Integrated cold therapy-compression therapy assembly and associated treatment protocols
Inventors
Tian, Amanda Y • Mora, Veronica M • Johnson, Michael G
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11857491-B2
Publication Date
2024-01-02
Expiration Date
Abstract
A single integrated cold therapy-compression therapy assembly combines a cold therapy module designed to apply cold therapy in a continuous mode and a compression therapy module designed to apply compression therapy in an intermittent mode to select body parts of a user in accordance with associated integrated therapeutic treatment protocols. The body part selected for therapy is dependent on the particular needs of the user.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a cold therapy device that includes a reservoir container configured to contain a coolant, with a reservoir coolant mixing chamber positioned within the reservoir container. A cover is positioned within the reservoir container and encloses the reservoir coolant mixing chamber, dividing the coolant into a primary volume of coolant external to the cover and a secondary volume of coolant internal to the cover. The primary volume contains cold reservoir coolant at a cold reservoir coolant temperature, and the secondary volume contains a coolant inlet mixture at a coolant inlet mixture temperature greater than the cold reservoir coolant temperature.
The coolant inlet mixture is formed in the reservoir coolant mixing chamber by mixing warmed reservoir coolant with a portion of the cold reservoir coolant, where the warmed reservoir coolant has a warmed coolant outlet temperature greater than the coolant inlet mixture temperature. The cover includes a plurality of coolant openings that enable the portion of cold reservoir coolant to enter the reservoir coolant mixing chamber from the primary volume external to the cover. A diverter panel in the cover is continuously fluid-impermeable and free of any coolant openings, positioned adjacent to the coolant discharge and oriented relative to the coolant discharge and the coolant pump inlet so that warmed reservoir coolant is dispersed away from the coolant pump inlet and redirected back toward the coolant pump inlet.
A coolant pump has a coolant pump inlet and a coolant pump outlet, with the coolant pump inlet positioned within the reservoir coolant mixing chamber and submersible in the coolant inlet mixture. The warmed reservoir coolant flowpath extends from a pad flowpath through a coolant outlet port, a coolant outlet line, and a coolant discharge back to the reservoir coolant mixing chamber, while a coolant inlet mixture flowpath extends from the reservoir coolant mixing chamber through the coolant pump inlet, the coolant pump, the coolant inlet line, and the coolant inlet port to the pad flowpath. The device includes a treatment pad with a coolant inlet port, a coolant outlet port, and a pad flowpath, where the coolant inlet mixture is transformed to the warmed reservoir coolant in the treatment pad.
Claims Coverage
The provided document includes five independent claims. The independent claims center on temperature-defined cold therapy coolant mixing in a reservoir mixing chamber using a cover with coolant openings and a continuously fluid-impermeable diverter panel, with one claim additionally integrating a compression-therapy compressant subsystem.
Temperature-defined coolant mixing in a covered reservoir
A reservoir container includes a reservoir coolant mixing chamber, and a cover divides coolant into a primary volume of cold reservoir coolant at a cold reservoir coolant temperature and a secondary volume of a coolant inlet mixture at a coolant inlet mixture temperature greater than the cold reservoir coolant temperature.
Warmed reservoir coolant circulation via temperature relationships and ported flowpaths
Warmed reservoir coolant mixes with a portion of cold reservoir coolant in the reservoir coolant mixing chamber to form the coolant inlet mixture, where warmed reservoir coolant has a warmed coolant outlet temperature greater than the coolant inlet mixture temperature, and warmed reservoir coolant flows from the pad flowpath through a coolant outlet port, coolant outlet line, and coolant discharge back to the reservoir coolant mixing chamber.
Cover openings and continuously fluid-impermeable diverter panel flow redirection
A plurality of coolant openings formed in the cover enable cold reservoir coolant to enter the reservoir coolant mixing chamber from the primary volume, and a diverter panel in the cover is continuously fluid-impermeable and free of any coolant openings, positioned adjacent to the coolant discharge and oriented relative to the coolant discharge and coolant pump inlet to disperse warmed reservoir coolant away from the coolant pump inlet and redirect it back toward the coolant pump inlet.
Submersible coolant pump inlet and submersible/discharge positioning
A coolant pump has a coolant pump inlet positioned within the reservoir coolant mixing chamber and submersible in the coolant inlet mixture, and the coolant discharge for warmed reservoir coolant is positioned within the reservoir coolant mixing chamber.
Cold therapy treatment method using covered reservoir mixing and body heat transfer
A cold therapy treatment method stores cold reservoir coolant, positions a reservoir coolant mixing chamber and a cover to divide coolant into primary and secondary volumes, submerses the cover in the primary volume, mixes cold reservoir coolant with warmed reservoir coolant in the mixing chamber to form a coolant inlet mixture with a coolant inlet mixture temperature between warmed coolant outlet temperature and cold reservoir coolant temperature, and draws and conveys the coolant inlet mixture through a treatment pad flowpath where it is warmed by heat transfer with the body to form warmed reservoir coolant.
Integrated cold therapy-compression therapy assembly with compressant venting
An integrated assembly includes a compressant pump and a solenoid vent having a biased open position and a closed position that is in the compressant inlet flowpath in the closed position to retain a pressurized compressant and is in the compressant outlet flowpath in the biased open position to discharge the pressurized compressant from a compressant compartment, combined with a reservoir coolant mixing chamber and diverter panel structure for cold therapy circulation.
Reservoir lid selective cover/uncover with upper/lower portion geometry and sealing
A reservoir opening in the reservoir container is surrounded by a rim defining an opening shape and dimensions, and a reservoir lid selectively covers or uncovers the reservoir opening; the reservoir lid has an upper portion and a lower portion configured so the upper portion perimeter closely engages the rim and the lower portion is narrower, with the upper portion sealed against liquid intrusion from the lower portion or outside the reservoir lid except for fluid passing through the upper portion while fully contained within coolant pump outlet and coolant inlet/outlet lines.
Across the independent claims, the inventive subject matter is directed to temperature-defined mixing of cold and warmed reservoir coolant in an internal reservoir coolant mixing chamber under a cover that provides coolant openings, combined with a continuously fluid-impermeable diverter panel that redirects warmed coolant away from and back toward the coolant pump inlet. The claims further require defined cold-to-warmed circulation flowpaths through a treatment pad and, in at least one independent claim, an integrated compression-therapy compressant pumping/venting subsystem using a solenoid vent, as well as selective reservoir lid geometry and sealing.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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