Portable moist heat system

• US 20090287280A1
• Filed: 05/13/2009
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Holdings (US), LLC (GSK plc)
• Original Assignee: Wyeth (Pfizer Inc.)
• Inventors: Wong, Vincent York-Leung, Owens, Leroy Glenn JR., Hickson, Chad Kamil, Belkin, Marina
• Granted Patent: US 8,430,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/96
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0062 the gas being steam or water vapour
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0292 using latent heat produced or absorbed during phase change of materials, e.g. of super-cooled solutions
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/0085 Devices for generating hot or cold treatment fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/034 Flameless
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/16 Emollients or protectives, e.g. against radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/04 Centrally acting analgesics, e.g. opioids
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 29/00 Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]

Abstract

A portable moist heat delivery system comprising a water vapor generating portion comprising a water vapor source and a heat source; a water vapor-air regulating portion, said water vapor-air regulating portion comprising a water vapor-air mixing layer, and a water vapor-air distribution layer; said water vapor generating portion and said water vapor-air regulating portion being in fluid communication; and said water vapor-air regulating portion having a latent heat delivery surface disposed adjacent said water vapor-air regulating portion which delivers moist heat at a preselected temperature range wherein about 15% to about 95% of the moist heat is latent heat of condensation. Methods include delivering improved pain relief, blood flow, relaxation, and reduced cardiac workload.

Claims

1. A portable moist heat delivery system comprising:

(a) a water vapor generating portion comprising a water vapor source and a heat source; and

(b) a water vapor-air regulating portion, said water vapor-air regulating portion comprising a water vapor-air mixing layer, and a water vapor-air distribution layer;

said water vapor generating portion and said water vapor-air regulating portion being in fluid communication; and

said water vapor-air regulating portion having a latent heat delivery surface disposed adjacent said water vapor-air regulating portion which delivers moist heat at a preselected temperature range wherein about 15% to about 95% of the moist heat is latent heat of condensation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the preselected temperature range is less than about 43°

C.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said system provides a water vapor to dry air ratio of less than about 0.085 lb water vapor/lb dry air at said latent heat delivery surface of said system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said water vapor generating portion comprises at least one water vapor generating heat cell, said heat cell comprising a particulate exothermic composition.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said water vapor generating heat cell has a planar surface area of from about 1 cm² to about 20 cm².

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said water vapor-air mixing layer has an air permeability of from about 400 cm³/cm²/sec to about 17,000 cm³/cm²/sec and an MVTR of from about 5,000 g/m²/24 h to about 7,000 g/m²/24 h.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said water vapor-air mixing layer has a thickness of from about 0.1 to about 5 mm.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said water vapor-air distribution layer comprises a substantially non-air-permeable material having an air permeability of less than about 0.025 cm³/cm²/sec, wherein said water vapor-air distribution layer comprises a plurality of water vapor distribution apertures which result in said water vapor-air distribution layer having an air permeability of greater than about 500 cm³/cm²/sec to about 2500 cm³/cm²/sec.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said water vapor-air distribution layer is selected from the group consisting of:

polyethylene-based foam, polypropylene-based foam, polyester based foam, polystyrene-based foam, polyurethane-based foam, foamed plastic sheet, plastic film, foil, paper-foil laminate, paper, non-woven, sponge, glass wool, fiberglass, and combinations thereof.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said water vapor-air regulating portion comprises at plurality of said water vapor-air mixing layers and plurality of said water vapor-air distribution layers.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said system provides a water vapor-air mixture to a latent heat delivery surface and, wherein said water vapor-air mixture has a dew point temperature of from about 30°

C. to about 50°

C.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said system provides from about 75 W/m² to about 500 W/m² of heat flux.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said system provides moist heat to a human skin surface maintaining a temperature of said surface of said skin of from about 38°

C. to about 42°

C., while generating an amount of heat flux of from about 100 W/m² to about 500 W/m².

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said system is formed as a single-use, disposable device.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein said system is formed as a multi-use device wherein said water vapor generating portion is a single-use disposable device and wherein said water vapor-air regulating portion is reusable.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising an active selected from the group consisting of pharmaceutical actives, aromatic actives, cosmetic actives, moisturization actives, health actives, herbals, nutritional supplements, aromatherapy agents and combinations thereof.

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising a moldable portion.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said moldable portion is selected from the group consisting of:

metal foil, metal wire frame structure, flexible plastic structure, flexible laminate structure, and combinations thereof.

19. A therapeutic device comprising a portable moist heat delivery system, said system comprising:

(a) a water vapor generating portion comprising a water vapor source and a heat source; and

(b) a water vapor-air regulating portion, said water vapor-air regulating portion comprising a water vapor-air mixing layer, and a water vapor-air distribution layer;

said water vapor generating portion and said water vapor-air regulating portion being in fluid communication; and

said water vapor-air regulating portion having a latent heat delivery surface disposed adjacent the water vapor-air regulating portion which delivers moist heat at a preselected temperature range wherein about 15% to about 95% of said moist heat is latent heat of condensation.

20. The therapeutic device of claim 19 wherein an area occupied by said water vapor source comprises from about 25% to about 98% of a total area of said water vapor generating portion.

