Orthopedic device having gel pad with phase change material
First Claim
1. An orthopedic device for supporting an injured body member and providing temperature therapy to the member comprising:
- means for providing support to said injured body member;
gel pad means adapted to be mounted between said supporting means and said injured body member for cooperating with said supporting means to provide resilient support and cushioning effect between said injured body member and said supporting means and for selectively providing temperature therapy to said injured body member, said gel paid means including gel material having at least one phase change material contained therein, said phase change material providing increased thermal storage capacity to said gel material, said gel pad means capable of being removed from between said supporting means and said injured body member so that the temperature of said gel pad means may be changed, and then placed between said injured body member and said supporting means in order to provide temperature therapy for said injured body member due to said increased thermal storage capacity provided by said phase change material, said gel material remaining pliable during said temperature therapy in order to facilitate said resilient support and said cushioning effect of said gel pad means, said phase change material being encapsulated in a sheet of capsules inside said gel pad means, said sheet of capsules preventing said phase change material from moving inside said gel pad means in order to provide a more uniform temperature distribution across said gel pad means; and
means for removably securing said supporting means to said injured body member.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An orthopedic device for treatment of injured joints or limbs having at least one gel pad including at least one phase change material for improving the thermal energy storage capacity of the gel pad. The phase change material included in the gel material inside the gel pad may be encapsulated, formed in pellets, soluble, insoluble, or in any desirable form. The gel pad may be removed from the orthopedic device, heated or cooled, and then used with the device for hot or cold therapy of injured joints or limbs, taking advantage of the increased thermal energy storage capacity of the phase change material. Two different phase change materials may be included in the gel pad, one of which may be used for cold temperature therapy while the other is used for hot temperature therapy. The gel pad may include encapsulated water as a phase change material. In addition, a sheet of encapsulated phase change material may be used inside the gel pad which prevents the phase change material from moving inside the gel pad in order to provide a uniform distribution of phase change material inside the pad, resulting in uniform temperature distribution for hot or cold therapy.
339 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An orthopedic device for supporting an injured body member and providing temperature therapy to the member comprising:
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means for providing support to said injured body member; gel pad means adapted to be mounted between said supporting means and said injured body member for cooperating with said supporting means to provide resilient support and cushioning effect between said injured body member and said supporting means and for selectively providing temperature therapy to said injured body member, said gel paid means including gel material having at least one phase change material contained therein, said phase change material providing increased thermal storage capacity to said gel material, said gel pad means capable of being removed from between said supporting means and said injured body member so that the temperature of said gel pad means may be changed, and then placed between said injured body member and said supporting means in order to provide temperature therapy for said injured body member due to said increased thermal storage capacity provided by said phase change material, said gel material remaining pliable during said temperature therapy in order to facilitate said resilient support and said cushioning effect of said gel pad means, said phase change material being encapsulated in a sheet of capsules inside said gel pad means, said sheet of capsules preventing said phase change material from moving inside said gel pad means in order to provide a more uniform temperature distribution across said gel pad means; and means for removably securing said supporting means to said injured body member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An orthopedic device for supporting an injured body member and providing temperature therapy to the member comprising:
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means for providing support to said injured body member; a gel pad adapted to be mounted between said supporting means and said injured body member in order to provide resilient support and cushioning effect for said injured body member, said gel pad including gel material and phase change material covered by a sheet of material, said phase change material providing increased thermal storage capacity to said gel material, said gel pad capable of being removed from between said supporting means and said injured body member so that the temperature of said gel pad may be changed, and then placed back between said supporting means and said injured body member in order to provide temperature therapy to said injured body member due to said increased thermal storage capacity of said phase change material, said gel material remaining pliable during said temperature therapy in order to facilitate said resilient support and said cushioning effect of said gel pad, said phase change material being encapsulated in a sheet of capsules inside said gel pad, said sheet of capsules preventing said phase change material from moving inside said gel pad in order to provide a more uniform temperature distribution across said gel pad; and means for removably securing said supporting means to said injured body member. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification