The present invention concerns a wearable device for thermal treatment of a body part, in particular for cooling a body part, according to features of claim 1.

Numerous wearable devices accommodating a replaceable thermal element for thermally treating a body part are known from the prior art. Such devices usually have a cuff-like or broad belt-like shape with a pocket-like holder for a replaceable thermal element, such as a passive cooling or passive heating pack that is held against the body part to be thermally treated. Such devices are often applied to an aching body part for pain relief.

However, when using such devices it is difficult for assisting third persons, as e.g. nurses or physicians, and often also for the user himself to notice when the thermal treatment provided by the wearable device becomes harmful. This is the case when the thermal treatment effects an undesired change of the local body part temperature to a critical temperature, such as a temperature drop below 15 °C in case of cooling, which can result in tissue damage.

It can often be observed that the temperature feeling of the user himself cannot be sufficiently relied on to ensure damage prevention of the thermally treated body part. This becomes even more critical if the user is unresponsive, as for example when the user is asleep or in extreme cases is unconscious, which can be the case during body trauma treatment of a patient.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a wearable device that enables a thermal treatment of a body part by using a replaceable thermal element while assisting in preventing harmful thermal effects on the treated body part and while still being easy to handle.

The present invention suggests achieving this object by providing a wearable device for thermal treatment of a body part, in particular for cooling a body part, comprising a thermal element holder for accommodating a replaceable thermal element during thermal treatment, the thermal element holder comprising a heat transfer section configured to be brought into contact with a body part to be thermally treated, characterized in that the wearable device comprises a temperature monitoring unit comprising a temperature probe and being configured to sense a temperature at the heat transfer section.

By providing a temperature monitoring unit comprising a temperature probe, wherein the temperature monitoring unit is configured to sense a temperature at the heat transfer section, it is possible to obtain and to monitor a sufficiently accurate temperature of the treated body part at a location of the body part where harmful thermal effects coming from the thermal treatment would occur first. Thus, harmful effects coming from the thermal treatment can be reliably prevented. In addition, by sensing a temperature at the heat transfer section of the wearable device, a sufficiently accurate temperature of the body part can be obtained and monitored for damage prevention based on features from the wearable device alone, that is without the need to manipulate or further prepare the body part itself for obtaining accurate temperature information. Thus, the wearable device can be handled easily.

Further, by sensing a temperature at the heat transfer section, it is additionally possible to draw conclusions on the thermal performance of the replaceable thermal element, which is accommodated in the thermal element holder during the thermal treatment. For example, when the wearable device is used with passive thermal elements, such as cold cooling packs, it is possible to conclude from the measured temperature when the thermal element no longer provides a desired thermal performance, e.g. no longer provide the desired cooling power, and requires replacement with a fresh thermal element.

In embodiments, the wearable device is in particular for cooling body parts. During cooling treatment of a body part, assisting third persons and the user with the invention in the above described manner is particularly helpful. During cooling treatments the risk of unintentionally overcooling the body part without recognizing it is high, due to the numbing effect a cooling treatment has on the nerves of the treated body part.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, the temperature probe is positioned at the heat transfer section such that the temperature probe can sense a surface temperature of the body part to be thermally treated during thermal treatment. In further possible embodiments, the temperature probe is additionally or is alternatively positioned at the heat transfer section such that the temperature probe can sense a surface temperature of the replaceable thermal element when the replaceable thermal element is accommodated in the thermal element holder.

By positioning the temperature probe at the heat transfer section, the temperature at this location can reliably be measured. Further, by positioning the temperature probe such that the probe can sense a surface temperature of the body part, temperature information can be sensed and monitored at the region of the body part that undergoes the most intense thermal treatment, namely the surface of the body part which normally is the skin of the body part.

In additional or alternative possible embodiments, positioning of the temperature probe at the heat transfer section such that the temperature probe can sense a temperature of the replaceable thermal element allows to get reliable feedback on the thermal performance of the replaceable thermal element, which is accommodated in the thermal element holder during the thermal treatment. In a further possible embodiment, the temperature probe is positioned at the heat transfer section such that the temperature probe can be brought into contact with the body part to be thermally treated during thermal treatment. In further possible embodiments, the temperature probe is additionally or is alternatively positioned at the heat transfer section such that the temperature probe can be brought into contact with the replaceable thermal element when the replaceable thermal element is accommodated in the thermal element holder.

