Abstract:
A wrap has a thermal media laminate containing an array of spaced apart cells of thermal media sandwiched between a plastic film and fabric. Areas in the laminate are provided for attaching electrodes. The laminate is attached to a backing. Apertures in the laminate and backing allow passage of wire leads from the electrodes. Elastic bands with hook fasteners extend from the backing. The hook fasteners releasably attach to loop material of the backing. A TENS unit clips onto one or more of the bands. The leads attach to the TENS unit.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a nonprovisional and claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/107,690, filed Jan. 26, 2015. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates therapeutic wraps, and, more particularly, to a wrap that contains an integral thermal media array and supports transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) uses electrical stimuli to stimulate nerves for therapeutic purposes. A TENS unit connects to the skin using two or more electrodes. A typical battery-operated TENS unit is able to modulate pulse width, frequency and intensity of the electrical energy supplied through the electrodes. The electrodes usually consist of a conducting gel, which may be adhesive or coated with an adhesive. A cable or lead extends from the TENS unit to each electrode. The electrodes deliver the electrical stimulus. 
         [0004]    Heating and cooling are useful for relieving sore aching muscles and post surgical treatment. Cooling and heating wraps typically consist of a garment with pockets that contain a bulky sack containing a liquid or gel cooling or heating substance. When frozen, the sack forms a solid brick-like mass. 
         [0005]    As both TENS and thermal therapy may benefit the same parts of the body, it is desirable to have a device that supports both and delivers electrical stimulation with heating or cooling. Unfortunately, units developed heretofore utilize bulky thermal media sacks that tend to interfere with placement and adherence of TENS electrodes. What is needed is a wrap with an integral thermal media that distributes weight and maintains its form throughout the thermal therapy, while allowing attachment of TENS electrodes and a coupled TENS unit. 
         [0006]    The invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems and solving one or more of the needs as set forth above. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    To solve one or more of the problems set forth above, in an exemplary implementation of the invention, a wrap includes an integral thermal media array and supports transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. The wrap has a thermal media laminate containing an array of spaced apart cells of thermal media sandwiched between a plastic film and fabric. The cellular laminate is flexible, foldable and wrappable. Areas in the laminate are provided for attaching electrodes. The laminate is attached to a backing. Apertures in the laminate and backing allow passage of wire leads from the electrodes. Elastic bands with hook fasteners extend from the backing. The hook fasteners releasably attach to loop material of the backing. A TENS unit clips onto one or more of the bands. The leads attach to the TENS unit. 
         [0008]    In one embodiment, a wearable nerve-stimulating thermal wrap according to principles of the invention includes a thermal media laminate comprised of a web of plastic film sealed at a plurality of locations to a web of fabric with spaces between the sealed locations comprising cells. Each cell is a pocket surrounded by locations at which the plastic film is sealed to the web of fabric. Each cell contains an absorbent solid state thermal medium. The thermal media laminate further comprises at least one electrode area, each electrode area being devoid of cells and being sized and shaped to receive a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation electrode. An insulating backing is attached to the plastic film opposite the web of fabric. A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation electrode is attached to at least one electrode area. A wire lead extends from the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation electrode. A first aperture is provided in the thermal media laminate at one of the locations at which the plastic film is sealed to the web of fabric adjacent to one of the at least one electrode area. A second aperture is provided in the insulating backing in alignment with the first aperture. The wire lead of the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation electrode extends through the first aperture and the second aperture. An attachment band is attached to the thermal media laminate. The attachment band is sized to releasably secure the thermal media laminate to a wearer. A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation unit is operably coupled to the wire lead of the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation electrode. The at least one electrode area may comprise a fenestration in the thermal media laminate. The absorbent solid state thermal medium may comprise a superabsorbent, multiply-cross-linked polymer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The foregoing and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, where: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of an exemplary thermal media laminate for use with a wrap according to principles of the invention; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an exemplary thermal media laminate for use with a wrap according to principles of the invention; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of an exemplary thermal media laminate equipped with electrodes for use with a wrap according to principles of the invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an exemplary thermal media laminate equipped with electrodes for use with a wrap according to principles of the invention; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of an exemplary wrap according to principles of the invention; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an exemplary wrap according to principles of the invention; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a bottom view of an exemplary wrap according to principles of the invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a bottom perspective view of an exemplary wrap according to principles of the invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a side view of an exemplary wrap, wrapped around a wearer&#39;s limb, according to principles of the invention. 
       
    
    
       [0019]    Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the figures are not intended to be drawn to any particular scale; nor are the figures intended to illustrate every embodiment of the invention. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments depicted in the figures or the specific components, configurations, shapes, relative sizes, ornamental aspects or proportions as shown in the figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , various views of an exemplary thermal media laminate  100  for use with a wrap according to principles of the invention is provided. The laminate  100  consists of a web of plastic film (e.g., an impervious plastic sheet such as a polyester film) sealed to a web of non-woven fabric (e.g., a non-woven porous polypropylene) at parallel and perpendicular strips, thus forming a grid of, for example, two inch by two inch (2″×2″) cells  125 -  160  or pockets across the web. The cellular arrangement facilitates bending and wrapping. Sealing may be performed using a tacky, sealant or adhesive layer (e.g., ethylene-methyl-acrylate (EMA)), or using a heat sealing tape, or other suitable sealants for merging plastic and fabric. A small volume of a solid state thermal medium, such as a superabsorbent, multiply-cross-linked polymer is provided within each such cell. The solid thermal medium is adhesively fixed to areas of the plastic film destined to comprise cells  125 - 160 . Each cell resembles a thin pillow when dehydrated and a puffy pillow when hydrated. The sealed strips  185  not only define the peripheries of the laminate  100  and each cell, but also provide substantially flat areas suitable for stitching the laminate  100  to a cover, as discussed below. 
