| 摘要 |
Equipment for thermal therapy of patients is disclosed. The equipment includes a flexible heat exchange structure having fluid conducting channels formed between two layers of flexible material, with improved liquid manifolds at the ends of the channels for resisting pinching, crimping or buckling in the manifolds on pressurization and when the heat exchange structure is subjected to flexure as when worn on the human body. The manifolds are configured so that pressurization shrinkage at the manifold is balanced with pressurization shrinkage laterally among the fluid conducting channels. In a preferred embodiment, the fluid conducting channels themselves are configured in a zig-zag pattern which is effective to resist buckling or pinching of the channels when the heat exchange structure is subjected to bending. In a further embodiment the flexible heat exchange structure includes a third layer of material to form a pressurized air envelope, for heat/cold and pressure therapy. This embodiment may include a fourth layer of flexible material, between the flow channels and the skin, for holding a liquid or gel to help disperse the heating or cooling from the fluid conducting channels more evenly against the skin. In another preferred embodiment the equipment includes a portable cart device for supplying heated and cooled liquid and air pressure for administering thermal therapy to a patient. The portable cart includes a heated liquid reservoir, a cooled liquid reservoir and a liquid mixing valve, effective to allow instant changes in temperature as desired for delivery through a patient therapy heat exchange device in contact with the patient. Liquid returning from the patient therapy is divided into portions to be heated and cooled in the same proportion as the mixing valve is currently set to deliver the mixed heated and cooled liquids.
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