THERMAL BODY-CARE ELEMENT AND METHOD OF USE OF SAME
A thermal body-care element includes a container having at least one thermally conductive surface enclosing an electric heater in thermal contact with a thermal energy storage medium comprising a phase change storage medium and an electrical connection for selective coupling to an external electrical power source. The external electrical power source is external to the thermal body-care element. A method of applying heat to a skin surface of a human or animal is also disclosed.
1 . A thermal body-care element comprising:
a) a container having at least one thermally conductive surface, the container enclosing an electric heater in thermal contact with a thermal energy storage medium comprising a phase change storage medium; and
b) an electrical connection for selective coupling to an external electrical power source;
wherein the external electrical power source is external to the thermal body-care element.
2 . The thermal body-care element of claim 1 , wherein the electric heater is selected from the group consisting of an electrical resistance heater, a positive temperature coefficient heater, a cartridge heater, and combinations thereof.
3 . The thermal body-care element of claim 2 , wherein the electric heater is a positive temperature coefficient heater.
4 . The thermal body-care element of claim 1 , further comprising temperature control elements.
5 . The thermal body-care element of claim 4 , wherein the temperature control elements comprise a creep action switch.
6 . The thermal body-care element of claim 1 , wherein the thermal energy storage medium further comprises a sensible heat storage medium.
7 . The thermal body-care element of claim 1 , wherein the phase change storage medium comprises a wax or a wax mixture.
8 . The thermal body-care element of claim 1 , wherein the thermal energy storage medium further comprises a pressure block.
9 . A system comprising the thermal body-care element of claim 1 and an energizing stand.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the energizing stand engages the electrical connector of the thermal body-care element to energize the thermal body-care element, and the energizing stand is selectively coupleable to a power grid.
11 . The thermal body-care element of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive surface is arranged and configured to hold a supplemental body-care component.
12 . The thermal body-care element of claim 11 , wherein the supplemental body-care component comprises a porous material.
13 . The thermal body-care element of claim 11 , wherein the supplemental body-care component further comprises at least one cleanser, at least one skin benefit agent, or combinations thereof.
14 . The thermal body-care element of claim 1 which is arranged and configured for releasable attachment to a handheld device comprising a motion-generating system.
15 . The thermal body-care element of claim 14 , comprising about 1 to about 5 grams of the phase change storage medium.
16 . The thermal body-care element of claim 1 which is arranged and configured for placement on a mammalian body in a hot stone massage process.
17 . The thermal body-care element of claim 16 , comprising about 2 to about 12 grams of the phase change storage medium.
18 . A method of applying heat to a skin surface of a human or animal comprising the steps of:
a) electrically connecting an electric heater to an external electrical power source to heat a thermal energy storage medium in thermal contact therewith, the electric heater and thermal energy storage medium enclosed in a container arranged and configured for gripping by a human hand;
b) disconnecting the electric heater from the external electrical power source; and
c) applying the body-care surface to the skin surface while the electric heater is disconnected from the external electrical power source.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising the step of coupling a supplemental body-care component to the body-care surface.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the electric heater is a positive temperature coefficient heater.
21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the thermal energy storage medium comprises a sensible heat storage medium, and the step of heating the thermal energy storage medium comprises raising the temperature of the sensible heat storage medium.
22 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the thermal energy storage medium comprises a phase change storage medium, and the step of heating the thermal energy storage medium comprises changing the phase of the phase change storage medium.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the phase change storage medium is selected a wax or a wax mixture, and the step of heating the thermal energy storage medium comprises melting the wax the phase of the phase change storage medium.