HEATING BLANKETS AND PADS

1 . An electric heating blanket, comprising:

a flexible sheet-like heating element including a first side, a second side, a first end, a second end, a first edge extending between the first and second ends, and a second edge, opposite the first edge, and extending between the first and second ends;

a flexible shell covering the heating element and comprising a water resistant material layer;

a first unheated flap extending away from the first edge of the heating element; and

a second unheated flap extending away from the second edge of the heating element.

2 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , wherein the heating element has a substantially uniform watt density output across a surface area thereof when electrically powered.

3 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible layer of insulating material extending between the at least one of the first and second sides of the heating element and the flexible shell.

4 . The heating blanket of claim 3 , wherein the layer of insulating material is bonded to a surface area of at least one of the first and second sides.

5 . The heating blanket of claim 3 , wherein the layer of insulating material comprises a foam.

6 . The heating blanket of claim 3 , wherein the layer of insulating material comprises a high loft non-woven fibrous material.

7 . The heating blanket of claim 3 , wherein the shell is un-adhered to the layer of insulating material.

8 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first conductive bus bar coupled to the heating element and extending alongside the first edge of the heating element from a first point in proximity to the first end of the heating element to a second point in proximity to the second end of the heating element;

a second conductive bus bar coupled to the heating element and extending alongside the second edge of the heating element from another first point in proximity to the first end of the heating element to another second point in proximity to the second end of the heating element;

a first lead coupled to the first bus bar between the first and second points; and

a second lead coupled to the second bus bar between the other first and second points;

wherein the first and second leads are adapted for coupling to a power source for powering the bus bars.

9 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first conductive bus bar coupled to the heating element and extending alongside the first edge of the heating element between the first and second ends thereof; and

a second conductive bus bar coupled to the heating element and extending alongside the second edge of the heating element between the first and second ends thereof;

wherein the first edge of the heating element is stitched to the first bus bar with a conductive thread;

the second edge of the heating element is stitched to the second bus bar with another conductive thread; and

the first and second bus bars are adapted for coupling to a power source for powering the heating element.

10 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first conductive bus bar coupled to the heating element and extending alongside the first edge of the heating element between the first and second ends thereof; and

a second conductive bus bar coupled to the heating element and extending alongside the second edge of the heating element between the first and second ends thereof;

wherein the first and second conductive bus bars extend beyond the first and second ends of the heating element; and

the first and second bus bars are adapted for coupling to a power source for powering the heating element.

11 . The heating blanket of claim 8 , further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the heating element at a location where the heating element will be in conductive contact with a body when the blanket is draped over the body.

12 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , wherein a length from the first end to the second end of the heating element is greater than approximately seven times a width of the heating element.

13 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , wherein the flexible sheet-like heating element comprises a conductive fabric.

14 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , wherein the flexible sheet-like heating element comprises carbon.

15 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , wherein the flexible sheet-like heating element comprises a nonconductive layer coated with a conductive material.

16 . The heating blanket of claim 15 , wherein the nonconductive layer comprises polyester and the conductive material comprises polypyrrole.

17 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , wherein the flexible sheet-like heating element comprises a fabric incorporating closely spaced conductive elements.

18 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , wherein the shell is un-adhered to the first and second sides of the heating element.

19 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , wherein the shell further comprises an anti-microbial material.

20 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , wherein the flexible shell further comprises a layer of nylon and the water-resistant material layer comprises a polyurethane coating extending over at least one side of the nylon.

21 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , wherein:

the shell includes a first sheet extending over the first side of the heating element and a second sheet extending over the second side of the heating element; and

the first sheet is heat sealed to the second sheet around a perimeter of the heating element.

22 . The heating blanket of claim 21 , wherein the water-resistant material layer of the shell comprises a coating of polyurethane extending over facing sides of the first and second sheets.

23 . The heating blanket of claim 21 , further comprising:

a first layer of electrical insulation extending over the first side of the heating element and bonded thereto;

a second layer of electrical insulation extending over the second side of the heating element and bonded thereto; and

a layer of thermal insulation extending over the first side of the heating element, being adjacent to the first layer of electrical insulation and un-adhered thereto;

wherein the first sheet of the shell extends adjacent to the layer of thermal insulation, being un-adhered thereto; and

the second sheet of the shell extends adjacent to the second layer of electrical insulation, being un-adhered thereto.

24 . The heating blanket of claim 21 , further comprising:

a first securing strip coupled to the first edge of the heating element and extending laterally away from the heating element; and

a second securing strip coupled to the second edge of the heating element and extending laterally away from the heating element;

wherein the first and second securing strips are engaged with the first and second sheets.

