CRYOSAUNA

Abstract

A cryosauna for recreational procedures comprises a source of liquid nitrogen, a unit to prepare an operating mixture, and a patient box. The unit has thermo insulated evaporator and mixer in fluid communication with each other. The evaporator is connected via a valve to the source of liquid nitrogen, the mixer through a fan is open to ambient air and connected with the patient box. The patient box is made roofless and comprises a floor, walls, and an adjustable stage to accommodate the patient. The cryosauna also comprises a recycle stream bypass channel connecting the patient box and evaporator and is provided with a three-way discharge valve, a first and a second discharge ducts connecting the patient box with inputs of the discharge valve and a duct fan installed at an output of the discharge valve. A method of operating the cryosauna during a session is also disclosed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to saunas, more particularly to personal saunas, and even more particularly to cryosaunas for recreational purposes, and can be used in fitness and physical therapy centers, spas, gymnasiums, resorts, beauty salons, etc.

2. Description of Related Art

Usually, exposing the body to low temperatures triggers stress response in the organism that actively regulates metabolic processes, improves blood circulation. Cooling is also known to promote better microcirculation, alleviation of pain, edema after skin surgery interventions, etc. Cryosauna is an apparatus where a person is exposed to the impact of deep cold, such as provided by vapors of liquid nitrogen or liquid air, within a predetermined, and limited, period of time, for example, one—two minutes. Cryosaunas known in the art are designed for hypothermic stimulation and thermoregulatory system training, as well as for promoting healing after cosmetic surgery.

Known from European application EP0246179A2 published on Nov. 19, 1987, is a cooling room for use as a sauna, with side walls, a ceiling, and a floor, an access to the cooling room, and a cooling unit for cooling purposes acting as a snow gun and comprising a compressor, refrigerator unit, and a pre-cooler. The cooling room is connected with the cooling unit by a tube. The operating temperature in the cooling room, according to the publication, is about −2÷−10° C.

In the Russian utility model RU48473U1 published on Oct. 27, 2005, an apparatus for cryo therapy is disclosed comprising a patient box with a thermo insulating case and a heat exchange unit supplying liquid nitrogen as a coolant. A coolant supply channel is located at the upper part of the box; the heat exchange unit is located inside the box and spread over the height of the box, the walls of the heat exchange unit being painted in black. To prevent the patient from touching the walls, the walls are covered with perforated panels.

Cryosaunas also known in the art (see, for example, Cryohome® of CryoTec LLC, Moscow, Russia at http://www.criohome.com/index_eng.php?Lang=eng published, per Internet archive (http://www.archive.org/), since April of 2008) comprise a procedure room, called cryochamber, connected to a cold machine.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Devices known in the art need long time to achieve the operating mode and consume much of expendable materials—liquid nitrogen or liquid air. It is an object of the present invention to propose a new cryosauna that would overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and would allows conducting cryogenic sessions in a more economic and efficient way, safe for the patient and servicing personnel.

A cryosauna for recreational procedures according to the present invention comprises a cooling agent source, a gas generator, and a patient box. The gas generator contains an evaporator and a mixer, which are in fluid communication with each other and thermo insulated. The evaporator is connected to the cooling agent source, whereas the mixer made of non-corrodible material is in fluid communication with ambient air and with the patient box. An operating mixture of the cooling agent and air prepared in this structure with the assistance of a fan is supplied to the patient box.

The connection between the evaporator and the cooling agent source can be made controllable via a valve to allow for dosing the supply of the cooling agent to the evaporator. The cooling agent is preferably liquid nitrogen though liquid CO₂ or liquid air can also be used. The patient box is made roofless and comprises a floor, walls, and an adjustable stage to accommodate the patient. There can be provided a recycle stream bypass channel connecting the patient box and evaporator to allow for reusing the operating mixture. The cryosauna can be provided with a discharge valve connected via a discharge duct with the patient box. Also provided can be a second discharge duct connecting the patient box with another input of the discharge valve. A duct fan can facilitate discharging the operating mixture via those ducts into atmosphere after the procedure is over.