Positioning the temperature probe at the heat transfer section such that the temperature probe can be brought into contact with the body part is an easy way to reliably obtain temperature information from the region of the body part that is exposed strongest to the effects of the thermal treatment.

In additional or alternative possible embodiments, positioning the temperature probe at the heat transfer section such that the temperature probe can be brought into contact with the replaceable thermal element is an easy way to reliably obtain temperature information of the replaceable thermal element and thus information on the thermal performance of the replaceable thermal element.

In a possible embodiment, the heat transfer section has a wall-like structure, and the temperature probe is at least partially integrated in the wall-like structure.

By integrating the temperature probe at least partially in a wall-like structure of the heat transfer section, the temperature probe is reliably positioned at the right spot in the heat transfer section to sense the desired temperature information. Further, by at least partially integrating the temperature probe in the wall-like structure, the wearing comfort is increased.

In a possible variant of the invention, the heat transfer section has a wall-like structure, and the temperature probe is exposed on the body-part side of the wall-like structure. In additional or alternative variants of the invention, the temperature probe is exposed on the thermal-element side of the wall-like structure.

Exposing the thermal probe on the body-part side of the wall-like structure improves the measurement results with regard to the body part temperature.

Additionally or alternatively exposing the temperature probe on the thermal-element side of the wall-like structure enables the replaceable thermal element to contact the temperature probe and thus allows to more accurately conclude on the temperature and thus the thermal performance of the replaceable thermal element during use.

In a preferred possible embodiment, the temperature monitoring unit comprises a temperature display unit configured to display a temperature sensed at the heat transfer section. This allows third persons and/or the user of the wearable device to visually perceive the temperature sensed at the heat transfer section. In an advantageous possible embodiment, the temperature display unit is detachable from and reattachable to the wearable device.

This helps to clean the wearable device and to not risk damage to temperature display unit during cleaning procedures.

In a possible embodiment, the temperature display unit is configured to constantly display the current temperature sensed at the heat transfer section during thermal treatment.

This allows third persons and/or the user to constantly get visual feedback on the current temperature sensed at the heat transfer section.

In a further possible embodiment, it is suggested that the temperature display unit comprises a digital screen to display a temperature sensed at the heat transfer section.

By displaying the sensed temperature on a digital screen it is possible to display the sensed temperature information in a way that is particularly easy to read and understand.

In an particular advantageous possible variant of the invention, the temperature display unit is positioned on the outer side of the wearable device facing away from the body part to be thermally treated.

This allows in particular third persons, such as nurses or physicians, to read the temperature information easily.

In a further possible embodiment, the heat transfer section is manufactured from textile material, in particular at least in part manufactured by knitting or weaving technologies.

Manufacturing the heat transfer section from textile material improves the wearing comfort of the wearable device where it contacts the body part. In optional embodiments, the heat transfer section is partially or fully manufactured by knitting or weaving technologies.

Manufacturing the heat transfer section by these textile-making technologies has shown to provide good heat transfer while at the same time providing good wearing comfort.

In a possible variant of the invention, the thermal element holder comprises a pocket for accommodating the replaceable thermal element during thermal treatment, wherein the heat transfer section is at least partially formed by a wall of the pocket.

A pocket is a reliable and easy to manufacture way of accommodating a replaceable thermal element during the thermal treatment. Further, by forming the heat transfer section at least partially by a wall of the pocket, the replaceable thermal element can be brought close to the heat transfer section in a simple and reliable manner.

In an advantageous possible embodiment, the pocket is in part or fully manufactured from textile material. This further improves the wearing comfort of the wearable device and also allows the pocket to fit to the replaceable thermal element in a simple and reliable manner.

In further optional embodiments, the pocket can be partially or fully manufactured by knitting or weaving technologies.

In further optional embodiments, it is suggested that the thermal element holder has an opening for inserting the replaceable thermal element into the holder and the opening is located on the side of the wearable device that faces the body part during thermal treatment. Alternatively, the opening is located on the outer side of the wearable device facing away from the body part during thermal treatment.

When the opening is located on the side of the wearable device that faces the body part during thermal treatment, that is the inner side of the wearable device, the replaceable thermal element is securely accommodated in the holder and can be prevented from slipping out unintentionally.

