the heat transfer fluid; wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger have the heat transfer fluid flowing through them; wherein the piping system fluidically connects the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; wherein the pump device is adapted to cause an exchange of the heat transfer fluid between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; wherein the cooling pad comprises a hermetically sealed fluid circuit for the heat transfer fluid, the fluid circuit comprising the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, the piping system and the pump device.

2. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein the first or the second heat exchanger comprises a heat absorption area for absorbing heat and the other heat exchanger comprises a heat emission area for releasing heat.

3. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein the piping system comprises a flow line and a return line, wherein the flow line fluidly connects an inlet of the first heat exchanger and an outlet of the second heat exchanger; and wherein the return line fluidly connects an outlet of the first heat exchanger and an inlet of the second heat exchanger.

4. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein the pump device is adapted to be driven by an external drive without lead-through.

5. The cooling pad according to claim 4, wherein the pump device is adapted to be magnetically coupled to an external drive, in particular wherein the pump device is a magnetically coupled gear type pump.

6. The cooling pad according to claim 4, wherein the pump device is a peristaltic pump.

7. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first heat exchanger is mechanically flexible.

8. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein the first heat exchanger is adapted to a body part to be cooled.

9. The cooling pad according to claim 1, further comprising a diffusion-inhibiting coating.

10. The cooling pad according to claim 1, further comprising a fluid reservoir configured to compensate for fluid loss of the heat transfer fluid

11. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein first and/or second heat exchangers comprise cooling loops that are arranged bifilarly.

12. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein fluid channels in at least one of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger have a semi-circular channel cross-section.

13. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein the first heat exchanger has a thickness between 1 mm and 10 mm, in particular between 2 mm and 8 mm, in particular between 4 mm and 6 mm.

14. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a heat exchanger surface and cooling loops arranged within the heat exchanger, and wherein the cooling loops are separated from the heat exchanger surface by a thin, thermally conductive and fluid-tight membrane.

15. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein the cooling pad comprises at least in parts a biocompatible, thermally conductive fabric layer, in particular in a region of a surface of the first heat exchanger.

16. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein fluid channels in at least one of the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger and the piping system have a diameter between 2 mm and 3 mm.

17. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein the piping system between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger has a length between 2 cm and 300 cm, in particular between 5 cm and 100 cm, in particular between 10 cm and 50 cm.

18. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein the fluid circuit has a fluid volume of between 5 ml and 100 ml, in particular between 10 ml and 60 ml, in particular between 15 ml and 40 ml, in particular between 20 ml and 30 ml.

19. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises water and/or ethylene glycol.

20. The cooling pad according to claim 1, configured for a heat flow between 15 mW and 100 mW, in particular between 15 mW and 80 mW, in particular between 25 mW and 65 mW per square centimeter of surface area of the first heat exchanger.

21. The cooling pad according to claim 1, wherein the first heat exchanger and the piping system, and in particular also the second heat exchanger, have a common layer structure comprising an upper cover layer, a lower cover layer, and an intermediate layer, in particular a foam layer, which is arranged between the upper cover layer and the lower cover layer; and wherein fluid channels of the first heat exchanger and the piping system, and in particular also of the second heat exchanger, are arranged inside the intermediate layer.

22. The cooling pad according to claim 21, wherein the integrated pump device is disposed between the upper cover layer and the lower cover layer.

23. The cooling pad according to claim 1, further comprising a receptacle adapted to accommodate the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger; a cooling element, wherein the cooling element is adapted to supply heat to or remove heat from the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger when accommodated in the receptacle; and a drive adapted to drive a pump device integrated within the cooling pad.

24. A cooling device according to claim 23, further comprising a temperature sensor; and a controller; wherein the temperature sensor is configured to sense a temperature of a cooling pad placed in the receptacle; wherein the controller is configured to control the drive device and/or the cooling element based on a temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

25. The cooling device according to claim 23, further comprising a monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device is adapted to compare a speed of the drive with a power consumption of the drive and to output an error message in case of an anomaly.

26. The cooling device according to claim 23, further comprising a monitoring device wherein the monitoring device is adapted to perform a coupling test of the drive unit of the cooling device with the pump device of the cooling pad.

27. The cooling device according to claim 23, further comprising a monitoring device wherein the monitoring device is configured to detect air bubbles in the heat transfer fluid of the cooling pad.