In accordance with the present invention, a method of operating a cryosauna during a session comprises providing a source of a cooling agent, directing the cooling agent to an evaporator, evaporating the cooling agent in the evaporator, mixing the evaporated cooling agent with air, and directing the mixture of the evaporated cooling agent and air into a patient box of the cryosauna. Also performed can be drawing an excessive mixture of the evaporated cooling agent and air out of the patient box and directing it back to the evaporator for reuse, and drawing the mixture of the evaporated cooling agent and air out of the patient box after the session is over and removing the mixture from the cryosauna.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a sauna in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a gas preparing unit of the sauna in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a sauna 10 according to the present invention comprises primarily a patient box 12, a gas preparing unit 14 with a gas generator 16, and a space 18 for storing a cooling agent. The storage space 18 receives a cooling agent source including a reservoir 20 holding the cooling agent (coolant), in which capacity liquid nitrogen, liquid carbon dioxide (CO₂), liquid air, or any other appropriate coolant can be used. Liquid nitrogen is believed to be preferable for the purposes of this invention. Through a supply channel 22, the cooling agent is controllably delivered to the gas generator 16. A valve 24 regulates the supply of the cooling agent from the reservoir 20 to the gas generator 16.

The gas generator 16 comprises a case 26, in which an evaporator 28 and a mixer 30 are located, the latter being made of a non-corrodible material, preferably of stainless steel, and placed over the evaporator 28. The evaporator 28 and mixer 30, in fluid communication with each other, are separated from the case 26 of the gas generator 16 by a thermal insulator 32 made of a water repellant material, for example, plastic foam. A fan 34 directs vapors of the cooling agent from the evaporator 28 to the mixer 30, where they are mixed with air. The vapors and the mixture thereof with air being taken from outside use air ducts 36 and 38 that pass inside the evaporator 28 and mixer 30. Through a vapor supply channel 40, a mixture 42 of the coolant with air enters the patient box 12.

The box 12 is made roofless and is defined in FIG. 1 by a floor 44 and walls 46. The box comprises a door (not shown), and has a stage 48 lifted above the floor 44 to allow for better vapor circulation. The stage 48 is made movable by a drive 50 (the possibility shown symbolically by arrows 52). The door is not locked during procedures (sessions), and the stage 48 can be adjusted by the drive 50 to keep the patient's head outside and over the edge 54 of the box 12 at all times. The box 12 is preferably being cooled prior to a session. It takes about two minutes to bring the temperature inside the box down to minus 100-110° C. (minus 148-166° F.). Then the patient 56 comes in to stand on the stage 48 during the procedure. It is recommended that the patient wear protective clothing—cotton socks and a bathing suit to remain comfortable in the course of the procedure. During the first 15 sec of the session, the box is cooled to −150° C. (−238° F.). It is also advisable that the first procedure for a patient last no more than 60 sec, the subsequent ones being by about 60 sec longer. The valve 24 regulates the supply of the coolant from the reservoir 20 to the gas generator 16. It doses the supply time, preferably 2 to 9 seconds, and the pauses between the supplies; and thus regulates parameters of the process. The pulse supply of the coolant contributes to keeping the operating temperature constant while saving the coolant. A control unit 58, which in its preferred form includes processor (microcontroller) ATMEGA32-16AU made by Atmel Corporation, is in charge of controlling processes in the sauna 10 including, but not limited to, controlling the valve 24 based on the information obtained from a temperature sensor (not shown) in the patient box 12.

During the session, a part 60 of the coolant vapors from the patient box 12 via a recycle stream bypass channel 62 is supplied back to the evaporator 28 for the enrichment and reuse with the purpose of saving the coolant. The intake of outside air to mix with the coolant is shown by arrow 63. The excessive vapors are removed from the sauna through an intake channel 64 connected via a first discharge duct 66 with a discharge three-way valve 68 located outside the gas generator 16. Forced ventilation created by a duct fan 70 sucks the excessive vapor out through the tree-way valve 68 and discharges it. After the session is over, all the vapors of the cooling agent are evacuated from the box 12 into the atmosphere through a ventilation channel 72, a second discharge duct 74, and the three-way valve 68.

