Coolsystems, Inc.

Life Support Systems, Inc.

Other

Acurex Corporation

Life Ehancement Technologies, Inc.

Life Enhancement Technologies, Inc.

William Elkins

Bill A Williams

James C Fletcher

Harold H Kuehn

Eugene W Connell

Richard H Chamberlin

Ernest Glenn Tickner

E Glenn Tickner

Robert E Short

A heat exchange panel for use in an active heat exchange system. The heat exchange panel includes first and second layers having seals between the layers at a common border, at fences, and at dots of a dot matrix. The dot matrix is organized into first parallel lines and second parallel lines where the first and second parallel line cross at a 90&#xb0; angle. The seals at the border and the fences are rippled with smooth ripples.

Compliant heat exchange panel

Equipment for thermal therapy of patients is disclosed. The equipment includes a flexible heat exchange structure having fluid conducting channels formed between two layers of flexible material, with improved liquid manifolds at the ends of the channels for resisting pinching, crimping or buckling in the manifolds on pressurization and when the heat exchange structure is subjected to flexure as when worn on the human body. The manifolds are configured so that pressurization shrinkage at the manifold is balanced with pressurization shrinkage laterally among the fluid conducting channels. In a preferred embodiment, the fluid conducting channels themselves are configured in a zig-zag pattern which is effective to resist buckling or pinching of the channels when the heat exchange structure is subjected to bending. In a further embodiment the flexible heat exchange structure includes a third layer of material to form a pressurized air envelope, for heat/cold and pressure theraby.

Cooling/heating system

An embodiment of the present invention is a therapy component of an animate body heat exchanger that includes: (a) a bladder that contains a heat exchange medium, which bladder is compliant and is shaped to conform to a body part to be subjected to heat exchange; (b) a gas pressure bladder that overlays at least a portion of the bladder to direct gas pressure against the body part and against the portion to press the portion towards the body part, which gas pressure bladder is defined at least partially by a first pair of generally parallel walls; and (c) a plurality of first connections that connect the walls together interiorly of the gas pressure bladder to inhibit separation of the walls.

Therapy component of an animate body heat exchanger and method of manufacturing such component

Equipment for thermal therapy of patients is disclosed. The equipment includes a flexible heat exchange structure having fluid conducting channels formed between two layers of flexible material, with improved liquid manifolds at the ends of the channels for resisting pinching, crimping or buckling in the manifolds on pressurization and when the heat exchange structure is subjected to flexure as when worn on the human body. The manifolds are configured so that pressurization shrinkage at the manifold is balanced with pressurization shrinkage laterally among the fluid conducting channels. In a preferred embodiment, the fluid conducting channels themselves are configured in a zig-zag pattern which is effective to resist buckling or pinching of the channels when the heat exchange structure is subjected to bending. In a further embodiment the flexible heat exchange structure includes a third layer of material to form a pressurized air envelope, for heat/cold and pressure therapy.

Cap and vest components of an animate body heat exchanger designed to apply a controlled temperature to parts of a human body are described. The cap and vest components are often used in combination, and the interior side edges of the cap are curvilinear and intermesh lengthwise to assure that the portion of the head underlying the junction between such edges is subjected to the controlled temperature. The vest includes not only a zipper for application and removal, but also separate lacing for close fitting adjustment.

Cap and vest garment components of an animate body heat exchanger

A bedding system has provision for heating or cooling a person and for applying the heating or cooling only in areas of the bed where the person is located. A sealed three-ply heat transfer and insulating device covers the mattress, below the contour sheet or other covering which comes in contact with the person's body. A wicking contour sheet or other cover may optionally be used, capable of absorbing any condensation on the surface of the three-ply device. Between the lower two plies of the three-ply material is a channeled flow of coolant liquid, at a regulated temperature close to human skin temperature. Above these two plies, i.e. between the middle ply and the upper ply, is a sealed envelope containing slightly pressurized air. A light weight, well-insulated comforter is also recommended to isolate the sleeper from the thermal ambient environment.

Bedding system with selective heating and cooling

A bedding system has provision for heating or cooling a person and for applying the heating or cooling only in areas of the bed where the person is located. A sealed three-ply heat transfer and insulating device covers the mattress, below the contour sheet or other covering which comes in contact with the person's body. A wicking contour sheet or other cover may optionally be used, capable of absorbing any condensation on the surface of the three-ply device. Between the lower two plies of the three-ply material is channeled flow of coolant liquid, at a regulated temperature close to human skin temperature. Above these two plies. i.e. between the middle ply and the upper ply, is a sealed envelope containing slightly pressurized air. A light weight, well-insulated comforter is also recommended to isolate the sleeper from the thermal ambient environment.

A personal temperature control system including a first heat exchanger adapted to be worn as a garment and a second heat exchanger adapted to interact with a temperature source, the first and second heat exchangers being interconnected through a pump and reservoir unit. The first heat exchanger together with the pump and reservoir are portable and in one embodiment the second heat exchanger is constructed to be fully portable. Specific devices including automatic quick release couplings interconnect the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger through the pump and reservoir. The fabrication of the first heat exchanger in helmet and vest portions is disclosed together with a control display unit housing the pump and reservoir and including an adjustable flow valve connected in parallel with the second heat exchanger. A preferred embodiment of the adjustable flow valve provides non-linear change in rate of flow upon adjustment.

Personal temperature control system

Solar heat exchange panel manufactured by a high speed rotogravure or heat sealing process wherein two elongated sheets of flexible plastic film are laminated together along lines defining inlet and outlet manifolds and a plurality of flow passages. The manifolds extend substantially the entire length of the sheets, and the flow passageways are arranged in groups to form individual heat exchanger sections which are served by the manifold. Mounting loops are provided along the lateral edges of the panel and adapted for receiving elongated rods by which the panel can be tethered or secured to another such panel.

Solar heat exchange panel

Liquid cooled helmet comprising a cap of flexible material adapted to fit the head of a person, cooling panels mounted inside the cap forming passageways for carrying a liquid coolant, the panels being positioned to engage the cranium and neck of a person wearing the helmet, inlet and outlet lines communicating with the passageways, and releasable straps for securing the helmet about the neck of the wearer.

Liquid cooled helmet

A device for enhancing the detection of malignant tissue in the breasts of a woman comprises a brassiere-like garment which is fitted with a pair of liquid-perfused cooling panels which completely and compliantly cover the breasts and upper torso. The garment is connected by plastic tubing to a liquid cooling system comprising a fluid pump, a solenoid control valve for controlling the flow of fluid to either the cooling unit or the heating unit, a fluid reservoir, a temperature sensor in the reservoir, and a restrictor valve to control the pressure in the garment inlet cooling line.

Liquid cooled brassiere and method of diagnosing malignant tumors

A method of preserving foodstuffs by placing them in a container of given volume in which air at atmospheric pressure is present and selectively removing the oxygen from the air in the container while maintaining substantially atmospheric pressure therein is disclosed. According to the invention, a flow of air is established through the container by means of an external conduit in which the oxygen in the air is catalytically reacted with hydrogen gas concurrently generated and added to the air flow for at least a predetermined length of time after which the generation and addition of hydrogen gas is terminated when the hydrogen/oxygen reaction falls below a given level. Various embodiments of the apparatus for practicing the method according to this invention are described.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

William Elkins