PROCESS FOR OPERATING AN OPEN THERMOTHERAPY DEVICE

Abstract

A process is provided for operating a thermotherapy device with a bed surface (10) and with discharge channels for conditioned air in the longitudinal direction of the bed surface (10) and on the foot side (3) thereof as well as with an exhaust unit (11) above the bed surface (10). The air being discharged from the discharge channels is directed towards the exhaust unit (11) such that the discharge angle α changes continuously as a function of the distance between the exhaust unit (11) and the site of the discharge flow from the discharge channels, the elevation angle β changes continuously as a function of the distance between the exhaust unit (11) and the site of the discharge flow from the discharge channels, and the value of the velocity of the discharge flow changes continuously as a function of the site of the discharge flow from the discharge channels.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top view of an open thermotherapy device shown schematically;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the thermotherapy device from FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the generation of a variable velocity distribution for a discharge channel along the bed surface of a thermotherapy device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings in particular, the thermotherapy device, also called a patient care unit, has circumferential discharge channels indicated by flow arrows in the area of the bed surface 10 for air conditioned in terms of humidity and/or temperature in the longitudinal direction along the two longer (lateral) sides and on the foot side 3. An exhaust device 11 is driven, for example, by means of a fan located in the interior of the device under the bed surface 10 of the device and is not visible from the outside. The exhaust device 11 has an intake above the bed surface 10 and is in flow connection with the discharge channels and optionally with the ambient air, as is described, for example, in DE 103 20 195 B4, is located in the head area at the top in FIG. 1. The sides 1 have discharge channels each with flow indicated by arrows in terms of value and direction. At the head end of each of the lateral sides 1, the discharge flow of the discharge channel is at right angles to the lateral side 1. The discharge angle α decreases with the path length from the head end to the corners 4 of each lateral side 1. The foot-side discharge channel has, in the middle of the foot side 3, a discharge flow, which is likewise indicated by arrows in terms of value and direction, at right angles to the foot side 3. The discharge angle α increases with the path length to the corners 4 of the foot side 3. The lateral discharge angle α is in the vicinity of the head at right angles to the bed surface side 1 and changes continuously (with each adjacent discharge being different) with the path length of the lateral discharge channel until it reaches its greatest deflection 2 when reaching the foot side 3. The lateral and foot-side discharge angles α are preferably identical in the area of the corners 4.

The continuously variable discharge angles α of the discharge flow along the bed surface 10 can be embodied technically, for example, with a construction with guide blades mounted rigidly at the foot between two parallel plates. The guide blades are mounted freely on a rod by means of a bolt with a defined distance from the foot. The bolt of the last guide blade is rigidly connected to the plates, but it can still rotate about its longitudinal axis. The loosely mounted bolts rotatable about the longitudinal axis in each guide blade can now rotate about their feet during a tilting motion of the rod and thus set an angle α varying depending on the distance from the axis of rotation of the rod.

The elevation angle β corresponding to FIG. 2 between the bed surface 10 and the flow shown schematically as an arrow may be constant or variable along a particular side at the bed surface 10, for example, as a function of the distance of the discharge flow from the site of exhaust in the exhaust unit 11. A reduction of the angle β with increasing distance between the site of discharge of the flow and the exhaust unit 11 is preferred in this case, in particular.

In addition to the direction of flow, the value of the velocity is also continuously variable as a function of the site of discharge from the discharge channels along the bed surface 10.

For example, the air flow being delivered is guided for this purpose, according to the schematic diagram in FIG. 3, laterally into a flow channel with a bottom plate at a settable angle γ, so that discharge channels arranged laterally thereto with continuously variable diameters x₁ through x_n correspondingly build up back pressures which are variable with the flow and which lead to a corresponding distribution of the mass flow being discharged with a velocity distribution associated therewith.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show typical quantitative data for dimensioning a thermotherapy device.

Three different embodiment variants of the thermotherapy device will be summarized below in Cases 1 through 3:

Case 1:

The value of the velocity of the discharge flow depends on the distance from the exhaust unit 11, so that this velocity is low on the sides close to the head (˜0.2 m/sec). It increases in the course of the sides 1 of the bed surface up to the corners 4 (˜0.5 m/sec). The discharge flows always remain directed towards the center of the exhaust unit 11. Thus, they are at right angles to the particular side (90°) at the head ends of the bed surface sides 1. The deflection then increases with the path length; the angle α decreases. The angle β of the discharge flows towards the bed surface 10 is ˜45° at the head ends of the sides and likewise decreases with the path length (˜20°).

The value of the discharge velocity and the angles α and β of the bed surface sides 1 and of the foot side 3 are identical in the foot-side corners 4 only. The value of the discharge velocity slightly decreases up to the middle of the foot side 3 (0.46 m/sec). The angle α decreases further towards the middle of the foot side 3, so that the discharge flow is at right angles to the foot side 3 in the middle of the foot side 3 (0°). The angle β remains constant over the length of the foot side 3.

