Facial heat transfer device with plural containers

An inexpensive heat transfer device which is readily pliable at freezing temperatures conforms to living tissue regions. The heat transfer device conforms to the contours of the living tissue to facilitate heat transfer between the device and the tissue regions which in turn reduces pain or swelling in the tissue regions from surgical procedures. The heat transfer device includes a first container and several second smaller containers disposed and freely flowable in the first container.

1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention generally relates to a heat transfer device for 
reducing swelling in human tissue after surgical face and neck procedures. 
The heat transfer device may be utilized to apply heat or cold to the 
human tissue areas. 
2. Description of the Background Art 
Various therapeutic cold packs and facial treatment masks are known in the 
art. These treatment masks and cold packs employ many different types of 
heat transfer materials. Some of these heat transfer materials include 
gelatinous substances such as COLD ICE.TM., water, water-based gels and 
hydrophilic gels such as CRYOGEL.TM.. When water alone is used as the heat 
transfer material for applying cold. At freezing temperatures, the water 
becomes very rigid in the form of ice and is not pliable to conform to the 
tissue region. Furthermore, if gelatinous substances are used, they 
significantly add to the cost of manufacturing the treatment masks or cold 
packs. 
Accordingly, a need in the art exists for a heat transfer device which is 
readily pliable at freezing temperatures and which is relatively 
inexpensive to make. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a heat 
transfer device which is readily pliable at freezing temperatures to 
conform to the intended covered tissue region while the manufacturing 
costs of the heat transfer device are relatively low. 
It is additionally a further object of the present invention to provide a 
heat transfer device which is readily pliable to conform to the contours 
of the human face to reduce pain or swelling. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat transfer 
device which conforms to the contours of a neck region of the human body 
to reduce pain or swelling. 
These and other objects of the present invention are fulfilled by providing 
a heat transfer device comprising a first container having an open 
interior, the first container being flexible; means for transferring heat 
including a plurality of second containers, the second containers being 
freely flowable within the interior of the first container such that the 
second containers are readily movable relative to one another, the means 
for transferring heat further including a material conducive for heat 
transfer, at least some of the second containers being filled with the 
material, the first container being placeable on a living tissue region 
whereafter first and second containers conform to the tissue region, the 
means for transferring heat providing heat transfer between the first 
container and the tissue region to reduce at least one of pain and 
swelling in the tissue region. 
In addition, these and other objects of the present invention are also 
accomplished by a method of reducing swelling in living tissue with a heat 
transfer device, comprising the steps of: placing a first container having 
a plurality of second spherical shaped containers disposed therein into at 
least one of a heating device and a refrigerating device; placing the 
first container over a tissue region; conforming a shape of the first 
container and second containers to the tissue region; and fastening the 
first container to the tissue region with a tie device, whereby the heat 
transfer device provides heat transfer between the first container and the 
tissue region to reduce at least one of pain and swelling in the tissue 
region. 
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become 
apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it 
should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, 
while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way 
of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the 
spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in 
the art from this detailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring in detail to the drawings and with particular reference to FIG. 
1, a heat transfer device 20 is shown in the form of a facial mask and 
neck bandage. The heat transfer device is not limited to these shapes and 
can be formed into any number of shapes and sizes that conform to a 
specific region of living tissue. The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is 
designed for the human anatomy, however, the heat transfer device may be 
designed for other living tissues such as plants or animals, and therefore 
the heat transfer device will be shaped accordingly. 
The heat transfer device can be either heated or cooled depending on the 
medical condition of the living tissue. For example, to reduce swelling 
after surgical face and neck procedures, the heat transfer device is 
preferably cooled by a refrigeration unit and then placed on the living 
tissue to reduce swelling and/or pain. If the medical condition involves 
head aches or sinus tension due to head colds, the heat transfer device is 
preferably heated by some heating unit, such as a microwave oven, so that 
the heat transfer device alleviates sinus congestion or pain from the head 
aches. In the situation where the user desires relaxation therapy, the 
heat transfer device is preferably heated where the heat transferred from 
the heat transfer device soothes and relaxes the user. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the heat transfer device includes a first container 22 
which is shaped in the form of a human facial region. A first container 22 
includes a tie device 24 which is made from material extending from the 
first container 22. While the tie device is preferably made from extension 
of the material of the first container 22, other tie devices such as cloth 
straps, leather straps, cloth straps with VELCRO.TM. (hook and loop type 
fasteners) or the like may be employed. The tie device 24 further includes 
a fastening mechanism in the form a clip 26 which permits the end of each 
tie device 24 to be connected to each other. The fastening mechanism is 
preferably a clip but other fastening mechanisms such as snaps, buttons, 
or hook and loop type fasteners may be employed. It is noted that the tie 
device 24 permits the user to have increased mobility where the user can 
move his head or neck freely without the need to provide manual support to 
the first container 22. 
The first container 22 further includes concave eye-shaped surface regions 
28 which conform to the surface area of eyes of a human body. It is noted 
that instead of concave eye-shaped surface regions 28 the first container 
may employ openings therethrough to permit the user to see through the 
first container 22. Alternatively, transparent material could be provided 
in regions 28. The first container 22 further includes an elevated 
nose-shaped surface region 30 which conforms to the shape of a human nose. 
