Patent ID: 8257414
Filing Date: 2012-09-04
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A thermal pump system comprising: a pump container having a dry compartment that contains a motor, a wet compartment that contains a propeller, and a shaft system that interconnects the motor to the propeller; the wet compartment has a water inlet; the propeller pulls water from a water bath into the wet compartment through the water inlet and pushes the water into a conduit toward a heating block and to a patient application device; the heating block has a heating pad and/or a cooling pad; and a therapy management device that controls the thermal energy provided by the heating pad and/or the cooling pad to (a) direct the water's temperature toward a first predetermined temperature at a first rate that can be sensed by a patient when the patient application device is applied to the patient, wherein the first rate is more than 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit per minute, (b) direct the water's temperature toward a second predetermined temperature at a second rate that is not normally sensed by the patient when the patient application device is applied to the patient, wherein the second rate has a magnitude less than said first rate, and wherein (c) repeat step (a).