Circulating chilled-fluid therapeutic device

Claim 1

A therapeutic device for chilling a body joint or the like, comprising: a sealed, flexible, nonexpansible, collapsible container adapted to be affixed to a body joint or the like in heat transfer relationship therewith, said container defining a nonexpansible interior volume in liquid transfer relation with an inlet port and an outlet port, means for affixing said container to said body joint or the like in a predetermined position with respect to the vertical, such that said outlet port is in liquid transfer relation with substantially the uppermost portion of the interior volume of said container, and said inlet port is in liquid transfer relation with substantially the lowermost portion of the interior volume of said container, a reservoir for containing a quantity of chilled liquid, said reservoir comprising a return port in liquid transfer relation with an upper portion of said reservoir, and a supply port in liquid transfer relation with a lower portion of said reservoir; means for securing said reservoir in a particular orientation with respect to the vertical, so as to define said upper portion and said lower portion of said reservoir, and so that said reservoir can be supported above said container in use; a chilled liquid supply line connecting said supply port of said reservoir to said inlet port of said container; a warmed liquid return line connecting said outlet port of said container to said return port of said reservoir; and a quantity of chilled liquid filling said container and said supply and return lines, and filling said reservoir to a point at least above said return port, whereby chilled liquid enters said container through said supply line connected to said inlet port, is warmed by body heat from the body joint to be chilled, rises through said container due to convection, and is returned to said reservoir through said return line connected to said outlet port, establishing liquid circulation motivated by body heat from the body joint to be chilled, and chilling said body joint without phase change of the circulating liquid.

Claim 12

A method for chilling a body joint or the like, comprising the steps of: affixing a sealed container to a body joint or the like to be chilled in heat transfer relationship therewith, said container defining an interior volume in liquid transfer relation with an inlet port and an outlet port, said container being affixed to said body joint or the like in a predetermined position with respect to the vertical, such that said outlet port is in liquid transfer relation with substantially the uppermost portion of the interior volume of said container, and said inlet port is in liquid transfer relation with substantially the lowermost portion of the interior volume of said container; providing a reservoir containing a quantity of chilled liquid, said reservoir having an outlet port and a return port; securing said reservoir in a particular orientation with respect to the vertical, so as to define an upper portion and a lower portion of said reservoir, and such that said return port is in liquid transfer relation with said upper portion of said reservoir, and said supply port is in liquid transfer relation with said lower portion of said reservoir, and supporting said reservoir such that said outlet port is higher than said inlet port of said container; providing a chilled liquid supply line connecting said supply port of said reservoir to said inlet port of said container, and a warmed liquid return line connecting said return port of said reservoir to said outlet port of said container; and filling said reservoir, said container, and said supply and return lines with chilled liquid; and permitting said chilled liquid to enter said container through said supply line connected to said inlet port, to be warmed by body heat from the body joint or the like to be chilled, to rise through said container due to convection, and to be returned to said reservoir through said return line connected to said outlet port, whereby chilled liquid circulation is established without a source of energy other than body heat from the body joint or the like to be chilled, and whereby the body joint or the like be chilled is chilled without change of phase of said liquid.

Claim 13

A method for chilling a body joint or the like, comprising the steps of: affixing a sealed container to a body joint or the like to be chilled in heat transfer relationship therewith, said container defining an interior volume in liquid transfer relation with an inlet port and an outlet port, said container being affixed to said body joint or the like in a predetermined position with respect to the vertical, such that said outlet port is in liquid transfer relation with substantially the uppermost portion of the interior volume of said container, and said inlet port is in liquid transfer relation with substantially the lowermost portion of the interior volume of said container; providing a reservoir containing a quantity of chilled liquid, said reservoir having an outlet port and a return port; securing said reservoir in a particular orientation with respect to the vertical, so as to define an upper portion and a lower portion of said reservoir, and such that said return port is in liquid transfer relation with said upper portion of said reservoir, and said supply port is in liquid transfer relation with said lower portion of said reservoir, and supporting said reservoir such that said outlet port is higher than said inlet port of said container; providing a chilled liquid supply line connecting said supply port of said reservoir to said inlet port of said container, and a warmed liquid return line connecting said return port of said reservoir to said outlet port of said container; and filling said reservoir, said container, and said supply and return lines with chilled liquid; and permitting said chilled liquid to enter said container through said supply line connected to said inlet port, to be warmed by body heat from the body joint or the like to be chilled, to rise through said container due to convection, and to be returned to said reservoir through said return line connected to said outlet port, whereby chilled liquid circulation is established without a source of energy other than body heat from the body joint or the like to be chilled, and whereby the body joint or the like be chilled is chilled without change of phase of said liquid.