U.S. patent application number 10/700219 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-05 for hand puppet for first aid treatment of a child's injuries.
Invention is credited to Kempton, Patricia V..
Application Number | 20050095951 10/700219 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34551164 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050095951 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kempton, Patricia V. |
May 5, 2005 |
Hand puppet for first aid treatment of a child's injuries
Abstract
A first aid hand puppet is disclosed that has a body part having
a pouch, within which a removable element can be placed, which
removable element is preferably a cold pack or a heat pack that can
be inserted within the pouch. The puppet can be in different animal
or character shapes and when the puppet is worn on the hand of an
adult and placed over an injured area, the hot or cold pack sits in
the palm of the hand of the adult for better control and ease of
use. The puppet in the person's hand can then hug the child's
injured skin area. When the element is removed, the puppet can then
be used as a toy.
Inventors: |
Kempton, Patricia V.;
(Carlsbad, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CESARI AND MCKENNA, LLP
88 BLACK FALCON AVENUE
BOSTON
MA
02210
US
|
Family ID: |
34551164 |
Appl. No.: |
10/700219 |
Filed: |
November 3, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/327 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 3/14 20130101; A61F
2007/023 20130101; A63H 3/005 20130101; A61F 7/02 20130101; A61F
2007/0201 20130101; A61F 2007/0001 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/327 |
International
Class: |
A63H 003/14 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A hand puppet for use with a child who has suffered an injury or
trauma, comprising: (A) a puppet suitable for an adult's hand being
inserted therein and said puppet having a body portion and a head
portion; (B) a pouch disposed in the body portion of the puppet
such that it is contigupus to the palm of the person's hand when
inserted into the puppet; and (C) a removable element receivable
within said pouch that is capable of providing a cold or heat
therapy to a body portion of a child, whereby when the element is
removed the puppet remains usable as a hand puppet and retains the
appearance of a usable child's toy.
2. The hand puppet as defined in claim 1 further comprising a
temperature transferring material configured in the pouch generally
disposed where the palm of the hand is located when a user is
wearing the hand puppet.
3. The hand puppet as defined in claim 1 wherein the head portion
is an animal shape.
4. The hand puppet as defined in claim 1 wherein the head portion
is a character shape.
5. The hand puppet as defined in claim 1 wherein said removable
element is an ice pack.
6. The hand puppet as defined in claim 1 wherein said removable
element is comprised of one of the following: (A) cold gel pack;
(B) ice pack; and (C) a block of BLUE ICE.RTM..
7. The hand puppet as defined in claim 1 wherein said removable
element is a microwavable packet, which becomes a heating pad upon
microwaving.
8. The hand puppet as defined in claim 1 wherein said removable
element is an air-activated device, which becomes warm upon
exposure when associated packaging is opened.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to the application of heat or
cold treatments, suitable for use with children.
[0003] 2. Background Information and Description of Prior Art
[0004] Various types of ice packs, thermal-cold compresses or pads
of cloth containing ice packs or heating elements have been known.
These devices can range in size and shape and can include cloths
for wrapping around body parts, and which are held in place by
adhesive tape, tying or other fasteners. Alternatively, an injured
person can simply hold the ice pack or heating pad on the affected
area. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,320,095 and
6,582,383.
[0005] However, a different challenge is faced when dealing with
children. Children may not be able to maintain an ice pack or
heating element in the proper location and may also be reluctant to
allow a caregiver to hold the ice pack or heating element in place.
More importantly, an injured child who may be experiencing pain and
general upset about the injury, can be fearful of the extent of the
injury and possible pain-inducing treatments, and thus can be
difficult to settle down or to convince that he or she should use
the device.
[0006] Children often become attached to a favorite toy or object
and are likely to feel comfortable if a familiar toy or object is
nearby in the case of an injury or other stressful occurrence.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,086 describes a therapeutic pillow and
method, which has a bag-like cover filled with natural, granular
material. The filler material has a water content in the range of
5-25% by weight. The therapeutic pillow can be constructed of
different shapes, such as the shape of a toy or used by children.
The filling comprises naturally occurring grains or granular
material, however, it is fixedly placed within the inner bag-like
cover, and cannot be removed and is more similar to a beanbag type
of a toy.
[0008] There remains a need, therefore, for a device for
implementing heating or cooling treatment for bodily pain or injury
that is amenable to use by a child, but which otherwise is
available for the child to play with under normal
circumstances.
