Patent ID: 7762978

Claim:
A cooling apparatus, comprising a needle that defines an interior channel; and an infusion sleeve that is hollow and elongated between proximal and distal ends, the infusion sleeve being made of a flexible material and being collapsible and expandable axially while the needle is repetitively partially withdrawn and advanced, the needle extending within confines of the infusion sleeve and having a tip that projects outwardly beyond the distal end of the infusion sleeve, the infusion sleeve having an interior surface and the needle having an exterior surface between which is defined a passage for fluid flow, the infusion sleeve at the distal end terminating into peak and valley formations, the valley formations being arranged closer to the proximal end of the infusion sleeve than are the peak formations, the infusion sleeve being configured and arranged to prevent fluid flow across the peak formations while permitting the fluid flow across the valley formations after the fluid flow passes through the passage from the proximal end to reach the distal end so that the fluid flow changes direction of travel to pass across the valley formations.