Thermal bandage

Claim 1

A thermal bandage adapted to closely conform to the contours of a portion of a human body to heat or cool the adjacent skin area; said thermal bandage comprising: a conforming member forming one side of said thermal bandage and including supple heat conducting material which readily conforms to the contour of said body portion such that said conforming member is in complete contact with said skin area permitting uniform distribution or extraction of heat from said skin area, and said conforming member including an outer thin pliable material surface which encloses said heat conducting material, and said outer pliable material surface having end portions; a bendable thermal pack mounted to said conforming member and forming an opposite side of said thermal bandage, said thermal pack being coextensive with the conforming member and said pack having means to heat or cool said conforming member; a single boundary layer heat conducting surface interposed between said conforming member and said pack to separate said thermal pack and said conforming member and to facilitate the conduction of heat thereacross; said heat conducting material includes a first heat conductive fluid contained between said thin pliable outer material surface and said single boundary layer heat conducting surface, said pliable outer material being fixed at its end portions to said thermal pack such that said first heat conductive fluid is in contact with said heat conducting single boundary layer surface and only said conforming member contacts said skin area; said heating or cooling means providing for the circulation of a second heat conductive fluid under pressure through said thermal pack and over said single boundary layer conducting surface to either transfer heat to or extract heat from said first heat conducting fluid; and means for holding said conforming member in contact with said skin area such that heat is either added to or extracted from the skin area.