Claims
- 1. A method for selectively heating or cooling a person lying in a bed regardless of his position in the bed, comprising the steps of:
- circulating a liquid heat transfer medium through liquid flow channels positioned over the bed, the flow channels being arranged in a side by side, substantially continuous array,
- insulating the liquid in the liquid flow channels over areas of the bed where the person is not lying, with a flexible, highly compressible insulation means, and
- pressing a portion of the insulation means down with the weight of the person's body into contact with the liquid flow channels whereby heat transfer is effected between the person's skin and the liquid in the liquid flow channels.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulation means comprise a gas barrier contained in a gas envelope made of flexible, gas impermeable material positioned above the liquid flow channels.
- 3. A bedding system for selectively cooling a person lying in a bed, comprising:
- mattress cover means, adapted to cover the mattress of the bed, for cooling a person in the bed, the mattress cover means having liquid flow channel means for circulation of a liquid cooling medium, and the liquid flow channel means comprising a two-ply flexible plastic material with top and bottom plies forming flow channels,
- flexible, compressible insulation means positioned above the liquid flow channel means such that when the weight of a person's body is pressed down on the insulation means, portions of the insulation means are pressed down and collapsed, effecting conductive heat exchange between the liquid flow channel means and the person's skin, while leaving remaining portions of the insulation means uncompressed, thereby insulating the liquid cooling medium from appreciable heat exchange in such remaining portions,
- cooling means connected to the liquid flow channel means for cooling the liquid cooling medium to be circulated through the liquid flow channel means,
- manually settable control means for adjusting the cooling means to the desired temperature level for comfort of the person, and
- circulating means for circulating the liquid cooling medium through the liquid flow channel means and the cooling means.
- 4. The bedding system of claim 3, wherein the insulation means comprises a comforter cover over the mattress cover means.
Parent Case Info
This is a divisional of co-pending application Ser. No. 07/250,778 filed on Sept. 28, 1988 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,304.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
250778 |
Sep 1988 |
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