Abstract
Disclosed is a device for cooling a body or body part for medical or performance-enhancing purposes, said device consisting of one or more cooling elements (11), said cooling element (11) being provided with a cover (1) that is filled with meltable cooling solid (2). The disclosed device is characterized in that an additional apparatus for displacing the already melted portion (8) of the cooling solid (2) from the contact surface (7) to the body is provided inside the cover (1), the expandable member (4, 6) being preferably designed in the form of a filled member (4) of a spring element (6) or of a foamed article. Also disclosed is an additional device which is characterized in that a layer (16) of thermochromic material indicates when a threshold temperature is exceeded, said layer (16) being applied to the bottom side of the expandable member and thus being pressed against the remaining solid portion of the cooling solid, the cover (1) being transparent in this case.
Claims
1. An apparatus for cooling a body or body part for medical or performance-enhancing purposes, the apparatus comprising: a contact surface configured and arranged to contact the body or body part; a cooling element which includes an elastic cover configured and arranged to enclose a meltable cooling solid, a device configured and arranged to displace melted cooling solid of the meltable cooling solid away from the contact surface, the device including an expandable body having a spring element, the expandable body configured and arranged to be gas-filled; and a dimensionally-stable outer cover configured and arranged to enclose the cooling element, prevent uncontrolled expansion of the cooling element when subjected to a freezing temperature, and store the cooling element during freezing and which is removable before applying the cooling element on the body or body part.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover is transparent, and including a layer of thermochromic material on a bottom side of the expandable body to be pressed against a frozen portion of the cooling solid to indicate temperatures exceeding a predetermined threshold.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including an adhesive layer configured and arranged for application to the body or body part.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the meltable cooling solid is water.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The present invention is now explained in greater detail by reference to embodiments shown in the enclosed drawings, wherein:
(2) FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 each show a schematic sectional view through an element of a cooling mat. Each of these elements is formed by a cover 1 and a cooling solid 2, which consists of a liquid, preferably water. The liquid shall transfer to the solid state at a temperature of approximately +10 C. to 10 C. The elements are subsequently referred to below as cooling elements. The cooling element of FIG. 1 is shown without the apparatus in accordance with the invention and only contains the cooling solid 2. FIG. 2 shows a cooling element with a gaseous or solid expandable element 4 which is integrated in accordance with the invention in the cooling element 1 and is surrounded by an elastic film 3. FIG. 3 shows a mechanical apparatus in accordance with the invention in form of a spring or another elastic material 6 in a gas-filled body, which is also separated by an elastic cover 5 from the cooling solid 1.
(3) FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show the cooling elements of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in the frozen state. The cover 1 is so elastic in all cases that it can absorb the expansion of the cooling solid 2 during freezing without tearing, but produces a tension which compresses the expandable element 4 in FIG. 5 or the elastic material such as a spring 6 in the gas-filled body in FIG. 6. The covers of the expandable element in FIGS. 5 and 6 are more elastic than the cover 1.
(4) FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show the cooling elements of FIGS. 1 to 3 and 4 to 6 after the application to a body or body part on the skin surface 7, which is schematically shown in a sectional view. FIG. 7 shows that a liquid layer 8 is formed in cooling elements which do not comprise any apparatus in accordance with the invention and which significantly reduce the heat transmission between the solid cooling solid 2 and the skin surface 7 already after a short period of time.
(5) FIGS. 8 and 9 show two embodiments of the apparatus in accordance with the invention. FIG. 8 shows that after the heating of the cooling solid the still solid portion of the cooling solid 2 is pressed against the skin, as a result of the expansion of the expandable element 4 and the already melted liquid 8 is thus displaced in the upward direction. FIG. 9 shows an expansion of the mechanical expandable element 6, which exerts a selective and purposeful pressure on the still solid portion of the cooling solid 2 and displaces the already melted portion 8 of the cooling solid to the side facing away from the skin surface 7. As a result, the direct contact of the still solid portion of the cooling solid to the skin surface and thus the thermal conduction and efficiency of the cooling mat can thus be maintained.
(6) FIG. 10 shows a top view of an example how several cooling elements 11, which are provided in this case in square form, can be combined to form a cooling mat 10. FIG. 11 shows the forces in a cooling solid during the melting process. The arrow 13 symbolises the force which presses the still solid portion of the cooling solid, against the opposite wall and thus displaces the already liquid portion of the cooling solid on the contact surface to the skin 7 in the upward direction according to the arrows 12. FIG. 12 shows a positioning example how the cooling mat 10 can be applied to a body or body part 14 by means of an adhesive film or by mechanical apparatuses such as bandages.
(7) FIG. 13 shows a sectional view of the positioning of a thermochromic in layer 16, which allows a precise indication of the temperature of the cooling mat in the interior. The attachment in accordance with the invention to the bottom side of the expandable element ensures contact with the still solid portion of the cooling solid on a long-term basis, as a result of which the reaching of a temperature threshold value which signals the decrease in the efficiency can be indicated in a highly precise manner by colour indicators. When using a transparent cover of the expandable element, this limit value can be determined from the outside by the thus provided inspection window 15.
(8) FIG. 14 shows a dimensionally-stable outer cover 17, in which the cooling mat is stored during the freezing process for avoiding uncontrolled expansion. This outer cover can simultaneously be used as a packaging. The bottom layer 18 can be removed as in a blister packaging for removing the cooling mat.