21. The therapeutic device of claim 19 wherein said device is an article selected from the group consisting of back wraps, knee wraps, neck wraps, menstrual wraps, joint wraps, hand/wrist wraps, neck-to-arm wraps, facial wraps, foot wraps, body wraps, blankets, bandages, multi-purpose wraps, patches, pads and combinations thereof.

22. The therapeutic device of claim 19 wherein said device delivers moist heat to a user providing a skin temperature of at least about 36°

C. within about 5 minutes of initiation of heating of said device.

23. The therapeutic device of claim 19 wherein said device delivers moist heat to a user providing a skin temperature of at least about 38°

C. for at least about 60 minutes.

24. The therapeutic device of claim 19 wherein said device delivers moist heat to a user providing an increase in temperature of tissue at least about 2.5 cm below an outer surface of the skin of a user of at least about 1°

C. above an initial tissue temperature measurement within about 20 minutes from initiation of heating of said system, while maintaining a temperature of said outer surface of said skin of less than about 43°

C.

25. The therapeutic device of claim 19 wherein said device generates from about 0.05 mg water vapor/min/cm² of water vapor generating portion to about 10 mg water vapor/min/Cm² of water vapor generating portion;

wherein said water vapor delivers moisture to the surface of the skin via condensation onto the surface of the skin.

26. The therapeutic device of claim 19 wherein said heat source comprises a plurality of heat cells at least a portion of said heat cells aligned in a row;

and wherein a strip of a foam material overlays said row of heat cells, said strip providing an air space parallel to said row of heat cells.

27. A therapeutic device comprising a portable moist heat delivery system, said system comprising:

(a) a water vapor generating portion comprising a water vapor source and a heat source, wherein said water vapor source is water absorbed onto a water manager and said heat source is particulate exothermic composition comprising iron;

(b) a water vapor-air regulating portion, said water vapor-air regulating portion comprising at least one water vapor-air mixing layer, and at least one water vapor-air distribution layer, wherein said water vapor-air mixing layer is an aerated structure comprising at least one layer of a material selected from the group of woven materials, non-woven materials and combinations thereof and said water vapor distribution layer comprises at least one layer of a foam material;

said water vapor generating portion and said water vapor-air regulating portion being in fluid communication; and

said water vapor-air regulating portion having a latent heat delivery surface disposed adjacent said water vapor-air regulating portion which delivers moist heat at a preselected temperature range wherein about 15% to about 95% of the moist heat is latent heat of condensation.

28. The therapeutic device of claim 27 wherein the water vapor generation portion comprises a plurality of water vapor generating heat cells, said cells comprising a particulate exothermic mixture.

29. The therapeutic device of claim 28 wherein said heat source comprises a heat cell and wherein heat is dispersed at the latent heat delivery surface such that the perimeter shape of the heat cell is indiscernible in an infrared image of the latent heat delivery surface as heat is dispersed.

30. A method of providing a benefit to a user comprising:

(a) providing a portable moist heat delivery system comprising a water vapor generating portion comprising a water vapor source and a heat source; and

a water vapor-air regulating portion said water vapor-air regulating portion comprising a water vapor-air mixing layer, and a water vapor-air distribution layer, said water vapor generating portion and said water vapor-air regulating portion being in fluid communication; and

said water vapor-air regulating portion having a latent heat delivery surface disposed adjacent said water vapor-air regulating portion which delivers moist heat system delivers moist heat at a preselected temperature range;

(b) applying said system to a skin surface of a user wherein the latent heat delivery surface is located proximate said skin surface of said user;

(c) initiating heating of said system; and

(d) transferring moist heat to said skin of said user at a preselected temperature range, wherein the moist heat is about 15% to about 95% latent heat of condensation.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said portable moist heat system is applied to a skin surface of a human user and wherein said human skin maintains a temperature of less than about 43°

C. during the transfer of moist heat.

32. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of providing a skin surface temperature of at least about 36°

C. within about 5 minutes of initiation of heating of said system.

33. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of delivering moist heat to a tissue and providing a temperature of at least about 38°

C., at a depth of at least about 2.5 cm below an outer surface of said skin, within about 60 minutes from initiation of heating of said system, while maintaining a temperature of said outer surface of said skin of less than about 43°

C.

34. The method of claim 30 whereby the moist heat provides pain relief within about 60 minutes from said initiation of heating of said system, while maintaining user skin surface temperature less than about 43°

C.

35. The method of claim 30 further comprising the steps of providing a pain-relieving active;

and delivering said active through said skin.

36. The method of claim 30 providing further comprising the step of generating from about 0.05 mg water vapor/min/cm² of water vapor generating portion to about 10 mg water vapor/min/cm² of water vapor generating portion;

wherein said water vapor delivers moisture to the surface of said skin via condensation onto said surface of the skin, while maintaining skin temperature less than about 43°

C.

37. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of providing a benefit selected from the group consisting of reducing cardiac work by at least about 4% during a time period said system is applied to said skin of said user;

increasing blood flow, in an area of said skin of said user where said system is applied;

of from about 3 to about 9 times versus blood flow of said area of skin prior to application of said system;

providing relaxation;

providing wound healing;

providing respiratory relief;

providing body warming;

providing skin hydration;

providing enhanced sleep;

providing physical therapy, promoting post-operative recovery, promoting injury recovery, enhancing post-operative recovery, enhancing injury recovery, and combinations thereof.