Thermal pumps with features

• US 20080125839A1
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C2Dx, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gaymar Industries Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Kelner, William J., Stewart, Thomas P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,257,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0001 Body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0054 with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0295 for heating or cooling or use at more than one temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/02 Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a thermal pump for controlling air bubbles, thermal therapy to allow the patient to perceive that the thermal therapy is constantly being applied, and ensure the appropriate amount of water flows through the thermal pump.

Claims

1. A thermal pump comprising:

a pump container having a dry compartment that contains a motor, a wet compartment that contains a propeller, and a shaft system that interconnects the motor to the propeller;

the wet compartment has a bottom surface, the bottom surface has a water inlet that does not protrude away from the pump container;

the propeller pulls water from a water bath into the wet compartment.

2. The thermal pump of claim 1 further comprising a conduit that directs the water from the wet compartment to a heating block.

3. The thermal pump of claim 2 wherein the heating block has heating pads that heat the water to a predetermined temperature.

4. The thermal pump of claim 2 wherein the heating block ensures the water does not get cooled below a predetermined temperature.

5. The thermal pump of claim 1 wherein the shaft system is a single shaft.

6. The thermal pump of claim 1 wherein the shaft system comprises a first shaft positioned exclusively in the dry compartment and having a first proximal end and a first distal end wherein the first proximal end connects to the motor and the first distal end (a) extends toward the propeller and (b) has a first magnet, and a second shaft positioned exclusively in the wet compartment and having a second proximal end and a second distal end wherein the second proximal end connects to the propeller and the second distal end (a) extends toward the motor, and (b) has a second magnet.

7. The thermal pump of claim 1 wherein the water inlet is planar with the bottom surface.

8. The thermal pump of claim 1 wherein the water inlet extends toward the propeller.

9. The thermal pump of claim 1 wherein the wet compartment has a bubble release aperture positioned above the propeller.

10. The thermal pump of claim 1 wherein the heating block (a) alters and/or allows the water'"'"'s temperature to reach a first predetermined temperature at a rate that can be sensed by a patient when the patient application device is applied to the patient, (b) alters and/or allows the water'"'"'s temperature to reach a second predetermined temperature at a rate that is not normally sensed by the patient when the patient application device is applied to the patient;

and (c) repeat step (a).

11. A thermal pump comprising:

a pump container having a dry compartment that contains a motor, a wet compartment that contains a propeller, and a shaft system that interconnects the motor to the propeller;

the wet compartment has a bottom surface, the bottom surface has a water inlet;

the propeller pulls water from a water bath into the wet compartment through the water inlet and pushes the water into a conduit toward a heating block and to a patient application device;

the heating block has a heating pad and/or a cooling pad, and

a therapy management device that controls the thermal energy provided by the heating pad and/or the cooling pad to

(a) direct the water'"'"'s temperature toward a first predetermined temperature at a rate that can be sensed by a patient when the patient application device is applied to the patient,

(b) direct the water'"'"'s temperature toward a second predetermined temperature at a rate that is not normally sensed by the patient when the patient application device is applied to the patient,

wherein

(i) if the first predetermined temperature is obtained by raising the water'"'"'s temperature then the second predetermined temperature is obtained by lowering the water'"'"'s temperature and

(ii) if the first predetermined temperature is obtained by lowering the water'"'"'s temperature then the second predetermined temperature is obtained by raising the water'"'"'s temperature; and

(c) repeat step (a).

12. The thermal pump of claim 11 wherein the water inlet does not protrude away from the pump container.

13. The thermal pump of claim 11 wherein the heating block has a heating pad that warms the water.

14. The thermal pump of claim 11 wherein the heating block has a cooling pad that cools the water.

15. The thermal pump of claim 11 wherein the sensed rate is more than 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit per minute, while the decreased-sensed rate is 0.01 to about 2.0 degrees Fahrenheit per minute.

16. The thermal pump of claim 11 wherein between step (a) and step (b), the heating block maintains the water'"'"'s temperature at the first predetermined temperature for a predetermined time frame.

17. The thermal pump of claim 16 wherein the predetermined time frame ranges from 0 seconds to 10 minutes.

18. The thermal pump of claim 11 wherein between step (b) and step (c), the heating block maintains the water'"'"'s temperature at the second predetermined temperature for a predetermined time frame.

19. The thermal pump of claim 11 wherein the bottom surface has a water inlet that does not protrude away from the pump container.

20. The thermal pump of claim 11 wherein the shaft system is a single shaft.

21. The thermal pump of claim 11 wherein the shaft system comprises a first shaft positioned exclusively in the dry compartment and having a first proximal end and a first distal end wherein the first proximal end connects to the motor and the first distal end (a) extends toward the propeller and (b) has a first magnet, and a second shaft positioned exclusively in the wet compartment and having a second proximal end and a second distal end wherein the second proximal end connects to the propeller and the second distal end (a) extends toward the motor, and (b) has a second magnet.

22. The thermal pump of claim 11 wherein the difference between the first predetermined temperature and the second predetermined temperature ranges from 5 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

23. A thermal pump comprising:

a pump container having a dry compartment that contains a motor, a wet compartment that contains a propeller, and a shaft system that interconnects the motor to the propeller;

the wet compartment has a bottom surface, the bottom surface has a water inlet;

the propeller pulls water from a water bath into the wet compartment through the water inlet and pushes the water into a first conduit toward a heating block having heating pads and then into a second conduit to a patient application device;

a water flow monitor measures the water'"'"'s temperature in the second conduit, and if the measurement of the water'"'"'s temperature does not decrease a predetermined amount in relation to the distance away from the heating block, then the water flow monitor transmits a signal to shut down the operation of the propeller and the heating block to ensure the thermal pump does not malfunction.

24. The thermal pump of claim 23 wherein the shaft system is a single shaft.

25. The thermal pump of claim 23 wherein the shaft system comprises a first shaft positioned exclusively in the dry compartment and having a first proximal end and a first distal end wherein the first proximal end connects to the motor and the first distal end (a) extends toward the propeller and (b) has a first magnet, and a second shaft positioned exclusively in the wet compartment and having a second proximal end and a second distal end wherein the second proximal end connects to the propeller and the second distal end (a) extends toward the motor, and (b) has a second magnet.

26. The thermal pump of claim 23 wherein the water inlet is planar with the bottom surface.

27. The thermal pump of claim 23 wherein the water inlet extends toward the propeller.

28. The thermal pump of claim 23 wherein the wet compartment has a bubble release aperture positioned above the propeller.

29. The thermal pump of claim 23 wherein the heating block (a) alters and/or allows the water'"'"'s temperature to reach a first predetermined temperature at a rate that can be sensed by a patient when the patient application device is applied to the patient, (b) alters and/or allows the water'"'"'s temperature to reach a second predetermined temperature at a rate that is not normally sensed by the patient when the patient application device is applied to the patient;

and (c) repeat step (a).