Heated disposable towels

Abstract

Disposable towels or wipes having a chamber or ampoule containing a predetermined quantity of a supercooled liquid exotherm compound and a small amount of the compound in the crystal form, such that the crystal and the liquid are separated until time for use. Upon action by the user, such as by bending or otherwise breaking the separation between the crystal and the liquid, an exothermic reaction takes place as the liquid crystallizes, releasing a known amount of heat to cause the towel to warm. Calcium carbonate is the preferred compound. A temperature indicator may also be included as part of the packaging.

1 . A device for providing warm towels comprising: 
 at least one towel;    a package for containing said at least one towel; and    a heat source in contact with but separate from said at least one towel, said heat source comprising a frangible container containing a quantity of supercooled liquid capable of releasing a predetermined amount of heat upon crystallization and a quantity of the crystal form of said liquid separated from said supercooled liquid and present in an amount sufficient to initiate crystallization of said quantity of supercooled liquid upon flexing said frangible container to cause said crystal to contact at least a portion of said supercooled liquid.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said supercooled liquid is selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate and sodium acetate.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein said crystallization causes the temperature of the solidifying liquid to reach a controlled temperature of up to 130° F.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , which further includes a temperature sensitive portion on said package to indicate the temperature of the towels after breaking said fiangible container.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , which contains a plurality of towels, said frangible container being placed proximate the middle of said plurality of towels to provide heat to said plurality of towels.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein said towels are formed from materials selected from the group consisting of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, synthetic materials and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       7 . A device for providing warm towels, comprising: 
 towel means for providing at least one towel;    package means for containing said at least one towel means; and    heat source means for producing heat to warm said towel means in contact with but separate from said at least one towel means, said heat source means comprising a frangible container means for containing a quantity of supercooled liquid capable of releasing a predetermined amount of heat upon crystallization and a quantity of the crystal form of said liquid separated from said supercooled liquid and present in an amount sufficient to initiate crystallization of said quantity of supercooled liquid upon flexing said frangible container means to cause said crystal to contact at least a portion of said supercooled liquid.    
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein said supercooled liquid is selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate and sodium acetate.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein said crystallization causes the temperature of the solidifying liquid to reach a controlled temperature of up to 130° F.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 7 , which further includes temperature sensitive means on said package for indicating the temperature of the at least one after breaking said frangible container means.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 7 , which contains a plurality of towels, said frangible container means being placed proximate the middle of said plurality of towels to provide heat to said plurality of towels.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said towels are formed from materials selected from the group consisting of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, synthetic materials and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       13 . A method for providing warm towels, comprising the steps of: 
 placing at least one towel in a package for containing said towel;    placing a heat source proximate said at least one towel in contact with but separate from said at least one towel, said heat source comprising a frangible container containing a quantity of supercooled liquid capable of releasing a predetermined amount of heat upon crystallization and a quantity of the crystal form of said liquid separated from said supercooled liquid and present in an amount sufficient to initiate crystallization of said quantity of supercooled liquid upon flexing said frangible container to cause said crystal to contact at least a portion of said supercooled liquid; and    causing said frangible container to release said quantity of the crystal form of said liquid to contact said quantity of supercooled liquid to cause an exothermic crystallization of said supercooled liquid.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said supercooled liquid is selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate and sodium acetate.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said crystallization causes the temperature of the solidifying liquid to reach a controlled temperature of up to 130° F.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , which further includes the step of placing a temperature sensitive portion on said package to indicate the temperature of the towels after breaking said frangible container.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , which contains a plurality of towels, said frangible container being placed proximate the middle of said plurality of towels to provide heat to said plurality of towels.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said towels are formed from materials selected from the group consisting of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, synthetic materials and combinations thereof.