Apparatus and methods for impingement cooling

Abstract

To provide an impingement cooling apparatus for skin cooling.SOLUTION: A jet impingement cooling apparatus is provided including a housing having a surface to be directed at a treatment area, an optically transparent region through which electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from a source can be directed from the housing to the treatment area, and at least one opening on the surface of the housing through which a fluid flow can be directed to the treatment area to maintain the treatment area at a therapeutically acceptable temperature range while avoiding interference with the EMR being directed at the treatment area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] <Related Applications> This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 497,535, filed November 22, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application also claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 497,521, filed November 22, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application also claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 497,519, filed November 22, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application also claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 15 / 820,699, filed November 22, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates generally to cooling devices, and more particularly to impingement cooling devices. [Background technology]

[0003] Skin cooling during thermal treatment of tissue located under the skin is designed to cool and protect the skin while allowing energy to pass through the skin to the underlying tissue. One conventional application uses a light source to produce energy that passes through an optically transparent but thermally conductive window material, such as sapphire, which can be placed against the skin for cooling. The periphery of the thermally conductive sapphire window is then cooled with cold water flowing through a conduit. However, skin cooling is very non-uniform in such an arrangement, with good cooling around the periphery of the window, but less effective cooling toward the center of the window. Effective uniform skin cooling can also be hindered by insufficient or partial contact between the skin and the cooling plate.

[0004] For short-term applications in aesthetic skin treatments, other methods include cryogenic spray cooling. Droplets of a low boiling point liquid are applied to the skin area in a pulsed fashion to locally reduce the temperature just prior to application of laser energy. The coolant may vary, but a prime example includes R134a, which has a boiling point of -26°C. Boiling of the coolant is a very effective heat transfer. However, long-term use over large patient areas required for certain aesthetic treatments poses many practical difficulties. Some of the usability difficulties include the complex set of variables regarding temperature control of the skin area and heat transfer relative to the boiling point of the coolant. Additionally, the coolant must be replenished, and frequent use results in vapors in the office air that are of concern as harmful. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In one embodiment, an impingement cooling device is provided. The device includes a housing having a surface directed toward a treatment region. The device further includes an optically transparent region on the surface of the housing through which electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from a source can be directed from the housing toward the treatment region. The device further includes at least one opening on the surface of the housing through which a fluid flow can be directed toward the treatment region to maintain the treatment region within a therapeutically acceptable temperature range while avoiding interference with the EMR directed toward the treatment region.

[0006] In some embodiments, at least one of the openings is formed in an optically transparent region on the surface. In some embodiments, the fluid stream directed through the openings forms a plurality of fluid jets for impinging on the treatment area. In some embodiments, the openings are positioned to allow the fluid jets to impinge on a portion of the treatment area irradiated by the EMR. In some embodiments, the exit velocity of the fluid jets is sufficient to minimize a thermal boundary layer formed on the treatment area. In some embodiments, the exit velocity is between 20 meters per second and 200 meters per second. In some embodiments, the openings include an inlet and an outlet having a constant diameter. In some embodiments, the openings include an inlet and an outlet, the inlet having a larger diameter than the outlet to reduce the pressure drop across the opening. In some embodiments, the fluid stream includes at least one of air, water, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the fluid stream is an air stream.

[0007] In another embodiment, a method of cooling a surface is provided. The method includes receiving a fluid flow within a housing having a surface directed to a treatment region. The method further includes conducting electromagnetic radiation from a source through an optically transparent region on the surface of the housing to the treatment region. The method further includes directing the fluid flow to the treatment region through at least one opening on the surface of the housing to maintain the treatment region in a therapeutically acceptable temperature range while avoiding interference with the electromagnetic radiation directed to the treatment region.

