Home-use applicators for non-invasively removing heat from subcutaneous lipid-rich cells via phase change coolants, and associates devices, systems and methods

• US 9,314,368 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2011
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Allison, John W., Levinson, Mitchell E., Rosen, Jesse N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peffley, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Giuliani, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US13/013,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20110238050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,911 Days
• Field of Search: 607/96, 607/104, 165/46, 606/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0056 for cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0096 with a thermometer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/029 Fat cell removal or destruction by non-ablative heat treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0292 using latent heat produced or absorbed during phase change of materials, e.g. of super-cooled solutions
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/02 Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling

Abstract

Home-use applicators for non-invasively removing heat from subcutaneous, lipid-rich cells via phase change coolants, and associated devices, systems and methods. A device in accordance with a particular embodiment includes an applicator releasably positionable in thermal communication with human skin, and a coolant vessel having a coolant. The device further includes a heat transfer conduit operatively coupled to the applicator and housing a heat transfer fluid that is isolated from fluid contact with the coolant. A heat exchanger is operatively coupled between the coolant vessel and the heat transfer conduit to transfer heat between the heat transfer fluid and the coolant, and a fluid driver is operatively coupled to the heat transfer conduit to direct the heat transfer fluid between the applicator and the heat exchanger.

Claims

1. A cooling device for cooling subcutaneous lipid-rich cells in a human, comprising:

an applicator releasably positionable in thermal communication with human skin;

an agitator;

a coolant vessel having a coolant with a first liquid/solid phase transition temperature less than about −

3°

C. and greater than about −

20°

C., wherein a solid portion of the coolant is capable of transitioning from a solid phase to a liquid/gel phase and the agitator is capable of actuating to agitate the coolant in the liquid/gel phase in the vessel to provide a generally constant temperature environment within the coolant vessel for a treatment period;

a heat transfer conduit operatively coupled to the applicator and housing a heat transfer fluid having a second liquid/solid phase transition temperature less than the first, the heat transfer fluid being isolated from fluid contact with the coolant;

a heat exchanger positioned within the coolant vessel and operatively coupled to the heat transfer conduit to transfer heat between the heat transfer fluid and the coolant, the heat exchanger including a heat exchanger conduit that, together with the heat transfer conduit and the applicator, form a sealed, closed-loop path for the heat transfer fluid; and

a fluid driver operatively coupled to the heat transfer conduit to direct the heat transfer fluid between the applicator and the heat exchanger;

a controller in communication with the fluid driver and including a computer readable medium containing instructions that, when executed, cause the fluid driver to circulate the heat transfer fluid along the closed-loop path while the constant temperature environment within the coolant vessel is at or below 0°

C. for the treatment period such that

a surface of the applicator is at a temperature sufficiently low to disrupt the subcutaneous lipid-rich cells via thermal communication between the applicator and human skin, and

the surface of the applicator is at the temperature for a sufficient length of time to reduce the subcutaneous lipid-rich cells via the thermal communication between the applicator and the human skin.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the fluid driver includes a pump.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the fluid driver further includes a pump motor, and wherein the pump motor is removable from the pump without breaking the sealed, closed loop path.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a heater positioned in thermal communication with the heat transfer fluid to heat the heat transfer fluid.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the heat transfer conduit includes a supply portion positioned to deliver the heat transfer fluid to the applicator, and a return portion positioned to receive the heat transfer fluid from the applicator, and wherein the device further comprises:

a heater positioned in thermal communication with the heat transfer conduit;

a shunt channel coupled between the supply portion and the return portion of the heat transfer conduit, in parallel with the heat exchanger;

at least one valve positioned to regulate flow through the shunt channel;

at least one sensor; and

wherein the controller is operatively coupled to the at least one sensor, the heater, the fluid driver, and the at least one valve, and wherein the computer readable medium contains additional instructions that, when executed;

direct the at least one valve to open the shunt channel to divert heat transfer fluid around the heat exchanger;

activate the fluid driver to pump the heat transfer fluid into the applicator;

activate the heater; and

deactivate the heater and direct the at least one valve to close the shunt channel based on at least one temperature signal from the at least one sensor corresponding to active heating of the heat transfer fluid.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising a timer.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the sensor includes a temperature sensor.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the heat transfer conduit includes a supply portion and a return portion, the device further comprising:

a shunt channel coupled between the supply portion and the return portion of the heat transfer conduit, in parallel with the heat exchanger; and

at least one valve positioned to regulate flow through the shunt channel.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the first phase transition temperature is greater than about −

6°

C.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the agitator is operatively coupled to and positioned within the coolant vessel.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the coolant is selected to include at least one of water, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glycerin, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, hydroxyethyl cellulose and salt.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the heat transfer fluid is selected to include at least one of water, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glycerin, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, hydroxyethyl cellulose and salt.

