Disposable, sterile temperature control applicator pad for medical application

Claim 2

An article for applying heat or cold to a human body comprising: a flexible, liquid-tight conduit adapted to pass a hot or a cold fluid between an inlet and an outlet therein, said conduit being conformable to an area of application of the human body to overlie the same; and a covering engaging at least one side of said conduit including a core of soft, flexible absorbent material, an exterior layer of flexible tear-resistant grid material providing a plurality of closed boundaries each defining an aperture, said grid material overlying said core material, and means bonding said grid material to the exterior surface of said core material, said covering being characterized in being substantially free of lint and loose threads, in providing a nonsticking, non-sliding surface when applied to open wounds, and in quickly absorbing liquid with which it is brought into contact; and means holding said covering in engagement with said conduit.

Claim 3

The article of claim 1 wherein said bonding means comprises a layer of thin thermoplastic film material interposed between said absorbent core material and said layer of grid material and heat sealed therebetween to bond said materials into a unitary covering with said intermediate film separated from itself within the boundaries defined by said grid material.

Claim 4

The article of claim 1 wherein said covering is provided to overlie both sides of said conduit to substantially surround the same except for the inlet and outlet thereof.

Claim 5

The article of claim 1 wherein said conduit includes first and second layers of thermoplastic material heat-sealed together to provide a liquid-tight, continuous fluid conduit between said inlets and said outlet thereof.

Claim 6

The article of claim 1 wherein said grid material is a thin layer of spun-bonded nylon, the apertures therein being sufficiently small to hold drops of water when separate from said article, yet large enough to permit rapid passage of liquid therethrough when said article is brought into contact with a liquid.

Claim 7

The article of claim 1 wherein said core material is soft fibrous crepe paper of facial quality.

Claim 8

The article of claim 2 wherein said bonding material is a sheet of polyethylene film having a thickness in the range of 0.0002 in. to 0.0010 in.

Claim 9

The article of claim 7 wherein said conduit is a layer formed of laminated films secured together to form a liquid-tight continuous conduit between the inlet and outlet thereof and wherein said covering overlies both sides of said conduit layer.

Claim 10

The article of claim 8 wherein the outer edges of said thermoplastic bonding film and said grid materials extending beyond the periphery of said conduit layer and said core materials to bond said article into a unitary product by heat-sealing the peripheral edges of said exterior grid materials together about the respective borders while permitting access to said inlet and outlets in said conduit layer.

Claim 11

The article of claim 1 wherein said conduit is formed from superposed layers of thermoplastic film material heat-sealed together to form a liquid-tight continuous conduit between the inlet and outlet thereof and further providing apertures in the heat-sealed areas thereof to permit fluid to pass through said conduit layer while maintaining a liquid-tight conduit.

Claim 12

A medical applicator for applying heat or cold to a selected area of the body comprising: a central conduit layer of flexible laminated material forming a liquid-tight continuous conduit between an inlet and an outlet therein; first and second layers of soft fibrous, highly-absorbent core material located respectively on either side of said conduit layer; first and second exterior layers of tear-resistant flexible grid sheet material having a plurality of interconnected filaments in spaced locations covering respectively the exposed surfaces of said core material and providing a plurality of closed boundaries each defining an aperture; and first and second layers of adhesive means attaching said first and second grid layers respectively to the outer surfaces of said core material; and means securing said grid materials together about said conduit layer.

Claim 13

A medical applicator for applying heat or cold to a selected area of the body comprising: a central conduit layer of flexible laminated material forming a liquid-tight continuous conduit between an inlet and an outlet therein; first and second layers of soft fibrous, highly-absorbent core material located respectively on either side of said conduit layer; first and second exterior layers of tear-resistant flexible grid sheet material having a plurality of interconnected filaments in spaced locations covering respectively the exposed surfaces of said core material and providing a plurality of closed boundaries each defining an aperture; and first and second layers of adhesive means attaching said first and second grid layers respectively to the outer surfaces of said core material; and means securing said grid materials together about said conduit layer.

Claim 14

The article of claim 11 wherein said adhesive means comprises a layer of thin polyethylene for heat-sealing the exterior grid layers to their associated core material while separating between the boundaries defined by said grid materials over at least a substantial portion thereof to permit the transmission of fluid through the grid material into the core material.

Claim 15

The article of claim 12 wherein said conduit layer further includes a plurality of apertures therein to permit the passage of liquid transversely therethrough while maintaining a liquid-tight conduit.

Claim 16

The article of claim 11 wherein said core material is needle-punched rayon.

Claim 17

The article of claim 11 wherein said adhesive means includes a sheet of polyethylene having a thickness in the range 0.0002 to 0.0010 in. and wherein said sheets of polyethylene and said grid materials extend beyond the outer periphery of said conduit layer and said core material to form a heat sealed peripheral border about said article.

