US4184537A — Selective heating and cooling apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 234 words

A portable apparatus for selectively cooling or heating a limb of a patient or the like and comprising a compressor, a condenser, expansion valve means, at least one flexible pad adapted to be wrapped around a bodily limb and including flexible tubing serving as an evaporator, an auxiliary evaporator, conduit means including a reversing valve for selectively circulating a refrigerant composition (a) in a first cooling direction serially from said compressor to said condenser, to said expansion valve means, to said tubing, to said auxiliary evaporator and back to said compressor, and (b) in a second heating direction serially from said compressor to said auxiliary evaporator, to said tubing, to said expansion valve means, to said condenser, and back to said compressor, and a by-pass conduit operatively connected to said conduit means and extending from a point downstream of said compressor and upstream of said pad to a point downstream of said pad and upstream of said auxiliary evaporator when viewed in said cooling direction, and by-pass valve means for selectively opening and closing said by-pass conduit and so that the refrigerant composition will flow concurrently through the by-pass conduit and through the flexible tubing of said pad when said by-pass conduit is open and the refrigerant is circulating in said cooling direction, whereby the temperature of said pad during cooling may be controlled by the opening and closing of said by-pass valve means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 234 words

A portable apparatus for selectively cooling or heating a limb of a patient or the like and comprising a compressor, a condenser, expansion valve means, at least one flexible pad adapted to be wrapped around a bodily limb and including flexible tubing serving as an evaporator, an auxiliary evaporator, conduit means including a reversing valve for selectively circulating a refrigerant composition (a) in a first cooling direction serially from said compressor to said condenser, to said expansion valve means, to said tubing, to said auxiliary evaporator and back to said compressor, and (b) in a second heating direction serially from said compressor to said auxiliary evaporator, to said tubing, to said expansion valve means, to said condenser, and back to said compressor, and a by-pass conduit operatively connected to said conduit means and extending from a point downstream of said compressor and upstream of said pad to a point downstream of said pad and upstream of said auxiliary evaporator when viewed in said cooling direction, and by-pass valve means for selectively opening and closing said by-pass conduit and so that the refrigerant composition will flow concurrently through the by-pass conduit and through the flexible tubing of said pad when said by-pass conduit is open and the refrigerant is circulating in said cooling direction, whereby the temperature of said pad during cooling may be controlled by the opening and closing of said by-pass valve means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 110 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said apparatus comprises a second like flexible pad operatively disposed in parallel with said one flexible pad in said conduit means, and each of said pads further includes an inlet tubing segment connected to one end of said flexible tubing for conducting the refrigerant composition into the associated pad during flow in the cooling direction and from the associated pad during flow in the heating direction, and check valve means disposed in each of said inlet tubing segments, said valve means being open to the flow of the refrigerant composition in said cooling direction while substantially restricting flow in said heating direction.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said check valve means comprises a one-way valve having an orifice therethrough of between about 0.10 and 0.01 inches in diameter for restrictively permitting flow of the refrigerant composition in the heating direction.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 55 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said expansion valve means comprises first and second expansion valves, and said conduit means further comprises means for conducting the refrigerant composition through only said first expansion valve during flow in said cooling direction, and through only said second expansion valve during flow in said heating direction.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said by-pass conduit extends from a point downstream from said compressor and upstream from said condenser to said auxiliary evaporator when viewed in said cooling direction.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 80 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising positive pressure means for maintaining a selected refrigerant composition minimum pressure in said tubing of said pad during cooling operation, said positive pressure means comprising a conduit line communicating with said conduit means at a point downstream from said compressor and upstream from said condenser and extending to a point immediately upstream of said auxiliary evaporator when viewed in said cooling direction, and pressure responsive valve means in said conduit line.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 62 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said by-pass valve means includes means for monitoring the temperature at said pad, and means operable during cooling operation for closing said by-pass valve means when the temperature at the pad is above a pre-selected temperature, and for opening said by-pass valve means when the temperature at the pad is below a pre-selected temperature.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 65 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 7 further comprising means operable during heating operation for actuating said reversing valve to cause said pad to be cooled when the temperature at the pad is above a pre-selected temperature, and for returning said reversing valve to its other position to cause said pad to be heated when the temperature at the pad is below a pre-selected temperature.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a resistive heating element positioned adjacent said auxiliary evaporator for supplying heat thereto during cooling operation.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 71 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a by-pass pipe operatively connected to said conduit means and extending from a point immediately downstream of said compressor to a point immediately upstream of said condenser when viewed in said heating direction, and a pressure actuated valve in said by-pass pipe for selectively opening said by-pass pipe during heating and upon the pressure of the refrigerant composition reaching a predetermined level.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 246 words

