Inflatable thermal blanket for convectively and evaporatively cooling a body

• US 6,119,474 A
• Filed: 10/20/1998
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Augustine Medical, Inc. (3M Company)
• Inventors: Augustine, Scott D., Iaizzo, Paul Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): DOERRLER, WILLIAM CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US09/176,477
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 62/259.3, 62/314, 62/304, 607/104, 607/107
• US Class Current: 62/259.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/0215 with cooling or heating means electric blankets H05B3/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0001 Body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0002 Head or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/006 of gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0091 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/0097 Blankets with active heating or cooling sources warming mats A61F7/08

Abstract

An inflatable thermal blanket is disclosed for convectively and evaporatively cooling a patient. The inflatable thermal blanket comprises an upper sheet and a base sheet that are attached at a plurality of locations to form an inflatable covering. The base sheet includes a plurality of apertures that direct an inflating medium from the inflatable covering toward the patient. The base sheet also supports a fluid delivery apparatus that distributes and delivers a cooling fluid to the patient. The fluid is evaporated from the patient'"'"'s skin by the inflating medium exhausted from the inflatable covering. The fluid delivery apparatus may be constructed in a variety of configurations and may be circulate a variety of fluids, which may be pressurized or unpressurized. In operation, an air blower, that may also include a compressor for selectively delivering room temperature or cooled air to the inflatable thermal blanket, is connected to the inflatable covering. The blower delivers air, under pressure, to an inlet opening in the inflatable covering. The pressurized air is distributed throughout the inflatable covering and flows to the patient through the apertures in the base sheet. The inflatable thermal blanket is configured to cover one or more portions of a patient'"'"'s body. In one construction, the inflatable thermal blanket covers all of the patient'"'"'s body except for the head. In an alternative construction, a specially designed inflatable thermal blanket is constructed to cover only the patient'"'"'s head.

Claims

1. A system for cooling a person, comprising:

a convective thermal blanket with a base sheet;

a fluid delivery apparatus disposed against the base sheet; and

means for delivering fluid from the fluid delivery apparatus onto the body of the person.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery apparatus is attached to the base sheet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means are orifices in the fluid delivery apparatus.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the means are nozzles in the fluid delivery apparatus.