Body cool down device and method

Abstract

A series of side-by-side inter-contacting cooling gel channels acting together form a body cool-down device which cools the body for at least three days or up to several weeks without needing re-soaking. Two semipermeable membrane sheets of fabric are attached together with a series of side-by-side channels sewn into the fabric. Granular super absorbent polymer or super absorbent polymer gel capsules are loaded into the channels. Soaking the device in water for five to fifteen minutes transforms the super absorbent polymer into a greatly expanded volume of cooling gel causing the channels to expand in contact with each other acting together as a single passive open system thermodynamic device for cooling a body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A passive open system thermodynamic device for cooling a body comprising:
 a multilayered and multi-channeled body cool-down device, the device comprising a cooling gel layer comprising a plurality of adjacent inter-contacting channels each containing a super water absorbent material hydrated to form a cooling gel, each channel in direct physical contact with each adjacent channel, adapted so that all of the cooling gel channels act together in a thermodynamic mass cooling gel layer creating a passive open system thermodynamic device adapted to conduct heat from a body in contact with the cool-down device, and adapted to evaporate moisture from an outer surface of the cooling gel layer into the surrounding air to cool the cool-down device and consequently maintain the body in contact with the cool-down device at a desired comfortable temperature cooler than the surrounding air;   an inner surface of the cooling gel layer comprising an inner semipermeable membrane adapted to receive air and water vapor from the body to pass through the inner semipermeable membrane into the cooling gel absorbed by the cooling gel;   an outer surface of the cooling gel layer comprising an outer semipermeable membrane adapted to limit the flow of air and water vapor out through the outer semipermeable membrane to evaporate the water from the cooling gel at a controlled rate, slowing the evaporation process, the cool-down device adapted to provide a cooling cycle of at least three days under extreme heat conditions and up to several weeks of effective cooling on a single soaking of the cooling gel in water;   the inner semipermeable membrane and outer semipermeable membrane covering the cooling gel acting together by absorbing heat from the body and evaporating moisture into the surrounding air acting as a passive open system thermodynamic device for cooling the body;   the cooling gel comprising an adjustable measured quantity of super water absorbent material installed in each channel, the super water absorbent material adapted to be evenly distributed throughout each channel to be relatively flat in a dry state, the super water absorbent material adapted to be hydrated with a desired quantity of water for a desired time period allowing the water to be absorbed by the super water absorbent material adapted to transform the super water absorbent material into a hydrated cooling gel greatly expanded in volume to transform the dry super water absorbent material into a heat absorbing gel sufficiently expanded in volume to fill each channel to a desired capacity and increase the thickness of the cooling gel layer to cause each adjacent pair of channels to be in physical contact over a sufficient mutually contacting surface area of the channels to enable the entire volume of hydrated cooling gel in the cooling layer to act together in a thermodynamic mass cooling gel layer creating a passive open system thermodynamic device adapted to conduct heat from a body in contact with the cool-down device, and adapted to evaporate moisture from an outer surface of the cooling gel layer into the surrounding air to cool the cool-down device and consequently maintain the body in contact with the cool-down device at a desired comfortable temperature for a desired number of days, from three days under extreme heat, to a desired number of weeks, up to several weeks or more, adjustable according to the quantity of super water absorbent material and the degree of hydration determined by time duration of hydration and quantity of water absorbed and dependent on the surrounding air temperature and humidity and airflow;   after some or all of the water is evaporated from the hydrated cooling gel layer, the device is adapted to be rehydrated for a desired number of minutes to expand the hydrated cooling gel layer to the desired thickness for a desired amount of body cooling time and the cooling gel is adapted for repeated cycles of rehydration and use.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the channels are adapted to be filled with super water absorbent material initially and refilled with more super water absorbent material should the super water absorbent material become used up after one or more years of use to continue use of the cooling device and repeat many cycles of rehydration and use. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the channels are formed by connecting the inner semipermeable membrane and the outer semipermeable membrane together in an array of spaced connection lines forming the channels between the lines to form an array of aligned elongated channels each having end openings communicating with at least one common intersecting channel provided with at least one closable opening adapted to admit a desired quantity of super water absorbent material through the opening for dispersion of the super water absorbent material evenly distributed in all of the channels. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an inner covering of planar material secured over the inner semipermeable membrane, the inner covering material adapted for comfortable non-irritating contact with the body and adapted to allow air and water vapor from the body to pass through the inner covering to the inner semipermeable membrane and into the cooling gel; 
 an outer covering of planar material secured over the outer semipermeable membrane, the outer covering material adapted to allow warm air and water vapor from the cooling gel and outer semipermeable membrane to pass through the outer covering and evaporate into the surrounding air, the outer covering adapted with at least an outer surface adapted for visual appeal. 