A portable apparatus for selectively cooling or heating a plurality of limbs on one or a number of patients or the like, and characterized by substantially equal temperatures in each of the pads regardless of their respective elevations, and comprising: a compressor, a condenser, expansion valve means, evaporator means, and conduit means including a reversing valve for selectively circulating a refrigerant composition (a) in a first cooling direction serially from said compressor to said condenser, to said expansion valve means, to said evaporator means, and back to said compressor, and (b) in a second heating direction serially from said compressor to said evaporator means, to said expansion valve means, to said condenser, and back to said compressor, said evaporator means comprising at least two flexible pads, with each pad being adapted to be wrapped around a bodily limb and including flexible tubing serving as an evaporator, an inlet tubing segment connected to one end of said flexible tubing, and an outlet tubing segment connected to the other end of said flexible tubing, and means interconnecting said inlet and outlet tubing segments of all of said pads in parallel, and whereby the refrigerant flows into the pads through the inlet tubing segments during cooling and into the pads through the outlet tubing segments during heating, and check valve means disposed in each of said inlet tubing segments for permitting substantially unrestricted flow of the refrigerant in said cooling direction while substantially restricting flow in said heating direction.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 246 words

A portable apparatus for selectively cooling or heating a plurality of limbs on one or a number of patients or the like, and characterized by substantially equal temperatures in each of the pads regardless of their respective elevations, and comprising: a compressor, a condenser, expansion valve means, evaporator means, and conduit means including a reversing valve for selectively circulating a refrigerant composition (a) in a first cooling direction serially from said compressor to said condenser, to said expansion valve means, to said evaporator means, and back to said compressor, and (b) in a second heating direction serially from said compressor to said evaporator means, to said expansion valve means, to said condenser, and back to said compressor, said evaporator means comprising at least two flexible pads, with each pad being adapted to be wrapped around a bodily limb and including flexible tubing serving as an evaporator, an inlet tubing segment connected to one end of said flexible tubing, and an outlet tubing segment connected to the other end of said flexible tubing, and means interconnecting said inlet and outlet tubing segments of all of said pads in parallel, and whereby the refrigerant flows into the pads through the inlet tubing segments during cooling and into the pads through the outlet tubing segments during heating, and check valve means disposed in each of said inlet tubing segments for permitting substantially unrestricted flow of the refrigerant in said cooling direction while substantially restricting flow in said heating direction.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said evaporator means further comprises an auxiliary evaporator operatively connected to said conduit means and positioned downstream of all of said pads and upstream of said compressor when viewed in said cooling direction.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 170 words

A portable apparatus for selectively cooling or heating a limb of a patient or the like and comprising a compressor, a condenser, expansion valve means, at least one flexible pad adapted to be wrapped around a bodily limb and including flexible tubing serving as an evaporator, an auxiliary evaporator, conduit means including a reversing valve for selectively circulating a refrigerant composition (a) in a first cooling direction serially from said compressor to said condenser, to said expansion valve means, to said tubing, to said auxiliary evaporator and back to said compressor, and (b) in a second heating direction serially from said compressor to said auxiliary evaporator, to said tubing, to said expansion valve means, to said condenser, and back to said compressor, and said expansion valve means comprising first and second separate expansion valves, and said conduit means further comprises means for conducting the refrigerant through only said first expansion valve during flow in said cooling direction, and through only said second expansion valve during flow in said heating direction.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 170 words

A portable apparatus for selectively cooling or heating a limb of a patient or the like and comprising a compressor, a condenser, expansion valve means, at least one flexible pad adapted to be wrapped around a bodily limb and including flexible tubing serving as an evaporator, an auxiliary evaporator, conduit means including a reversing valve for selectively circulating a refrigerant composition (a) in a first cooling direction serially from said compressor to said condenser, to said expansion valve means, to said tubing, to said auxiliary evaporator and back to said compressor, and (b) in a second heating direction serially from said compressor to said auxiliary evaporator, to said tubing, to said expansion valve means, to said condenser, and back to said compressor, and said expansion valve means comprising first and second separate expansion valves, and said conduit means further comprises means for conducting the refrigerant through only said first expansion valve during flow in said cooling direction, and through only said second expansion valve during flow in said heating direction.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1983-01-21	1983-07-23	1984-01-22	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1987-01-21	1987-07-23	1988-01-22	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1991-01-21	1991-07-23	1992-01-22	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Selective heating and cooling apparatus

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