[0008] In some embodiments, the step of directing the fluid stream through the opening further comprises forming a plurality of fluid jets for impinging on the treatment area. In some embodiments, the forming step further comprises issuing the fluid jets from the opening at an exit velocity sufficient to minimize a thermal boundary layer formed on the treatment area. In some embodiments, the exit velocity is between 20 meters per second and 200 meters per second. In some embodiments, the method further comprises positioning the surface to cause the fluid jets to impinge on a portion of the treatment area irradiated by the EMR. In some embodiments, the step of positioning the surface further comprises adjusting a spacing between the surface and the treatment area to maintain a therapeutically acceptable temperature. In some embodiments, the method further comprises cooling the fluid stream. In some embodiments, the cooled temperature of the fluid stream is between 0° C. and 39° C. In some embodiments, the step of cooling the fluid stream further comprises adjusting a temperature of the fluid stream to maintain a therapeutically acceptable temperature. In some embodiments, the method further comprises adjusting a flow rate of the fluid stream to maintain a therapeutically acceptable temperature. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] Illustrative, non-limiting example embodiments will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1A] 1 is a perspective view of a jet impingement cooling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 1B] 1B is a perspective view of the jet impingement cooling apparatus of FIG. 1A according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] 1A-1D are perspective views of three different jet impingement nozzle configurations, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2B] 2B is a cross-sectional view of three different jet impingement nozzles of FIG. 2A according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 illustrates airflow patterns for cooling a jet impingement, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] 2 is a perspective view of another jet impingement cooling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is a bottom view of the jet impingement cooling apparatus of FIG. 4A according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5A] 4 is a perspective view of yet another jet impingement cooling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is a side view of the jet impingement cooling apparatus of FIG. 5A according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 4 is a perspective view of yet another jet impingement cooling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 is a perspective view of a rectangular jet impingement cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8A] 2 is a perspective view of another rectangular jet impingement cooling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B is a bottom view of the rectangular jet impingement cooling device of FIG. 8A according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the jet impingement cooling device of FIG. 4A with a transparent window attached thereto according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the jet impingement cooling device of FIG. 5A with a transparent window attached thereto according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the jet impingement cooling of FIG. 6 with a transparent window attached, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooling device having a transparent endothermic cooling pack, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a transparent endothermic cooling pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 1 is a perspective view of another cooling device having another transparent endothermic cooling pack according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another transparent endothermic cooling pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Various exemplary embodiments will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which several example embodiments are shown. However, the present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the size and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0011] Unless otherwise defined, all terms, including technical and scientific terms, used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. For example, when an element is referred to as being "operably engaged" with another element, the two elements are engaged to enable electrical and / or optical communication from one to the other.

[0012] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide a jet impingement cooling device. In some embodiments, the device of the present disclosure can include a housing having a surface directed toward a treatment area, a plurality of openings formed in the surface to allow airflow to be directed toward the treatment area, and at least one optically transparent portion of the housing to allow laser energy to be conducted to the treatment area.

[0013] Referring to FIG. 1A, a jet impingement cooling device (100) is provided. The device (100) includes a housing (101) having a surface (103) that, in some embodiments, is directed toward the treatment area. In some embodiments, the housing (101) may be constructed from any suitable material, such as metal, plastic, clear plastic, glass, polycarbonate, polymer, sapphire, any other suitable material, or combinations thereof, to retain a suitable shape for airflow control and to withstand the pressures and forces associated with operation. To the extent that it is desirable to allow electromagnetic radiation (EMR) to be conducted through the housing (101) directed toward the treatment area, it may be advantageous to form at least a portion of the housing (101), particularly at least a portion of the surface (103), from an optically transparent material. In some embodiments, the housing (101), including the surface (103), may be completely transparent. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1A, at least the periphery (101a) of the housing (101) may be opaque to the treatment wavelength. In some embodiments, the opaque portions can advantageously shield the EMR treatment energy from potential impingement on the user or patient. Additionally, in some embodiments, portions of the surface (103) that do not transmit EMR may not require a transparent material. In general, however, portions of the surface (103) that approximate or coincide with the EMR beam must be optically transparent so as not to impede the transmission of EMR.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1A, the jet impingement cooling device (100) may further include a number of openings (105) formed in the surface (103) for directing the airflow AF onto the treatment area. With further reference to FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, the openings (105) may be positioned to direct the airflow AF onto the treatment area at a temperature, flow rate, and outlet flow rate appropriate to maintain the treatment area in a therapeutically acceptable temperature range while avoiding interference with the EMR being directed to the treatment area. To that end, the openings (105) that coincide with or are adjacent to the portion of the surface (103) through which the EMR is conducted (the EMR conducting area) may be formed from an optically transparent material. Other openings (105) need not be transparent, as long as they do not coincide with the EMR conducting area.

[0015] In some embodiments, the plurality of openings (105) can be arranged in a pattern that can provide substantially uniform cooling over at least the entire treatment area of ​​the target area, where the treatment area is the portion of the target area that is irradiated by EMR. In some embodiments, the substantially uniform cooling can be spread over an area larger than the treatment portion of the target surface. In such embodiments, the treatment area can be pre- or post-cooled as the treatment device is moved from one treatment area to another, either manually or by an automated mechanism that is programmed to provide the appropriate energy to maintain the target temperature range for the treatment.

