Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02498295 2005-02-21
TITLE
Thermal Therapeutic Wrap, Assembly and Composition.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a new component-based themal therapy wrap,
assembly and composition which adaptable in manufacture, assembly and
use.
PRIOR ART
There have been many attempts to provide a therapeutic thermal pad which
is adaptable to the wide variety of users and their individual life styles.
US patent 5,458,628 to Cipolla shows 1 such effort which includes
attachment tabs at various locations about a unitary therapeutic structure.
The result is a single complex device which is not adaptable to ready use in a
consumer or spa environment and would require a great number of
variations to accommodate any variety of users or uses.
US patent 5,456,704 to Kilcullen provides a heated and moist therapy pad
with ties at each end. Although us '704 shows internal packets with a
variety of materials of the single structure result is highly limiting.
US patent 5,179,944 to Mcsymytz provides another single structure with
multiple compartments. The complexity associated with use on the human
form is shown in the Figure 5 embodiment.
US patent 4,736,088 to Bart shows another attempt to provide a therapy pad
with suitable adjustability resulting in a single structure with elongated
straps and closures.
US patent 5,571,155 to Bastille shows another attempt to provide a
convenient thermal pad. A variety of unitary shapes and structures are
provided including a mufti-chamber structure with attachment straps at the
end of the cylinders. These structures are awkward to use and not
adaptable. Reference is made to completely filling these structures
(stuffing) with sanitized cereal grains which are admitted to suffer from
environmental breakdown after several uses, particularly hot/cold cycles.
The advantage taught is ready disposability as a response to a low product
lifetirr~e.
US patent 4,592,358 to VVestplate discloses another attempt at a flexible
structure by the provision of compartments along a single strap.
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US patent 5,300,104 to Baudreault et al discloses a heating pad containing a
particular type of oat grains in a single structure.
The prior art does not provide sufficient flexibility in any of manufacture,
use or therapeutic situations nor the opportunity for a long and useful
40 product life.
Much of the prior art is focused on gel or slushy materials contained within
singular or multiple compartments in a unitary structure. In each known
case the compartments are attached to or form a continuous generally planar
structure in a variety of shapes which must be shaped to the body of the user.
45 These do not provide for more generalized uses in a variety of situations.
Liquid or gel materials require special containment solutions, and
particularly so for home and or travel uses. In some cases, benefits are
claimed from the use of completely sterilized cereal grains completely filling
(stuffing} the device or of specific moisture contents so as to remain free-
50 flowing, usable and comfortable as a result.
Cereal grains have some benefits from being organic materials which are
readily available but do not readily maintain any benefits in destructive
hot/cold situations.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
55 It is an object of the present invention to overcome the deficiencies of
prior
art unitary structures and provide a component based thermal therapeutic
system in which each component may be heated or cooled effectively in
standard appliances without risk of leakage or breakdown of the internal
media.
60 It is a further object of the invention to provide a thermal medium without
the drawbacks of prior art media while providing a high efficiency in
heat/cold gain and a slow rate of heat/cold reduction coupled with comfort
and therapeutic scents and oils as may be required.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a therapeutic pad structure
65 which is adaptable to a wide variety of situations and which may be heated
or cooled when required, such as on the dashboard of a car or heating duct in
an office or a home.
A further object is to provide a thermal pack with a high material density,
i.e.
few unfilled gaps, along with a low weight density, the open spaces between
70 relatively light organic materials of large particle size being occupied
with a
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mixture of low density, low particles size organics and high density, low
particle size inorganic therapeutic salts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect the present invention provides a thermal therapeutic wrap
75 component comprising a flexible pocket adapted to contain a packet of
thermal and/or therapy material, a plurality of tab extensions around a
lateral
edge of said pocket, and inter-attachment means on said tab extensions with
a pocket including a lateral dimension substantially greater than its
thickness
adapted to extend laterally adjacent the skin of a user.
80 In another aspect the invention provides a thermal therapy wrap comprising
an assembly of inter-attached components each comprising.
In yet another aspect the invention provides a thermal therapeutic wrap or
component including a thermal material comprised of a flowable dry
mixture of large diameter low mass organic particles, small diameter low
85 mass organic particles and high mass low diameter inorganic particles.
