Method and thermally active multi-phase heat transfer apparatus and method for abstracting heat using liquid bi-phase heat exchanging composition

1 . A method of treating pain at a joint to reduce pain, comprising the steps of

(a) providing cooling apparatus that

(i) maintains a temperature in the range of thirty-three degrees F. to forty degrees F. for at least two hours when contacting a patient's skin, and

(ii) produces on the skin spaced apart points of cold wherein the skin is colder at the points of cold than in areas of the skin intermediate the points of cold,

said cooling apparatus comprising a pliable two phase single wall heat transfer device ( 32 , 50 , 80 , 170 ) for use in contacting and drawing heat away from an individual's body, said heat transfer device comprising

(iii) an outer wall ( 33 , 51 , 73 , 173 A) circumscribing and enclosing an inner space ( 37 , 55 ),

(iv) a plurality of cylindrically shaped spaced apart hollow fluid tight containers ( 34 , 35 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 ) connected to a portion of said wall, extending from said wall into said inner space, and having rounded bottoms that contact said outer wall and facilitate folding adjacent fluid containers against one another;

(v) a first heat-exchange composition in said inner space contacting each of said fluid tight containers and comprising a liquid which undergoes a change of state from the liquid phase to the solid phase at a first selected temperature of transformation, and

(vi) a second heat-exchange composition in each of said hollow containers ( 34 , 35 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 ) comprising a liquid which undergoes a change of state from the liquid phase to the solid phase at a second selected temperature of transformation different from said first temperature of transformation;

(b) cooling said cooling apparatus to a temperature below freezing; and,

(c) contacting the epithelium at the joint with said outer wall of said cooling apparatus

(i) such that said rounded bottoms contact said outer wall and are adjacent the epithelium of the joint to produce points of cold in the epithelium, and

(ii) said cooling apparatus and said first and second heat-exchange compositions each maintain a temperature in the range of thirty-three degrees F. to forty degrees F. continuously for a period of time of at least two hours.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the joint is the elbow.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the joint is the wrist.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the joint comprises at least a portion of the spine.

5 . A method of treating a diseased area in the epithelium to reduce pain, comprising the steps of

(a) providing cooling apparatus that

(i) maintains a temperature in the range of thirty-three degrees F. to forty degrees F. for at least two hours when contacting a patient's skin, and

(ii) produces on the skin spaced apart points of cold wherein the skin is colder at the points of cold than in areas of the skin intermediate the points of cold,

said cooling apparatus comprising a pliable two phase single wall heat transfer device ( 32 , 50 , 80 , 170 ) for use in contacting and drawing heat away from an individual's body, said heat transfer device comprising

(iii) an outer wall ( 33 , 51 , 73 , 173 A) circumscribing and enclosing an inner space ( 37 , 55 ),

(iv) a plurality of cylindrically shaped spaced apart hollow fluid tight containers ( 34 , 35 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 ) connected to a portion of said wall, extending from said wall into said inner space, and having rounded bottoms that contact said outer wall and facilitate folding adjacent fluid containers against one another;

(v) a first heat-exchange composition in said inner space contacting each of said fluid tight containers and comprising a liquid which undergoes a change of state from the liquid phase to the solid phase at a first selected temperature of transformation, and

(vi) a second heat-exchange composition in each of said hollow containers ( 34 , 35 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 ) comprising a liquid which undergoes a change of state from the liquid phase to the solid phase at a second selected temperature of transformation different from said first temperature of transformation;

(b) cooling said cooling apparatus to a temperature below freezing; and,

(c) contacting the area of inflammation in the epithelium with said outer wall of said cooling apparatus

(i) such that said rounded bottoms contact said outer wall and are adjacent the area of epithelium to produce points of cold in the epithelium, and

(ii) said cooling apparatus and said first and second heat-exchange compositions each maintain a temperature in the range of thirty-three degrees F. to forty degrees F. continuously for a period of time of at least two hours.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the diseased area is produced by shingles.

7 . The method of claim 5 wherein the diseased area is produced by psoriasis.