When the opening is located on the outer side of the wearable device facing away from the body part during thermal treatment, the replaceable thermal element can for example be easily replaced or checked by a third person during treatment without the need for the user to take off the device.

In a possible variant of the invention, the temperature monitoring unit is configured to output a warning signal when the temperature sensed at the heat transfer section crosses a threshold temperature.

The warning signal can for example comprise one or more of the following signals: an acoustic warning signal, a visible warning signal, a vibration signal or an electronic warning signal that can be communicated to an external receiving device.

The output of a warning signal conveniently warns or informs third persons and/or the user wearing the device when a critical temperature value is reached, for example in the case of cooling when the temperature sensed falls below 15 °C.

In a further possible embodiment, the wearable device is configured to not actively control the thermal performance of the replaceable thermal element during thermal treatment.

By configuring the wearable device such that it does not actively control the thermal performance of the replaceable thermal element, the wearable device can be used with any type of replaceable thermal elements, such as with passive thermal elements, the thermal performance of which cannot be controlled anyway, as well as with active thermal elements, which are powered by external energy and may have an internal temperature control which, however, is not connected with the wearable device. In a further possible variant of the invention, the wearable device is configured to be wrapped around a body part to be thermally treated, in particular the wearable device is configured to be reversibly fastened and held around a body part to be thermally treated.

By being configured to be wrapped around the body part to be thermally treated, the wearable device can conveniently be held at the body part while maintaining a close contact with the body part. In the optional configuration according to which the wearable device is configured to be reversibly fastened and held around the body part, the wearable device can repeatedly and conveniently be placed on respective body parts.

A possible embodiment concerns a wearable thermal treatment system, comprising a wearable device according to one of the aforementioned configurations and a replaceable thermal element configured to be replaceably accommodated in the thermal element holder.

In the wearable thermal treatment system, the replaceable thermal element can in its properties, such as geometric dimensions, deformability or thermal performance, be specifically adapted to the thermal element holder.

In a further possible embodiment, the replaceable thermal element is a passive thermal element or an active thermal element powered by external energy.

A passive thermal element is not powered by an external energy source, such as a battery, to a different temperature than the body part to be treated, but has been provided with a different temperature than the body part to be treated prior to the thermal treatment. Thus, many different types of thermal elements can be used in the wearable thermal treatment system, such as flexible cooling gel packs or crushed or dry ice packs.

In the possible alternative of an active thermal element, this element is powered by external energy, for example by a battery, and can provide a certain thermal performance, such as for example a certain cooling power. Active thermal elements can for example deliver a constant thermal performance. Dependent on the capacity of the power source supplying the active thermal element, the wearable thermal treatment system can provide a longer heat treatment.

In a further possible variant of the wearable thermal treatment system, the replaceable thermal element is a cooling element, in particular a passive cooling element or an active cooling element powered by external energy.

With the replaceable thermal element being a cooling element, the wearable thermal treatment system can perform cooling treatments to a body part.

With the cooling element optionally being a passive cooling element, the cooling element can be realized by simple configurations and can be realized to be highly deformable and adaptable to body contours without any irritating hard electric parts compared with active cooling elements.

In the alternative of an active cooling element, it is not necessary that the cooling element has a starting temperature far below the temperature of a body part as it is the case with a passive cooling element. That is, such a wearable thermal treatment system can also be used in situations where it is not possible to lower the temperature of the cooling element by external devices, such as a fridge.

In a further possible embodiment of the wearable thermal treatment system, the replaceable thermal element is a passive cooling element in the form of a cooling gel pack or the replaceable thermal element is an active cooling element comprising an electric power driven Peltier element.

A cooling gel pack with its property to adapt its shape to almost any contour at low temperatures makes the wearable thermal treatment system very comfortable for the user.

The optional alternative of a cooling element comprising an electric power driven Peltier element enables a wearable thermal treatment system with a compact active cooling element of comparably small size.

In further possible embodiments, the wearable device having one or more of the features as described heretofore can be configured as a knee brace, or as an arm cuff, or as a head band, or as a body band.