[0016] In general, factors that maintain efficient cooling of the treatment area include the exit velocity of the impingement jets, the spacing between the exit of the openings (105) and the treatment area, the temperature of the cooling air, and the location of the openings (105) relative to one another. In some embodiments, to maintain efficient cooling, the exit velocity of the impingement jets leaving the openings (105) may be sufficient to minimize, eliminate, and / or prevent the formation of a thermal boundary layer at the treatment area. For example, in some embodiments, an exit velocity of the impingement jets of about 20 meters per second to about 200 meters per second may be sufficient to minimize or eliminate a thermal boundary layer while providing sufficient flow rate to maintain a therapeutically acceptable temperature of the treatment area. To the extent that a particular exit velocity is desired for the impingement jets of the multiple openings (105), the exit velocity may be determined according to the relationship between the total supply air volume of each opening (105) and the total collective exit area. In one particular example, using a device (100) having nine orifice holes as shown in Figures 1A and 1B, where each opening (105) includes an outlet having a diameter of 0.2286 cm, and therefore an area of ​​0.04129 square cm, the device (100) has a total collective outlet area of ​​9 x 0.04129 = 0.3697 square cm. Thus, for example, a cooling air supply flow rate of 169.9 LPM, the outlet velocity resulting from each opening is approximately 76 meters per second. However, in light of this disclosure, it will be apparent that this is only one particular example, and that any number of openings (105) having any size, shape, outlet area, total collective outlet area, or combination thereof may be used to direct airflow having any flow rate, according to various embodiments.

[0017] Assuming a constant orifice (105) outlet size, spacing between the orifice outlet and treatment area, and cooling air temperature, adding or subtracting orifices (105) will decrease or increase the outlet velocity. For constant orifices (105), spacing between the orifice outlet and treatment area, and cooling air temperature, the outlet velocity may be increased to increase cooling capacity. To assist with the increased outlet velocity, the flow rate of cooling air introduced into the housing (101) and directed through the orifices (105) may be increased.

[0018] To promote uniform flow and maintain a desired cooling rate, during use, the openings (105) can be spaced from the target surface to maintain substantially uniform cooling and promote efficient jet impingement cooling. In particular, the proximity of the outlet of the openings (105) to the treatment area can affect the impingement jet impingement velocity and flow characteristics and correspond to the overall impingement geometry. With respect to cooling efficiency, generally, the closer the spacing, the greater the cooling efficiency, as long as the presence of the device (100) does not interfere with the flow pattern and / or ability to provide uniform flow across the treatment area. For example, assuming a constant outlet velocity and cooling air temperature, increasing the spacing between the outlet and the treatment area from about 0.5 inches to about 0.75 inches results in a decrease in cooling efficiency of approximately 15%. In some embodiments, the spacing between the openings (105) and the target surface can be maintained in a range between 0.001 inches and more than 1 inch. In some embodiments, the spacing is about 0.5 inches. More generally, any spacing between the openings (105) and the target surface may be used so long as it is capable of providing substantially uniform cooling to the treatment area to maintain a therapeutically acceptable temperature range.

[0019] With respect to the relative positioning of the openings (105), a narrower pattern, i.e., decreasing the spacing between the openings (105), and / or increasing the number of openings (105) formed on a given size surface (103), can increase the cooling efficiency. For example, decreasing the spacing between the openings (105) such that the spacing between jet impingements on the treatment area decreases from 0.8 inches to 0.6 inches can increase the cooling efficiency by about 15%. With respect to cooling air temperature, generally, cooling efficiency increases as the temperature decreases. For example, decreasing the cooling air temperature from about 5°C to about 0°C can increase the cooling efficiency by about 25%.

[0020] In some embodiments, the openings (105) may be configured to have any suitable internal configuration. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the surface (103) has three openings (105a, 105b, 105c) formed therein, each having an inlet (201a, 201b, 201c) and an outlet (203a, 203b, 203c). As shown in FIG. 2A, each opening (105a, 105b, 105c) includes a different internal configuration and inlet size (201a, 201b, 201c) while having a similar outlet (203a, 203b, 203c) diameter. With further reference to FIG. 2B, the first opening (105a) is cylindrical and has substantially similar inlet (201a) and outlet (203a) diameters. The second opening (105b) includes a chamfer (205) adjacent the inlet (201b) that is larger than the outlet (203b) due to the chamfer (205). The third opening (105c) includes a nozzle-like taper (207) extending from the inlet (201c) and converging towards the outlet (203c). In general, the diameters of the outlets (203a, 203b, 203c) of the openings (105a, 105b, 105c) are substantially similar, so the calculated outlet velocities should be substantially similar for each of the openings (105a, 105b, 105c). However, some losses are associated with the pressure drop across the openings (105a, 105b, 105c). Thus, the chamfer (205) of the second opening (105b) and the third opening (105c) of the nozzle-like taper (207) reduce the pressure drop by providing a more gradual flow restriction, so that the exit velocity of the second and third openings (105b, 105c) exceeds the exit velocity of the first opening (105a).

