Cooling device

Abstract

A device 100 for cooling a part of the human body comprises a cooling portion 101 contoured to the shape of the part of the human body and an adjustable means 102 for holding the cooling portion in co

Description

The present invention relates to devices primarily, although not exclusively, for cooling a part of the human body. Background to the Invention A cold compress is known in the art to relieve pain and reduce swelling and inflammation. However, cold compresses known in the art typically require the user to hold the compress in place on the body, thus limiting the user’s ability to complete day-to-day tasks. There is generally a need for a device which addresses one or more of the problems identified above. Summary of the Invention It is amongst the aims and objects of the invention to provide a device which obviates or mitigates one or more drawbacks or disadvantages of the prior art. Further aims and objects of the invention will become apparent from reading the following description. According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for cooling a part of the human body, comprising: a cooling portion contoured to the shape of the part of the human body; and adjustable means for holding the cooling portion in contact with the part of the human body. By having means for holding the cooling portion in contact with the part of the human body, the cooling portion advantageously does not need to be constantly held by the user. By the means being adjustable, the device can advantageously be altered to fit comfortably, but also results in a device that is suitable for use by a range of shapes and sizes of user. The cooling portion may comprise an outer casing and a cooling fluid located within the outer casing. The cooling fluid may comprise a cooling gel. The cooling fluid may comprise polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The part of the human body may be the mouth and lips. In these embodiments, the cooling portion may be contoured to the shape of the mouth, chin, jawline, and / or nose. By contouring the shape of the cooling portion, the user’s nose is advantageously not covered and so improves comfort compared to prior art alternatives. The cooling portion may have a width of from about 130 mm to about 190 mm, or from about 140 mm to about 180 mm, or from about 150 mm to about 170 mm, or about 160 mm. The cooling portion may have a height of from about 45 mm to about 85 mm, or from about 55 mm to about 75 mm, or about 65 mm. The cooling portion may comprise an opening (or slit) which is configured to, in use, receive at least a portion of the lips. The opening may be contoured to the shape of the lips. In other words, the shape of the opening may be substantially lip-shaped. This advantageously means the user still has access to their mouth while wearing the cooling device. Additionally, the user’s comfort may advantageously be increased because less pressure is applied to the lips. The opening may have a width of from about 45 mm to about 85 mm, or from about 55 to about 75 mm, or about 65 mm. The opening may have a height of from about 5 mm to about 15 mm, or about 10 mm. The adjustable means may comprise a cord or strap. The cord or strap may be elastic. The adjustable means may comprise an elastic strap. The cord or strap may have a length of from about 30 mm to about 70 mm, or from about 40 mm to about 60 mm, or about 50 mm. The cord or strap may have a diameter of from about 1 mm to about 3 mm, or about 2 mm. The adjustable means may comprise a toggle. The toggle is preferably a spring toggle. The toggle is preferably made of plastic. The toggle may have a width of about 17 mm and / or a height of about 16 mm. The adjustable means may comprise a hook-and-loop fastener, such as VELCRO™. The adjustable means is preferably attached to the cooling portion at a plurality of positions on the cooling portion, optionally at two positions on the cooling portion. The adjustable means may be attached to the cooling portion using a barb, optionally a metal barb. The barb may be used at one, both, some, or all of the positions on the cooling portion to which the adjustable means is attached. The cooling portion may comprise one or more (preferably two) loops, each loop providing a hole for receiving the adjustable means. Preferably, the loop(s) are provided at the end(s) of the cooling portion. Preferably, the adjustable means is attached to the cooling portion at two positions, using a barb at each position. Preferably, the barb has a size such that it cannot pass through the above-mentioned hole. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a use of a device according to the first aspect of the invention for cooling a part of the human body. Embodiments of the second aspect of the invention may include one or more features of the first aspect of the invention or its embodiments, or vice versa. According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a device according to the first aspect of the invention, comprising the steps of: providing a cooling portion contoured to the shape of a part of the human body; providing adjustable means for holding the cooling portion in contact with the part of the human body; and securing the adjustable means to the cooling portion. Embodiments of the third aspect of the invention may include one or more features of the first or second aspects of the invention or their embodiments, or vice versa. According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for warming a part of the human body, comprising: a warming portion contoured to the shape of the part of the human body; and adjustable means for holding the warming portion in contact with the part of the human body. Embodiments of the fourth aspect of the invention may include one or more features of the first to third aspects of the invention or their embodiments, or vice versa. According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a use of a device according to the fourth aspect of the invention for warming a part of the human body. Embodiments of the fifth aspect of the invention may include one or more features of the first to fourth aspects of the invention or their embodiments, or vice versa. According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a device according to the fourth aspect of the invention, comprising the steps of: providing a warming portion contoured to the shape of a part of the human body; providing adjustable means for holding the warming portion in contact with the part of the human body; and securing the adjustable means to the warming portion. Embodiments of the sixth aspect of the invention may include one or more features of the first to fifth aspects of the invention or their embodiments, or vice versa. Brief Description of the Drawings There will now be described, by way of example only, various embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a front view of a cooling device in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a front view of a cooling device in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a front view of a cooling device in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 is a front view of a cooling device in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments An explanation of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. For the avoidance of doubt, the figures are not scale drawings and should not be used to construe, for example, heights, widths and thicknesses. Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is shown generally at 100 a device for cooling a part of the human body according to a first embodiment of the invention. The device 100 comprises a cooling portion 101 contoured to the shape of the part of the human body. In this embodiment, the part of the human body is the mouth and lips. Therefore, the cooling portion 101 is contoured to the shape of the mouth and lips. For example, the cooling portion 101 has a first region 101a which is contoured to the shape of under the user’s nose, which means that the cooling portion 101 does not cover the user’s nose and the user is able to breathe uninhibited. A second region 101b is contoured to the shape of the user’s jawline, and thus has a curved shape. The cooling portion 101 comprises an outer casing and a cooling fluid located within the outer casing (not shown in Figure 1). The purpose of the cooling fluid is to provide a cooling effect to the part of the human body which is to be cooled. The cooling portion 101 consequently provides the user with pain relief and / or a reduction in swelling / inflammation. In this embodiment, the cooling fluid comprises a cooling gel and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). However, it will be appreciated that in alternative embodiments the cooling fluid may be any suitable cooling fluid known in the art (particularly those cooling fluids known for use in a cold compress). The cooling portion 101 comprises an opening 103 (or slit), located in substantially the centre of the cooling portion 101. The opening 103 is configured such that, in use (i.e. when the user is wearing the device 100), the opening 103 receives at least a portion of the lips. Therefore, the opening 103 has a shape which is substantially lip-shaped. The advantage of the opening 103 is that the user still has access to their mouth while wearing the cooling device. The size of the opening 103 is such that the user has access to their mouth (e.g. the opening is large enough to receive a straw). The device 100 also comprises adjustable means 102 for holding the cooling portion 101 in contact with the part of the human body. In this embodiment, the adjustable means 102 comprises an elastic strap. The strap being elastic has the consequence that the means for holding the cooling portion 101 in contact with the part of the human body is adjustable. This has the advantage that the device 100 can accommodate a range of lips shapes and head sizes. The elastic strap 102 is under tension when the user wears the device 100, and the tension holds the cooling portion 101 in contact with the part of the human body. The elastic strap 102 is attached to the cooling portion 101 at two positions. The two ends of the cooling portion 101 have a loop which provides a hole 104 for receiving the elastic strap. An end of the elastic strap 102 passes through the hole 104 and is secured using a metal barb 105. The metal barb 105 has a size such that it cannot pass through the hole 104, thus attaching the elastic strap 102 to the cooling portion 101. While it is preferred that the elastic strap 102 is attached to the cooling portion 101 at two positions, it will be appreciated that the adjustable means can be attached to the cooling portion 101 at any suitable number of positions. In alternative embodiments, the elastic strap 102 may be attached to the cooling portion 101 using other means or methods. For example, the elastic strap 102 may be continuous and looped through both holes 104, such that no additional securing means (such as the metal barb 105) is required. Alternatively, the elastic strap 102 may be glued or otherwise bonded to the cooling portion 101. In these embodiments, the cooling portion 101 may be absent any loops for providing holes 104. With reference to Figure 2 (which shows the same embodiment as Figure 1), in this particular embodiment the cooling portion 101 has a width w of 160 mm and a height h of 65 mm. The opening 103 has a width w’ of 65 mm and a height h’ of 10 mm. The elastic strap 102 has a length of 500 mm and a diameter of 2 mm. The metal barb 105 has a length of 15 mm. However, it will be appreciated that this is one example of the invention and that any of the dimensions of the cooling device 100 can be altered depending on the particular application (e.g. the part of the human body to be cooled, the size of the human, etc). Figure 3 shows a device 200 for cooling a part of the human body according to a second embodiment of the invention. The device 200 is the same as shown in Figure 1, except that the adjustable means for holding the cooling portion 101 in contact with the part of the human body further comprises a spring toggle 206. The spring toggle 206 operates as is known in the art, in that the elastic strap 102 passes through two holes in the spring toggle 206. A force is applied by the spring toggle 206 to the elastic strap 102, preventing the elastic strap 102 from passing through the hole and thus fixing the “effective” length of the elastic strap 102 at a certain length. This provides the user with means for adjusting the length of the elastic strap 102, depending on, for example, the size of the user. By pressing and holding a button on the spring toggle 206, the force is temporarily released and the “effective” length of the elastic strap 102 can be adjusted. Figure 4 shows a device 300 for cooling a part of the human body according to a third embodiment of the invention. The device 300 is the same as shown in Figure 1, except that the adjustable means for holding the cooling portion 301 in contact with the part of the human body further comprises hook-and-loop fasteners 307. The hook-and-loop fasteners 307 may be VELCRO™ fasteners, or any other suitable hook-and-loop fasteners. The adjustable means comprises two elastic straps 302 attached the cooling portion 301 as described above. One elastic strap has a hook fastener 307 and the other elastic strap 302 has a loop fastener. The hook-and-loop fasteners 307 reversibly attach the two elastic straps 302 (as is known in the art). While in the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 4 the cooling portion 101,201,301 is contoured to the shape of the mouth and lips, it will be appreciated that the device 100,200,300 of the present invention can be used for other parts of the human body (e.g. arms, legs, torso, feet, etc), and the cooling portion 101,201,301 will be shaped appropriately. It will also be appreciated that in any of the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 4, the cooling portion could instead be a warming portion, for warming a part of the human body. In these embodiments, the warming portion may preferably comprise a warming fluid. A device 100,200,300 for cooling a part of the human body is disclosed. The device 100,200,300 comprises a cooling portion 101,201,301 contoured to the shape of the part of the human body, and adjustable means for holding the cooling portion 101,201,301 in contact with the part of the human body. The device 100,200,300 advantageously does not need to be constantly held by the user, and can be altered to fit comfortably. The device 100,200,300 is suitable for use by a range of shapes and sizes of user. Throughout the specification, unless the context demands otherwise, the terms “comprise” or “include”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, “includes” or “including” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. Furthermore, unless the context clearly demands otherwise, the term “or” will be interpreted as being inclusive not exclusive. The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. The described embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilise the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Therefore, further modifications or improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device for cooling a part of the human body, comprising:a cooling portion contoured to the shape of the part of the human body; and adjustable means for holding the cooling portion in contact with the part of the human body.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling portion comprises an outer casing and a cooling fluid located within the outer casing.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the cooling fluid comprises a cooling gel.