Possible embodiments of the invention containing advantageous combinations of the aforementioned possible embodiments will be explained further below by help of the following figures.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view on the outer side of a wearable device according to an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective view on the inner, body part facing side of the device of Fig. 1 ,

Fig. 3 shows as schematic perspective view on a replaceable thermal element in connection with the invention,

Fig. 4 shows a schematic top perspective view on the replaceable thermal element of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 shows the wearable device of Fig. 1 with here two thermal elements accommodated in respective thermal element holders,

Fig. 6 shows the device of Fig. 5 in an orthogonal view on the inner side,

Fig. 7 shows a schematic partial cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 2, Fig. 8 shows a schematic partial cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Fig. 6,

Fig. 9 shows a schematic partial cross-sectional view according to Figure 8 while the wearable device thermally treats a body part.

Figures 1 and 2 show a wearable device 1 for thermal treatment of a body part 2 according to an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the wearable device 1 is for cooling a body part 2, more specifically for cooling a limb. In other embodiments, the wearable device 1 can be used for cooling or heating a body part 2, and in further embodiments it can be used only for heating a body part 2.

The wearable device 1 here has a cuff-like shape with two slightly curved and shingle shaped halves 3, 4 which are fixedly but elastically connected with each other at one of their ends 5, 6. At the two opposite open ends 7, 8 of the halves 3, 4, there is provided a reversible fastener system 9, here in the form of a hook 10 and loop 11 fastener system, which can close the wearable device 1 to a ring-like shape. The wearable device 1 is configured here to be elastic. Further, it is configured to be wrapped around a body part 2, and after closing the fastener system 9, it can be held there by itself and can be worn by a user, even when the user moves the treated body part 2.

The wearable device 1 is provided in this embodiment with two thermal element holders 12, 13 in the form of two pockets 14, 15, each located in one of the two halves 3, 4. The opening 16, 17 of each pocket 14, 15 is provided on the inner, body part facing side 29 of the wearable device 1. In other, not illustrated embodiments, the wearable device 1 has a single thermal element holder or has three or more thermal element holders.

On the outer side 18 of the wearable device 1, which is the side facing away from the body part 2, there is a temperature monitoring unit 19 provided at the center of one half 3. The temperature monitoring unit 19 comprises a temperature display unit 20 having a digital screen 21 and further comprises a temperature probe 22 which is integrated in a wall 23 of the pocket 14 of the half 3 that bears the temperature monitoring unit 19.

In the present embodiment, the temperature display unit 20 is detachable from and reattachable to the wearable device 1 by a non-depicted screw mechanism.

More specifically, the temperature probe 22 is integrated in the wall 23 which in this embodiment forms a heat transfer section 24 of the thermal element holder 12. The inner wall 23 is located between the replaceable thermal element 25, when the replaceable thermal element 25 is accommodated in the pocket 14, and the body part 2 to be thermally treated, here to be cooled.

During a thermal treatment of the body part 2, based on a difference in temperature between the thermal element holder side and the body part side, heat will be transferred through the heat transfer section 24. In case of a cooling treatment, body heat will be transferred from the body part 2 to the cooler replaceable thermal element 25. The heat transfer section 24 is indicated for one of the halves 3, 4 in Figures 2, 5, and 6 by a broken line field, which matches the area where the replaceable thermal element 25 as shown in isolation in Figures 3 and 4 can sandwich the inner pocket wall 23 to the body part 2, for example an injured limb, which is to be cooled by the wearable device 1.

As can best be taken from Figure 2, the temperature probe 22 is positioned in the center of the area of the heat transfer section 24.

As can best be taken from Figures 3 and 4 that show a replaceable thermal element 25 in connection with the invention, the replaceable thermal elements 25 in this embodiment are provided in the form of passive cooling deformable gel packs that have a rectangular shape with a thickness thinner than their lengths and widths, which fit tightly in the respective pockets 14, 15 of the halves 3, 4.

Figures 5 and 6 show the wearable device 1 with replaceable thermal elements 25 embodied as gel packs accommodated in each of the two thermal element holders 12, 13.

Figure 7 shows a schematic and partial cross-sectional view of the wearable device 1 taken along line A-A in Figure 2.

In the present embodiment, as can be taken from Figure 7, the temperature probe 22 is integrated in the structure of the pocket wall 23 that is in contact with the body part 2 during the thermal treatment. The temperature probe 22 here axially extends through the wall-like structure 23 of the heat transfer section 24, while one end 26 of the temperature probe 22 is exposed within the thermal element holder 12, that is, is exposed on the thermal element side of the inner wall 23, and the other end 27 of the temperature probe 22 is exposed on the body-part side of the inner wall 23.

