Abstract:
A heat exchange garment or a system is worn on a user&#39;s head for engaging the head area and having extensions for surrounding the neck. The garment comprises an inner layer and an outer layer. Substantially, the entire volume between the inner layer and the outer layer may be filled with heat exchange material. Alternatively, sections may be formed for retaining individual thermal packs, each in registration with a portion of the head area or neck.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority of Provisional Patent Application No. 60/439,604 filed Jan. 10, 2003. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to apparel and a system for thermal application to the entire head, ears, eyes, cheek, jaws, chin, and neck area or a selected portion or portions thereof.  
           [0003]    Thermal applicators perform heat exchange by heating or cooling a portion or portions of the body. Heat therapy is used in connection with some conditions while cooling therapy is used for others. For example, certain sinus ailments require heat treatments applied as close as possible to sinus cavities. Swelling following medical surgery, dental surgery or other trauma generally requires the application of cold. The present invention addresses thermal therapy to the head area, which includes the head or neck or to a selected portion or portions thereof.  
           [0004]    Various devices have been provided for thermal therapy in the head area for more than the past 100 years. Despite the plethora of available devices, when advising patients who have swelling in the area of sutures from recent surgeries, it is extremely common for surgeons to advise patients to apply a bag of frozen peas. Application of frozen peas represents an attractive alternative to an ice pack since peas within the bag are readily moldable about a targeted body region. Peas also exhibit good specific heat characteristics and have a lower freezing point than that of water. A common therapy for treatment of injury is to apply the ice pack for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. Bags of frozen peas cannot be used in a “hands free” mode. A patient normally must hold the ice pack to the affected area and generally can do little else but sit or otherwise remain motionless.  
           [0005]    Prior art devices include masks which can be tied or strapped to the face. A mask may represent an unbalanced weight on the face and tend to move unless tightly tied or affixed by uncomfortable elastic securing means. Discomfort is a negative incentive for a user to keep the cooling device in place for a therapeutic length of time. In application it is desired to apply cold to a number of different parts of the neck or head; a mask may not be configurable to reach all desired areas. It may be necessary to use a number of devices at one time.  
           [0006]    Thermal therapy devices are normally unsuited for wearing to bed. A user may desire to have cold applied to relieve pain to enable falling asleep. It does not suit the user&#39;s purpose if the device shifts in position or must be removed when a user falls asleep.  
           [0007]    It is highly desirable to provide a system in which efficient use of cold or heat therapy can be applied to optimize therapeutic effect versus effort required by the user to achieve the therapeutic effect. This optimization may result in a more expedient healing and recovery time, reduces swelling, pain and discomfort generally associated with medical or dental procedures or traumas in a shorter amount of time. It is also important to maximize the efficacy of a thermal applicator for treatment of patients who cannot tolerate pain medication or patients who prefer to employ holistic medicine.  
           [0008]    Prior art devices exist which can be supported to a head. Removable hot or cold packs can be affixed to selected portions of the devices. However, the structure provides a minimal amount of flexibility in location and choice of type of heat applicator, and does not allow for maximally effective heat transfer through the device to the user. Also, prior art devices do not disclose neck treatment sections integral with a head supported device and effectively interacting with the device. It is also highly desirable to have a system including components which may be all utilized or selectively utilized on a patient.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    It is therefore a particular advantage of the present invention to provide head area heat exchange apparel worn on the head and including cooperating portions for heat exchange with the neck.  
           [0010]    It is also a particular advantage in one form to provide apparel of the type described in a one piece device for comfortable hands-free delivery of thermal therapy to the head area.  
           [0011]    It is a further particular advantage of the invention in one form to provide apparel worn on the head and comprising chambers each for housing heat exchange materials selectively in registration with a predetermined portion of the head area.  
           [0012]    It is a further particular advantage of the present invention in one form to provide a system incorporating a garment of the type described wherein said garment comprises a system having removable sections, individually engageable with a selected portion, for example the ear, or portions of the head area.  
           [0013]    Briefly stated, in accordance with the present invention, there are provided heat exchange apparel and a system worn on a user&#39;s head for engaging the head area and having extensions for surrounding the neck. The garment comprises an inner layer and an outer layer. Substantially, the entire volume between the inner layer and the outer layer may be filled with heat exchange material. Alternatively, sections may be formed for maintaining discrete heat exchange devices, each comprising heat exchange material in registration with a selected portion or portions of the head area. The sections may each be elastomeric. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    The invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation may be further understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the following drawings.  
         [0015]    Of the drawings:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIGS. 1 and 2 are a front and side elevation of a user wearing apparel constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a side elevation similar to that of FIG. 2 illustrating an embodiment in which sections are formed in the apparel;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIGS. 4 and 5 are each a front elevation of an embodiment of the garment illustrated in FIG. 3 respectively including and not including a section covering the upper face;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIGS. 6 a ,  6   b  and  6   c  are each an illustration of a thermal pack suitable for retaining in one section in the embodiment of FIG. 3; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a separately wearable thermal pack on and off of an ear of a user respectively. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]    [0021]FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively a front and side elevation of a thermal therapy garment  10  worn by a user  15 . The user  15  has an ear  11  (FIG. 7), face  12 , head  13 , neck  14 , mouth  16 , chin  17 , nose  18  and eyes  19 . The garment  10  covers a forehead  21 . The garment  10  comprises head cover  28  for generally surrounding a head and may include eye holes  22  and  24 . The head cover  28  includes support means  20  which distributes the weight of the garment  10  over the head  13  of the user  15 . The support means  20  does not have any particular boundaries within the head cover  28 , and in preferred embodiments will not comprise a separate component. The support means  20  may include all portions of head cover  28  transmitting force to the head  13 . In one alternative, head cover  28  need not be continuous across the top of the head  13 ; the support means  20  could comprise strips traversing an opening in the top of head cover  28 . Since the weight of the garment  10  is well-distributed, effective centers of gravity of front or rear portions thereof will not tend to exert a force moment about the top of the head  13  of the user  15 . This provides for maximum stability of the garment  10  when it is in place and for comfort of the user  15 .  
         [0022]    An aperture border  30  is provided comprising edges of the garment  10  that will define an outline of an opening  32  when the garment  10  is in an engaged position wrapped around a user  15 . The head cover  28  has first and second extensions  35  and  37  which are elongated portions in their unwrapped state. Each of the extensions  35  and  37  depends from one side of the head cover  28  and is preferably deployed by crossing it over the chin  17  and around to the opposite side from which it depends around the neck  14 . The extension  37  is similarly deployed. In the embodiment illustrated, a transversely extending border, (the transverse direction being across the face  12  of the user  15 ) approximately follows the upper extent of the maxilla. The extensions  35  and  37  provide a preferred form of closing the head cover  28 . Fasteners or other means may also be used. Additionally, a thermal gel strip may be provided for positioning over a lip and below a nose  14  of the user  15  secured at either end to the head cover  28 .  
         [0023]    For the purpose of orientation and relative location, locations of portions of the garment  10  are denoted by reference to skull bones with which they are in registration.  
         [0024]    The internal structure of the garment  10  is further illustrated with respect to the cross sectional view in the partially broken away portion of FIG. 2. In the description of these components, the terms inner and outer are used. This nomenclature is arbitrary. Within the context of the present description, “inner” will simply be used to mean closer to the head  13 , and “outer” will be used to mean farther from the head  13 . The garment  10  has an inner layer  41  which engages the head of the user  15 . The inner layer  41  has an inner surface  42  and an outer surface  43 . The inner layer  41  may be unitary. The garment  10  further comprises an outer layer  45  having an inner surface  46  and an outer surface  47 . Additionally, the outer surface  47  may be covered by a head covering layer  49 .  
         [0025]    In order to provide for heat exchange, a thermal layer  50  is formed between the inner layer  41  and the outer layer  45 . The thermal layer  50  includes a thermal element  52 . The thermal element  52  may comprise, for example, well-known cooling gel traditionally comprising a starch-based composition and more recently including polymer-based formulations. One such gel is provided under trademark Blue Ice. For heat application, many well known alternatives exist. A new form of rechargeable heat source is sodium acetate with a metal snap disk. Other forms of heated solutions can be microwaved. In this embodiment, the outer surface  43  and inner surface  46  of the inner and outer layers  41  and  45  are impervious. Alternatively, the thermal element  52  may comprise a separately insertable component. Fasteners or stitches  55  may be provided to limit relative movement of the inner layer  41  and the outer layer  45 .  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a user  15  wearing a further embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a garment  110  is provided comprising a head cover  120 . The head cover  120  comprises a layer  140 , which is a stretchable textile. Other materials may be used, but a textile will provide greater comfort due to its breathability. Stretchability aids in comfort in fit. The head cover  120  has a plurality of pouches collectively referenced to as  144  formed thereon. For example, a pouch  144   a  may be provided for covering an upper face area. The upper face area comprises the forehead, eyebrows, eyes, cheeks and nose. A pouch  144   b  may be provided in the head cover  120  in registration with the mandible and an ear on one side of the face  12 . A pouch  144   c  may cover a corresponding area on an opposite side of the face. Pouch  144   d  may be inserted into the neck extensions  135  and  137 . Each of the pouches  144  may be affixed to an interior or exterior of the layer  140 . For greatest convenience, the pouches  144  may be affixed to the exterior of the layer  140 . The pouches  144   b  and  144   c  may be rectangular, trapezoidal or take other forms.  
         [0027]    The pouches may each contain a thermal pack as further explained with respect to FIG. 6 below. Additionally, each pouch  144  may be formed with a thermally insulating layer  152  to provide thermal insulation between a thermal pack and the exterior of the garment  110 . In a further embodiment, the pouches  144  and the head cover  120  are made of an elastic textile material such as spandex. The spandex is deformable to receive a wide variety of thermal packs. Such a deformable pocket  144  may even utilize the traditional bag of frozen peas as a thermal pack.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIGS. 4 and 5 are each a front elevation of an embodiment of the garment illustrated in FIG. 3 respectively including and not including a section covering the upper face. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the head cover  120  is formed in two sections joined by a seam  150 . As illustrated in FIG. 3, a thermal pack  160  (see FIG. 6) is included in the pouch  144   d . In the exemplifications illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the neck extensions  135  and  137  are tied beneath the chin  17  rather than being wrapped around the neck  14 . In this case, the pouch  144   d  is left empty. Each of the pouches  144  may include a first head covering section  146  for covering a majority of the pouch  144  and having an edge  147  defining an aperture for receiving a thermal pack  160 ,  162  or  164  (FIG. 6).  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 6 consists of FIGS. 6 a ,  6   b  and  6   c . FIG. 6 a  illustrates a thermal pack  160  with eyeholes  161  formed therein that is dimensioned so that it can fit in one of a plurality of the pockets  144  (FIG. 3), and is particularly suited for mounting in the pouch  144   a . FIG. 6 b  represents a thermal pack  162  that is dimensioned to conform to the contour of pouch  144   b  or pouch  144   c  (FIG. 3). FIG. 6 c  illustrates a thermal pack  164  that can be inserted at a midpoint of the thermal garment  110  at an aperture  147  (FIG. 3) and extend into neck extensions  135  and  137 . FIGS. 6 a  through  6   c  are not to scale.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a thermal pack  260  which may be included in a kit with a thermal garment according to the present invention. FIGS. 7 and 8 respectively illustrate the thermal pack  260  on and off the ear  11 . The thermal pack  260  is substantially C-shaped, and includes a hook portion  265  to rest on the ear  11 . The thermal pack  260  may be worn under a thermal garment or may be worn alone.  
         [0031]    The specification has been written with a view toward enabling those skilled in the art to make many modifications in the specific examples disclosed to provide a garment and system in accordance with the present invention.