[0021] Additionally, although the openings (105a, 105b, 105c), inlets (201a, 201b, 201c), and outlets (203a, 203b, 203c) are shown and described in Figures 1A and 2A as having a circular cross-section, it will be apparent in light of this disclosure that in some embodiments, the openings (105a, 105b, 105c), inlets (201a, 201b, 201c), and outlets (203a, 203b, 203c) can have any suitable cross-sectional shape, including, but not limited to, a circle, a square, a rectangle, an ellipse, an oval, a triangle, a hexagon, an octagon, any other suitable shape, or a combination thereof.

[0022] With further reference to FIG. 3, generally, the outlet (203) of each opening (105) can direct the airflow to generate an impingement jet at an exit velocity sufficient to minimize the thermal boundary layer BL of the treatment area T to facilitate maintaining the treatment area T at a therapeutically acceptable temperature. In particular, FIG. 3 illustrates a flow map of the airflow exiting the opening (105). As shown in FIG. 3, the outlet (203) of the opening (105) establishes a free jet region (301) and an impingement region (303), where the airflow in the free jet region (301) minimizes the thermal boundary layer BL. In the impingement region (303), as it impinges through the thermal boundary layer BL onto the treatment area T, the airflow can be redirected to the wall jet region (305) to further extend the cooling effect along the surface of the treatment area. Generally, heat transfer is highest toward the central stagnation region (306) and gradually decreases in the sidewall region (305).

[0023] By providing a high exit velocity to the impingement jet, the thermal boundary layer BL can be substantially minimized at the treatment area, resulting in a higher surface heat transfer coefficient than a non-minimized boundary layer BL condition. Thus, cooling efficiency can generally be improved by providing a higher exit velocity. As discussed above, the exit velocity can generally be controlled by adjusting the total collective exit (203) area of ​​the openings (105) and / or the cooling air supply flow rate.

[0024] As discussed above, cooling efficiency can also be adjusted by controlling the spacing between the outlet (203) and the treatment area T, as well as adjusting the cooling air temperature. In some embodiments, so long as one or more sensors are available to monitor the temperature of the treatment area T, the device (100) may be capable of adjusting the cooling air supply flow rate, the cooling air temperature, the spacing between the outlet (203) and the treatment area T, or a combination thereof, in real-time response to sensor feedback to maintain a therapeutically acceptable temperature.

[0025] Referring again to FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, the device (100) may further include one or more cold air outlets (107) for receiving the air flow AF within the device (100). Each cold air outlet (107) may be of any suitable design, size, or shape for connection to an air flow source, including, for example, an opening in the housing (101), a tube in fluid communication with the housing, a luer lock connector, a fitting, any other suitable design, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the cold air outlets (107) may be integrally formed with the housing (101). In some embodiments, the cold air outlets may be separate elements attached, secured, or otherwise in fluid communication with the housing (101).

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, the housing (101) may further include a plenum (109) as defined herein to distribute the airflow provided through the cold air outlets (107) to the openings (105). The plenum (109) may act as a reservoir to collect and distribute the airflow AF substantially uniformly throughout the interior of the housing (101) to be redirected to the openings (105). Thus, the plenum (109) may be in fluid communication with the cold air outlets (107) and the openings (105) of the surface (103) to distribute the airflow provided through the cold air outlets (107) to the openings (105) in a substantially uniform manner. Thus, the plenum (109) may be configured to provide a substantially equal flow over the treatment area through each of the openings (105). In some embodiments, the plenum (109) may include an internal straightening device (not shown) as needed to provide a substantially uniform airflow output across all openings (105) of the device (100).

[0027] In some embodiments, the device (100) may further include an EMR port (111) for enabling the EMR source ES to emit EMR through an EMR conductive region of the surface (103) for treatment of the treatment region. In some embodiments, the EMR source ES may include, for example, a laser source, an RF source, a fiber optic cable, a flash lamp source, an X-ray source, any other suitable source of EMR or an EMR pathway, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1B, the EMR source ES may be coupled to an EMR beam collimator (113) for homogenization of the EMR beam emitted by the EMR source ES.

[0028] In some embodiments, the collimator 113 can be incident on an optical element 115, such as a beam expander and / or other beam shaping optical elements, to provide a desired EMR beam shape on the treatment area. In particular, as shown in FIG. 1B, EMR is emitted in an expanding manner, so that the EMR beam is relatively narrow and close to the input window (117) of the housing (101) where the EMR from the EMR source ES is introduced. The EMR beam then expands in size as it travels further and irradiates the treatment area over an expanded, relatively wide area. In some embodiments, the beam expansion can be configured to minimize the number of apertures (105) crossed by the beam, thereby minimizing light loss from any reflection or scattering caused by apertures (105) formed in the transparent conductive area of ​​the surface (103). Although shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B as a diverging EMR beam, it will be apparent in light of this disclosure that any beam shape that can be used with similar impingement jet cooling, including, for example, parallel beams, focused beams, converging beams, expanding beams, straight expanded beams, etc., can be used in accordance with various embodiments. Additionally, although Figures 1A and 1B illustrate a single EMR beam conducted concentrically with the housing (101), it will be apparent in light of this disclosure that in some embodiments, any number of EMR beams may be conducted through the housing (101), concentrically, non-concentrically, at an angle of incidence to the housing (101), or along any other suitable beam path.