 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the super water absorbing material in each of the channels comprises poured in dry super absorbing polymer granular material or inserted super water absorbing polymer gel capsules, the super absorbent polymer comprising at least one water absorbing hydrogel taken from the list of water absorbing hydrogels including hygroscopic material, water absorbing polymers, polyacrylamide, polyacrylamide polymer, anionic polyacrylamide, sodium polyacrylate, potassium polyacrylate, starch-acrylonitrile co-polymer, polyacrylate/polyacrylamide copolymers, polyacrylamide copolymer, ethylene maleic anhydride copolymer, cross-linked carboxymethylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, cross-linked polyethylene oxide, and starch grafted copolymer of polyacrylonitrile. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the cool-down device is adaptable for any of a variety of cool-down applications by structuring the cool-down device in any of a variety of configurations taken from the list of configurations including hats, shirts, vests, pads, pillows, chair covers, blankets, shoulder braces, back braces, wrist braces, knee braces, tummy covers, eye covers, headwear, hand covers, outdoor equipment, chair covers, car seat covers, paramedic devices, medical braces, heat stroke covers, fever reduction head bands, pet shelters, pet carriers, animal core covers, animal blankets, animal leg braces, bottle coolers, food containers. 
     
     
         7 . A passive open system thermodynamic device for cooling a body comprising:
 a multilayered and multi-channeled body cool-down device, the device comprising a cooling gel layer comprising a plurality of adjacent inter-contacting channels each containing a super water absorbent material hydrated to form a cooling gel, each channel in direct physical contact with each adjacent channel, adapted so that all of the cooling gel channels act together in a thermodynamic mass cooling gel layer creating a passive open system thermodynamic device adapted to conduct heat from a body in contact with the cool-down device, and adapted to evaporate moisture from an outer surface of the cooling gel layer into the surrounding air to cool the cool-down device and consequently maintain the body in contact with the cool-down device at a desired comfortable temperature cooler than the surrounding air;   an inner surface of the cooling gel layer comprising an inner semipermeable membrane adapted to receive air and water vapor from the body to pass through the inner semipermeable membrane into the cooling gel absorbed by the cooling gel, the inner semipermeable membrane adapted to prevent liquid from passing from the cooling gel out through the semipermeable membrane, thereby providing a body contacting surface which is substantially dry to contact, and adapted to receive water under external water pressure through the inner semipermeable membrane to be absorbed by the super water absorbent material;   an outer surface of the cooling gel layer comprising an outer semipermeable membrane adapted to limit the flow of air and water vapor out through the outer semipermeable membrane to evaporate the water from the cooling gel at a controlled rate, slowing the evaporation process, the cool-down device adapted to provide a cooling cycle of at least three days and up to several weeks of effective cooling on a single soaking of the cooling gel in water;   the inner semipermeable membrane and outer semipermeable membrane covering the cooling gel acting together by absorbing heat from the body and evaporating moisture into the surrounding air acting as a passive open system thermodynamic device for cooling the body;   the cooling gel comprising an adjustable measured quantity of granular super water absorbent material installed in each channel, the granular super water absorbent material adapted to be evenly distributed throughout each channel to be relatively flat in a dry state, the granular super water absorbent material adapted to be hydrated with a desired quantity of water for a desired time period allowing the water to be absorbed by the super water absorbent material adapted to transform the super water absorbent material into a hydrated cooling gel greatly expanded in volume to transform the dry super water absorbent material into a heat absorbing gel sufficiently expanded in volume to fill each channel to a desired capacity and increase the thickness of the cooling gel layer to cause each adjacent pair of channels to be in physical contact over a sufficient mutually contacting surface area of the channels to enable the entire volume of hydrated cooling gel in the cooling layer to act together in a thermodynamic mass cooling gel layer creating a passive open system thermodynamic device adapted to conduct heat from a body