[0009] It is an object of the invention therefore to provide a
toy-like device that can be used for either hot or cold treatment
of a child's injury, but from which the hot or cold treatment
device can be removed. Thereafter the child can play with the toy
and familiarize themselves with the toy under less stressful,
normal circumstances when pain or injury is not an issue.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the
device of the present invention which is a first aid hand puppet to
be used to sooth a child's bumps and bruises. The hand puppet can
be in different animal or character shapes such as a bunny, dog or
cat, or in the shape of a popular, recognizable "character" or
configured as a doll. In the stomach area of the puppet, a pouch or
pocket, is provided (the "belly pouch") that is sealed by an
appropriate fastener such as VELCRO.RTM.. A cold pack or a heating
element can be inserted into the belly pouch of the puppet. The
puppet can then be worn on the hand of an adult with the heat or
cold pack sitting in the palm of the hand of the adult for better
control and ease of use. The puppet then, on the hand of the adult,
can be placed snugly over the injured area of the child, or on the
forehead of a feverish child, by the adult gently grasping or
cuddling the child's injured skin area. When the injury has been
treated, the cold pack or heating pack can be removed from the
puppet and the puppet can be once again used as a toy for the
child. In this manner, the child becomes familiar with the toy and
may be less fearful of using the heating or cold pack that is
hidden within the puppet during stressful times, such as during
injury or illness.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The invention will be more fully understood and further
advantages will become apparent when reference is made to the
following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the
invention and the accompanying drawings of which:
[0012] FIG. 1A is a schematic front plan view of the puppet of the
present invention placed over a human hand with the heating or
cooling element within the palm of the hand;
[0013] FIG. 1B is a side view of the device of FIG. 1A;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a cutaway illustration of the puppet of the
present invention illustrating the pouch from which the heating or
cooling element is removable; and
[0015] FIG. 3 is a front view of the puppet of the present
invention having the pouch sealed and containing the heating or
cooling element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT
[0016] FIG. 1A is a schematic front plan, isometric illustration of
the hand puppet of the present invention. The hand puppet 10 will
have an animal, doll, or character shape that is recognizable and
friendly to a young child. The illustrative embodiment is of a
bunny shape, however, the invention is equally applicable to the
other types of shapes such as animals, dolls and popular
characters, as noted, without limitation to the scope of the
view.
[0017] When a child is injured or ill, a parent, caregiver or other
adult can insert his/her hand 12 into the puppet 10. The puppet 10,
as will be described hereinafter, will contain a heating element or
an ice pack 14, that is located within a belly pouch 15 in a
stomach area of the animal or character comprising the puppet 10 in
a location that will allow it to be cradled in the palm 16, of the
person's hand 12. This allows for better control and ease of use of
the device for attending to an injured or sick child. For example,
if the child's arm is injured, a person using the puppet could
gently wrap their fingers around the child's arm and hold the ice
pack on the injured location. The hand puppet 10 is also
illustrated in the side view of FIG. 1B in which like components
have the same reference characters as in FIG. 1A. The hand puppet
can be also placed over a child's forehead as a cold compress in
periods of illness.
[0018] Referring now to FIG. 2, a portion of the puppet is
illustrated as puppet portion 20. The puppet portion 20 has a belly
pouch 24 into which an item 26 is received. The item 26 is
preferably a cold gel pack, a block of Blue Ice.RTM., or another
previously frozen ice pack device, each of which are readily
available commercially. The cold pack can be removed from the
freezer and placed within the pouch 24. Alternatively, heating pads
or packs, which can be microwaved, are also available commercially.
In addition, the heating pad may be the type of air-activated
device in which once the packaging is open, the exposure to air
causes the device to begin heating. A heating device 26 can be
placed within the pouch 24 of the puppet 20 and then the puppet can
be held in the adult's hand and the child's injured skin area can
be hugged and warmed thereby.
[0019] In order to secure the pouch 24 in a closed position, a
suitable fastener is employed to retain the item 26 within the
pouch 24. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
invention, the fastener is comprised of VELCRO.RTM.. As illustrated
in FIG. 3, the puppet 30 includes the pouch 34 that houses the
heating or cooling element 36 and is fastened by a VELCRO.RTM.
strip 38, which on one end will have a loop-type configuration and
at the other a mesh that securely engages the loops. Other types of
fasteners, such as snaps and the like may be used while remaining
within the scope of the present invention. The entire assembly can
then be used to provide treatment to traumatic injuries to
particular body areas and to provide comfort or cooling in other
non-injury situations.
[0020] In normal circumstances, when injury, pain or illness is not
being treated, the pouch can be removed from the puppet 30 and the
puppet 30 can then be used as a normal hand puppet or toy by the
child in the ordinary course of daily activities. In this way, the
puppet 30 can become a well-known toy for the child, and the
familiarity of the puppet will enhance the likelihood that the
child will allow an adult to treat the injury or painful site and
will feel comforted thereby when the need arises and the hot or
cold pack is inserted into the belly pouch.
[0021] It should be understood that the hand puppet may be made of
any number of appropriate materials such as that of plush toys or
soft cotton or other flexible materials that allow the transfer of
the hot or cold through the material. Alternatively, a portion of
the material that allows the transfer of the hot or cold could be
inserted within the pouch area 14 such that the temperature
delivery will occur and the remainder of the puppet 30 could be
comprised of a plush or other soft material.
[0022] The foregoing description has been directed to specific
embodiments of the invention. It will be apparent, however, that
other variations and modifications may be made to the described
embodiments with the attainment of some or all of the advantages of
such. Therefore, it is the object of the appended claims to cover
all such variations and modifications as come within the true
spirit and scope of the invention.
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