[0029] In some embodiments, by providing a pattern of openings (105) in the surface (103) that is larger than the impact area of ​​the expanded beam, the device (100) can further provide substantially uniform cooling not only in the entire treatment area irradiated by the EMR beam, but also in an annulus surrounding the treatment area. Such additional cooling advantageously provides cooling to adjacent areas susceptible to being irradiated by stray EMR energy that is redirected due to EMR beam scattering and / or divergence. Moreover, such adjacent cooling can further advantageously provide pre- and post-treatment cooling for treatment protocols where the EMR beam is scanned across the treatment area.

[0030] 4A, in other embodiments, the jet impingement cooling device (400) can include a housing (401) configured to minimize the interference with airflow characteristics over the conduction path of the EMR. For example, the housing (401) can be constructed of materials similar to, but not limited to, the housing (101) described above with reference to FIG. 1, as needed to provide adequate airflow and EMR conduction characteristics over the treatment area.

[0031] 4A , the housing (401) may further include ports (407) to provide airflow to a plenum (409) of the housing (401). In some embodiments, the ports (407) and plenum (409) may be substantially similar to, for example, the cold air vents (107) and plenum (109) described above with reference to FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the plenum (409) may include a number of baffles (411) formed in the housing to assist in substantially evenly distributing the airflow AF received via the ports (407) to the multiple air tubes (403).

[0032] As shown in FIG. 4A, in some embodiments, air conduits (403) can extend from the baffle (411) of the housing (401) toward the treatment area and direct an air flow AF at the treatment area. Additionally, each air conduit (403) can include an opening (405) through which the air flow AF can be directed at the treatment area. The openings (405) can be substantially similar to the openings (105) described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, for example, according to various embodiments. In some embodiments, the air conduits (403) can be positioned to direct the air flow AF through the openings (405) and onto the treatment area at a temperature, flow rate, and outlet flow velocity appropriate to maintain the treatment area in a therapeutically acceptable temperature range while minimizing interference with the EMR being directed to the treatment area. To that end, and with further reference to FIG. 4B, the lined air tubes (403a) that coincide with or are adjacent to the area of ​​the housing (401) through which EMR is conducted (EMR conducting area), as well as the baffle (411) through which the lined air tubes (403a) extend, may be formed from an optically transparent material. Furthermore, the number of lined air tubes (403a) that coincide with or are adjacent to the EMR conducting area may be minimized and configured to occupy as small an EMR conducting area as possible while still providing substantially uniform cooling of the treatment area. Thus, in some embodiments, the majority of the EMR conducting area is not completely blocked. Other air tubes (403b) that do not coincide with or are adjacent to the EMR conducting area do not need to be transparent. In some embodiments, the multiple air tubes (403) may be positioned to provide substantially uniform cooling over at least the entire treatment area of ​​the target area, where the treatment area is the portion of the target area that is irradiated by EMR. In some embodiments, the substantially uniform cooling may be spread over an area larger than the treatment area of ​​the target area to allow for pre- or post-treatment cooling of the treatment area. To promote uniform flow and maintain a desired cooling rate, during use, the air tubes (403) can be spaced from the target surface to maintain substantially uniform cooling and facilitate the jet impingement cooling described above with reference to Figures 1-3.

[0033] 5A, in other embodiments, the jet impingement cooling device (500) can include a housing (501), a majority of which is opaque to the treatment wavelengths to block the EMR treatment energy from potential impingement on untreated areas of a user or patient. As such, the housing (501) can be constructed of a material similar to the housing (101) described above with reference to FIG. 1, for example, but not limited to, as needed to block the EMR treatment energy outside of the EMR conduction area.

[0034] The device (500) can include a substantially opaque housing (501) including an EMR input surface (501a) for being directed to a treatment area and an opposing surface (503). Insofar as it is desirable to provide an EMR conducting area of ​​the housing (501) to allow EMR to be conducted through the input surface (501a) of the housing (501) and the opposing surface (503) for being directed to the treatment area, the EMR input surface (501a) can include an optically transparent input window (502) through which EMR conveyed from the EMR source ES can be conducted. Additionally, the opposing surface (503) can include an optically transparent output window (504) through which the EMR conducted through the input window (502) can be directed to the treatment area upon further conduction. To facilitate transmission of EMR, the input window (502) and the output window (504) can be constructed of any suitable optically transparent material, including, for example, clear plastic, glass, polycarbonate, sapphire, any other suitable optically transparent material, or combinations thereof.

