A heat exchanger cap, and method of manufacture of a heat exchanger cap configured to conform to a human head the cap comprising a first element for covering one side of the head; a second element for covering the other side of the head; and an intermediate joining element joined to, and which spaces apart, the first element and second element. Each of the elements define a single passageway for the passage of fluid through the cap. Each of the elements are provided with a flow interface in the region where the elements are joined. The flow interface defines an inlet for the passage of fluid into the passageway of one of the elements, and an outlet for the passage of fluid from the passageway out of the same element.

A heat exchanger, and method of manufacture of a heat exchanger configured to be placed into contact with an object to regulate the temperature of the object. The heat exchanger comprises a layer of material defining a passage through which a heat transfer fluid may flow. The material layer has a first side for contact with the object; and a second side which, in use, will face away from the object. The first side has a relatively high coefficient of thermal conduction. The second side has a relatively low coefficient of thermal conduction compared to the first side.

A means for controlling the temperature of a warming material includes an air-permeable film or the like. The warming material includes the temperature control means and a heating composition. The temperature control means for controlling the heating temperature of the warming material includes one or more aliphatic compounds that have a melting point of 35-65° C. and a solubility in water (g/100 mL) at 20° C. of 5 or less.

An improved medical pad for contact thermal exchange with a patient includes a fluid circulation layer for containing a thermal exchange fluid circulatable therethrough, a first port and a second port for circulating the thermal exchange fluid in to and out of the fluid circulation layer, and a hydrogel layer interconnected to and extending across one side of the fluid circulation layer to define an adhesive surface for adherence to a patient's skin. The hydrogel layer comprises an ultra violet light-cured composition that includes a cross-linking copolymer in an amount of between about 15% to 30% by weight of the composition, water in an amount of between about 15% to 40% by weight of the composition, and glycerol in an amount of between about 25% to 35% by weight of the composition. The hydrogel layer is provided to have a thermal conductivity of at least about 1.9 cal/hr-cm-° C.

The invention concerns the manufacture of personal care articles consisting of compresses having a cooling effect by swelling with water which are presented individually in vacuum packaging. According to the invention, successive doses of powder comprising absorbent particles are placed in grooves formed by elastic deformation in a lower sheet made of water-permeable textile material, which is continuously unwound, and covered with an upper sheet, which is continuously unwound at the same time as the lower sheet. The lower sheet is then heat-welded in the intervals between adjacent grooves thus isolating the grooves from each other. Successive compartments each containing a dose of the powder are then enclosed in each groove by heat-welding the sheets along transverse weld lines across the width of the moving sheet assembly.

A personal patient warming apparatus includes a blanket having at least one pneumatic pathway formed therethrough and a plurality of orifices formed through at least one side thereof through which warmed air can exit to warm a patient. The blanket further includes a first portion configured to cover a first appendage of the patient when the blanket is disposed over the patient and a second portion configured to cover a second appendage of the patient when the blanket is disposed over the patient. Both the first portion and the second portion each include at least one tear line configured to form, when torn, an opening in the blanket through which at least one of the patient's appendages and an operating room table appendage board is disposed when disposing the blanket over the patient.

A cold therapy apparatus includes a thermal body wrap with umbilical to a control unit with pump for circulating a thermal fluid to remove heat from a body. A coolant heat exchange assembly includes a coolant tank that is filled with a coolant and has a heat exchanger inside that is immersed in the coolant. The heat exchanger is coupled to the control unit to circulate the thermal fluid through the thermal body wrap. The coolant heat exchange assembly is removed from the control unit and placed in a cold environment to chill the coolant, and is then re-coupled during cold therapy. The process is repeated form extended therapy periods.

An electrically-heatable plaster that comprises a self-adhesive skin contact layer, an electrically-conductive textile fabric in which electrically-conductive fibres are in contact with one another, as a heating element, and optionally at least one active substance, as well as to a method for production and the use of same for local heat therapy and/or transdermal application of active substances.

An improved medical pad for contact thermal exchange with a patient includes a fluid circulation layer for containing a thermal exchange fluid circulatable therethrough, a first port and a second port for circulating the thermal exchange fluid in to and out of the fluid circulation layer, and a hydrogel layer interconnected to and extending across one side of the fluid circulation layer to define an adhesive surface for adherence to a patient's skin. The hydrogel layer can include an ultraviolet light-cured composition with a cross-linking copolymer, water, and glycerol. The hydrogel layer is provided to have a thermal conductivity of at least about 1.9 ca//hr-cm-° C.

A thermal pack comprising one or more sacks, a body of thermal material enclosed in the sacks, and first and a second sack edge joined to form a seam line wherein the first edge and the second edge have intersecting directions with an angle that is less than 180 degrees whereby the one or more sacks conforms to a three-dimensional surface.