25 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first conductive bus bar coupled to the heating element and extending alongside the first edge of the heating element between the first and second ends thereof; and

a second conductive bus bar coupled to the heating element and extending alongside the second edge of the heating element between the first and second ends thereof;

wherein the first edge of the heating element extends laterally from the first bus bar and the second edge extends laterally from the second bus bar, each of the first and second edges including at least one opening extending therethrough;

the shell includes a first sheet extending over the first side of the heating element and a second sheet extending over the second side of the heating element;

the first sheet is heat sealed to the second sheet around a perimeter of the heating element and through the openings of the first and second edges; and

the first and second bus bars are adapted for coupling to a power source for powering the heating element.

26 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , wherein the first and second flaps are extensions of the flexible shell.

27 . The heating blanket of claim 26 , further comprising:

a first weighting member coupled to the first flap; and

a second weighting member coupled to the second flap;

wherein the shell includes a first sheet extending over the first side of the heating element and a second sheet extending over the second side of the heating element; and

the first sheet is heat sealed to the second sheet around a perimeter of the heating element and around a perimeter of each of the first and second weighting members.

28 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , wherein the first and second flaps are weighted.

29 . The heating blanket of claim 28 , wherein the first and second flaps are weighted with relatively stiff members.

30 . The heating blanket of claim 28 , further comprising:

a third weighted flap extending from the first edge of the heating element and spaced apart along the first edge from the first weighted flap; and

a fourth weighted flap extending from the second edge of the heating element and spaced apart along the second edge from the second weighted flap;

wherein the first, second, third and fourth weighted flaps are weighted with a relatively stiff member.

31 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , further comprising:

a third unheated flap extending from the first edge of the heating element and spaced apart along the first edge from the first flap; and

a fourth unheated flap extending from the second edge of the heating element and spaced apart along the second edge from the second flap.

32 . The heating blanket of claim 31 , further comprising:

a first strap disposed between the first and third flaps; and

a second strap disposed between the second and fourth flaps;

wherein the first and second straps mate to secure the blanket about a body, when the blanket is draped over the body.

33 . The heating blanket of claim 32 , wherein the first and second straps mate via one of: magnetic fasteners coupled thereto, mating hook-and-loop fasteners coupled thereto, and mating snap fasteners coupled thereto.

34 . The heating blanket of claim 1 , further comprising an unheated foot drape extending from one of the first and second ends of the heating element.

35 . The heating blanket of claim 34 , wherein the foot drape includes at least one pair of reversible fasteners, and each fastener of the at least one pair being disposed to secure the foot drape in a folded configuration for forming a pocket about feet of a patient.

36 . An electric heating blanket, comprising:

a flexible sheet-like heating element including a first side, a second side, a first end, a second end, a first edge extending between the first and second ends, and a second edge, opposite the first edge, and extending between the first and second ends;

a first unheated flap extending from the first edge of the heating element;

a second unheated flap extending from the second edge of the heating element; and

a third unheated flap extending from one of the first and second ends of the heating element.

37 . The blanket of claim 36 , wherein the third flap has sufficient length to be folded back toward the heating element in order to create a pocket for enclosing feet of a patient when the blanket is draped over the patient.

38 . The blanket of claim 37 , wherein the third flap includes at least one pair of reversible fasteners coupled thereto in order to secure the flap in the folded pocket configuration.

39 . An upper body electric heating blanket, comprising:

a flexible sheet-like heating element including a first side, a second side, a first end, a second end, a first edge extending between the first and second ends, and a second edge, opposite the first edge, and extending between the first and second ends;

a first unheated flap extending from the first edge of the heating element;

a second unheated flap extending from the second edge of the heating element;

a third unheated flap extending from the first edge of the heating element and spaced apart, along the first edge, from the first flap, the spacing leaving a gap between the third and first flaps in which the first edge is free from flaps so as to accommodate a patient's head within the gap; and

a fourth unheated flap extending from the second edge of the heating element and spaced apart, along the second edge, from the second flap.

40 . The blanket of claim 39 , further comprising:

a first strap disposed between the first and third flaps; and

a second strap disposed between the second and fourth flaps;

wherein the first and second straps mate to secure the blanket about a body, when the blanket is draped over the body.

41 . The blanket of claim 39 , further comprising a central narrowed portion between the first and third flaps and the second and fourth flaps; wherein, when the blanket is draped across an upper body portion of a patient, the first and second flaps extend on either side of a first arm of the patient, the third and fourth flaps extend on either side of a second arm of the patient, and the central portion extends over a chest of a patient.

42 . The blanket of claim 41 , further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the heating element at a location coinciding with the central narrowed portion of the blanket.