[0035] The device (500) may also include a plurality of openings (505) formed in the opposing surface (503) and the output window (504) for directing the airflow onto the treatment area. For example, each of the plurality of openings (505) may be configured substantially similar to the openings (105) described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The device (500) may also include at least one cold air outlet (507) for receiving the airflow within the housing (501). As shown in Figure 5B, in an embodiment, the device (500) may include three cold air outlets (507) for more even distribution of the provided cold air. For example, each cold air outlet (507) may be configured substantially similar to the cold air outlet (107) described above with reference to Figure 1.

[0036] In another embodiment, still referring to FIG. 6, a jet impingement cooling device (600) can be provided to avoid the placement of an air tube (603) in the EMR conduction region of the housing (601). The housing (601) can include one or more defined recesses (602) from which the air tube (603) can extend adjacent to, but not within, the EMR conduction region, and still direct the air flow to impinge on the treatment region irradiated by EMR. In particular, since EMR is emitted in an expanding manner, the EMR beam is relatively narrow and proximate the input window (604) of the housing (601) where the EMR from the EMR source ES is introduced. The EMR beam then expands in size as it travels further and irradiates the treatment region over an expanded, relatively wide area. Thus, although the air tube (603) is adjacent to, but not within, the EMR conduction region of the housing (601), the air jet generated by the opening (605) of the air tube (603) can impinge on the treatment region that coincides with the portion irradiated by EMR. Additionally, in some embodiments, the housing (601) may include a plenum (not shown) surrounding the input window to substantially evenly distribute the received supply air flow AF.

[0037] To maintain airflow characteristics and withstand operational requirements, housing (601) may be constructed from materials similar to, for example, but not limited to, housing (101) described above with reference to Figure 1. Air tube (603) and opening (605) may be similar to, for example, air tube (403) and opening (405) described above with reference to Figures 4A and 4B.

[0038] To facilitate a scanning treatment pattern over a particular large treatment area, a jet impingement cooling device (700) having a rectangular housing (701) as shown in FIG. 7 may be provided. The housing includes a surface (703) directed toward the treatment area. In some embodiments, the housing (701) may be at least partially constructed from an optically transparent material, so long as EMR is to be conducted through the housing (701) directed toward the treatment area. As shown in FIG. 7, the device (700) may include a number of openings (705) formed in the surface (703) for directing an airflow AF onto the treatment area. Still referring to FIG. 7, the device (700) may further include a cooling port (707) for receiving the airflow AF within the housing (701) directed through the openings (705). In some embodiments, each of the housing (701), surface (703), opening (705), and cold air vent (707) may be substantially similar to the housing (101), surface (103), opening (105), and cold air vent (107) described above with reference to, for example, FIG. 1.

[0039] 8A, in another embodiment, the jet impingement cooling device (800) has a rectangular housing (801) to facilitate scanning of the treatment pattern, particularly over a large treatment area, while avoiding placement of the air tube (803) in the EMR conduction area of ​​the housing (801). In that regard, the housing (801) can include a surface (802) directed toward the treatment area and a rectangular opening (804) defined within the housing (801) for forming the EMR conduction area. To avoid placement of the air tube in the EMR conduction area, the EMR source ES can be configured to emit an expanding rectangular EMR beam through the opening (804). Thus, since the EMR beam is an expanding beam as described with respect to FIG. 6, the air tube (803) can extend adjacent to the EMR conduction region, rather than within the EMR conduction region, as shown in FIG. 8B, and can further direct the airflow through the openings (805) of the air tube (803) to impinge on the treatment region irradiated by the EMR, providing substantially uniform cooling of the treatment region. Furthermore, the additional air tube (803) provides additional openings (805) outside the EMR conduction region, so that cooling is provided to the region adjacent to the treatment region. Such adjacent cooling can advantageously allow for pre- or post-treatment region cooling when the device is moved or scanned during treatment. Thus, cooling can occur not only during the treatment period of a particular treatment region, but also during the dwell time of adjacent treatment regions.

[0040] In some embodiments, the device (800) may further include a cold air outlet (807) for receiving an airflow AF through the opening (705) and into the housing (801) where it is directed. In some embodiments, each of the housing (801), the surface (802), the opening (805), and the cold air outlet (807) may be substantially similar to the housing (101), the surface (103), the opening (105), and the cold air outlet (107) as described with reference to Figure 1, for example. The air tube (803) may be substantially similar to the air tube (403) as described with reference to Figures 4A and 4B, for example.

