Cooling device, especially portable, particularly for medical, therapeutic or aesthetic applications.

Abstract

Cooling device, particularly portable, especially for medical, therapeutic, or aesthetic applications. Cooling device (1) for cooling the surface of an element, particularly an element of the human body, for example, a part of human skin, comprises a basic body (2) defining at least one housing (3) designed to receive a ball (4) made of thermally conductive material, particularly steel, and a ball (4) received in the housing, the ball being held in the housing so as to be able to rotate about itself, and at least a portion of the outer surface of the ball projecting out of the housing and able to be brought into contact with the surface to be cooled. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Cooling device, in particular portable, in particular for medical, therapeutic or aesthetic applications.

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device, in particular portable, in particular for medical, therapeutic or aesthetic applications.

[0002] Known cooling devices are often bulky and difficult to transport. Ice packs are an example of a traditional cooling system used to relieve pain and inflammation, but they are heavy and require a power source. Other existing devices incorporate ice packs and / or cooling gels, but these products are not designed for continuous use and heat up quickly. Also known are cryolipolysis machines that are bulky and expensive and require precautions for use, making them intended for the exclusive use of professionals.

[0003] The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks of the state of the art by providing a cooling device that is simple to manufacture and transport.

[0004] According to the invention, a cooling device intended to cool the surface of an element, in particular an element of the human body, for example a part of the skin of a human being, comprises a base body defining at least one housing designed to receive therein a ball made of thermally conductive material, in particular steel, and a ball received in the housing, the ball being held in the housing so as to be able to rotate on itself, and at least a part of the outer surface of the ball projecting from the housing and being able to be brought into contact with the surface to be cooled.

[0005] , According to a preferred embodiment, the cooling device comprises cooling means intended to maintain the ball at a temperature below 0°C, in particular between -20°C and 0°C for a prolonged time, in particular greater than 1 hour, preferably greater than 2 hours.

[0006] In particular, the cooling means are arranged in thermal communication with the part of the outer surface of the ball which does not protrude from the housing.

[0007] Preferably, the cooling means are arranged in thermal communication with the entire portion of the outer surface of the ball which does not protrude from the housing.

[0008] In particular, the cooling means consist of at least one block re refrigerant formed of a sealed envelope, preferably sufficiently rigid to stand on its own, defining a sealed compartment filled with a fluid having a low temperature.

[0009] According to a favorable embodiment, the at least one cooling block is arranged inside the base body so as to define the housing in which the ball is received.

[0010] Preferably, the device comprises a stopper.

[0011] Preferably, an auxiliary cooling block is received in the cap, in particular so as to be in contact with the surface of the ball which projects outside the housing, in particular with the entire surface of the ball which projects outside the housing.

[0012] Preferably, the fluid contained in the or each compartment is in the form of a liquid or a gel, preferably a so-called eutectic liquid or gel, that is to say having a lower melting (or freezing) temperature than other liquids having the same chemical composition.

[0013] These so-called eutectic liquids and / or gels are often used as cold accumulators for the storage and transport of temperature-sensitive products and are generally composed of water, a gelling agent (such as sodium polyacrylate or cellulose) and specific salts or alcohols which lower the melting point. This type of liquid or gel is particularly well suited to cooling applications because it is capable of maintaining a constant temperature for a relatively long period of time, for example more than one hour, in particular more than two hours, in particular in a temperature range between -5°C and -20°C.

[0014] The present invention also relates to the use of a device for applying a product to a surface, in particular the skin of a living being, in particular a human being, comprising a cooling device according to the invention and a reservoir of a product, in particular topical, in fluid form, in particular liquid or gel, intended to be deposited on the surface to be cooled by the ball, the reservoir being fixed, in particular removably, to the cooling device so as to have an opening opening out opposite the ball so as to allow contact of at least part of the ball with the product contained in the reservoir.

[0015] The present invention also relates to the use of a cooling device and / or a device for applying a product according to the invention for cryolipolysis or cryotherapy.

[0016] By way of example only, a preferred embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0017] [Fig.l] is a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention; and

[0018] [Fig.2] is an exploded view of the different parts forming the device of [Fig.l].

[0019] In the figures, a cooling device 1 comprises a basic body 2 of circular cylindrical shape which defines within it a housing 3 of substantially hemispherical shape in which is received, by snap-fastening, a ball 4 made of a material with a high thermal coefficient, for example stainless steel, glass, ceramic (in particular zirconium oxide) or the like.