28. A cooling system for medical or veterinary applications, the cooling system comprising: a cooling pad comprising a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a piping system that fluidically connects the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, a heat transfer fluid flowing through the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger and the piping system, and an integrated pump device for the heat transfer fluid, the pump device being adapted to cause an exchange of the heat transfer fluid between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, the piping system and the pump device comprise a hermetically sealed fluid circuit for the heat transfer fluid; and a cooling device comprising a receptacle and a cooling element, wherein the cooling element is adapted to supply heat to or remove heat from the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger when accommodated in the receptacle and a drive adapted to drive the pump device of the cooling pad.

29. A method of operating a cooling pad and a cooling device, the method comprising the steps of: providing a cooling pad comprising a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a piping system that fluidically connects the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, a heat transfer fluid flowing through the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger and the piping system, and an integrated pump device for the heat transfer fluid, the pump device being adapted to cause an exchange of the heat transfer fluid between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, the piping system and the pump device comprise a hermetically sealed fluid circuit for the heat transfer fluid, providing a cooling device comprising a receptacle and a cooling element, wherein the cooling element is adapted to supply heat to or remove heat from the second heat exchanger of the cooling pad when the second heat exchanger of the cooling pad is placed in the receptacle and a drive adapted to drive the pump device of the cooling pad; placing the second heat exchanger of the cooling pad into a receptacle of the cooling device; application of the first heat exchanger of the cooling pad to a location to be cooled; and starting the cooling process with the cooling device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0079] Embodiments of the disclosure are shown in the attached drawings and will be explained in more detail in the description below.

[0080] FIG. 1 shows a schematic figure of a cooling pad according to an embodiment;

[0081] FIG. 2 shows a schematic figure of a cooling system comprising a cooling pad and an opened cooling device according to another embodiment;

[0082] FIG. 3 shows a schematic figure of a cooling system comprising a cooling pad, a closed cooling device and an orthosis;

[0083] FIG. 4 shows a schematic figure of an application of the system from FIG. 3;

[0084] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view along A-A in FIG. 1;

[0085] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view along B-B in FIG. 1;

[0086] FIG. 7 shows a schematic figure of a cooling device;

[0087] FIGS. 8 and 9 show schematic figures of a pump device of a cooling pad and a corresponding drive of a cooling device;

[0088] FIG. 10 shows a perspective schematic figure of the pump device from FIG. 9; and

[0089] FIG. 11 shows a flow chart of a method for operating a cooling pad and a cooling device.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0090] FIG. 1 shows a schematic figure of an embodiment of a cooling pad 10. The cooling pad may be used in particular for medical or veterinary applications for heat and/or cold therapy. The cooling pad 10 comprises a first heat exchanger 20 and a second heat exchanger 30. The first heat exchanger 20 and the second heat exchanger 30 are arranged at a distance from each other and are fluidically connected to each other via a piping system 40. The cooling pad 10 further comprises a pump device 50 which is adapted to cause an exchange of a heat transfer fluid between the first heat exchanger 20 and the second heat exchanger 30 via the piping system 40.

[0091] In the shown embodiment, the piping system 40 has two hose lines, a flow line 41 and a return line 42. The flow line 41 is fluidically connected to an inlet 21 of the first heat exchanger 20 and an outlet 32 of the second heat exchanger 30. The return 42 is fluidically connected to an outlet 22 of the first heat exchanger 20 and an inlet 31 of the second heat exchanger 30.

[0092] The second heat exchanger 30 may comprise flow guiding structures 34, which are adapted to create a uniform flow over the surface of the heat exchanger. Thus, the heat exchange can take place over a large part of the surface, in particular over the entire surface of the heat exchanger and no dead water with low heat exchanger efficiency may occur.

[0093] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the pump device 50 is arranged between the piping system 40 and the second heat exchanger 30. However, the pump device can also be positioned at other locations, for example as shown in FIG. 2. There the pump device 50 is integrated in the second heat exchanger 30.

[0094] As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the cooling pad 10 is a fully integrated, closed, fluid-filled cooling pad. The cooling pad 10 has a hermetically sealed fluid circuit. It is therefore not necessary to connect the cooling pad to an external fluid circuit. Handling can therefore be significantly simplified.

[0095] FIG. 2 shows a schematic figure of a cooling system 1 comprising a cooling pad 10 and a cooling device 60. The cooling device comprises a receptacle 61 to accommodate the heat exchanger 30 of cooling pad 10. The cooling device may comprise a cover 62 for the receptacle 61. The cover lid 62 is illustrated opened in FIG. 2 and provides a view of the inside of the receptacle 61. There, a cooling element 63, in particular comprising a thermoelectric cooling element such as a Peltier element, and a drive 64 can be arranged.