Case 2:

The value of the velocity of the discharge flow at the corners 4 of the foot side 3 is 0.4 m/sec. The value of the velocity of the discharge flow increases to 0.6 m/sec towards the middle. The angle β is constant (˜30°). The angle α increases from the middle of the foot side 3 (0°) towards the corners 4 (˜15°).

The discharge velocity and the angles α and β of the bed surface sides 1 and the foot side 3 are not identical in this case.

The velocity of the discharge flow at the foot-side corners 4 of the bed surface sides 1 is ˜0.1 m/sec and increases to 0.3 m/sec towards the sides near the head. The angle β remains constant (50°) over the side lengths. The angle α decreases from the corners near the head (90°) towards the foot-side corners 4 (25°).

Case 3 with β Constant Over the Path Lengths:

The value of the velocity of the discharge flow at the corners near the head is 0.3 m/sec. It increases to 0.55 m/sec over the lateral path lengths. The velocity over the foot side 3 is constant at 0.55 m/sec. The angle β is constantly 55° on the sides and 30° on the foot side 3. The angle α is at right angles to the particular side (90°) at the corners near the head and decreases to 30° with the path length. The angle α has a deflection of 5° at the corners 4 of the foot side 3 and it equals 0° in the middle.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

Claims

1. A process for operating a thermotherapy device, the process comprising the steps of: providing a bed surface;providing discharge channels for conditioned air in the longitudinal direction of the bed surface and on a foot side of the bed surface;providing an exhaust unit above the bed surface;directing air being discharged from the discharge channels towards the exhaust unit such that:the discharge angle changes continuously as a function of a distance between the exhaust unit and the site of discharge from the discharge channels;the elevation angle changes continuously as a function of the distance between the exhaust unit and the site of discharge from the discharge channels; andthe value of the velocity of the discharge flow changes continuously as a function of the site of discharge from the discharge channels.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the discharge angle of the direction of the discharge flow in a middle region of the foot side is set at a right angle to the foot side and the discharge angle increases with the path length towards the corners of the foot side.

3. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the discharge angle of the direction of the discharge flow at a level of the exhaust unit is set at right angles to the bed surface side and the discharge angle increases continuously with the path length of each lateral discharge channel up to the corresponding corner until it reaches a greatest deflection upon reaching the foot side.

4. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the value of the discharge flow increases continuously with increasing distance from the exhaust unit.

5. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the elevation angle between the bed surface and the particular discharge flow along the bed surface decreases with increasing distance between the side of the discharge flow and the site of the exhaust in the exhaust unit.

6. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein lateral and foot-side discharge angles are identical in the area of the corners.

7. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the values of the velocity of the discharge flow from the discharge channels along the bed surface and on the foot side in the area of the corners are identical.

8. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the discharge flow is set by means of lamellae that are adjustable in terms of direction and distance.

9. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the value of the velocity of the discharge flow can be set between 0.05 m/sec and 1.2 m/sec.

10. A process for operating a thermotherapy device, the process comprising the steps of: providing a bed surface with a head side, a first lateral side, a second lateral side and a foot side;arranging a plurality discharge channels, one after the other, along the first lateral side;arranging a plurality discharge channels, one after the other, along the second lateral side;arranging a plurality discharge channels, one after the other, along the foot side;providing an exhaust unit above the bed surface near said head side;discharging air from said discharge channels along the first lateral side with a discharge angle relative to the first lateral side changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction toward said foot side and with an elevation angle changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction toward said foot side and with a flow velocity changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction toward said foot side;discharging air from said discharge channels along the second lateral side with a discharge angle relative to the second lateral side changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction toward said foot side and with an elevation angle changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction toward said foot side and with a flow velocity changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction toward said foot side; anddischarging air from said discharge channels along the foot side with a discharge angle relative to the foot side changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction from a center of the foot side and with an elevation angle changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction from the center of the foot side and with a flow velocity changing in each successive adjacent discharge channel in a direction from the center of the foot side.

11. A process in accordance with claim 10, wherein the discharge angle of the direction of the discharge flow in a middle region of the foot side is set at a right angle to the foot side and the discharge angle increases with the path length towards the first lateral side and the second lateral side.

12. A process in accordance with claim 10, wherein: the discharge angle of the direction of the discharge flow nearest the exhaust unit from said discharge channels along the first lateral side is perpendicular to the first lateral side and the discharge angle relative to the first lateral side is smaller from each successive adjacent discharge channel; andthe discharge angle of the direction of the discharge flow nearest the exhaust unit from said discharge channels along the second lateral side is perpendicular to the second lateral side and the discharge angle relative to the second lateral side is smaller from each successive adjacent discharge channel.

13. A process in accordance with claim 10, wherein the value of the discharge flow increases continuously with increasing distance from the exhaust unit.

14. A process in accordance with claim 11, wherein the elevation angle decreases with increasing distance between the discharge flow and the exhaust unit.

15. A process in accordance with claim 11, wherein the value of the velocity of the discharge flow can be set between 0.05 m/sec and 1.2 m/sec.