[0041] <Window cooling> In some applications, it may be desirable to prevent the impinging air from impinging directly on the treatment area, for example, to prevent deformation or contamination of the treatment area. In such an embodiment, the air jets exiting the openings may be configured to impinge not on the treatment area, but instead on a transparent, thermally conductive window. In particular, the cooling heat transfer generated by the impingement cooling of the window may be advantageously effective in removing heat across the entire surface of the window without impeding the EMR being conducted to the treatment area. The cooled air flowing across the window is transparent to the EMR, and thus may advantageously cool the entire surface of the window. In contrast, conventional window cooling designs are limited to ambient cooling because the flow tubes are not transparent. Furthermore, such designs are limited in size by the thermal conductivity of the window, which conducts heat to the edge of the window, producing uneven cooling as described above.

[0042] A window for cooling may be provided in any size suitable for a particular treatment. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a window jet impingement device (900) is provided to include the jet impingement device (400) of FIGS. 4A and 4B having a window (901) mounted for impingement of the airflow directed out of the opening (405) of the air tube (403). As shown in FIG. 9, the window (901) can have a diameter larger than the diameter of the housing (401) to provide a larger cooling area on the patient as the device (900) moves between treatment areas and to provide pre- or post-treatment area cooling. In some embodiments, the window (901) can comprise any suitable transparent, thermally conductive material, such as, for example, glass, optically clear plastic, sapphire, any other suitable material, or combinations thereof, as appropriate for providing optical transparency and sufficient cooling.

[0043] Still referring to FIG. 10, a window jet impingement device (1000) is provided to include the jet impingement device (500) of FIGS. 5A and 5B having a window (1001) mounted by a mounting post (1003) for impingement of the airflow directed out of the opening (505) of the surface (503). As shown in FIG. 10, the window (1001) can have a diameter smaller than the diameter of the housing (501) to provide window cooling at the treatment area irradiated by the EMR while still allowing for directing the jet impingement cooling onto the patient outside the treatment area. Thus, as the device (1000) moves between treatment areas, the device can provide direct jet impingement cooling during pre- or post-treatment area cooling. In some embodiments, the window (1001) can comprise any suitable transparent and thermally conductive material, such as, for example, glass, optically clear plastic, sapphire, any other suitable material, or combinations thereof, as appropriate for providing optical transparency and sufficient cooling. Advantageously, a smaller window may provide lower manufacturing costs and reduce friction between the window and the treatment area during movement of the device (1000).

[0044] Still referring to FIG. 11, a window jet impingement device (1100) is provided to include the jet impingement device (600) of FIG. 6 having a window (1101) mounted for impingement of the airflow directed out of the opening (605) of the air tube (603). Referring to FIG. 10, the window (1101) can have a diameter approximately the same as the diameter of the housing (601) to provide a precise cooling area without direct impingement and pre- or post-cooling of the treatment area. Thus, the device (1100) can provide a compact and maneuverable handpiece for use during treatment. In some embodiments, the window (1101) can comprise any suitable transparent and thermally conductive material, such as, for example, glass, optically clear plastic, sapphire, any other suitable material, or combinations thereof, as appropriate for providing optical transparency and sufficient cooling.

[0045] <Transparent heat absorbing element> In some embodiments, an optically clear, heat-absorbing "cold pack" may be desirable. In such embodiments, an optically clear, heat-absorbing "cold pack" may be placed over the treatment area to provide cooling to the treatment area.

[0046] Still referring to FIG. 12, a cooling device (1200) having a transparent, heat-absorbing cold pack (1300) is provided to provide treatment while cooling the treatment area. In one embodiment, the cooling device (1200) may include an EMR source (1201) for delivering treatment to the treatment area. In some embodiments, the EMR source (1201) may include, for example, a laser source, an RF source, a fiber optic cable, a laser collimator, a flash lamp source, an X-ray source, any other suitable EMR source, or a combination thereof. The cooling device (1200) may further include a spacing element (1203) to maintain a preferred distance between the EMR source (1201) and the treatment area. The spacing element (1203) may include any suitable structure capable of maintaining a separation between the EMR source (1201) and the treatment area, including, for example, a rod as shown in FIG. 12. The cooling device (1200) may further include a receiver (1205) for receiving and removably holding an endothermic cooling pack (1300) against the treatment area to provide cooling to the treatment area.

[0047] 13, in some embodiments, the cooling pack (1300) can include an outer pack (1301) that can be constructed of any material suitable for holding reagents, such as, for example, optically clear plastic, glass, acrylic, polyethylene, cellulose, polyvinyl, any other suitable optically clear material, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the cooling pack (1300) can be filled with any two or more reagents (1303 and 1305) suitable for producing an endothermic reaction, and have optically clear reagents and products. For example, in one embodiment, sodium thiosulfate has optically clear crystals and can provide good light transmission in solution with water. However, it will be apparent that in some embodiments, any other suitable material with similar properties and a clear solution can be used. In some embodiments, a frangible or shatterable plastic or glass divider (1307) is provided to keep the reagents (130, 1305) separated until the cold pack (1300) is used, so that the divider (1307) can be broken, bringing the reagents (1303 and 1305) into contact and initiating the endothermic reaction.