[0096] The cooling element 63 is adapted to supply heat to or remove heat from the heat exchanger 30 of the cooling pad 10 when the heat exchanger 30 of the cooling pad is in the receptacle 61. For this purpose, the heat exchanger 30 and the cooling element 63 are advantageously arranged such that they are then position one above the other. In particular, the second heat exchanger 30 can have a areal heat dissipation region 33, which corresponds to a position of the cooling element 63.

[0097] Advantageously, the cooling element 63 or a receptacle 61 of the cooling device may be structured, for example to i) increase the heat exchanger surface and/or ii) influence a fluid flow in the heat exchanger 30 when the heat exchanger is pressed on by the cover 62. For example, flow guiding structures may be provided which can influence a flow within the accommodated heat exchanger. Advantageously, in addition or in the alternative to the flow guiding structures of the second heat exchanger 30 shown in FIG. 1, the cooling device comprise guiding structures which are adapted to cause an even flow over the surface of the heat exchanger. Thus the heat exchange can take place over a large part of the surface, advantageously over the entire surface of the heat exchanger, and no dead water with low heat exchanger efficiency may be present. An advantage of this embodiment is that the heat conducting structures are provided in the reusable cooling device and the manufacturing costs of the cooling pad can be reduced.

[0098] The drive 64 is adapted to drive the pump device 50 integrated in the cooling pad 10. An example of this will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0099] The cooling device 60 may also comprise a housing 65 and a carrying strap 66.

[0100] FIG. 3 shows a schematic figure of a cooling system 1 comprising a cooling pad 10, a closed cooling device 60 and additionally an orthosis 70. The second heat exchanger and the pump device 50 are accommodated in the receptacle 61 and covered by the cover lid 62. The cover lid 62 or the housing 65 therefore advantageously protects the pump device 50 and the second heat exchanger. The orthosis 70 can be a conventional orthosis.

[0101] FIG. 4 shows a user 100 with an exemplary knee orthosis 70. A thickness or height of the first heat exchanger 20 is advantageously adapted such that the heat exchanger can be worn under an orthosis 70. As shown in FIG. 4, the piping system 40 thus leads from the first heat exchanger 20 worn under the orthosis 70 to the cooling device 60. The cooling device 60 is advantageously a battery-powered cooling device that can be used as a mobile unit and independently of other cooling infrastructure. For example, the cooling device 60 can be worn with a shoulder strap 66. Alternatively, depending on the required cooling capacity, smaller units can also be provided, which can for example be worn on the belt or directly on the clothing or body.

[0102] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show sectional views along A-A and B-B in FIG. 1, respectively. The first heat exchanger 20 (see FIG. 6) and the piping system 40 (see FIG. 5) can have a common layer structure with an upper cover layer 25 and a lower cover layer 26. Between the upper cover layer 25 and the lower cover layer 26 there is an intermediate layer 27. The fluid channels of the first heat exchanger 20 and the piping system 40 can be arranged in the intermediate layer 27. Advantageously, the second heat exchanger 40 also has a corresponding layer structure. Fluid channels of the second heat exchanger can also be arranged between the upper and lower cover layers 25, 26. Advantageously, the pump device 50 can also be arranged between the upper cover layer 25 and the lower cover layer 26. Thereby, a simple, cost-effective construction can be achieved. The cooling pad can be designed as one piece. Optionally, the side surfaces may also have common side layers 28, 29.

[0103] In the area of the first heat exchanger, the fluid channels 23 can advantageously have a cross-section with a flattened side, for example a semicircular cross-section as shown in FIG. 6. The flattened side is advantageously arranged facing a side or surface of the heat exchanger through which heat is to be absorbed or dissipated. In the shown embodiment, the heat is absorbed or dissipated via the upper cover layer 25. Advantageously the upper cover layer 25 can be implemented as a thin, heat conductive and fluid-tight membrane. The top layer 25 can form a side wall of the fluid channels. This can facilitate heat transfer, as thermal resistance can be reduced. With respect to the lower cover layer 26, the intermediate layer 27 may optionally provide insulating effect. Advantageously, a semicircular cross-section of the fluid channels 23, with a planar surface facing upwards, covered by a thin cover sheet for contact with a body surface for good heat transfer, may thus be provided with an optional rear insulation layer. Another advantage of flattened fluid channels 23 is that the thickness of the heat exchanger can be reduced.

[0104] It is to be understood that the second heat exchanger can optionally be adapted accordingly. The second heat exchanger can also comprise fluid channels. The fluid channels may have a flattened side which may face the cooling element 63 during operation of the cooling device 60.

