Cooling devices with flexible sensors

• US 20080077201A1
• Filed: 09/26/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Juniper Medical, Inc. (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rosen, Jesse N., Levinson, Mitchell
• Application Number:
  US11/528,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077201A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/96
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00088 using thermistors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00092 using thermocouples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00101 using an array of thermosensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00047 using Peltier effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00744 Fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0001 Body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0075 using a Peltier element, e.g. near the spot to be heated or cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0228 with belt or strap, e.g. with buckle
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/029 Fat cell removal or destruction by non-ablative heat treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/10 Cooling bags, e.g. ice-bags
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/22 the sensing element being a thermocouple
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/24 the sensing element having a resistance varying with temperature, e.g. a thermistor

Abstract

A device for exchanging heat with a subject having skin is provided. The device includes a heat exchanging member having a heat transfer surface configured to form a heat conducting interface with the subject'"'"'s skin. The device further includes a substantially flexible sensing device disposed in the interface between the heat exchanging member and the subject'"'"'s skin. The sensing device is configured to measure a parameter of the interface without substantially impeding heat transfer between the heat exchanging member and the subject'"'"'s skin.

Claims

1. A device for removing heat from subcutaneous lipid-rich cells of a subject having skin, comprising:

a heat exchanging member having a heat transfer surface configured to form a heat conducting interface with the subject'"'"'s skin to remove heat from the lipid-rich cells such that the lipid-rich cells are substantially affected while non-lipid-rich cells in the epidermis are not substantially affected; and

a substantially flexible sensing device disposed in the interface between the heat exchanging member and the subject'"'"'s skin, wherein the sensing device is configured to sense a parameter at the interface.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensing device is further configured to sense a parameter at the interface without substantially impeding heat transfer between the heat exchanging member and the subject'"'"'s skin.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a thermally conductive sleeve configured to be releasably retained on the heat exchanging member, wherein the sensing element is incorporated into the sleeve.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device is a temperature sensor.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device includes a substrate and a temperature sensor disposed on the substrate.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the temperature sensor includes first and second metal traces deposited on the substrate, the first and second metal traces at least partially contacting each other to form a bi-metal junction.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device includes a first surface corresponding to the heat transfer surface and a second surface opposite the first surface and corresponding to the subject'"'"'s skin, and wherein a first sensor is disposed on the first surface and a second sensor is disposed on the second surface.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device includes a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a measuring circuit in electrical communication with the sensing device and configured to convert electrical temperature signals from the sensing device to temperatures in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a logic controller in electrical communication with the measuring circuit and configured to control a temperature of the subject'"'"'s skin and/or the heat exchanging member based on the interface temperature measured by the sensing device.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensing devices configured to provide temperature information about the interface at regions on the heat exchanging member.

12. A sensing device for measuring parameters of a heat transfer interface between a subject having skin and a cooling device, comprising:

a substantially flexible substrate positioned in the heat transfer interface between the subject'"'"'s skin and the cooling device, the substrate having a surface facing the cooling device; and

a sensor disposed on the surface of the substrate, the sensor configured to measure a temperature of the heat transfer interface without substantially impeding heat transfer between the cooling device and the subject'"'"'s skin.

13. The sensing device of claim 12 wherein with heat transfer interface is configured to remove heat from the lipid-rich cells of the subject'"'"'s skin such that the lipid-rich cells are substantially affected while non-lipid-rich cells in the epidermis are not substantially affected.

14. The sensing device of claim 12 wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor.

15. The sensing device of claim 14, wherein the temperature sensor includes a thermocouple type selected from the group consisting of the types J, K, T, E, N, R, S, U, and B.

16. The sensing device of claim 15, wherein the temperature sensor includes a first metal portion and a second metal portion spaced apart from the first metal portion, the first and second metal portions forming a bi-metal junction.

17. The sensing device of claim 15, wherein the temperature sensor includes two metal films sputtered, etched, or printed onto the substrate.

18. The sensing device of claim 14, wherein the temperature sensor is a first temperature sensor and the surface is a first surface, and wherein the substrate further includes a second surface opposite the first surface, and the device further includes a second temperature sensor disposed on the second surface.

19. The sensing device of claim 14, further comprising a pressure sensor disposed on the surface.

20. The sensing device of claim 14, wherein the temperature sensor includes one of a thermistor, a Resistive Temperature Detector or a thermopile deposited onto the substrate.

21. The sensing device of claim 20, wherein the temperature sensor is a metal foil type Resistive Temperature Detector.

22. The sensing device of claim 14, further comprising a measuring circuit in electrical communication with the temperature sensor and configured to convert electrical signals from the temperature sensor to temperatures in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit.

23. A method of applying a cooling device configured for removing heat from a subject having skin, comprising:

disposing a sensing device proximate to the cooling device, the sensing device being substantially flexible and at least partially conforming to the cooling device;

positioning the cooling device and the sensing device proximate to the subject'"'"'s skin, wherein the cooling device and the subject'"'"'s skin form a heat transfer interface, in which the sensing device is positioned;

measuring a parameter of the heat transfer interface using the sensing device; and

removing heat from a region of the subject'"'"'s skin under the epidermis such that lipid-rich cells are substantially affected while non-lipid-rich cells in the epidermis are not substantially affected.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the lipid-rich cells are adipocytes.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising controlling a rate of heat removal from the subject'"'"'s skin to the cooling device based on a measured parameter of the heat transfer interface.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising maintaining a temperature of the heat transfer interface based on a measured temperature of the heat transfer interface.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising, indicating a temperature alarm if a measured temperature of the heat transfer interface is outside a specified target range.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the sensing device includes a substrate having a first surface facing the cooling device and a second surface opposite the first surface, and wherein the sensing device further includes a first temperature sensor disposed on the first surface and a second temperature sensor disposed on the second surface, the method further comprising:

measuring a temperature of the cooling device using the first temperature sensor; and

measuring a temperature of the subject'"'"'s skin using the second temperature sensor.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the sensing device further includes a pressure sensor, the method further comprising:

pressing the cooling device and the sensing device against the subject'"'"'s skin;

measuring a pressure between the cooling device and the subject'"'"'s skin using the pressure sensor; and

if the measured pressure is not less than a pressure threshold, indicating sufficient contact between the cooling device and the subject'"'"'s skin; and

if the measured pressure is less than the pressure threshold, indicating insufficient contact between the cooling device and the subject'"'"'s skin.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the sensing device is incorporated into a sleeve, the method further comprising isolating the cooling device from the subject'"'"'s skin using the sleeve.