Beneath the elevated nose-shaped surface region 30, the first container 22 
further includes a nostril-shaped orifice 32. This nostril-shaped orifice 
may include any number of shapes such as two holes, a slit, or the like. 
The first container 22 further includes a second mouth-shaped orifice 34 
which conforms to the mouth of a user to permit breathing therethrough. It 
is noted that the mouth-shaped orifice can take on any number of shapes 
such as a series of circular holes, a slit, or a mesh material, or the 
like. The first container further includes a fastening device 36 which 
permits the attachment of a supplemental container 38. The fastening 
device 36 is preferably VELCRO.TM. (hook and loop type fasteners) which 
permits rapid and easy attachment and the detachment of the supplemental 
container 38. The fastening device 36 is not limited to VELCRO.TM. and can 
include other fastening devices such as zippers, buttons, or other like 
structures. 
The supplemental container 38 is made similar to the first container 22 but 
is shaped in the form of a neck region of the human body. However, as 
noted above, the shapes of the first container 22 and the supplemental 
container 38 are not limited to the facial regions and neck regions of the 
human body. Other shapes of the containers include rectangular (for use in 
knee or elbow applications), or polygonal shapes (for applications such as 
the shoulders and back of the human body), or the like. 
The first and supplemental containers, 22 and 38, respectively, further 
include a fabric material 46 on their respective outer surfaces. This 
outer fabric material 46 is designed to come in contact with any 
post-operative drainage or secretions of wounds secreting from the living 
tissue which is covered by the containers. The outer fabric material 46 is 
preferably mole skin or water proof soft paper. However, other materials 
such as gauze, gauze and mesh material combined, or other like structures 
may be employed. The first container 22 may also be provided with disposal 
pads made from the outer fabric material 46 to recover the first container 
22 as necessary. 
In FIG. 2, a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this 
embodiment, the first container 22 is in the shape of the upper portion of 
a human face. The container 22 in this embodiment is designed to 
facilitate heat transfer between the heat transfer device and specific 
regions of the user's face. 
In FIG. 3, the means for transferring heat 40 is shown. The means for 
transferring heat 40 includes a plurality of second containers 42 which 
are spherically shaped. The shape of these containers is not limited to 
spheres, and can include other shapes such as cuboids, prisms, 
polyhedrons, and the like. Each second container 42 is preferably filled 
with a material 44 conducive for heat transfer. Preferably, this material 
44 includes water. However, other materials such as water-based gels or 
other gelatinous substances or mixtures thereof or the like may be 
employed. The second containers 42 are preferably completely filled with 
the material 44, however, it is possible to partially fill the second 
containers 42 with the material 44 and obtain successful heat transfer. It 
is noted that a mixture of empty second containers 42 and filled second 
containers 42 may be employed to also obtain successful heat transfer 
results. 
The second containers 42 are preferably made from a plastic composition. 
However, the second containers 42 are not limited to the plastic 
composition and may include other compositions such as rubber, 
rubber-plastic mixtures, or the like where the chemical composition of the 
second containers prevent the material 44 from permeating through the 
walls of the second containers 42. The means for transferring heat 40 is 
not limited to the second containers 42 and can include a mixture of the 
second containers and other substances such as water-based gels, 
gelatinous substances, or ammonium nitrate granules and water. The second 
containers 42 preferably have a diameter of 0.5 centimeter but other sizes 
may be employed depending upon the amount of heat transfer and flexibility 
required by the intended covered tissue region. The second containers 42 
provide a reusable material which can be refrozen or reheated while still 
maintaining its pliability to permit the first container 22 and second 
containers 42 to conform to living tissue regions. 
Apart from the heat transfer device, a method for reducing at least one of 
pain and swelling in living tissue is disclosed by the present invention. 
In this method, the step of placing a first container having a plurality 
of second spherically shaped containers disposed therein into at least one 
of a heating unit and a refrigerating unit is provided. Next, the first 
container 22 is placed over a tissue region. The first container 22 and 
second containers 42 are then conformed to the shape of the tissue region. 
The first container 22 is then fastened to the tissue region with a tie 
device 24 whereby the heat transfer device 20 provides heat transfer 
between the first container 22 and the tissue region to reduce at least 
one of pain and swelling in the tissue region. The invention provides for 
a method where the fastening step further includes the step of attaching 
two ends of a tie device with a clip 26. The method further includes the 
step of placing a third container 38 having a plurality of second 
spherically shaped containers 42 disposed therein into at least one of a 
heating device and a refrigerating device. The method further includes a 
step of placing the third container 38 over a tissue region while 
attaching the third container to the first container 22 by a hook and loop 
type fastener 36. 
The first container 22 and supplemental container 38 provide an inexpensive 
heat transfer device which is readily pliable at freezing temperatures to 
conform to intended covered tissue regions. The first and supplemental 
containers provide a heat transfer devices which are readily pliable to 
conform to the contours of a face and contours of a neck region of the 
human body. 
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be 
varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure 
from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as 
would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included 
within the scope of the following claims.