Importance

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Abstract

A device for cooling a small area of skin over several cycles is used to measure the condition and efficiency of the capillary bed in returning the skin temperature to normal. The system has a heat exchanger which is attached to the skin. Controlled amounts of a low-boiling point liquid are injected into a cooling chamber. One side of the chamber has conductive material, which against the skin. The heat of the skin boils the liquid, which in turn cools the heat conductive material and the skin. A wick help carries the liquid to the heat conductive surface. A vessel stores the liquid. A movable divider separates the vessel into two spaces. The low-boiling point liquid is stored on one side of the divider. The second space contains a fluid having a significant higher vapor pressure then the first-mentioned fluid so that the pressure from the second fluid pressurizes the first fluid, keeps it in liquid state and drives it to the heat exchanger. Flow is controlled by a valve mounted in the heat exchanger. In another embodiment, an intermediate injector or valve receives low-boiling point liquid from the vessel and passes it to the heat exchanger in response to signals from a computer. The computer is also fed with temperature signals in the skin to maintain a skin temperature within the measuring band-width. The heat exchanger is also useful in other systems such as generalized body cooling in high-temperature environments.

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First Claim