Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Thermal applicators
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-23
2001-05-08
Cohen, Lee (Department: 3739)
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Thermal applicators
C607S114000, C607S108000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06228108
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a novel therapeutic pack which is used to transfer heat away from or to a human body.
Traumatic injuries and other maladies often require the application of heat or the removal of heat to the surface of the human body. Generally, ice packs have been employed to inhibit swelling, while the application of heat is generally intended to promote healing. The application of hot and cold packs to areas of the body are normally used to effect such treatment. In the past, heat producing or cold producing materials, i.e. thermal materials, have been placed in a bag and held to a portion of the human body by the injured person or by an attendant. Unfortunately, the act of holding such heat transfer in therapeutic packs is tedious and requires great effort over a long period of time.
In the past, devices and apparatuses have been employed to hold heat transferring packs to the body by the use of straps and pouches. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,586,506, 5,628,772, and 5,766,235 show containers which generally include a mesh covering or layer between the thermal material and the body portion to which the heat transferring pack is applied. In many cases several layers interpose the human body and the thermal material to provide protection to the human skin, but resulting in inefficient heat transfer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,984 shows an expandable wrap with panels to form packets which hold hot or cold thermal packs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,086 discloses a therapeutic pillow in which a thermal liquid is used inside a chamber having a number of baffles to evenly spread the transfer of heat.
A therapeutic heat transferring pack which efficiently transfers the heat to a body part would be an advance in the medical arts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention a novel and useful heat transferring therapeutic pack is herein provided.
The heat transferring therapeutic pack of the present invention utilizes a mass of thermal material which is capable of cooling or heating an object coming into contact with the same. The pack of the present invention includes a flexible container formed with an inner chamber for holding the mass of thermal material. The container further provides an inner surface, and a pair of outer surfaces, which may be opposed to one another, if the container is collapsed to a certain degree. The first outer surface of the flexible container is intended to directly contact the human body to permit heat transfer relative to the thermal material found in the inner chamber. The flexible container may be formed of a plastic like material which is waterproof and, essentially, sealed in an air-tight fashion.
A sheet of material is also employed in the present invention to interact with the flexible container second surface. The sheet of material may be a flexible body which possesses a first surface and an opposite second surface. The second surface of the sheet of material selectively includes hook or pile fasteners. Connecting means holds the first surface of the sheet of material to the second outer surface of the flexible container. In certain embodiments, the connecting means may take the form of an adhesive layer, however, the sheet of material may be fastened by other means such as fasteners, welding, and integrally forming the same as a wall of the container. In any case, the combined flexible container and sheet of material allows the first surface of the flexible container to be free of intervening pockets and meshes to directly contact the human body. The second surface of the container, thus, presents a surface selectively having a hook or pile fastener structure, via the sheet of material connected thereto.
Fastening means is also utilized to maintain contact of the flexible container first surface with the human body. Such fastening means may be formed into a strap having the complimentary hook or pile fasteners, which would directly attach to the complementary second surface of the sheet of material. It should be noted, that the sheet of material may also be a flexible body to allow conformation of the therapeutic pack of the present invention to the contours of human body parts.
Another aspect of the present invention may be found in an embodiment which utilizes a sheet of material that substantially encloses the first and second surfaces of the flexible container. In such a case, the connecting means would hold the sheet of material to the outer surfaces of the container. Alternately, the sheet of material may itself be integrally formed as the flexible container wall thus eliminating a dual layering of a portion of the wall of the therapeutic pack of the present invention. In such an embodiment, the hook or pile fastening material would overlie the entire outer surface of the sheet of material forming the container. Preferably, such material may be the pile type fastener material to provide comfort to the user when the pack is applied to the human body. The pile material would serve to insulate any heat or cold transferring process, and may provide moisture wicking in certain cases, dependent on the type of pile material employed.
It may be apparent that a novel and useful heat transferring therapeutic pack has been herein described.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a heat transferring therapeutic pack which eliminates the use of pockets, meshes, and containers to hold a thermal material against a human body.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat transferring therapeutic pack which does-not injure or burn the skin of the user when it is applied thereto.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat transferring therapeutic pack which is easy and convenient to employ and conforms to the contours of the human body.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a heat transferring therapeutic pack which is capable of directly applying a hot or cold thermal transfer to a human body and is capable of wicking moisture therefrom at the same time.
The invention possesses other objects and advantages especially as concerns particular characteristics and features thereof which will become apparent as the specification continues.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4081150 (1978-03-01), Tyson
patent: 4517972 (1985-05-01), Finch, Jr.
patent: 4586506 (1986-05-01), Nangle
patent: 4706673 (1987-11-01), Meistrell
patent: 4981135 (1991-01-01), Hardy
patent: 5557801 (1996-09-01), Jakus
patent: 5584086 (1996-12-01), VanWinkle et al.
patent: 5628772 (1997-05-01), Russell
patent: 5728147 (1998-03-01), Thomas
patent: 5766235 (1998-06-01), Kostopoulos
patent: 5800492 (1998-09-01), Manker
patent: 5823984 (1998-10-01), Silverberg
Emerson Richard
Lamb Steve
Rusche Richard L.
Bielen, Jr. Theodore J.
Cohen Lee
Orthopedic Systems Inc.
Ram Jocelyn Debra
LandOfFree
Heat transferring therapeutic pack does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Heat transferring therapeutic pack, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Heat transferring therapeutic pack will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2509465