Physiologically based warming gloves

Abstract

A thermodynamically efficient garment for cooling and/or heating a human body. The thermodynamic efficiency is provided in part by targeting the heat exchange capabilities of the garment to specific areas and/or structures of the human body. The heat exchange garment includes heat exchange zones and one or more non-heat exchange zones, where the heat exchange zones are configured to correspond to one or more high density tissue areas of the human body when the garment is worn. A system including the garment can be used to exchange heat with the adjacent HD tissue areas under the control of a feedback control system. Sensed physiological parameters received by the feedback control system can be used to adjust the characteristics of heat exchange fluid moving within the heat exchange garment.

1 - 44 . (canceled)  
     
     
         45 . A heat exchange glove, comprising: 
 a support material defined to conform to at least a portion of a hand of a human; and    one or more heat exchange elements arranged to follow anatomy of one or more blood vessel paths in the hand, wherein each of at least two portions of the one or more heat exchange elements follows a different blood vessel path of the hand and are separated from each other by portions of the support material.    
     
     
         46 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 45 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements are located in regions of the support material that are adjacent blood vessel paths along at least portions of the sides of one or more fingers when the glove is worn on the hand.  
     
     
         47 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 46 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements are located only in regions of the support material that are adjacent blood vessel paths along at least portions of the sides of one or more fingers when the glove is worn on the hand.  
     
     
         48 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 46 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements are positioned between the fingers along and/or between the proximal/lateral sides of the one or more fingers corresponding to blood vessel paths of the hand when the glove is worn on the hand.  
     
     
         49 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 46 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements are strung around two or more fingers including distal portions thereof and following blood vessel paths thereof when the glove is worn on the hand.  
     
     
         50 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 45 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements are located only in regions of the support material that are adjacent blood vessel paths in at least one of a wrist, a mid-area of the hand, and a proximal portion of at least one phalange when the glove is worn on the hand.  
     
     
         51 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 45 , wherein the support material is configured such that distal portions of one or more fingers of the hand are not covered by the support material when the glove is worn on the hand.  
     
     
         52 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 45 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements comprise tubing that allows a heat exchange fluid to move therethrough.  
     
     
         53 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 45 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements comprise electrical heating elements.  
     
     
         54 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 45 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements are associated with an energy source.  
     
     
         55 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 45 , wherein the glove is associated with at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor detects one or more physiological parameters characteristic of the temperature of the hand, and further wherein a feedback system controller is operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the glove, wherein the feedback system controller controls the one or more heat exchange elements to add or remove heat from the hand.  
     
     
         56 . A heat exchange glove, comprising: 
 a support material defined to conform to at least a portion of a hand of a human; and    one or more heat exchange elements located only in regions of the support material that are adjacent blood vessel paths in at least one of a wrist, a mid-area of the hand, and a proximal portion of at least one phalange when the glove is worn on the hand.    
     
     
         57 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 56 , wherein the mid-area of the hand comprises a mid-palm area of the hand.  
     
     
         58 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 56 , wherein the support material is configured such that distal portions of one or more fingers of the hand are not covered by the support material when the glove is worn on the hand.  
     
     
         59 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 56 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements comprise tubing that allows a heat exchange fluid to move therethrough.  
     
     
         60 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 56 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements comprise electrical heating elements.  
     
     
         61 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 56 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements are associated with an energy source.  
     
     
         62 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 56 , wherein the glove is associated with at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor detects one or more physiological parameters characteristic of the temperature of the hand, and further wherein a feedback system controller is operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the glove, wherein the feedback system controller controls the one or more heat exchange elements to add or remove heat from the hand.  
     
     
         63 . A heat exchange glove, comprising: 
 a support material defined to conform to at least a portion of a hand of a human; and    one or more heat exchange elements located in regions of the support material that are adjacent blood vessel paths along at least portions of the sides of one or more fingers when the glove is worn on the hand.    
     
     
         64 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 63 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements are located only in regions of the support material that are adjacent blood vessel paths along at least portions of the sides of one or more fingers when the glove is worn on the hand.  
     
     
         65 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 63 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements are positioned between the fingers along and/or between the proximal/lateral sides of the one or more fingers corresponding to blood vessel paths of the hand when the glove is worn on the hand.  
     
     
         66 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 63 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements are strung around two or more fingers including distal portions thereof and following blood vessel paths thereof when the glove is worn on the hand.  
     
     
         67 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 63 , wherein the support material is configured such that distal portions of one or more fingers of the hand are not covered by the support material when the glove is worn on the hand.  
     
     
         68 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 63 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements comprise tubing that allows a heat exchange fluid to move therethrough.  
     
     
         69 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 63 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements comprise electrical heating elements.  
     
     
         70 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 63 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements are associated with an energy source.  
     
     
         71 . The heat exchange glove of  claim 63 , wherein the glove is associated with at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor detects one or more physiological parameters characteristic of the temperature of the hand, and further wherein a feedback system controller is operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the glove, wherein the feedback system controller controls the one or more heat exchange elements to add or remove heat from the hand.