Therapy component of an animate body heat exchanger

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention is a therapy component of an animate body heat exchanger that includes: (a) a bladder that contains a heat exchange medium, which bladder is compliant and is shaped to conform to a body part to be subjected to heat exchange; (b) a gas pressure bladder that overlays at least a portion of the bladder to direct gas pressure against the body part and against the portion to press the portion towards the body part, which gas pressure bladder is defined at least partially by a first pair of generally parallel walls; and (c) a plurality of first connections that connect the walls together interiorly of the gas pressure bladder to inhibit separation of the walls.

What is claimed is:  
     
         5 . A therapy component of an animate body heat exchanger, comprising, in combination: 
 a bladder for containing a heat exchange medium, which bladder is compliant and is shaped to conform to a body part to be subjected to heat exchange;    a gas pressure bladder overlaying at least a portion of the heat exchange medium bladder to direct gas pressure against said body part and against said portion to press the portion towards said body part, which gas pressure bladder is defined at least partially by a first pair of generally parallel walls;    a plurality of first connections connecting said walls together interiorly of said gas pressure bladder to inhibit the separation of said walls; and    a plurality of second connections interiorly of said heat exchange medium bladder to aid in directing a desired flow of said heat exchange fluid through the same;    wherein said second connections are a dot matrix of connections for facilitating the even dispersion of the flow of liquid in said heat exchange medium bladder.