Cooling devices with flexible sensors

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.

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.