In a further aspect the invention provides wrap or component wherein said
material comprises substantially equal parts of the particles including a mix
of large organic bean particles, small organic seed particles and finely
divided salt particles, particularly, mung beans, poppy seeds and salts.
90 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a plan view of a single unit of the thermal therapeutic wrap of
the
invention.
Figure 2 is a cross-section of the wrap of Figure 1 taken alone line A-A.
Figure 3 is a cross-section of an alternate embodiment of the wrap of Figure
95 2.
Figure 4 is a plan view of an assembled wrap of the invention shown in
Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a plan view of the assembly of Figure 4 including an attached
surround.
100 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A single unit of the thermal therapeutic wrap of the invention 1 is shown in
plan view in Figure 1. A pocket 2 is formed generally in the shape of a
flat cylinder of flexible material, such as a woven or non-woven textile
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material, with a flap closure 4 and a plurality of tab extensions 3 from its
105 lateral edge 2a.
Preferably, flap closure 4 may include a sealing means such as 'Velcro' as
herein referred to or a snap (not shown).
For ease of manufacture, pocket 2 may be formed with 4 flexible tab
extensions 3 as shown in the drawings or any smaller number and is
110 preferably also formed of textile material.
Preferably, pocket 2 is cylindrical but it may also be in any other shape such
as a triangle, a square or a rectangle and has a substantially greater later
dimension adjacent the skin of a user than its thickness.
Preferably, each tab extension 3 includes connecting material 5, such as the
115 removable and replaceable material commonly available under the
trademark 'Velcro'. Alternatively, material 5 may be any suitable means of
attach~nt such as buttons, hooks and loops, snaps, etc.
Pocket 2 is adapted to contain a inner packet 8 suitable for heat/cold thermal
therapy along with aroma, salt or oil therapy , as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
120 In the embodiment of Figure 2 pocket 2 is provided with a flap closure as
at
4 including an upper layer as at 6 overlapping the lower layer as at 6a. In
the preferred embodiment of Figure 3 a continuous band of attachment
material provides a closure 4' around the lateral edge 2a and consists of
components as at 6' and 6a' .
125 Packet 8 is preferably formed from a dark coloured, such as black, thin
cotton broadcloth to provide quick absorption of heat or cold in the opposite
application and permeability.
Pocket 2 is preferably formed of a permeable fleece material to provide
adequate spacing from the use or the user's clothing and for insulation so as
130 to retain heat or cold as long as possible.
In Figure 4 is shown an assembly 9 of the invention. In this drawing 8
units of the shape shown in Figure 1 are joined into a wrap 9 by attachment
of tab extensions at points 10. Tab extensions as at 11 may be left free or
removed. As can be seen assembly 9 forms a flexible and adaptable wrap
135 which may be used by the wearer in the manner of a scarf around the neck
or
other part of the body, used as a cover or throw, or alternatively placed on a
chair or car seat to provide a comfortable and therapeutic replaceable base.
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The assembly 9 of Figure 4 may be completed with a surround 12 as shown
in Figure 5 which is preferably attached to assembly 9 by means of a
140 plurality of tabs 13 adjacent and attached to tab extensions 3.
Preferably the packet 8 contains an equal part dry mixture of large diameter
low mass organic particles, such as mung beans, small diameter low mass
organic particles, such as poppy seeds, and small diameter high mass
inorganic salts. Such combination provides a highly compacted resultant
145 thermal material as all of the interstices are occupied while retaining
high
mobility between and among the individual particles which in turn provides
for substantial flexibility in the packet as required for user comfort.
High heat andlor cold retention is provided along with high thermal gain and
slow thermal losses.
150 Additionally, each of the particle types may be chosen for particular
therapeutic properties which may be inherent in the material or
supplea~eated by additions of aromas, oils, salts, etc. initially or during
thermal cycles. Such materials interact with the moisture gain/loss of the
organic products and the salts to provide a substantial source of the desired
155 therapeutic results.
Further, many changes and modifications in the above described
embodiments of the invention can, of course, be carried out without
departing from the scope thereof.
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