Claim 18

A medical applicator for applying heat or cold to a selected area of the body comprising: a central fluid conduit forming a continuous liquid-tight conduit between an inlet and an outlet; a covering of soft fibrous, highly-absorbent core material covering said conduit; a layer of exterior tear-resistant flexible grid sheet material having a plurality of interconnected filaments in spaced relation covering the outer surface of said core material and providing a plurality of closed boundaries each defining an aperture; a first polyethylene film interposed between said grid material and said core material; and a second polyethylene film surrounding said grid material, each of said films having a thickness in the range 0.0002 in. to 0.0010 in., said grid and said core materials being heat-sealed together with said polyethylene film, the exterior layer of polyethylene film covering and sealing to the outer surface of said grid material, both of said polyethylene films being opened within the apertures defined by said grid material to permit liquid to permeate said grid material and be absorbed by said core material rapidly, said article being characterized in having a non-sticking yet non-sliding surface when applied to a wound or incision.

Claim 19

A medical applicator for applying heat or cold to a selected area of the body comprising: a central fluid conduit forming a continuous liquid-tight conduit between an inlet and an outlet; a covering of soft fibrous, highly-absorbent core material covering said conduit; a layer of exterior tear-resistant flexible grid sheet material having a plurality of interconnected filaments in spaced relation covering the outer surface of said core material and providing a plurality of closed boundaries each defining an aperture; a first polyethylene film interposed between said grid material and said core material; and a second polyethylene film surrounding said grid material, each of said films having a thickness in the range 0.0002 in. to 0.0010 in., said grid and said core materials being heat-sealed together with said polyethylene film, the exterior layer of polyethylene film covering and sealing to the outer surface of said grid material, both of said polyethylene films being opened within the apertures defined by said grid material to permit liquid to permeate said grid material and be absorbed by said core material rapidly, said article being characterized in having a non-sticking yet non-sliding surface when applied to a wound or incision.

Claim 20

A sterile, disposable medical applicator for applying heat or cold to a selected area of the human body comprising: a central conduit layer of flexible laminated material forming a liquid-tight continuous conduit between an inlet and an outlet therein; first and second layers of soft fibrous, highly-absorbent core material located respectively on either side of said conduit layer, first and second exterior layers of tear-resistant flexible grid material having a plurality of interconnected filaments so as to be porous and covering respectively the exposed surfaces of said core material; first and second layers of plastic bonding material for heat-sealing said exterior grid layers to their associated core material layers under the application of heat and pressure while separating between boundaries defined by said grid materials over at least a substantial portion thereof to permit the transmission of fluid through the grid material into the core material, said core materials being attached directly to the associated surface of said central conduit layer through the embedding of fibers therein under the application of heat and pressure while forming said conduit.

Claim 21

A sterile, disposable medical applicator for applying heat or cold to a selected area of the human body comprising: a central conduit layer of flexible laminated material forming a liquid-tight continuous conduit between an inlet and an outlet therein; first and second layers of soft fibrous, highly-absorbent core material located respectively on either side of said conduit layer, first and second exterior layers of tear-resistant flexible grid material having a plurality of interconnected filaments so as to be porous and covering respectively the exposed surfaces of said core material; first and second layers of plastic bonding material for heat-sealing said exterior grid layers to their associated core material layers under the application of heat and pressure while separating between boundaries defined by said grid materials over at least a substantial portion thereof to permit the transmission of fluid through the grid material into the core material, said core materials being attached directly to the associated surface of said central conduit layer through the embedding of fibers therein under the application of heat and pressure while forming said conduit.

Claim 22

The article of claim 17 wherein said central core material comprises first and second layers of thermoplastic material laminated together along spaced continuous boundaries defining the width of said conduit.

Claim 23

The article of claim 18 wherein one of said layers oF said central core material has a thickness in the range 10-25 mils and the other layer has a thickness of about 1.2 mils, the thicker layer being adapted for placement exterior of the application area to reduce heat loss through conduction to the environment.

Claim 24

A disposable medical applicator for applying heat or cold to a body comprising: a flexible, liquid-tight central conduit adapted to pass a hot or a cold fluid between an inlet or an outlet therein and being conformable to an area of application to the human body to overlie the same; a covering engaging at least one side of said conduit including a core of soft, flexible absorbent material, an exterior layer of flexible tear-resistant, porous grid material overlying said core material; means bonding said grid material to the exterior surface of said core material, said covering being characterized in being substantially free of lint and loose threads, in providing a non-sticking, non-sliding surface when applied to open wounds, and in quickly absorbing liquid with which it is brought into contact; and a reflective layer on a side of said conduit opposite a covering thereof to reduce heat loss from said conduit through radiation, all of said elements being united into a unitary article.

Claim 25

A disposable medical applicator for applying heat or cold to a body comprising: a flexible, liquid-tight central conduit adapted to pass a hot or a cold fluid between an inlet or an outlet therein and being conformable to an area of application to the human body to overlie the same; a covering engaging at least one side of said conduit including a core of soft, flexible absorbent material, an exterior layer of flexible tear-resistant, porous grid material overlying said core material; means bonding said grid material to the exterior surface of said core material, said covering being characterized in being substantially free of lint and loose threads, in providing a non-sticking, non-sliding surface when applied to open wounds, and in quickly absorbing liquid with which it is brought into contact; and a reflective layer on a side of said conduit opposite a covering thereof to reduce heat loss from said conduit through radiation, all of said elements being united into a unitary article.