[0020] The ball 4 is received in the housing 3 by complementarity of shape, so as to be able to rotate there on itself, having an upper part which projects outside the housing, the shape of the housing being hemispherical, but with an angle slightly greater than 90° of latitude, so that the center of the ball is located below the upper peripheral edge of the housing, to thus prevent the ball from coming out of the housing, the ball being able, during manufacture, to be inserted by force into the housing, by the relative flexibility of the material forming the housing 3.

[0021] A bottle-shaped reservoir 5 has a threaded neck 6 which is screwed into a threaded conduit 17 coming from the lower part of the housing 3. The housing 3 has, in its bottom part, an opening 8, in correspondence with the neck 6, so that the product contained in the reservoir 5 and intended to be deposited on the surface to be cooled by the ball 4 can come into contact with the ball 4 when the latter is received in the housing 3.

[0022] A cap 9 covers the base body 2 from above, the cap being screwed by an internal thread 30 into a thread 31 coming from the external lateral face of the base body 2. The cap covers in particular the upper surface 12 of the ball which projects from the housing 7 and which is intended to be rolled on the surface to be cooled, in particular the skin of a human being, possibly with simultaneous application of the product stored in the reservoir 5 and taken up by the ball during its rolling in the housing 7 at the level of the part of its surface located opposite the lower opening 8, itself arranged opposite the opening of the neck 6.

[0023] On the other hand, the device comprises cooling means comprising a cooling block 10 having a sealed casing 11 in the shape of a torus substantially surrounding the part of the ball received in the housing 3. The casing 11 defines a sealed compartment in which a fluid is received, in particular a liquid L, preferably a eutectic liquid, that is to say a liquid having a lower melting point than other liquids having the same chemical composition. These liquids are often used as cold accumulators for the storage and transport of temperature-sensitive products. The liquids (or eutectic gels) are generally composed of water, a gelling agent (such as sodium polyacrylate or cellulose) and specific salts or alcohols which lower the melting point. This This type of liquid is well suited for cooling applications because it is able to maintain a constant temperature for a relatively long period of time, particularly in the temperature range between -5°C and -20°C.

[0024] The casing 11 can be made of various materials that are good conductors of heat / cold, such as plastic, glass or metal, in particular High Density Polyethylene (HDPE).

[0025] Preferably, the part of the body forming the housing 3 for receiving the ball is made of a material which is a good conductor of heat / cold so that the ball and the block 10 are in thermal communication with each other. It is also possible, as shown in the figures, to produce through windows 18, in particular distributed uniformly along the periphery of the housing to further improve the heat transfer between the block 10 and the ball 4 through the wall of the housing 3.

[0026] On the other hand, the rest of the basic body, and in particular its lateral casing and the cap, is preferably made of a thermally insulating material, for example Polypropylene (PP).

[0027] According to another possible embodiment, the casing 11 is rigid so as to hold itself and is arranged, in particular fixed, in the base body 2 so as to itself define the housing for receiving the ball.

[0028] The cooling means may further comprise an auxiliary cooling block 20 received inside the cap. The auxiliary block 20 has a sealed casing 21 in the shape of a torus substantially surrounding the part of the ball projecting from the housing 3, so as to keep it cold when the cap is fitted and to leave the ball exposed when the cap is removed. The casing 21 defines a sealed compartment in which a fluid is received, in particular a liquid of the same type as the liquid L of the casing 11, in particular the same liquid L.

[0029] In particular, the fixing of the two envelopes respectively 11 and 21 is carried out by snap-fastening a respective peripheral rib 12, 22 into a respective groove 13, 23 formed respectively in the inner wall of the base body and in that of the cap. According to other possible embodiments, the two envelopes can be fixed using clips, screws, seals, suction cups or any other suitable fixing means, which allows the user to replace the block(s) quickly and easily, in particular when it(they) has(have) heated up. However, without departing from the scope of the present invention, it can be provided that the block(s) are fixed in a non-removable manner.

[0030] The device is composed of at least two parts, one, upper, comprising the cooled compartment with the cooling liquid and the rotating ball (and where appropriate the cap), and the other, lower, composed of the reservoir of the topical product and of the topical liquid to be applied to the skin. These two parts are independent of each other, preventing the topical product from freezing when the part containing the cooling liquid L and the rotating ball is cooled, for example when this upper part of the device is placed in a freezer. Once this upper part has been brought to the desired temperature, it is then combined with the other lower part before using the device by screwing the threaded neck into the tapped conduit.

