APPARATUS FOR APPLYING COLD THERAPY TO A JOINT OF A PERSON OR AN ANIMAL

Abstract

An assembly for cold therapy to a joint of a person or an animal has a panel formed of a foam material, and a plurality of ice packs positioned within the foam material of the panel in a location between an inner side and an outer side of the panel. The panel is adapted to wrap around at least a portion of the joint. The assembly further includes a wrap extending across the outer side of the panel. This wrap has a length suitable for wrapping around the joint. The plurality of ice packs are arranged in rows and columns within the panel. The foam material is a polyurethane open cell foam material. The wrap is formed of an elastomeric material. The wrap has a fastener thereon that is adapted to affix one end of the wrap to an outer surface of the wrap.

Claims

1. A device for cold therapy, the device comprising: a panel formed of a foam material, said panel having an inner side and an outer side; and a plurality of ice packs positioned within said foam material of said panel in a location between said inner side and said outer side of said panel.

2. The device claim 1, said plurality of ice packs arranged in rows and columns within said panel.

3. The device of claim 1, said foam material be in a polyurethane open cell foam material.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a wrap extending around said outer side of said panel.

5. The device of claim 4, said wrap being of an elastomeric material.

6. The device of claim 5, said elastomeric material being neoprene.

7. The divisive claim 4, said wrap having a fastener thereon, said fastener adapted to affix one end of said wrap to a surface of the wrap.

8. An assembly for cold therapy to a joint of a person or an animal, the assembly comprising: a panel formed of a foam material, said panel having an inner side and an outer side, said panel adapted to wrap around at least a portion of the joint; and a plurality of ice packs positioned within said foam material of said panel in a location between said inner side and said outer side of said panel.

9. The assembly of claim 8, said plurality of ice packs arranged in rows and columns within said panel.

10. The assembly of claim 8, further comprising: a wrap extending across said outer side of said panel, said wrap having a length suitable for wrapping entirely around the joint.

11. The assembly of claim 10, said wrap being of an elastomeric material.

12. The assembly of claim 10, said wrap having a fastener thereon, said fastener adapted to affix one end of said wrap to a surface of the wrap when said wrap is wrapped around the joint.

13. An apparatus for applying cold therapy to an ankle of the horse, the apparatus comprising: a panel formed of a foam material, said panel having an inner side and an outer side, said inner side of said panel facing an inner surface of the ankle of the horse; and a plurality of ice packs positioned within said foam material of said panel in a location between said inner side and said outer side of said panel.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: a wrap extending across said outer side of said panel, said wrap extending around said outer side of said panel.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, said wrap being of a neoprene material, said foam being a polyurethane open cell foam material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG. 1 is an inner perspective view of the cold therapy device of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an ice pack as used within the foam material of the panel of the cold therapy device of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing the application of a protective boot onto the ankle of a horse.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the cold therapy device 10 in accordance with the present invention. The cold therapy device 10 includes a panel 12 formed of a foam material. The panel 12 has an inner side 14 and an outer side 16. A plurality of ice packs 18 are positioned within the foam material of the panel 12 in a location between the inner side 14 and the outer side 16 of the panel 12. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the plurality of ice packs 18 are arranged in rows and columns within the panel 12. The foam material is, preferably, a polyurethane open cell foam material.

[0034] A wrap 20 extends across the outer side 16 of the panel 12. This wrap 20 is of an elastomeric material. In particular, the elastomeric material of the wrap 20 is neoprene. The wrap 20 has a fastener 22 thereon. This fastener is in the nature of hook-and-loop material that is adapted to affix one end 24 of the wrap 20 onto an outer surface of the wrap when the wrap is placed around a joint.

[0035] Importantly, with reference to FIG. 2, the ice pack 18 is retained in an interior of the panel 12 between the inner side 14 and the outer side 16. The ice pack 18 is a conventional ice pack in which a liquid or a gel 26 is retained within an envelope 28. The ice pack 18 is a portable plastic sack filled with water or a refrigerant gel or liquid. For use, the contents are frozen in a freezer. In particular, the present invention, the panel 12 can be entirely placed into the freezer so that the liquid 26 becomes frozen or cooled. Both ice and other non-toxic refrigerants can absorb a considerable amount of heat before they warm to above freezing due to the lack of latent heat of fusion of water. The ice packs 18 are commonly used to keep food cold in portable coolers or as a cold compress to alleviate the pain of minor injuries, or in insulated shipping containers to keep product cool during transport. The envelope 28 is formed of a flexible material and is strong enough to retain the refrigerant 26 within the interior thereof.

[0036] In FIG. 2, the panel 12 is formed of the foam material 30. The foam material is a polyurethane open cell foam. During the molding of the ice pack 18 within the foam material 30, the ice pack 18 is retained in position so that it is not exposed on either the inner side 14 or the outer side 16 of the panel 12. As such, the foam material 30 will actually be interposed between the ice pack 18 and the inner side 14 and the outer side 16. This provides an amount of insulation so as to prevent direct contact between the ice pack and the skin of the user. As such, frostbite and other damaging contact with skin is avoided.

[0037] The foam material 30 is a pillow-soft foam. As such, it is very comfortable when applied to the skin. Although covers or other materials could be applied to the inner surface 14 and the outer surface 16 of the panel 12, it is believed that the softness of the foam material 30 will avoid the need to include these other materials. Additionally, this foam material 30 is sufficiently flexible so as to easily conform to the surfaces of the joint of a human or animal. Since the ice packs 18 are also very flexible, the cold therapy device 10 of the present invention can be easily molded around the joints so as to consistently and evenly apply cold therapy. The cold therapy device 10 is easy to reuse. Once treatment is complete, the panel 12, including the ice packs 18, can be simply placed in a refrigerator so as to cool the ice packs once again. The wrap 20 allows the panel 12 to be quickly and easily applied and removed.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows that the wrap 20 is be unrolled and wrapped around the cold therapy device 10. As such, the wrap 20 will establish a firm and compressive relationship between the inner surface of the wrap 20 and the outer surface of the cold therapy device 10. Once the wrap 20 is entirely wrapped around the cold therapy device 10, the fastener 22 can be secured to the outer surface of the wrap 20 so as to fix the wrap in position.

[0039] The present invention allows compressive cold therapy to be applied to the ankle of the horse while avoiding any potential injury as a result of the cold contact between the cold therapy device 10 and the skin of the horse. A cooling effect is more closely transmitted to these areas of concern. As such, the unique application of the cold therapy device 10 achieves unique effects in the application of cold therapy to the ankle of the horse. Additionally, the continued application of cold therapy to the ankle of the horse can serve to avoid the dangerous effects of laminitis. After the cold therapy is completed, the fastener is unfastened from the surface of the wrap and the wrap is unrolled from the cold therapy device 10. The cold therapy device 10 can then removed from the ankle of the horse.

[0040] The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction can be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.