13. The cooling device of claim 1 wherein the controller is programmed to cause the cooling device to circulate the heat transfer fluid such that the surface of the applicator is at the temperature for disrupting the lipid-rich cells for a time period between about 15 minutes and 2 hours.

14. A cooling device for cooling subcutaneous lipid-rich cells in a human, comprising:

a coolant vessel having a coolant with a first liquid/solid phase transition temperature less than about −

3°

C.;

a heat exchanger positioned within the coolant vessel and housing a heat transfer fluid having a second liquid/solid phase transition temperature less than the first liquid/solid phase transition temperature; and

an applicator operatively coupled to the heat exchanger via a closed-loop path that circulates the heat transfer fluid to transfer heat from the applicator to the coolant, wherein the first liquid/solid phase transition temperature is selected to produce a temperature at the applicator that selectively reduces the lipid-rich cells via thermal communication between the applicator and human skin, and wherein the temperature produced at the applicator is less than about 0°

C.;

a fluid driver configured to be activated to direct the heat transfer fluid between the applicator and the heat exchanger; and

a controller programmed to cause the fluid driver to circulate the heat transfer fluid along the closed-loop path while the coolant is capable of undergoing a solid to liquid/gel phase change such that the temperature of the applicator is sufficiently low for a sufficient length of time so as to reduce the lipid-rich cells via the thermal communication between the applicator and the lipid-rich cells, and wherein the controller is programmed to automatically deactivate the fluid driver based on a temperature of the coolant exceeding a threshold temperature.

15. The cooling device of claim 14, wherein the first liquid/solid phase transition temperature greater than about −

20°

C.

16. The cooling device of claim 14 wherein the controller is programmed to cause the fluid driver to circulate the heat transfer fluid such that the temperature of the applicator is at or below a temperature for disrupting the lipid-rich cells for a time period between about 1 minute and 2 hours.

17. The cooling device of claim 14, further comprising a heater in thermal communication with the heat transfer fluid, and wherein the controller is programmed to automatically cause the heater to increase a temperature of the heat transfer fluid when the temperature of the heat transfer fluid is lower than a predetermined temperature.

18. A cooling device for cooling subcutaneous lipid-rich cells in a human, comprising:

a coolant vessel having a coolant with a first liquid/solid phase transition temperature less than about −

3 degrees Celsius;

a heat exchanger positioned within the coolant vessel and housing a heat transfer fluid having a second liquid/solid phase transition temperature that is less than the first liquid/solid phase transition temperature;

an applicator operatively coupled to the heat exchanger via a closed-loop path that circulates the heat transfer fluid to transfer heat from the applicator to the coolant;

a heater in thermal communication with the heat transfer fluid;

a fluid driver configured to direct the heat transfer fluid between the applicator and the heat exchanger; and

a controller programmed to automatically cause the heater to increase a temperature of the heat transfer fluid when the temperature of the heat transfer fluid is lower than a predetermined temperature, wherein the controller is programmed to automatically control activation of the fluid driver based on a temperature of the coolant, and wherein the controller is programmed to command the fluid driver to cause the heat transfer fluid to flow along the closed-loop path such that a surface of the applicator is at a sufficiently low temperature for a sufficient length of time to reduce the lipid-rich cells via thermal communication between the surface of the applicator and human skin.

19. The cooling device of claim 18 wherein the first liquid/solid phase transition temperature is lower than a temperature at which the subcutaneous lipid-rich cells are reduced such that the coolant vessel provides a substantially constant temperature environment for the heat transfer fluid while the temperature produced at the applicator is less than about 0°

C.

20. The cooling device of claim 18 wherein the controller is programmed to cause the cooling device to circulate the heat transfer fluid such that the surface of the applicator is at a temperature for disrupting the lipid-rich cells for a time period between about 1 minute and 2 hours.