As can further be taken from Figure 7, in this embodiment, the temperature probe 22 communicates via a wire 28 with the temperature monitoring unit 19. In other, non-depicted embodiments, the temperature probe 22 can be wirelessly connected with the temperature monitoring unit 19. The temperature monitoring unit 19 further comprise a battery (not illustrated) that supplies the temperature monitoring unit 19 with electric power.

The pocket 14, including the heat transfer section 24, in this embodiment has been manufactured from textile material by using knitting or weaving technologies.

Figure 8 shows a schematic and partial cross-sectional view of the wearable device 1 taken along line B-B in Figure 6. As can be taken from Figure 8, the replaceable thermal element 25 fits tightly into the thermal element holder 12, here in the form of the pocket 14. In this embodiment, the exposed end 26 of the temperature probe 22 comes into contact with the replaceable thermal element 25.

Figure 9 shows a partial cross-sectional view according to Figure 8, however, here the wearable device 1 is shown in a thermal treatment state in which it is wrapped and pressed around a body part 2, so that the other exposed end 27 of the temperature probe 22 comes into contact with the body part 2, here with the naked skin of the body part 2 to be thermally treated.

The replaceable thermal element 25 can also be an active thermal element, for example an actively cooling element comprising one or more Peltier elements (not illustrated) powered by external energy, for example powered by their own battery. This active cooling element can have a shape quite similar to the gel pack 25 as depicted in Figures 3 and 4 and can be accommodated in the pocket 14 of the thermal element holder 12 in a quite similar manner.

In the following, possible functions and uses of the invention will be briefly explained by referring to a possible embodiment as described here before.

A user is in need of pain relief of his injured and aching body part 2, for example of one of his limbs. The user or a third person assisting the injured user takes two cool gel packs 25 from a freezer, which for example both have a temperature below zero, but which, due to their gel nature, are still deformable and adaptable to a specific body contour. The cool gel packs 25 are inserted through the openings 16, 17 into the respective pockets 14, 15. When the pockets 14, 15 accommodate the cool gel packs 25, in the half 3 being provided with the temperature probe 22, the one end 26 of the temperature probe 22 comes into contact with the gel pack 25. Afterwards, the user or a third person wraps the wearable device 1 around the injured limb 2 by help of the fastener system 9. Thus, the wearable device 1 is wrapped tightly around the limb 2 to be cooled and the heat transfer section 24 comes into contact with the skin of the injured limb 2. Due to the temperature difference between the injured limb 2 and the gel pack 25, body heat is transferred through the heat transfer section 24 to the gel pack 25, which gradually gets warmer while the temperature of the limb 2, in particular the surface temperature of the skin, drops.

The digital screen 21 of the temperature display unit 20 constantly senses and visually displays the real-time temperature measured by the temperature probe 22 at the heat transfer section 24. Thus, the user as well as third persons can easily check on the current temperature at the heat transfer section 24 and thus of the cooled body part 2. In case the thermal cooling performance of the gel pack 25 is too high so that the temperature sensed by the temperature probe 22 falls below a threshold temperature, which has been preselected to 15°C in this embodiment, the temperature monitoring unit 19 outputs a warning signal, in this embodiment a visual warning signal in the form of a blinking of the digital screen 21. The attention of the user or of an assisting third person nearby will thus be drawn to the critical temperature sensed at the heat transfer section 24 and the wearable device 1 can be removed from the body part 2 before any serious harm to tissue of the body part 2 could be caused.

Further, when checking on the measured temperature, the user or a third person can also conclude when the gel pack 25 no longer provides the desired cooling power and should be replaced with a colder gel pack, for example when the measured temperature is too high, such as when it is close to room temperature.

As the pockets 14, 15 and the gel packs 25 in this two pocket embodiment are quite similar, having only one temperature probe 22 is still sufficient even when both pockets 14, 15 accommodate a gel pack 25, as due to the existing similarities between both pockets 14, 15, the gel packs 25 and the situation of use, one can conclude from the temperature measured by the probe 22 at the one half 3 on a state at the other half 4 without the probe 22.

Further, during thermal treatment, the user can move the treated body part 2, if he wishes, without the risk that a gel pack 25 may slip out of the pocket 14, 15 as the openings 16, 17 of the pockets 14, 15 are covered by the body part 2 and thus a gel pack 25 cannot unintentionally slip out of the pocket 14, 15.