4. The device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the cooling fluid comprises polyvinylchloride.

5. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cooling portion has a width of from about 130 mm to about 190 mm and / or a height of from about 45 mm to about 85 mm.

6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the part of the human body is the mouth and lips.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the cooling portion is contoured to the shape of the mouth, chin, jawline, and / or nose.

8. The device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the cooling portion comprises an opening which is configured to, in use, receive at least a portion of the lips.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the opening is contoured to the shape of the lips.

10. The device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the opening has a width of from about 45 mm to about 85 mm and / or a height of from about 5 mm to about 15 mm.

11. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the adjustable means comprises a cord or strap.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the cord or strap is elastic.

13. The device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the cord or strap has a length offrom about 30 mm to about 70 mm.

14. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the adjustable means comprises a toggle.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the toggle is a spring toggle.

16. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the adjustable meanscomprises a hook-and-loop fastener.

17. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the adjustable means is attached to the cooling portion at a plurality of positions on the cooling portion.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the adjustable means is attached to the cooling portion at two positions on the cooling portion.

19. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the adjustable means is attached to the cooling portion using a barb.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the barb is a metal barb.

21. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the cooling portioncomprises one or more loops, each loop providing a hole for receiving the adjustable means.

22. Use of a device according to any one of claims 1 to 21 for cooling a part of the human body.LO CXI1 23. A method of manufacturing a device according to any one of claims 1 to 21,2 comprising the steps of:3 providing a cooling portion contoured to the shape of a part of the human4 body;5 providing adjustable means for holding the cooling portion in contact with6 the part of the human body; and7 securing the adjustable means to the cooling portion.A

Images