Elastic back wrap having diamond-shaped thermal pattern and anti-slip means

• US 5,741,318 A
• Filed: 07/26/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wyeth (Pfizer Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Clear, Sandra H., Ouellette, William R., Holstein, Kurt E., Burkett, Timothy A., Mallett, Jean, Harvey, Elizabeth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ruddy, David M.
• Application Number:
  US08/686,800
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 607/96, 607/98, 607/104, 607/108-114, 602/1-12, 602/17-27, 600/9-15, 219/211, 219/528, 62/530, 165/46, 2/311, 2/312, 2/337
• US Class Current: 607/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0023 Waist
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0231 hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0298 with a section for heating and a section for cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/028 Braces for providing support to the lower back, e.g. lumbo sacral supports
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/02 Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling

Abstract

A substantially rectangular piece of flexible web having a first end and a second end and an elastic portion therebetween, stretchable along a longitudinal axis of the piece of web. The piece of web has a length great enough to encircle a user'"'"'s waist such that the first and second ends overlap. The first end has a reclosable fastening system for attaching the first end to the piece of web near the second end in order to hold the piece of web around the user'"'"'s waist when the piece of web is stretched. The back wrap further comprises a plurality of individual thermal elements embedded in the piece of web. The plurality of thermal elements have a substantially planar diamond-shaped pattern which approximates the shape of erector muscles in the user'"'"'s back. The pattern has a gap transverse to the longitudinal axis which corresponds to the user'"'"'s spine. The elastic back wrap may further include an individual thermal element located in the gap of the pattern such that the single thermal element covers the user'"'"'s sacroiliac at the base of the user'"'"'s spine. The elastic back wrap has a means for increasing friction between the piece of web and a user'"'"'s body in order to reduce slippage of the wrap during use. The means for increasing friction may include a foam strip attached transverse to the longitudinal axis of the piece of web on the body-facing side thereof.

Claims

1. A disposable elastic back wrap comprising:

a) a substantially rectangular piece of flexible web having a first end and a second end and an elastic portion therebetween stretchable along a longitudinal axis of said piece of flexible web, said piece of flexible web having a length great enough to encircle a user'"'"'s waist such that said first and second ends overlap, said first end having a reclosable fastening system for attaching said first end to said piece of flexible web near said second end in order to hold said piece of flexible web around said user'"'"'s waist when said piece of flexible web is stretched, said fastening system having a plurality of hook members which engage loop fibers of said piece of flexible web anywhere along said piece of flexible web in order to adjust said wrap to a variety of user waist sizes and to attain a comfortable level of elastic tension;

b) a plurality of individual heat generating thermal elements encapsulated within said piece of web, said plurality of the thermal elements having an oxygen activated chemistry and a substantially planar diamond-shaped pattern which approximates the shape of erector muscles in the user'"'"'s back; and

c) a means for increasing friction between said piece of flexible web and a user'"'"'s body in order to reduce slippage of said back wrap during use.