         [0021]    The laminate  100  also includes an area (“electrode area”) for mounting each of a plurality of electrodes  205 - 220 . Each such electrode area  105 - 120  may comprise a fenestration (e.g., a cutout or window) or a planar area without any thermal medium. Each electrode area  105 - 120  is sized and shaped to receive a TENS electrode  205 - 220 , and positioned to locate each electrode  205 - 220  in a desired position on a wearer&#39;s body when the wrap is worn and used. The number and position of electrodes may vary without departing from the scope of the invention. The wrap may be used with and without electrodes, in accordance with the invention. 
         [0022]    Passages  165 - 180  for wire leads  265 - 280  from the electrodes  205 - 220  are also provided in the laminate  100 . By way of example and not limitation, a passage may be provided in a sealed strip  185  adjacent to an electrode area  105 - 120 . In the figures, grommets define the passages. Wires  265 - 280  extending from the electrodes  205 - 220  pass through these grommets and corresponding apertures. As the electrodes  205 - 220  are replaceable, the passages  165 - 180  allow withdrawal of the received wires  265 - 280 . Thus, the passages  165 - 180  are sized and positioned to allow passage of the electrode wires  265 - 280 . 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIGS. 5 through 8 , the laminate  100  of the wrap  300  is attached to a backing  305   305 . The backing  305  provides an insulating and protective cover. It also facilitates attaching the wrap. The backing  305  may comprise neoprene laminated with a nylon low pile soft loop fabric, which is compatible with hook fasteners. The plastic side of the laminate  100  abuts the neoprene backing  305 . The loop fabric side of the neoprene, which provides a surface for attachment of hook elements of a hook and loop fastener, faces away from the laminate  100 . The fabric side of the laminate  100 , which will abut a wearer, faces away from the backing  305 . The laminate  100  may be attached to the backing  305  by stitching and/or bonding. In a preferred embodiment, the laminate  100  is stitched to the backing  305 , with stitching along the sealed strips  185 . 
         [0024]    The backing  305  includes a plurality of apertures aligned with the apertures and grommets of the laminate  100 . The wire leads  265 - 280  of the electrodes  205 - 220  extend through the apertures of the backing  305 . 
         [0025]    A plurality of elastic bands  310 - 320  extend from an edge of the backing  305 . The side of each band  310 - 320  facing the laminate  100  includes hook elements  325 - 350  of a hook and loop fastener. When the wrap  300  is wrapped around a limb, the hook elements  325 - 340  are attachable to the loop fabric side of the neoprene backing  305 . Elasticity of the bands  310 - 320  allows considerable adaptation for attachment to various body parts. The plurality of elastic bands  310 - 320  do not have to extend from the same edge. One or more bands  310 - 320  may extend from an edge that is orthogonal to or opposite from an edge from which one or more other bands  310 - 320  extend. 
         [0026]    A TENS unit  400  attaches to one or more bands  310 - 320 . The back of most commercially available TENS units is equipped with a clip  405  for attachment to a belt. The bands  310 - 320  are sufficiently wide and supportive to securely hold the TENS unit. The wire leads  265 - 280  of the electrodes  205 - 220  extend through the apertures in the laminate  100  and backing  305  and connect to the TENS unit  400 . 
         [0027]    To prepare the wrap  300  for use, the electrodes are removed from the wrap. Then the laminate  100  is hydrated using water. Tap water at room temperature works well. The polymer media contained in the laminate  100  absorbs the water and expands. After a few minutes of hydration, the hydrated wrap  300  is frozen in a freezer or heated in a microwave. Then the electrodes are installed, with leads extending through the laminate  100  and backing  305  to the TENS unit  400 . Then the wrap  300  is wrapped around a user&#39;s limb or other body part to be treated. The TENS unit  400  is clipped to one or more bands  310 - 320 , as conceptually illustrated in  FIG. 9 . Then the TENS unit  400  is activated for a session, during which the treated area simultaneously receives electrical stimulation and thermal therapy. Of course, the TENS unit  400  and electrodes may be used without hydrating and/or freezing or heating the laminate  100 . Likewise, the frozen or heated laminate  100  may be used without the TENS unit  400 . However, used together, the thermal media and electrical stimulus are believed to provide a superior therapy session. 
         [0028]    While an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been described, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum relationships for the components and steps of the invention, including variations in order, form, content, function and manner of operation, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. The above description and drawings are illustrative of modifications that can be made without departing from the present invention, the scope of which is to be limited only by the following claims. Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents are intended to fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.