[0031] The liquid, preferably eutectic, is pre-cooled, for example, by placing the compartment in a freezer for a suitable period of time so that it reaches the desired temperature, in particular below 0°C, preferably between -20°C and 0°C.

[0032] The present invention can be implemented in any application requiring the application of so-called intense cold to a surface, in particular to the skin of a living being, in particular a human being, in particular in the context of cryotherapy or any other treatment requiring a cold and prolonged massage on the body, for example in the context of cryolipolysis in order to reduce fatty deposits on the areas to be treated, such as the stomach, thighs or arms. The low temperature of the outer surface of the ball, maintained for a prolonged time thanks to the cooling liquid, causes the crystallization of the fat cells, which are then eliminated naturally by the body.

[0033] In addition to the use in conventional cryolipolysis as described above, the cooling system of the present invention can also be used in very localized cryolipolysis on smaller areas, in particular to eliminate bags under the eyes, in particular those consisting mainly of fat.

[0034] It can also be used for cryotherapy, in particular to treat blows, hematomas, rheumatism and the like.

[0035] In this case, the rotating ball can be adapted by its size to the small area to be treated (from a few cm in diameter to a few tens of cm for the most important cases) and used for a duration generally of 20 to 30 minutes at constant negative temperatures. This area under the eyes naturally has two advantages for an application of cryolipolysis by a rotating ball: the shape of the pockets, which are in essence fatty swellings, without the need to pinch or suck the area of ​​fat in order to concentrate it, as is the case in a classic cryolipolysis and would be very dangerous in this area, and the constitution of the skin specific to this part of the body, which is very thin and therefore allows the fat cells to be reached more easily.

[0036] The rotating ball as described in the present invention can also be used against blows received, migraines, rheumatism or osteoarthritis to help reduce inflammation and pain.

[0037] The device with a rotating ball as according to the invention is simple to use, easy to transport, light, and does not require a source of electricity. It can be used for the application of cosmetic, medical or therapeutic products to the skin.

Claims

Claims

1. Cooling device (1) intended to cool the surface of an element, in particular an element of the human body, for example a part of the skin of a human being, comprises a base body (2) defining at least one housing (3) designed to receive therein a ball (4) made of thermally conductive material, in particular steel, and a ball (4) received in the housing (3), the ball (4) being held in the housing so as to be able to rotate on itself, and at least a part of the outer surface of the ball projecting from the housing and being able to be brought into contact with the surface to be cooled.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cooling device (1) comprises cooling means (10, 11; 20, 21; 10, 11, 20, 21) intended to maintain the ball at a temperature below 0°C, in particular between -20°C and 0°C for a prolonged time, in particular greater than 1 hour, preferably greater than 2 hours.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the cooling means (10, 11; 20, 21; 10, 11, 20, 21) are arranged in thermal communication with the part of the outer surface of the ball which does not protrude from the housing.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the cooling means (10, 11; 20, 21; 10, 11, 20, 21) are arranged in thermal communication with the entire part of the external surface of the ball which does not protrude from the housing.

5. Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the cooling means (10, 11; 20, 21; 10, 11, 20, 21) consist of at least one cooling block (10; 20; 10, 20) formed of a sealed casing (11; 21; 11, 21), preferably sufficiently rigid to hold itself, defining a sealed compartment filled with a fluid having a low temperature.

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the at least one cooling block (10) is arranged inside the base body so as to define the housing in which the ball is received.

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises a stopper (9).

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that an auxiliary refrigerant block (20) is received in the cap (9) so as to be in contact with the surface of the ball which protrudes outside the housing.

9. Device for applying a product to a surface, in particular the skin of a living being, in particular a human being, comprising a cooling device (1) according to one of the preceding claims and a reservoir (5) of a product (P), in particular topical, in fluid form, in particular liquid or gel, intended to be deposited on the surface to be cooled by the ball (4), the reservoir being fixed, in particular removably, to the cooling device so as to have an opening opening out opposite the ball so as to allow contact of at least part of the ball with the product contained in the reservoir.

10. Use of a cooling device according to one of claims 1 to 7 and / or a device for applying a product according to claim 8 for cryolipolysis or cryotherapy.

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