초록 ▼

Apparatus for a disposable, portable thermal therapy device that is self-contained for shipping as a single unit to a patient. The therapy device has a shipping configuration that presents a single, self-contained durable container. The container includes an insert that defines a compartment between

Apparatus for a disposable, portable thermal therapy device that is self-contained for shipping as a single unit to a patient. The therapy device has a shipping configuration that presents a single, self-contained durable container. The container includes an insert that defines a compartment between the insert and the container. The compartment storing various electrical components. The insert has a cavity that contains a pump and stores a thermal pad and associated fluid lines. The therapy device has a deployed configuration in which the power connector, the control unit, and the thermal pad are extended from the interior of the container. In one embodiment, the insert is a solid insulating material that has a configuration suitable for nesting the inserts for shipping. In another embodiment, the insert is a planar material folded into a basket shape. Insulation is provided by the gap between the insert and the containing box.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for a thermal therapy device, said apparatus comprising: a container having a box and a lid, said lid being releasably securable to said box;an insert having a cavity defined by an inside surface of said insert, said inside surface of said insert being waterproof, said insert configu

1. An apparatus for a thermal therapy device, said apparatus comprising: a container having a box and a lid, said lid being releasably securable to said box;an insert having a cavity defined by an inside surface of said insert, said inside surface of said insert being waterproof, said insert configured to contain a volume of water, said insert substantially filling an inside volume of said box, said insert being a thermal insulator suitable for providing temperature isolation between a water-ice mixture in said cavity and an ambient environment outside said container;an insulator attached to said lid of said container, said insulator engaging an opening of said cavity when said lid is in a closed position;a compartment defined by an inside surface of said box and an outside surface of said insert, said compartment configured to have an opening through a side of said box;a pump having an outlet port and an inlet port, said pump secured inside said cavity proximate said bottom of said box;a cable connected to said pump, said cable providing electrical power to said pump;a thermal pad connected to said outlet port of said pump through a first conduit, said thermal pad configured to be positioned adjacent a body portion of a patient, said thermal pad connected to a second conduit having a distal end discharging into said cavity;a control unit operatively connected to said pump;a power connection providing power to said control unit and said pump;said container having a first configuration in which said lid is closed, said thermal pad and said first and second conduits are inside said cavity, said control unit is inside said container, and said cable is stored inside said compartment, wherein said first configuration is suitable for shipping said apparatus without requiring said container to be inserted into a shipping container; andsaid container having a second configuration wherein said cable extends from said opening in said box and said first and second conduits extend from said cavity to said pad, which is outside said box, wherein said apparatus is configured to be used by the patient. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a film wrapped around said container when said container is in said first configuration, and said film substantially enclosing said container. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said insert defines a passageway in which said cable is routed from said pump in said cavity to said compartment between said insert and said box. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cavity of said insert has a first cavity section and a second cavity section; said second cavity section defined by a first plurality of sidewalls; and said first cavity section dimensioned to receive a second plurality of sidewalls having the same configuration and dimensions as said first plurality of sidewalls wherein another insert is nestable with said insert. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first configuration of said container presents a plurality of panels defining said container as a plurality of planar surfaces free of any protrusions, wherein said container when in said first configuration is suitable for shipping. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said insert defines a single cavity extending from a lip of said insert to an inside bottom surface of said insert, and said inside bottom surface of said insert is positioned proximate a bottom of said box. 7. An apparatus for a thermal therapy device, said apparatus comprising: a container with a plurality of panels defining a lid and a box, said plurality of panels being rigid and planar, said lid being releasably securable to said box when said lid is in a closed position, said container having a passageway bounded by said box and said lid when said lid is in said closed position, said passageway configured to receive a conduit without interfering with said lid when said lid is in said closed position;an insert inside said box, said insert having thermal insulating properties suitable for providing temperature isolation between an outside surface and an inside surface of said insert when said inside surface contains a water-ice mixture, said inside surface defining a cavity, said cavity configured to contain a liquid, said insert having a first section and a second section, said first section being below said second section when said cavity is oriented to contain the liquid, said second section of said insert having a channel extending between a top of said insert to said first section, and said channel proximate said outside surface;an insulator attached to said lid of said container, said insulator engaging an opening of said cavity when said lid is in said closed position;a compartment defined by said outside surface of said insert proximate said first section and an inside surface of said box, said box configured to have an opening into said compartment;a pump having an outlet port and an inlet port, said pump secured inside said cavity proximate said bottom of said box, said passageway in said container configured to allow the conduit to pass from the pump to outside said container when said lid is in said closed position; anda first cable connected to said pump, said first cable providing electrical power to said pump, said first cable passing through said channel in said second section of said insert, said compartment configured and dimensioned to temporarily store a distal end of said first cable inside said compartment. 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said outside surface proximate said first section is dimensioned to fit within said second section whereby said insert, when not inside said box, is configured to be stacked as one of a plurality of inserts. 9. The apparatus of claim 7 further including a controller and a power cable, said compartment configured and dimensioned to temporarily store said controller and said power cable inside said compartment. 