[0105] FIG. 7 shows a schematic figure of a cooling system 1 with a sectional view of a cooling device 60. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the cooling device 63 comprises an electrically operated Peltier element 81, which can be mounted on a cover 62. Alternatively, the Peltier element can also be arranged below the receptacle as shown in FIG. 2. It is to be understood that several cooling elements can also be provided. The cover 62 is arranged at a base body of the housing 65 by means of a hinge 82 and forms together therewith a receptacle 61 for the second heat exchanger 30.

[0106] The electrically operated Peltier element 81 cools, via the second heat exchanger 30, the heat transfer fluid 11 circulated by the pump device 50 in the hermetically sealed fluid circuit of the cooling pad 10. The excess heat, i.e. the heat extracted from the heat transfer fluid plus the electrical power of the Peltier element 81 can be dissipated via a heat sink 83 and optionally a fan 84.

[0107] Via the closed fluid circuit, the heat transfer fluid 11, now cooled down to a predetermined temperature, is transported to the first heat exchanger 20, which rests on a skin area 101, where it absorbs heat so that the skin area 101 is cooled as desired.

[0108] The cross-sections of the ducts can advantageously be optimized in such a way that only a minimum fluid volume is necessary, so that the thermal inertia of the system is minimized, but at the same time a sufficiently high flow rate can be realized and the energy expenditure for the circulation of the cooling medium does not become too high. Typical cooling capacities (heat dissipation from the tissue) are in the range of 20 to 60 mW/cm2. Typical cooling areas are in the range of 100 to 500 cm2. This results in cooling capacities in the range of 2 W to 30 W. In particular considering the usually time-limited thermotherapy, this is also possible with battery-powered devices. The pumping power for circulation may be 1 to 3 W or less.

[0109] The cooling device 60 can optionally comprise an energy storage 85 for mains-independent operation. Advantageously, the cooling device 60 also comprises a control device. The control device can implement the functions of a controller 86 and/or a monitoring device 89 as described above. For example, the control device can be implemented in the form of a microcontroller which, for example, controls a power controller for the power supply of the Peltier element and/or controls the drive 64. The cooling device 60 can optionally comprise a first and/or second temperature sensor 87, 88. In particular, a first temperature sensor 87 upstream of the cooling element 63 for measuring a return temperature and a second temperature sensor 88 downstream of the cooling element for measuring a flow temperature may be provided. Based on the temperature difference and a volume flow of the heat transfer fluid, a cooling capacity removed from the skin area 101 can be estimated.

[0110] As indicated in FIG. 7 and exemplarily shown below in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, the pump device 50 can be adapted to be driven by a drive 64 of the cooling device 60 without any opening or lead-through. The drive 64 may comprise an electric motor 91 and a driver or carrier 92. The electric motor 91 can in turn be controlled via the control device 86. However, it is also possible to drive the pump device by means of an eddy-current drive without lead-through.

[0111] FIG. 8 shows a top view of the drive 64 with the electric motor 91 and the driver or carrier 92, which may comprise one or more magnets 93. With the magnets 93 a force can be transmitted to the pump device 50 without any lead-through. For example as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the pump device 50 can be implemented as magnetically coupled gear type pump. For this, one or more magnets 96 are provided on at least one gear wheel 95. If the cooling pad with the pump device 50 is now inserted into the cooling device 60 in such a way that the magnets 96 of the gearwheel 95 of the pump device 50 are placed over the magnets 93 of the drive unit 64, a force of the drive can be transmitted without opening or lead-through. Hence, the hermetically sealed fluid circuit can be maintained.

[0112] FIG. 11 shows a flow chart of a method 200 of operating a cooling pad and a cooling device. In a first step S201 the cooling pad and the corresponding cooling device are provided. In a second step S202 the second heat exchanger of the cooling pad is placed in a receptacle of the cooling device. In a third step S203 the first heat exchanger of the cooling pad is applied to a location to be cooled. In a fourth step S204 the cooling process with the cooling device is started. It is to be understood that cooling can also be used for non-therapeutic purposes, for example for cosmetic purposes or relaxation.

[0113] The method described herein allows for very easy handling, even by less experienced users. The application of the cooling device in step S203 can take place, for example, with a conventional orthosis or bandage or similar. Thus, the proposed cooling pad can easily be used in a variety of different application scenarios.

[0114] The solutions described herein may help to prevent swelling, relieve pain and/or prevent tissue or nerve damage, especially after accidents, surgery or sports injuries. Another advantageous application is cooling, especially of extremities, during or after chemotherapy to avoid or reduce side effects such as numbness, nerve and tissue damage, and hair loss. An advantageous application in veterinary medicine is the treatment of joint problems of horses. In this case, a battery-powered cooling device can be attached to the animal, for example by means of a carrying strap, and an advantageously flexible cooling pad adapted to the shape of the joint in question may provide optimum cooling.