Instant hot or cold, reusable cold pack
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsWayne K. Dunshee, Robert W. H. Chang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A three-compartment, instant hot or cold, reusable cold pack for transferring heat to or from an object. A first compartment contains a predetermined amount of a solvent comprised primarily of water. A second compartment contains a predetermined amount of a solute capable of essentially completely dissolving in the solvent. A third compartment contains a gelling agent capable of gelling with the solvent and solute solution and producing a gel that is relatively soft and moldable when frozen.
Claims20
An instant hot or cold pack for transferring heat to or from an object adapted to be reuseable as a cold pack comprising:
- a. a first compartment containing a predetermined amount of a solvent comprised primarily of water;
- b. a second compartment containing a predetermined amount of a particulate solute capable of essentially completely dissolving in the solvent whereby a predetermined amount of heat is liberated or absorbed;
- c. means for mixing the contents of the first compartment and the second compartment at the time of use whereby the solute can be dissolved in the solvent;
- d. a third compartment containing a predetermined amount of a gelling agent capable of gelling with the solvent and solute solution at ambient temperature and producing a gel that is relatively soft and moldable when cooled to temperatures at least as low as -18.degree. C.;
- and
- e. means for mixing the contents of the third compartment with the previously-mixed contents of the first compartment and the second compartment whereby the gelling agent can be gelled with the solvent and the solute solution.
An instant hot or cold pack for transferring heat to or from an object adapted to be reuseable as a cold pack comprising:
- a. two generally rectangularly-shaped sheets of heat sealable material, each sheet having upper and lower major surfaces bound together by two longitudinal and two transverse edge surfaces, peripherally heat sealed adjacent the edge surfaces and defining a generally rectangularly shaped, hermetically sealed pack;
- b. two generally parallel, spaced apart, rupturable seams generally normal to and extending from one longitudinal heat seal to the other longitudinal heat seal and defining a first, a second and a third compartments within the pack;
- c. a predetermined amount of a solvent comprised primarily of water contained within the first compartment;
- d. a predetermined amount of a particulate solute capable of essentially completely dissolving in the solvent contained within the second compartment;
- and
- e. a predetermined amount of a gelling agent, capable of gelling with a solution of the solvent and the solute and producing a gel that is relatively soft and moldable when cooled to temperatures at least as low as -18.degree. C., contained within the third compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.