Cooling Media and Insulated Cooling System

Abstract

A cold pack includes a sealed package containing liquid portion and a support structure, with the liquid portion formed of water and menthol isopropyl alcohol in a 4:1 ratio. The support structure is open-cell foam containing interconnected volumes retaining the liquid portion, with cells connected to one another by ligaments. A pack system supports one or more cold packs in pouches for application to a target. Pouches include an insulating layer and a mesh layer that sandwich two large sides of the cold packs, with the mesh layer adjacent to the target, and the insulating layer exposed to the environment. The mesh layer and the insulating layer have a high ratio of thermal conductivity. The pack system includes a waist strap for applying cooling to a human back or a rectangular form for forming into a cylinder-type shape for applying cooling to a horse's leg.

Claims

1. A cold pack, for being cooled and used to cool other materials, comprising: one or more cooling media, and a package retaining said one or more cooling media; said one or more cooling media each comprising a support structure and a liquid portion; said liquid portion comprising a mixture of about 4 parts water:1 part isopropyl alcohol.

2. The cold pack of claim 1, said support structure comprising one or more pieces of material containing interconnected volumes.

3. The cold pack of claim 2, said material containing interconnected volumes comprising cells that are partly open and that partly separate the volume in one cell from the volume in another cell.

4. The cold pack of claim 1, said support structure being selected from the group composed of sponge, spongy foam, open-cell foam, polyurethane craft foam, and synthetic sponge.

5. The cold pack of claim 1, said support structure comprising cells, each cell comprising a volume; said cells partly separating the volume in cells from the volume in other cells; and said cells connected to other cells by flexible ligaments.

6. The cold pack of claim 1, said mixture further comprising methyl salicylate.

7. The cold pack of claim 1, said cooling media remaining malleable when said liquid portion is frozen.

8. A pack system for supporting and applying a cooling device, comprising: one or more pouches; each of said pouches comprising a mesh layer and an insulating layer; and at least one cold pack in said one or more pouches, the at least one cold pack comprising: one or more cooling media, and a package retaining said one or more cooling media; said one or more cooling media each comprising a support structure and a liquid portion; said liquid portion comprising a mixture of about 4 parts water: 1 part isopropyl alcohol.

9. The pack system of claim 8, said insulating layer comprising: two layers of fabric, and a high-resistance layer interposed between said two fabric layers.

10. The pack system of claim 8, said insulating layer comprising: a composite material comprising metallic foil and bubble insulation.

11. The pack system of claim 10, said composite material comprising: two layers of a bubble material sandwiched between exterior layers of metallic foil.

12. The pack system of claim 8, said mesh layer comprising a layer of a rubberized mesh.

13. The pack system of claim 12, said rubberized mesh comprising alternating open sections, closed sections, and a grid; and said grid connecting said closed sections to other said closed sections.

14. The pack system of claim 8, said mesh layer comprising a polyester scrim coated with thermally-foamed PVC.

15. The pack system of claim 8, said insulating layer comprising a composite material including metallic foil layers and bubble insulation; and said mesh layer comprising a layer of a rubberized mesh.

16. The pack system of claim 8, comprising at least four pouches, said at least four pouches arranged in a grid.

17. The pack system of claim 16, comprising hook-and-loop fasteners for wrapping said pack system around the leg of a horse.

18. The pack system of claim 8, comprising one pouch; and further comprising an elastic band; said elastic band joined to said pouch by an attachment.

19. A pack system for supporting and applying a cooling device, comprising: one or more pouches; each of said pouches comprising a mesh layer and an insulating layer.

20. The pack system of claim 19, said insulating layer comprising a composite material including metallic foil layers and bubble insulation; and said mesh layer comprising a layer of a rubberized mesh.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0025] FIGS. 1A & 1B show front views of embodiments of a cold pack of the invention.

[0026] FIGS. 2A & 2B show a front view and a rear view of an embodiment of a pack system of the invention with detail on FIG. 2B.

[0027] FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view along lines A-A in FIG. 2B.

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a front view of the device of FIGS. 2A-2C in use.

[0029] FIG. 4A shows a front view of an embodiment of a pack system of the invention.

[0030] FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view along lines B-B in FIG. 4A.

