Portable thermal therapy system
A system for applying thermal therapy includes a portable housing and at least one conduit supportable in proximity to body tissue, the conduit having an inlet end and outlet end. The housing supports at least one thermoelectric module, a power storage unit, a pump, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The fluid inlet and fluid outlet are to the inlet and outlet of the conduit. The pump is operably connected to pump fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. The at least one thermoelectric module is coupled to generate a thermal change in fluid disposed between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The power storage unit is operably coupled to provide operating power to the pump and the at least one thermoelectric module.
1 . A system for applying thermal therapy, comprising:
a wearable garment configured to be worn on a body of a person to which the thermal therapy is to be applied;
at least one conduit having a segment that is integrated into the wearable garment such that heat exchange occurs between the body of the person and a fluid within the at least one conduit, the at least one conduit having further segments extending away from the wearable garment that have an inlet end and outlet end; and
a wearable fabric pack with at least one clasp for securing the wearable fabric pack to the body of the person, the wearable fabric pack supporting at least one thermoelectric module, a power storage unit, a pump, a fluid inlet configured to be operably coupled to the outlet end of the at least one conduit, and a fluid outlet configured to be operably coupled to the inlet end of the at least one conduit,
wherein the pump is operably connected to pump the fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet,
wherein the at least one thermoelectric module is coupled to generate a thermal change in the fluid disposed between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet,
wherein the power storage unit is operably coupled to provide operating power to the pump and the at least one thermoelectric module, and
wherein the at least one thermoelectric module includes:
a first electrically non-conductive substrate having a rectangular block-shaped body with six faces;
a plurality of heat sink fins operably coupled directly to a first face of the body of the first electrically non-conductive substrate to exchange heat between ambient air and the first electrically non-conductive substrate;
a second electrically non-conductive substrate having a rectangular block-shaped body with six faces, the body defining a plurality of passages through which the fluid of the at least one conduit flows to exchange heat between the fluid and the at least one thermoelectric module, the plurality of passages extending parallel to one another, each respective passage of the plurality of passages extending from a respective first opening defined in a first face of the body of the second electrically non-conductive substrate to a respective second opening defined in a second face of the body of the second electrically non-conductive substrate, the second face of the body of the second electrically non-conductive substrate being opposite and parallel to the first face of the body of the second electrically non-conductive substrate; and
a plurality of Peltier elements disposed between a second face of the body of the first electrically non-conductive substrate and a third face of the body of the second electrically non-conductive substrate, the second face of the body of the first electrically non-conductive substrate being opposite and parallel to the first face of the body of the first electrically non-conductive substrate.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one conduit is incorporated into a pad.
3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a control circuit, the control circuit operably connected to control at least one operating parameter of the at least one thermoelectric module to controllably vary the thermal change in the fluid.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the control circuit includes a wireless communication circuit configured to receive wireless signals including control information, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to control the at least one operating parameter of the at least one thermoelectric module based on the received control information.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to controllably remove heat from the fluid, or add heat to the fluid.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of Peltier elements are of alternating doping types and are series connected by alternating doping type between first and second electrical terminals.
7 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising a double pole double throw switch operably connected to the first and second electrical terminals to provide selectively alternate voltage polarity to the at least one thermoelectric module.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is water.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the power storage unit comprises at least one battery.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of Peltier elements are of alternating doping types and are series connected by alternating doping type between first and second electrical terminals.
11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a control circuit and at least one temperature sensor, the at least one temperature sensor supported on the wearable garment and communicatively coupled to the control circuit, and wherein the control circuit is configured to control at least one operating parameter of the at least one thermoelectric module based at least in part on temperature information received from the at least one temperature sensor.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein another of the at least one temperature sensor is disposed within the wearable fabric pack.
13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuit is configured to control the at least one operating parameter based on a P, PI, or PID control algorithm.
14 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a voltage regulator operably connected between the power storage unit and the at least one thermoelectric module, and wherein the control circuit is configured to control the at least one operating parameter of the at least one thermoelectric module by controlling an output voltage of the voltage regulator.
15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the wearable fabric pack includes an opening between and interior and exterior thereof, and wherein a fan is mounted in the opening.