Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Thermal applicators
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-01
2001-07-17
Dvorak, Linda C. M. (Department: 3739)
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Thermal applicators
C128S890000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261313
ABSTRACT:
This application is based upon Applicant's Disclosure Document No. 327192 dated Mar. 8, 1993.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sealed, substantially C-shaped thermal heat pack for heating a body part, such as the female breast during postpartum nursing and, more particularly, to a thermal heat pack which readily conforms to the contours of different sized female breasts to provide therapeutic heat to an adjacent breast to reduce swelling and irritation, wherein a centrally located recess is provided for the nipple to extend therethrough. The thermal heat pack can also be used to other protruding body parts such as an elbow, knee, an ankle, etc.
In a further embodiment, the heat pack may be constructed so as to be adaptable to fit over a breast pump, for wear while pumping milk, or may have a centrally located nipple shield.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A number of cup shaped thermal heat packs are known in the prior art in which thermal heat is provided through a heat pack to provide a therapeutic heat to the human body. Examples of this type of heat pack are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,215 of the Applicant's, U.S. Pat. Nos. Re 14,024 of Whitmarsh, 2,298,361 of Freund, 3,500,832 of Nunnery, and 5,050,595 of Krafft.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,621 of Fletcher discloses a liquid cooled brassiere used with diagnostic mammography. Other brassiere patents in general are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,853,077 of Hunau and 3,430,632 of James.
Heat packs in general are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,780,537 of Spencer and 4,846,176 of Golden. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,821 of Lerner describes a swimming garment wherein breast shaped cups are formed from flat sheets having V-shaped cuts in the sheets.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,149 of Jatsuki describes a cooling implement for the head which includes a skull portion and an alternate chin portion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,281 of Cooper describes a refillable oval cooling pack with an in flow tube for use during surgery to cool an organ, such as a heart. U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,773 of Baldwin describes a rectangular equine cooling pack for wrapping around a horse's leg.
Other patents include U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,348 of Mayn, U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,676 of Elkins and U.S. Pat. No. 2,049,723 of Pomeranz. However, Mayn '348 described a refillable heat pack which may leak, and contains a large weight which tends to compress the breast uncomfortably, and Mayn can only be used in a lying, supine position, rendering the user immobile. Elkins '676 and Pomeranz '723 are for placement upon the head and Pomeranz '723 includes a circumferential elastic band to keep it upon the crown of a skull, which elastic band could squeeze a breast uncomfortably. Moreover, Pomeranz '723 and Elkins '676 are refillable, and therefore prone to leakage.
These patents are incorporated by reference herein for teaching devices in which heat packs are provided for therapeutic use or otherwise.
With the exception of the heat pack described in Applicants'U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,215 of Apr. 19, 1994, the above prior art devices have many disadvantages. Typically the devices include cup shaped portions which do not conform closely to various sizes of the breast. If the heat pack does not snugly fit the breast once in position, the heat pack may be too tight or too loose to optimize heating resulting in uneven application of heat to the breast.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a heat pack for a protruding body part, such as a breast, which heat pack comfortably conforms to the shape of the body part.
It is a further object to provide a heat pack for a breast which is lightweight and versatile to use.
It is yet another object to provide a heat pack for a breast which applies heat evenly to the breast.
It is yet another object to provide a heat pack for a breast which provides a recess for a nipple to extend therethrough.
It is yet another object to provide a heat pack which can be used for a variety of protruding body parts.
It is yet another object to improve over the disadvantages of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a bendable thermal heat unit which assumes a cup or rounded cone shape upon application to a protruding body part, such as a breast or, elbow or a shoulder. The present invention adjusts and conforms to various sizes of the female breasts to which it is to be applied by providing a layered C-shaped conformable member to permit formation of various sized rounded conical cups.
Thus the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a thermal heat pack unit which conforms to the contour of various sizes and shapes of the female breast.
Although the Freund '361, Nunnery '832 and Krafft '595 prior art thermal pack units provide cup shaped heat packs, the prior art devices do not increase or decrease in size to accommodate, adjust or conform to various sized breasts. With all of the prior art, it is necessary to provide various sizes of specific heat packs to include the wide range of female breast sizes. Consequently, a large variety of different sizes must be provided so that a user can select a size which will fit a particular breast. With the present adjustable invention, however, one size fits all.
The C-shaped heat pack of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and provides a simple, pliable, light-weight thermal heat pack which readily conforms to the contours of any sized female breast to provide therapeutic heat or cold to the adjacent breast areas.
To further ensure comfort, the heat pack may alternately have a centrally located recess hole for the nipple to extend therethrough.
The heat conductive material may be a heat conductive medium, or a cooling medium.
In the preferred embodiment, the heat conductive material includes a conventional heat conductive medium within a pliable outer material. The outer material is fixed about its perimeter to an adjacent conductive material, so that the heat pack directly contacts with the female breast. This provides for an efficient heat transfer between the thermal heat pack and the female breast.
In addition to containing the heating medium fluid, the present invention also acts to cover the adjacent skin portions of various sized breasts.
The thermal heat pack of the present invention uses conventional thermal gel to heat the pliant flattened C-shaped member which changes form and corresponds to the form of the female breast being covered, as it flexes over the surfaces of the breast.
Moreover, the present invention provides a thermal pack capable of supplying hot or cold temperatures. The thermal pack readily adjusts and conforms to the contours of various sized female breasts to therapeutically heat or cool adjacent skin areas of the breast. The thermal pack has a conforming member which is substantially C-shaped and which has an internal cavity for containing a heat retentive and conductive material.
The heat retaining heat conductive material is flexible, preferably a gel which can be primarily liquid in nature or primarily solid in nature, and which, due to its flexibility as a gel, can be adapted to conform to any sized contour of the female breast. Heat retentive heat conductive gels are conventional and are well known in the art of medical thermal pack appliances.
The heat conductive material may conduct heat either toward the breast skin surface, wherein the breast is warmed, or may conduct heat away from the breast skin surface, wherein the breast is cooled.
Further, the substantially C-shaped conformable member may alternately be provided with a generally centrally located recess and with alternately at least one selectively positioned indentation leading to the recess, which permits the C-shaped member in its non-use flattened form to flex mechanically and thus to assume a cup shape when put into use. In this manner the C-shaped conformable
MacWhinnie John
MacWhinnie Virginia
Dvorak Linda C. M.
Kearney R.
Walker Alfred M.
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