[0031] FIG. 4C shows a front view of the device of FIGS. 4A-4B in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] Referring to FIG. 1A, in an embodiment of the invention, cold pack 10 includes three cooling media 30 and package 20 enclosing those cooling media 30. Package 20 is a heat-sealed, flexible plastic package, resulting in a low-profile cold pack 10 size of about 7?8.5 (length 11?width 12) and around 0.5 in thickness (depth 13). Different plastic films 25 suitable for heat-sealing may be used, including biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate film, including such film that has been metalized by vapor deposition that is known as metalized polyester. A loaded package 20 is sealed using a vacuum to remove a high proportion of air 24 before heat sealing. Each of cooling media 30 includes liquid portion 45 and support structure 34. Support structures 34 are foam 35 pieces of material 38 of about 1.9?7.25?0.5 arranged side-by-side lengthwise and contain interconnected volumes 40 or cells 42 (having volumes 43) to retain liquid portion 45. Support structures 34, in another embodiment, are sponges 35. Liquid portion 45 is 12.5-12.8 oz. of mixture 46 of 1.5 parts water 47:1 part 50% menthol isopropyl alcohol 49 and may include methyl salicylate 50. Liquid portion 45 may exist in either liquid phase 51, solid phase 52, or both. Some portion of liquid portion 45 is outside support structure 34 and some is within support structure 34. Within support structure 34, liquid portion 45 is in interconnected volumes 40 or cells 42, with interconnections 44 permitting liquid portion 45 to pass therebetween. Cells 42 are connected to one another by ligaments 41 formed of the same material as cells 42 and which are flexible and permit cells 42 limited motion relative to one another.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 1B, in an embodiment of the invention, cold pack 30 includes four cooling media 30 and package 20 enclosing those cooling media 30. Package 20 is a heat-sealed, flexible plastic package, resulting in a low-profile cold pack 10 size of about 7?8.75 (length 11?width 12) and around 1.5 in thickness (depth 13). Loaded package 20 is sealed as above for FIG. 1A. Each of cooling media 30 includes liquid portion 45 and support structure 34. Support structures 34 are foam 35 pieces of material 38 about 1.5?6?1.5 arranged side-by-side lengthwise, and contain interconnected volumes 40 or cells 42 (having volumes 43) to retain liquid portion 45. Liquid portion 45 is 11.5 oz. of mixture 46 as above for FIG. 1A. Some portion of liquid portion 45 is outside support structure 34 and some is within support structure 34.

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 2A-2C, and to cold packs 10 in FIGS. 1A & 1B, in an embodiment, pack system 60 is for use for wrapping the bottom of leg 5 (and foot) of horse 4 (or some other target 1) and includes six pouches 70 adjacent to one another in a vertical 3?2 arrangement and cooling device 61. That six-pouch 70 part of the pack system 60 is about 14 high by 18 wide. Pouches 70 include insulating layer 100 and mesh layer 80, where mesh layer 80 and insulating layer 100 sandwich the two large sides (i.e. length 11/width 12) of cold pack 10 set therebetween and that is sized to fit within six pouch openings 71. For each pouch 70, mesh layer 80 and insulating layer 100 are joined together at closed edges 72 by sewing mesh 80 to fabric layer 103 via stitching 67 and using reinforcement layer 68. Open edge 73 of mesh layer 80 is at the top and is left open (unsewn) to permit insertion and removal of cold pack 10 from between mesh layer 80 and insulating layer 100, but has reinforcement layers 68 sewn to mesh 80 via stitching 67.

[0035] Insulating layers 100 of pouches 70 are formed as one structure. Insulating layers 100 include high-resistance layer 108 sandwiched between first and second fabric layers 102, 103. High-resistance layer 108, having thermal conductivity 109, is composite material 120 and is formed by sandwich plate 121. Sandwich plate 121 includes bubble insulation 126 (e.g. a one- or two-layer air bubble section) that has exterior layers 124 of metallic foil 122 on the exterior of bubble insulation 126. Multiple layers of composite material 120 promotes stiffness 128. Metallic foil 122 are low-emissivity layers 123. Each of fabric layers 102, 103 include nylon ripstop fabric with rubber backing 104.

[0036] Mesh layers 80, attached to insulating layers 100, are segmented to form six discrete pouch openings 71, one for each pouch 70. Mesh layer 80 is formed of rubberized mesh 84 made of non-adhesive/non-slip foamed surface covering, such as thermally-foamed PVC 90 on scrim 89 (shown in partial cutaway). Mesh layer 80 has thermal conductivity 91. Mesh 84 has the form of a checkerboard pattern, in which there are alternating open sections 81 (or openings) and closed sections 82, and closed sections 82 are connected to one another by grid 83 (see detail of FIG. 2B). The relative sizes/configuration of open sections 81, closed sections 82, and grid 83 define openness 85, aperture size 86, and closed section size 87.

