Cooling device and method

Abstract

A device for providing cooling to a body is disclosed. The device operates in response to a measured change in temperature of the body's skin surface over a predetermined period of time or manually in response to a perceived or anticipated change in body temperature by the user. The device includes a controller, a temperature sensor, a power source, a thermoelectric cooler, and a heat absorbing reservoir containing a phase change material. The thermoelectric cooler has a heat absorbing surface engageable with the body to be cooled and a heat rejecting surface engaged with the heat absorbing reservoir. The controller is operatively connected to the temperature sensor, the power source, and the thermoelectric cooler and activates the cooler when the temperature sensor provides signals indicative of a predetermined rate of temperature change or in manual mode by user. A method of treating hot flashes with the device is also disclosed.

1 . A cooling device for cooling a body, said cooling device comprising: 
 a thermoelectric cooler having a heat absorbing surface engageable with said body and a heat rejecting surface;    a heat absorbing reservoir engaged with said heat rejecting surface, said heat absorbing reservoir comprising a phase change material;    a temperature sensor positionable proximate to said body for sensing a temperature change therein;    a controller operatively connected with said temperature sensor and said thermoelectric cooler;    an electrical power source operatively connected with said thermoelectric cooler and said controller and providing power thereto;    said controller providing power from said power source to said thermoelectric cooler in response to an increase in temperature at a predetermined rate as sensed by said temperature sensor, said heat absorbing reservoir maintaining said heat rejecting surface at a substantially constant temperature.    
   
   
       2 . A cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein said temperature sensor is positionable in contact with said body.  
   
   
       3 . A cooling device according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least a second said thermoelectric cooler having a respective said heat absorbing reservoir, said controller and said power source being operatively connected with said second thermoelectric cooler.  
   
   
       4 . A cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein said thermoelectric cooler is a Peltier device.  
   
   
       5 . A cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein said controller comprises a microprocessor.  
   
   
       6 . A cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein said electrical power source comprises a battery.  
   
   
       7 . A cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein said temperature sensor is selected from the group consisting of a thermistor, a thermocouple, an infrared temperature sensor and a resistance temperature detector sensor.  
   
   
       8 . A cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein said phase change material comprises a solid which melts at a temperature between about 25° C. and about 42° C.  
   
   
       9 . A cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein said phase change material is selected from the group consisting of metals and metal alloys having a melting point between about 25° C. and about 42° C.  
   
   
       10 . A cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein said phase change material is selected from the group consisting of salt hydrate phase change materials, organic phase change materials, linear crystalline alkyl hydrocarbons, fatty acids, fatty esters, polyethylene glycols, long alkyl side chain polymers, the solid state series of pentaerythritol, pentaglycerine, and neopentyl glycol, quaternary ammonium clathrates and semi-clathrates, salt hydrides and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       11 . A cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein said heat absorbing reservoir is removably mounted on said heat rejecting surface of said thermoelectric cooler.  
   
   
       12 . A cooling device for cooling a body comprising: 
 a thermoelectric cooler having a heat absorbing surface engageable with said body and a heat rejecting surface;    a heat absorbing reservoir engaged with said heat rejecting surface, said heat absorbing reservoir comprising a phase change material;    an electrical power source operatively connected with said thermoelectric cooler;    a switch controlling flow of electrical power from said power source to said thermoelectric cooler; and    said heat absorbing reservoir maintaining said heat rejecting surface at a substantially constant temperature when power is supplied to said thermoelectric cooler for providing cooling to said body.    
   
   
       13 . A cooling device according to  claim 12 , further comprising at least a second said thermoelectric cooler having a respective said heat absorbing reservoir, said controller and said power source being operatively connected with said second thermoelectric cooler.  
   
   
       14 . A cooling device according to  claim 12 , wherein said thermoelectric cooler is a Peltier device.  
   
   
       15 . A cooling device according to  claim 12 , further comprising a timer operatively connected with said electrical power source and said thermoelectric cooler, said timer halting the flow of electrical power to said thermoelectric cooler at a predetermined time after said switch has been closed to provide power to said thermoelectric cooler.  
   
   
       16 . A method of treating hot flashes, said method comprising: 
 providing a cooling device proximate to a skin surface of a body;    monitoring skin surface temperature;    activating said cooling device in response to a measured rise in said skin surface temperature over a first time period; and    operating said cooling device for a second predetermined time period to provide cooling to said body.    
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein monitoring skin surface temperature comprising sampling skin surface temperature at predetermined time intervals.  
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 providing a heat absorbing reservoir mounted on said cooling device; and    absorbing heat from said cooling device with said heat absorbing reservoir while maintaining a substantially constant temperature of said heat absorbing reservoir.    
   
   
       19 . A method of cooling a body, said method comprising: 
 providing a cooling device proximate to a skin surface of said body;    providing a heat absorbing reservoir mounted on said cooling device;    manually activating said cooling device in response to an anticipated increase in temperature of said body;    operating said cooling device for a second predetermined time period to provide cooling to said body; and    absorbing heat from said cooling device with said heat absorbing reservoir while maintaining a substantially constant temperature of said heat absorbing reservoir.    
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein said cooling device is in contact with said skin surface of said body.  
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein said method is applied to treat thermoregulatory problems associated with a medical condition selected from the group consisting of hot flashes, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and cancer treatment.  
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein said method is applied to treat migraine headaches.