10. The apparatus of claim 9 further including a power supply electrically connected to said power cable, and said compartment configured and dimensioned to temporarily store said power supply, said controller, and said power cable inside said compartment. 11. The apparatus of claim 7 further including a thermal pad and said conduit connecting said thermal pad to said pump, said conduit passing through said passageway when said lid is in said closed position. 12. An apparatus for a thermal therapy device, said apparatus comprising: a container having a rectangular shape with a plurality of sides, a lid, and a bottom, said lid hingedly connected to one of said plurality of sides;an insert inside said container, said insert extending from a top of said to container to said bottom, said insert defining a cavity configured to contain a liquid, said insert being a closed cell foam with a thickness sufficient to provide temperature isolation between a water-ice mixture in said cavity and an ambient environment outside said container;a cap attached to a bottom surface of said lid, said cap engaging a top opening of said insert when said lid is in a closed position, said cap being a closed cell foam insulator;a compartment proximate said bottom of said container between said insert and at least one of said plurality of sides of said container;an opening into said compartment, said opening in one of said plurality of sides of said container;a channel extending from said top opening of said insert to said compartment, said channel defined by said insert and one of said plurality of sides of said container;a pump in said cavity, said pump proximate said bottom of said box;a cable connected to said pump, said cable extending up from said pump to said channel, said cable extending through said channel to said compartment;a thermal pad configured to be positioned adjacent a body portion of a patient;a first conduit connected to said pump and to said thermal pad; anda second conduit connected to said thermal pad and discharging into said cavity. 13. The apparatus of claim 12 further including a closure attached to a distal edge of said lid, said closure being a planar panel, said closure including a pair of flaps on opposite edges of said closure, and said pair of flaps configured to engage corresponding slots in said box. 14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said cavity is an unobstructed open volume in said insert, said cavity extends from a lip of said insert to an inside bottom surface of said insert, and said inside bottom surface of said insert is positioned proximate a bottom of said box. 15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said container has a shipping configuration in which said lid is in said closed position, a distal end of said cable is contained in said compartment, said thermal pad and said first and second conduits are stowed in said cavity, and an outside of said container presents a plurality of planar surfaces free of any protrusions. 16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said container has a deployed configuration wherein said cable extends from said opening in said compartment and said first and second conduits extend from said cavity to said thermal pad located outside said container. 17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said insert has an upper section and a lower section, said upper section having a sliding engagement with an inside surface of said plurality of sides of said container, and said compartment being a space between said lower section and an inside of said box proximate said bottom. 18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein an inside of said upper section is dimensioned to receive an object that is dimensioned identically to said lower section of said insert, whereby multiple inserts are nestable when said multiple inserts are separated from corresponding multiple containers. 19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said container has a conduit passageway between said box and lid, said conduit passageway configured to receive said first and second conduits when said lid is in said closed position. 20. An apparatus for a thermal therapy device, said apparatus comprising: a container having a box and a lid, said box having an opening in a side wall proximate a bottom of said box;an insert defining a cavity that is configured to contain a liquid, said cavity being an unobstructed open volume in said insert, said insert being a closed cell foam with a thickness sufficient to provide temperature isolation between a water-ice mixture in said cavity and an ambient environment outside said container,said insert having an upper section defined by a plurality of upper sidewalls, opposing ones of said plurality of upper sidewalls being parallel, said upper section being dimensioned to have a sliding engagement with an inside surface of said container, said upper section having a channel defined by an outside surface of one of said plurality of upper sidewalls and said inside surface of said container, said channel extending from a top of said upper section to said lower section,said insert having a lower section defined by a plurality of lower sidewalls, opposing ones of said plurality of lower sidewalls being parallel, said lower section being dimensioned to define a compartment between an outside surface of at least one of said plurality of lower sidewalls and said inside surface of said container;a cap attached to a bottom surface of said lid, said cap engaging a top opening of said insert when said lid is in a closed position;a pump positioned inside said insert proximate said bottom of said box, said pump having a cable routed from the pump, through the inside of said insert, through the passageway in said upper section of said insert, and into said compartment; andsaid container has a shipping configuration wherein said shipping configuration has said lid in said closed position with a distal end of said cable stored in said compartment, and an outside of said container presents a plurality of planar surfaces free of any protrusions. 21. The apparatus of claim 20 further including a thermal pad configured to be positioned adjacent a body portion of a patient; a first conduit connected to said pump and to said thermal pad; and a second conduit connected to said thermal pad and discharging into said cavity. 22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said cavity is dimensioned to store said thermal pad and said first and second conduits when said lid is closed. 23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein a conduit passageway is defined between said lid and an upper edge of said box whereby when said lid is in said closed position said first and second conduits extend from said cavity through said conduit passageway. 24. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said cap being a closed cell foam insulator. 25. The apparatus of claim 20 further including a controller and a power cable, said compartment configured and dimensioned to store said controller and said power cable inside said compartment when said container is in said shipping configuration. 26. The apparatus of claim 25 further including a power supply electrically connected to said power cable, and said compartment configured and dimensioned to store said power supply, said controller, and said power cable inside said compartment when said container is in said shipping configuration.