Process for operating an open thermotherapy device

1. A process for operating a thermotherapy device, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a bed surface;

providing discharge channels for conditioned air in the longitudinal direction of the bed surface and on a foot side of the bed surface;

providing an exhaust unit above the bed surface;

directing air being discharged from the discharge channels towards the exhaust unit such that:

a discharge angle changes continuously as a function of a distance between the exhaust unit and the site of discharge from the discharge channels;

a elevation angle changes continuously as a function of the distance between the exhaust unit and the site of discharge from the discharge channels; and

a value of the velocity of the discharge flow changes continuously as a function of a location of the discharge channels.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the discharge angle of the discharge flow in a middle region of the foot side is set at a right angle to the foot side and the discharge angle increases continuously towards the comers of the foot side.

3. A process in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the discharge angle of the discharge flow at a level of the exhaust unit is set at right angles to the bed surface side and the discharge angle of each successive discharge channel increases continuously along the longitudinal direction of the bed up to the corresponding comer until it reaches a greatest deflection upon reaching the foot side.

4. A process in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the value of the velocity of the discharge flow increases continuously with increasing distance from the exhaust unit.

5. A process in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the elevation angle between the bed surface and the particular discharge flow along the bed surface decreases with increasing distance between the site of the discharge flow and the site of the exhaust in the exhaust unit.

6. A process in accordance with claim 1 , wherein longitudinal and foot-side discharge angles are identical in the area of the corners.

7. A process in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the values of the velocity of the discharge flow from the discharge channels along the bed surface and on the foot side in the area of the corners are identical.

8. A process in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the discharge flow is set by means of lamellae that are adjustable in terms of direction and distance.

9. A process in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the value of the velocity of the discharge flow can be set between 0.05 m/sec and 1.2 m/sec.

10. A process for operating a thermotherapy device, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a bed surface with a head side, a first lateral side, a second lateral side and a foot side;

arranging a plurality discharge channels, one after the other, along the first lateral side;

arranging a plurality discharge channels, one after the other, along the second lateral side;

arranging a plurality discharge channels, one after the other, along the foot side;

providing an exhaust unit above the bed surface near said head side;

discharging air from said discharge channels along the first lateral side with a discharge angle relative to the first lateral side changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction toward said foot side and with an elevation angle changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction toward said foot side and with a flow velocity changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction toward said foot side;

discharging air from said discharge channels along the second lateral side with a discharge angle relative to the second lateral side changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction toward said foot side and with an elevation angle changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction toward said foot side and with a flow velocity changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction toward said foot side; and

discharging air from said discharge channels along the foot side with a discharge angle relative to the foot side changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in both directions away from a center of the foot side and with an elevation angle changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in both directions away from the center of the foot side and with a flow velocity changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in both directions away from the center of the foot side.

11. A process in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the discharge angle of the direction of the discharge flow in a middle region of the foot side is set at a right angle to the foot side and the discharge angle increases from the middle towards the first lateral side and the second lateral side.

12. A process in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the elevation angle decreases with increasing distance between the discharge flow and the exhaust unit.

13. A process in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the value of the velocity of the discharge flow can be set between 0.05 m/sec and 1.2 m/sec.

14. A process in accordance with claim 10 , wherein:

the discharge angle nearest the exhaust unit from said discharge channels along the first lateral side is perpendicular to the first lateral side and the discharge angle relative to the first lateral side is smaller in each successive adjacent discharge channel; and

the discharge angle nearest the exhaust unit from said discharge channels along the second lateral side is perpendicular to the second lateral side and the discharge angle relative to the second lateral side is smaller in each successive adjacent discharge channel.

15. A process in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the value of the velocity of the discharge flow increases continuously with increasing distance from the exhaust unit.