Body Cooling Device

Abstract

A cooling device for cooling a portion of a body. The device includes a curved bias member disposed in a bias member chamber, and a plurality of elongated liquid permeable containers comprising a plurality of elongated chambers, wherein each have a plurality of liquid absorbent particles disposed therein. The elongated chambers are in fluid communication with a plurality of compartments, and configured to redistribute the particles in the containers. The particles have a thermal conductivity constant less than that of ice; and the particles expand into a gel and occupy a volume of the containers when the device is immersed into a liquid. In other embodiments, the bias member has a pair of end portions extending outwardly therefrom in a substantially orthogonal orientation, forming an omega shaped bias member.

1 . A cooling device for cooling a portion of a body, comprising:
 an elongated bias member chamber;   a bias member disposed in the elongated bias member chamber, having:
 a first end; 
 a second end opposite the first end; 
 a first side extending from the first end to the second end; and 
 a second side opposite the first side and extending from the first end to the second end; 
   a first elongated container, disposed along the first side of the elongated bias member chamber;   a second elongated container, disposed along the second side of the elongated bias member chamber opposite the first elongated container; and   a plurality of liquid absorbent particles disposed within the first elongated container and the second elongated container.   
   
   
       2 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first elongated container and the second elongated container comprise a first elongated chamber disposed along the elongated bias member chamber and a second elongated chamber disposed along the first elongated chamber opposite the elongated bias member chamber. 
   
   
       3 . The cooling device of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first elongated container and the second elongated container are liquid permeable. 
   
   
       4 . The cooling device of  claim 3 , wherein each of the first elongated container and the second elongated container further comprise a first compartment disposed near the first end, and a second compartment disposed near the second end. 
   
   
       5 . The cooling device of  claim 4 , wherein each of the first elongated chambers and the second elongated chambers are in fluid communication with each of the first compartment and the second compartment, respectively, and wherein each of the first compartment and the second compartment are configured to redistribute the plurality of liquid absorbent particles in the first elongated container and the second elongated container, respectively. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein each of the first elongated container and the second elongated container have a volume less than about twelve times the volume of the associated fully hydrated liquid absorbent particles. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein each of the first elongated chambers have a volume between about 0.7 times to about 0.95 times the total volume of the plurality of fully hydrated liquid absorbent particles. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of liquid absorbent particles comprise a thermal conductivity constant when hydrated and chilled to near freezing of less than about one third of that of ice. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein each of the first elongated chambers and the second elongated chambers comprise a capacity no greater than about 27 cubic centimeters and a longest dimension no greater than about 9 centimeters. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the bias member is a single continuous flexible band. 
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the bias member is substantially curved. 
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein each of the first elongated chambers and the second elongated chambers are substantially parallel to each other. 
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein each of the first compartments and the second compartments are substantially triangular. 
   
   
       14 . A cooling device for cooling a portion of a body, comprising:
 a planar cooling member, including:
 an elongated bias member chamber; 
 a curved bias member disposed in the elongated bias member chamber, having:
 a C-shaped portion; 
 a first end portion coupled to a first end of the C-shaped portion, and extending outwardly therefrom in a substantially orthogonal orientation; and 
 a second end portion coupled to a second end of the C-shaped portion opposite the first end portion, and extending outwardly therefrom in a substantially orthogonal orientation. 
 
 a first elongated liquid permeable container, disposed along the first side of the elongated bias member chamber; 
 a second liquid permeable elongated container, disposed along the second side of the elongated bias member chamber opposite the first elongated container; and 
 a plurality of liquid absorbent particles disposed within the first elongated container and the second elongated container, and configured to expand into a gel and occupy a volume of the first elongated water permeable container and second elongated container when the cooling member is immersed into a liquid. 
   
   
   
       15 . The cooling device of  claim 14 , wherein each of the first elongated container and the second elongated container comprise a first elongated chamber disposed along the elongated bias member chamber and a second elongated chamber disposed along the first elongated chamber opposite the elongated bias member chamber. 
   
   
       16 . The cooling device of  claim 15 , wherein each of the first elongated container and the second elongated container further comprise a first compartment disposed near the first end portion, and a second compartment disposed near the second end portion. 
   
   
       17 . The cooling device of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first elongated chambers and the second elongated chambers are in fluid communication with each of the first compartment and the second compartment, respectively, and wherein each of the first compartment and the second compartment are configured to redistribute the plurality of liquid absorbent particles in the first elongated container and the second elongated container, respectively. 
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the planar cooling member comprises a liquid absorbent material. 
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the bias member is substantially omega-shaped. 
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the bias member is configured to impede fluid communication of the liquid absorbent particles between the first compartments and the second compartments, respectively.