Disposable compress

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention generally relates to a disposable instant cold compress, and more particularly to a disposable cold compress that is capable of initially producing cold by thermo-chemical reaction.

#2. Description of Related Art

#The figures are for illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale. The invention itself, however, both as to organization and method of operation, may best be understood by reference to the detailed description which follows taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the compress according to one embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a front view of the compress shown in FIG. 1;

#Referring to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown one embodiment of the disposable compress or cold pack of the present invention. Disposable cold pack 10 comprises an outer, durable, flexible, bag-like, plastic container 11 having an interior 12, and an inner plastic envelope 14 that is disposed within interior 12. Such a container is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,020. Envelope 14 is attached to seam 15 of container 12. In one embodiment, plastic envelope 14 is a saran-coated polymylar envelope. Plastic envelope 14 is scored on its exterior surface 16 so that it will break when a pressure of about 25 pounds per square inch is applied to it. Interior 12 contains solid materials 18 therein. Solid materials 18 consist of a predetermined amount of urea and potassium chloride. Plastic envelope 14 contains only a predetermined amount of liquid 19. Liquid 19 consists of water.

#Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, envelope 14 is relatively small, made out of a material durable enough not to break or rupture prematurely but weak enough to break or rupture when direct pressure is applied. Referring to FIG. 4, when envelope 14 is ruptured and water is released into interior 12, the potassium chloride and urea mix with water 19 so as to produce mixture 22. As a result, a substantial amount of urea and potassium chloride is dissolved in the water thereby producing an endothermic reaction. Shaking cold pack 10 facilitates mixture of the urea and potassium chloride with the water. As a result, the water cools. Cold pack 10 can then be applied to a human or animal body part. Due to the flexibility of cold pack 10, the cold pack is easy to wrap on the body part.

#In a preferred embodiment, the predetermined amount of water 19 is between about 4.25 ounces (120 grams) and 4.50 ounces (128 grams), inclusive. In one embodiment, the predetermined amount of water is about 4.42 ounces (or 125 grams).