in contact with the cool-down device, and adapted to evaporate moisture from an outer surface of the cooling gel layer into the surrounding air to cool the cool-down device and consequently maintain the body in contact with the cool-down device at a desired comfortable temperature for a desired number of days, from three days under extreme heat, to a desired number of weeks, up to several weeks or more, adjustable according to the quantity of granular super absorbent polymer and the degree of hydration determined by time duration of hydration and quantity of water absorbed and dependent on the surrounding air temperature and humidity and airflow;   after some or all of the water is evaporated from the hydrated cooling gel layer, the device is adapted to be rehydrated for a desired number of minutes to expand the hydrated cooling gel layer to the desired thickness for a desired amount of body cooling time and the cooling gel is adapted for repeated cycles of rehydration and use;   the multilayered and multi-channeled body cool-down device further comprising an inner covering of planar material secured over the inner semipermeable membrane, the inner covering material adapted for comfortable non-irritating contact with the body and adapted to allow air and water vapor from the body to pass through the inner covering to the inner semipermeable membrane and into the cooling gel;   the multilayered and multi-channeled body cool-down device further comprising an outer covering of planar material secured over the outer semipermeable membrane, the outer covering material adapted for comfortable non-irritating contact with the body and adapted to allow warm air and water vapor from the cooling gel and outer semipermeable membrane to pass through the outer covering and evaporate into the surrounding air, the out covering adapted with at least an outer surface adapted for visual appeal.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the channels are adapted to be filled with super water absorbent material initially and refilled with more super water absorbent material should the super water absorbent material become used up after one or more years of use to continue use of the cooling device and repeat many cycles of rehydration and use. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8  wherein the channels are formed by connecting the inner semipermeable membrane and the outer semipermeable membrane together in an array of spaced connection lines forming the channels between the lines to form an array of aligned elongated channels each having end openings communicating with at least one common intersecting channel provided with at least one closable opening adapted to admit a desired quantity of super water absorbent material through the opening for dispersion of the super water absorbent material evenly distributed in all of the channels. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the super water absorbent material in each of the channels comprises poured in dry super absorbing polymer granular material or inserted super water absorbing polymer gel capsules, the super absorbent polymer comprising at least one water absorbing hydrogel taken from the list of water absorbing hydrogels including hygroscopic material, water absorbing polymers, polyacrylamide, polyacrylamide polymer, anionic polyacrylamide, sodium polyacrylate, potassium polyacrylate, starch-acrylonitrile co-polymer, polyacrylate/polyacrylamide copolymers, polyacrylamide copolymer, ethylene maleic anhydride copolymer, cross-linked carboxymethylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, cross-linked polyethylene oxide, and starch grafted copolymer of polyacrylonitrile. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the hydrated super water absorbent material expands the aligned and connected channels forming undulating outer and inner surfaces with aligned grooves to facilitate heat dissipation and optimal air flow for optimum heat absorption from the body on the undulating inner surface and optimal airflow on the outer undulating surface for optimum cooling by evaporation due to airflow over the outer surface from air movement or movement of the user through the air, and the mutually contacting sides of the channels acting together in a thermodynamic mass cooling gel layer for optimum convection through the thermodynamic mass cooling gel layer forming a passive open system thermodynamic device using heat absorption, heat convection, evaporation and heat dissipation for cooling a body. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 7  wherein both the outer semipermeable membrane and the inner semipermeable membrane are each fabricated of a fine mesh fabric. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the body cool-down device comprises a multilayered body core temperature cooling device configured to be worn alternately on a back and a front of a human body, the body core temperature cooling device adapted to cover a core body temperature control area over a heart, aorta, main arteries to the brain, and main arteries along the spine, the device adapted to cool down blood immediately circulated through the body and head of a user, and the cool-down device adapted so that the evaporation process dries outer portions of the cooling gel mass first leaving a central portion of cool-down device over the heart, aorta, and main arteries hydrated to maintain the cool body cored temperature over a longer time period before the entire cool-down device is dehydrated; and the body cool-down device further comprises an adjustable cooling fin or collar extending upwardly from the body cool-down device, the cooling fin having channels of cooling gel in contact with and interacting with the channels of the body cool-down device to be a part of the passive open system thermodynamic device for cooling a body, the cooling fin or collar adjustable up and down by a desired amount and adapted to further enhance the cooling effect by raising the collar to increase evaporation from the cooling device and decrease the cooling effect by lowering the collar. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the cool-down device is adaptable for any of a variety of cool-down applications by structuring the cool-down device in any of a variety of configurations taken from the list of configurations including hats, shirts, vests, pads, pillows, chair covers, blankets, shoulder braces, back braces, wrist braces, knee braces, tummy covers, eye covers, headwear, hand covers, outdoor equipment, chair covers, car seat covers, paramedic devices, medical braces, heat stroke covers, fever reduction head bands, pet shelters, pet carriers, animal core covers, animal blankets, animal leg braces, bottle coolers, food containers. 
     
     
         15 . A method of cooling a body using a passive open system thermodynamic device, the method comprising:
 a. providing a multilayered and multi-channeled body cool-down device, the device comprising a cooling gel layer comprising a plurality of adjacent inter-contacting channels each containing a super water absorbent material hydrated to form a cooling gel, each channel in direct physical contact with each adjacent channel, adapted so that all of the cooling gel channels act together in a thermodynamic mass cooling gel layer creating a passive open system thermodynamic device adapted to conduct heat from a body in contact with the cool-down device, and adapted to evaporate moisture from an outer surface of the cooling gel layer into the surrounding air to cool the cool-down device and consequently maintain the body in contact with the cool-down device at a desired comfortable temperature cooler than the surrounding air;   b. providing an inner semipermeable membrane on an inner side of the cooling layer forming a body contacting surface which is adapted to be dry to contact with the body, the inner semipermeable membrane adapted to admit air and water vapor to pass through the semipermeable membrane to absorb heat from the body into the cooling layer and adapted to prevent liquid from passing from the cooling layer through the semipermeable membrane without external water pressure;   c. providing an outer semipermeable membrane on an outer surface of the cooling layer thereby limiting the flow of air and water vapor out through the outer semipermeable membrane to evaporate the water from the cooling gel out into the surrounding air at a controlled rate, slowing the evaporation process, the cool-down device adapted to provide a cooling cycle of at least three days and up to several weeks of effective cooling on a single soaking of the cooling gel in water, the outer semipermeable membrane adapted to prevent liquid from passing through the semipermeable membrane without external water pressure, the inner semipermeable membrane and outer semipermeable membrane covering the cooling gel acting together by absorbing heat from the body and evaporating moisture into the surrounding air acting as a passive open system thermodynamic device for cooling the body;   d. installing a quantity of super water absorbing material in each of the plurality of channels, the quantity adjusted to achieve a desired cooling duration time;   e. soaking the device in water for a number of minutes adjusted to achieve a desired quantity of water absorption in the cooling gel to adjust the cooling duration time and cooling temperature to transform the super water absorbing material into a heat-absorbing cooling gel sufficiently increased in volume to cause each adjacent pair of channels to be in physical contact over a sufficient mutually contacting surface area of the channels to enable the entire volume of cooling gel in the cooling layer adapted to act as one cooling gel unit over the entire cooling layer creating a passive open system thermodynamic device, the duration of soaking time determining the quantity of water absorbed in to the cooling gel and thereby establishing the cool down temperature and duration of cooling;   f. placing the body temperature control device substantially in contact with a body of a user to absorb heat by conduction from the body contacting the inner permeable membrane surface of the cooling layer, thereby cooling the body;   g. circulating the heat through the entire cooling gel layer adapted to act as one cooling unit in convection currents forming a passive open system thermodynamic device;   h. exposing the outer surface of the body temperature control device to surrounding air to allow water to evaporate slowly from the outer semipermeable membrane surface of the cooling layer exposed to airflow, thereby evaporating moisture slowly to cool the cooling device to maintain a desired cool body temperature for at least three days under extreme heat conditions and up to several weeks until the water is evaporated from the cooling gel layer;   i. after the water in the cooling gel layer is substantially evaporated, soaking the water-depleted cooling gel layer in water to re-soak the super water absorbing granular material of the cooling layer to enable the device to continue to cool the body for at least three more days and up to several weeks in repeatable cycles.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising a step of filling the channels with super water absorbent material initially and refilled with more super water absorbent material should the super water absorbent material become used up after one or more years of use to continue use of the cooling device and repeat many cycles of rehydration and use. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising a step of forming the channels by connecting the inner semipermeable membrane and the outer semipermeable membrane together in an array of spaced connection lines forming the channels between the lines to form an array of aligned elongated channels each having end openings communicating with at least one common intersecting channel provided with at least one closable opening adapted to admit a desired quantity of super water absorbent material through the opening for dispersion of the super water absorbent material evenly distributed in all of the channels. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein installing the super water absorbing material in each of the channels comprises pouring in dry super absorbing polymer granular material or inserting super water absorbing polymer gel capsules, the super absorbent polymer comprising at least one water absorbing hydrogel taken from the list of water absorbing hydrogels including hygroscopic material, water absorbing polymers, polyacrylamide, polyacrylamide polymer, anionic polyacrylamide, sodium polyacrylate, potassium polyacrylate, starch-acrylonitrile co-polymer, polyacrylate/polyacrylamide copolymers, polyacrylamide copolymer, ethylene maleic anhydride copolymer, cross-linked carboxymethylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, cross-linked polyethylene oxide, and starch grafted copolymer of polyacrylonitrile. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  comprising a step of adapting the cool-down device for any of a variety of cool-down applications by structuring the cool-down device in any of a variety of configurations taken from the list of configurations including hats, shirts, vests, pads, pillows, chair covers, blankets, shoulder braces, back braces, wrist braces, knee braces, tummy covers, eye covers, headwear, hand covers, outdoor equipment, chair covers, car seat covers, paramedic devices, medical braces, heat stroke covers, fever reduction head bands, pet shelters, pet carriers, animal core covers, animal blankets, animal leg braces, bottle coolers, food containers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising a step of providing:
 an inner covering of planar material secured over the inner semipermeable membrane, the inner covering material adapted for comfortable non-irritating contact with the body and adapted to allow air and water vapor from the body to pass through the inner covering to the inner semipermeable membrane and into the cooling gel; 
 an outer covering of planar material secured over the outer semipermeable membrane, the outer covering material adapted for comfortable non-irritating contact with the body and adapted to allow warm air and water vapor from the cooling gel and outer semipermeable membrane to pass through the outer covering and evaporate into the surrounding air, the out covering adapted with at least an outer surface adapted for visual appeal.