[0048] Generally, the cold pack (1300) can generate an endothermic reaction that lasts for a sufficient time to provide treatment to the treatment area, although in some applications it may be evident that the treatment needs to be stopped and the cold pack (1300) replaced to provide a sufficient cooling period for the treatment. The cold pack (1300) can be designed to maintain a thickness narrow enough to prevent further harmful EMR energy attenuation. Generally, such attenuation can be avoided with the cold pack (1300) having a total fill thickness of about 1 cm or less. Generally, the thickness is determined by the amount of reagent (1303, 1305) provided in the cold pack (1300). However, in some embodiments, the cold pack (1300) can include one or more plastic spacer structures (not shown) to provide a constrained, consistent thickness throughout the cold pack (1300), or can include free particles (not shown) having a predetermined thickness that makes the solution optically clear. For example, in some embodiments, it can include clear plastic spheres having a diameter of 5 mm. In such embodiments, the outer pack (1301) can be constructed of a very thin material to maximize reagent capacity. For example, in some embodiments, the outer puck (1301) material can have a thickness of about 0.003 inches to about 0.015 inches. Additionally, such a thin outer puck (1301) material helps facilitate thorough contact with the treatment area by providing a compliant surface to conform to any contours of the treatment area.

[0049] 14, if cooling over a larger area is desired, a cooling device (1400) having a rectangular transparent endothermic cooling pack (1500) is provided to provide treatment while cooling the treatment area. In some embodiments, the device (1400) can include an EMR source (1401) to provide treatment to the treatment area. In some embodiments, the EMR source (1401) can include, for example, a laser source, an RF source, a fiber optic cable, a laser collimator, a flash lamp source, an X-ray source, any other suitable source of EMR, or a combination thereof. The cooling device (1400) can further include a spacing element (1403) to maintain a preferred distance between the EMR source (1401) and the treatment area. The spacing element (1403) can include any suitable structure capable of maintaining a separation between the EMR source (1401) and the treatment area, including, for example, a rectangular pyramidal spacer as shown in FIG. 12. The cooling device (1400) may further include a receiver (1405) configured to receive and removably hold a rectangular endothermic cooling pack (1500) against the treatment area to provide cooling to the treatment area. In general, the receiver (1405) may be substantially similar to the receiver (1205) described with reference to FIG. 12, for example.

[0050] 15, the rectangular cooling pack (1500) can include an outer pack (1501), reagents (1503, 1505), and a divider (1507). Each of the outer pack (1501), reagents (1503, 1505), and divider (1507) can be essentially similar to, for example, the outer pack (1301), reagents (1303, 1305), and divider (1307) described with reference to FIG.

[0051] Although the present disclosure has been described with respect to specific embodiments herein, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt to particular situations, indications, materials and compositions, process steps or procedures without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. An impingement cooling device, comprising: a housing having a surface facing a treatment area and at least one port for receiving a fluid flow, the housing being configured to be movable relative to the treatment area; an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) source coupled to the housing for generating electromagnetic radiation (EMR); an optically transparent region on the surface of the housing formed from an optically transparent material, the optically transparent region configured to allow an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) beam from the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) source to be directed from the housing to the treatment area; a plurality of openings on the surface of the housing, at least some of the openings located over the optically transparent region, at least some of the openings configured to allow fluid flow to exit the housing, thereby generating a plurality of fluid jets directed toward the treatment area, the fluid jets configured to maintain the treatment area within a therapeutically acceptable temperature range; 1. An impingement cooling device comprising:

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid jet has a velocity between 20 meters per second and 200 meters per second.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of openings includes an inlet and an outlet, the inlet and the outlet having the same diameter.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of openings includes an inlet and an outlet, the inlet having a larger diameter than the outlet.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of fluid jets interacts with the treatment area to form an impingement area located between the surface and the treatment area.

6. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid flow is an air flow at a temperature between 0°C and 5°C.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein two or more of said plurality of apertures are coincident with said electromagnetic radiation (EMR) beam.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of openings are positioned on the surface to direct the fluid jet emanating from the one or more openings toward an annulus surrounding the treatment area.

9. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to measure a temperature of the treatment area.

10. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an air flow source for generating the fluid flow, the air flow source in fluid communication with the port of the housing, the air flow source capable of adjusting a rate of the fluid flow in response to feedback from the sensor.

11. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an air flow source for generating the fluid flow, the air flow source in fluid communication with the port of the housing, the air flow source capable of adjusting a temperature of the fluid flow in response to feedback from the sensor.

12. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising beam shaping optics coupled to the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) source.

13. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) beam comprises one of a parallel beam, a focused beam, a converging beam, an expanding beam, a straight expanded beam, or a combination thereof.

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