While the present invention has been described in connection with a specific exemplary embodiment and implementation, it is not so limited, but rather covers various modifications and equivalent arrangements, which fall within the purview of prospective claims.

Claims

1. A cryosauna for recreational procedures, the cryosauna comprising:

a cooling agent source,

a gas generator, and

a patient box,

the gas generator comprising an evaporator and a mixer,

the evaporator and mixer being in fluid communication with each other,

the evaporator being connected to the cooling agent source,

the mixer being in fluid communication with ambient air and with the patient box,

whereby an operating mixture of the cooling agent and air can be prepared and supplied to the patient box.

2. The cryosauna according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the evaporator and the cooling agent source is made via a controllable valve to thereby dose the supply of the cooling agent to the evaporator.

3. The cryosauna according to claim 1, wherein the patient box is made roofless and comprises a floor, walls, and a stage to accommodate the patient, the height of the stage relative to the floor being adjustable.

4. The cryosauna according to claim 1, wherein the cooling agent is liquid nitrogen.

5. The cryosauna according to claim 1, wherein the cooling agent is liquid CO2.

6. The cryosauna according to claim 1, wherein the cooling agent is liquid air.

7. The cryosauna according to claim 1, wherein the evaporator and mixer are made thermo insulated.

8. The cryosauna according to claim 1, wherein the mixer is made of a non-corrodible material.

9. The cryosauna according to claim 1, further comprising a fan facilitating the mixing of the cooling agent and air and the supply thereof to the patient box.

10. The cryosauna according to claim 1, further comprising a recycle stream bypass channel connecting the patient box and evaporator to thereby reuse the operating mixture.

11. The cryosauna according to claim 1, further comprising a discharge valve, at least one discharge duct connecting the patient box with an input of the discharge valve and a duct fan at an output of the discharge valve.

12. The cryosauna according to claim 11, further comprising a second discharge duct connecting the patient box with an input of the discharge valve, the discharge valve including a three-way valve.

13. A cryosauna for recreational procedures, the cryosauna comprising:

a source of liquid nitrogen,

a unit to prepare an operating mixture, and

a patient box,

the unit comprising thermo insulated evaporator and mixer in fluid communication with each other,

the evaporator being controllably connected to the source of liquid nitrogen,

the mixer being in fluid communication with ambient air and with the patient box,

whereby the operating mixture of liquid nitrogen and air can be prepared and supplied to the patient box.

14. The cryosauna according to claim 13, wherein the patient box is made roofless and comprises a floor, walls, and a stage to accommodate the patient, the height of the stage relative to the floor being adjustable.

15. The cryosauna according to claim 13, wherein the mixer is made of a non-corrodible material.

16. The cryosauna according to claim 13, further comprising a recycle stream bypass channel connecting the patient box and evaporator to thereby reuse the operating mixture.

17. The cryosauna according to claim 13, further comprising a three-way discharge valve, a first and a second discharge ducts connecting the patient box with inputs of the discharge valve and a duct fan installed at an output of the discharge valve.

18. A method of operating a cryosauna during a session, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a source of a cooling agent,

directing the cooling agent to an evaporator,

evaporating the cooling agent in the evaporator,

mixing the evaporated cooling agent with air, and

directing the mixture of the evaporated cooling agent and air into a patient box of the cryosauna.

19. The method of operating a cryosauna according to claim 18, further comprising drawing an excessive mixture of the evaporated cooling agent and air out of the patient box and directing it back to the evaporator for reuse.

20. The method of operating a cryosauna according to claim 18, further comprising drawing the mixture of the evaporated cooling agent and air out of the patient box after the session is over and removing the mixture from the cryosauna.