[0037] Mesh layer 80 is sewn to form the arrangement of six discrete pouch openings 71 for holding cooling device 61. Cooling device 61, in this embodiment is multiple cold packs 10. Pouches 70 are formed with three closed edges 72 of each pouch opening 71 sewn to fabric layer 103, with the fourth as open edge 73. High-resistance layer 108 is inserted between fabric layers 102, 103, and those fabric layers are then sewn together to enclose high-resistance layer 108 therein. Closure 62, as hook and loop fasteners 63, are sewn onto fabric layer 102 that is opposite mesh layer 80, with hook end pieces 65 facing outwards (FIG. 2A) and exposing loop end straps 66 facing inwards (FIG. 2B) to permit pack system 60 to be wrapped and secured around leg 5 of horse 4, thus taking on a cylinder shape 75. Thus, mesh layer 80 is the side of pouch 70 that is applied to target 1 (the horse's leg/foot) while insulating layer 100 is exposed to environment 7 indirectly via pack system 60, as shown in FIG. 3. Desirably, thermal conductivity ratio 130, between thermal conductivity 91 of mesh layer 80 and thermal conductivity 109 of insulating layer 100 is large. Thus, heat flow 131 is designed and desired to flow primarily from target 1, through mesh layer 80, and into cooling media 30 (at its interior face 31) within pouch 70, and not from environment 7 and through insulating layer 100, and into cooling media 30 (at its exterior face 32).

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 4A, 4B, & 4C, in an embodiment, pack system 160 for use for wrapping back 3 of human 2 includes one pouch 170 for holding cooling device 161, pouch 170 in a configuration having long axis 174 running laterally, around back 3, and elastic strap (or strap) 164 connected to pouch 170 via hook-and-loop fastener pouch attachment 179. That pouch 170 part of pack system 160 is about 7.5 high by 23 wide. Pouch 170 includes insulating layer 200 and mesh layer 180. Mesh layer 180 and insulating layer 200 sandwich the two large sides of cooling device 161. In this embodiment, cooling device 161 is cold pack 210 set therebetween, where cold pack 210 is about 6.5 high by 22 wide. Cold pack 210 is formed similarly to cold pack 10. Mesh layer 180 and insulating layer 200 are joined together at closed edges 172 via stitching 167. One short open edge 173 of mesh layer 180 is left open and closure 175 is provided to permit insertion and removal of cold pack 210 from between mesh layer 180 and insulating layer 200.

[0039] Insulating layer 200 is formed similarly to insulating layer 100.

[0040] Mesh layer 180 is formed similarly to mesh layer 80 (see detail of mesh layer 80 on FIG. 2B). Mesh layer 180 forms one discrete pouch opening 171 for one pouch 170. That pouch opening 171 can comprise substantially all of one open edge 173 of pack system 160, and permit cold pack 210 of similar dimensions to be inserted therein, being retained by closed edges 172.

[0041] High-resistance layer 108 is inserted between fabric layers 102, 103 and those layers enclose high-resistance layer 108 therein. Mesh layer 180 is sewn into fabric layer 103 to form discrete pouch opening 171 for holding cold pack 210, with three closed edges 172 sewn to fabric layer 103, with fourth open edge 173 left open. Closure 175 permits temporary closure and opening of open edge 173. Pouch attachment 179 includes two hook end patches 176 sewn onto the outer side of fabric layer 102 opposite mesh layer 180 with hook end patches 176 facing outwards.

[0042] Pack system 160 also includes elastic strap 164 with hook-and-loop fasteners 163 for supporting pack system 160 on human 2. Hook-and-loop fasteners 163 include loop end pieces 166 on one end of strap 164 matching hook end pieces 165 facing inwards and opposing loop end pieces 166 on the other end. Attachment 179 for pouch 170 includes loop end patches 177 facing two hook end patches 176 sewn onto pouch 170 and to support pouch 170 thereon. Strap 164 is longer than pouch 170 and formed so as to extend around a torso of human 2, and to be wrapped and secured therearound. Thus, mesh layer 180 is the side of pouch 170 that is applied to target 1 (the human's back) while insulating layer 200 is exposed to environment 7 indirectly via pack system 160. Thus, heat flow 131 is designed and desired to flow primarily from target 1, through mesh layer 80, and into cooling media 30 (at its interior face 31) within pouch 70, and not from environment 7 and through insulating layer 100, and into cooling media 30 (at its exterior face 32).