SYSTEM

It is the object of this invention to provide a device for cryotherapy with a weighing system, intended for carrying out medical and therapeutic procedures with the use of very low temperatures.

In a device for cryotherapy liquid nitrogen is used and the vapors thereof are applied locally to areas of the body that require therapy as well as physiological reactions of the system to cold are used.

In known devices of this type a reservoir of liquid nitrogen the vapors of which are drawn for cryotherapy is positioned on a base of a device for cryotherapy. Nitrogen vapors are fed through a feeding line to a therapeutic tip of a varying structure, also replaceable so as to accommodate the device for the purposes of a specific medical procedure. The feeding line is provided with a valve for adjustment of the outflow of the therapeutic agent. Proper parameters of the stream of therapeutic medium are set by means of a control panel mounted securely to a constituent element of the device for cryotherapy. In devices of this kind, for the purposes of proper operation thereof, it is important to establish the mass of nitrogen in the reservoir. Too low amount may result in interruption of the therapeutic process and this may cause worsening of the state of the patient instead of recovering.

From Polish patent application P 394 549 a cryotherapeutic device is known where a reservoir of liquid nitrogen is positioned on a base and is provided with a treatment tip. The treatment tip at its one end is connected releasably to the end of a feeding line the other end of which is located within the reservoir of liquid nitrogen. The feeding line is provided with a valve, and the operation of the device is controlled by an actuating member to which signals representing the amount of nitrogen in the reservoir and temperature are sent. The amount of nitrogen in the reservoir is measured by means of an tensiometer weighing device positioned in the movable basis on which the nitrogen reservoir is directly placed. From Polish utility model 62173Y a device for cryotherapy is known that comprises a reservoir with liquid nitrogen positioned on a movable framework provided with a base and with a formed arm in a shape of a bow to which a control panel is fastened the latter being fed with signals from sensors and transmitting control signals. The reservoir is in communication, through a feeding line, with an applicator. In this solution, liquid nitrogen is fed to the applicator. In this solution the measurement of the amount of liquid nitrogen in the reservoir is performed by means of a flat ruler. Therefore, the measurement is performed in an intermittent manner and this means that solely during the measurement the amount of nitrogen in the reservoir is established and the measurement result is susceptible to error.

From Polish utility model 65217Y a cryotherapy device is known with a feeding line, comprising a reservoir with liquid nitrogen positioned on a movable base, integrally coupled with a heater positioned within a head inside the reservoir connected to the feeding line terminated in a nozzle which is releasably and rotationally seated in the head. The device is provided with a system for measuring the amount of liquid nitrogen in the reservoir, and the operation of the device is controlled by a feeding panel comprising function buttons and displays, seated fixedly on a formed bow of the base. The movable framework on which the liquid nitrogen reservoir is positioned comprises a base where an tensiometer system is positioned for measuring the amount of nitrogen in the reservoir and for sending systems to the control panel.

In all devices known from the prior art the measuring system for the amount of nitrogen in the nitrogen reservoir is imprecise and may be intermittent.

A device for cryotherapy with a weighing system, according to the invention, comprises a reservoir with liquid nitrogen, positioned on a movable base equipped with wheels, and provided with a head connected with one end of a feeding line inserted with its other end within the reservoir with liquid nitrogen. The device is provided with an electric heater of an adjustable power level connected to a control panel to which in turn an tensiometer sensor is connected, said sensor being positioned in the movable base, and the control panel is provided with a socket and control buttons and indicator lamps. The movable base comprises a frame comprising an upper part and a lower part coupled with each other pointwise with articulated joints and a tensiometer sensor.

Preferably, the upper part and the lower part of the frame are constituted by annular flat elements of an irregular shape.

Preferably, the articulated joints that couple the upper part and the lower part of the frame are flexible elements.

Also preferably, the upper part and the lower part of the frame are coupled with two articulated joints.

Also preferably, the fastening points of the articulated joints and the tensiometer sensor with the upper part and the lower part of the frame are positioned circumferentially in an asymmetric manner relative to the vertical axis of the frame.

The object of the invention is shown in embodiments in the drawing, where Fig. 1 shows a device for cryotherapy in a perspective view; Fig. 2 shows a movement system for a device for cryotherapy in a perspective view.

As shown in Fig. 1 , a device 1 for cryotherapy comprises a reservoir 2 for liquid nitrogen. A lower part of the reservoir 2 constitutes a base by means of which the reservoir is placed on a movable platform 3 equipped with wheels 4 used to move the device 1 for cryotherapy.

The upper part of the reservoir 2 for liquid nitrogen of the device 1 for cryotherapy is provided with a feeding line 6 to which at one end a head 5 is connected. The other end of the feeding line 6 is inside the reservoir 2 for liquid nitrogen.

The device 1 for cryotherapy is equipped with an electric heater (not shown) of an adjustable power level, positioned within the reservoir 2 for liquid nitrogen and connected to a control panel 7. To the control panel 7 there are also connected other sensors of the device 1 for cryotherapy such as for example an tensiometer sensor that records current mass of the nitrogen reservoir 2 and as a consequence the current state of nitrogen in the reservoir 2. The control panel 7 is equipped with suitable sockets, control buttons or indicator lamps.

As shown in Fig. 2, a frame 9 of the movable base 3 comprises an upper part 10 and a lower part 11 coupled pointwise with each other by means of two articulated joints 12. Apart from the articulated joints 12 between the upper part 10 and the lower part 1 1 of the frame of the movable base 3 a tensiometer sensor 8 is positioned in a manner so as the upper part 10 affects with its protrusion the active part of the tensiometer sensor 8.

Signals from the tensiometer sensor 8 are transmitted to a control panel,

In the upper part 10 of the frame 9 of the movable base 3 a nitrogen reservoir is placed and the positioning thereof is strictly determined where the measurement is effected taking into account the mass of the upper part 10 which causes that it is always accurate and represents the state of the nitrogen contents in the reservoir in real time. In order to avoid errors resulting from movement of the device 1 for cryotherapy, additionally, by means of a suitable software, the values are sampled and averaged in a manner so as to eliminate noticeable level jumps caused by example by moving of the device 1 for cryotherapy on an uneven surface, temporal pressing on the reservoir 2 or jerking of the feeding line 6.