Method and system for fillable gel pack

Abstract

A fillable gel pack includes a first side panel having a peripheral region characterized by a first boundary and a second side panel having a peripheral region characterized by a second boundary. The fillable gel pack also includes a sealed periphery joining a portion of the peripheral region of the first side panel shorter than the first boundary with a portion of the peripheral region of the second side panel shorter than the second boundary. The sealed periphery includes one or more outwardly disposed convex portions. The fillable gel pack further includes an unsealed periphery disposed at an unsealed portion of the peripheral region of the first side panel and an unsealed portion of the peripheral region of the second side panel. The unsealed periphery provides a fluid conduit passing from a region external to the fillable gel pack to a region internal to the fillable gel pack.

1 . A fillable gel pack comprising:
 a first side panel having a peripheral region characterized by a first boundary;   a second side panel having a peripheral region characterized by a second boundary;   a sealed periphery joining a portion of the peripheral region of the first side panel shorter than the first boundary with a portion of the peripheral region of the second side panel shorter than the second boundary, wherein the sealed periphery comprises one or more outwardly disposed convex portions;   an unsealed periphery disposed at an unsealed portion of the peripheral region of the first side panel and an unsealed portion of the peripheral region of the second side panel, wherein the unsealed periphery provides a fluid conduit passing from a region external to the fillable gel pack to a region internal to the fillable gel pack.   
     
     
         2 . The fillable gel pack of  claim 1  further comprising a hydratable gel material disposed between the first side panel and the second side panel. 
     
     
         3 . The fillable gel pack of  claim 2  further comprising a liquid mixed with the hydratable gel material to form a hydrated gel disposed between the first side panel and the second side panel. 
     
     
         4 . The fillable gel pack of  claim 1  wherein the first side panel is substantially rectangular and the second side panel is substantially rectangular. 
     
     
         5 . The fillable gel pack of  claim 4  wherein the outwardly disposed convex portions comprise four rounded corners. 
     
     
         6 . The fillable gel pack of  claim 1  wherein the first and second side panels are substantially circular or elliptical in shape. 
     
     
         7 . The fillable gel pack of  claim 1  wherein the first side panel and the second side panel each comprise a neck portion extending from the unsealed periphery defining a channel. 
     
     
         8 . The fillable gel pack of  claim 7  further comprising an adhesive attached to one of the neck portions of the first and second side panels, the adhesive configured to adjoin the first and second neck portions to seal the channel. 
     
     
         9 . The fillable gel pack of  claim 8 , further comprising a cover attached to the adhesive, the cover being removable to expose the adhesive. 
     
     
         10 . The fillable gel pack of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first valve portion joined to the first side panel in a vicinity of the unsealed periphery, the first valve portion extending from the unsealed periphery; and 
 a second valve portion joined to the second side panel in the vicinity of the unsealed periphery and extending from the unsealed periphery, wherein the first valve portion and the second valve portion are sealed to each other on two edges to define a channel extending from the unsealed periphery. 
 
     
     
         11 . A fillable gel pack comprising:
 a first side panel having an interior portion and a peripheral region;   a second side panel having an interior portion and a peripheral region;   a sealed periphery joining at least a portion of the peripheral region of the first side panel with at least a portion of the peripheral region of the second side panel, wherein the sealed periphery comprises one or more outwardly disposed convex portions;   a hydratable gel material disposed between the first side panel and the second side panel; and   a fill port disposed in the interior portion of at least one of the first side panel or the second side panel, wherein the fill port is in fluid communication with the hydratable gel material.   
     
     
         12 . The fillable gel pack of  claim 11  further comprising a liquid mixed with the hydratable gel material to form a hydrated gel disposed between the first side panel and the second side panel. 
     
     
         13 . The fillable gel pack of  claim 11  wherein the first side panel is substantially rectangular and the second side panel is substantially rectangular. 
     
     
         14 . The fillable gel pack of  claim 13  wherein the outwardly disposed convex portions comprise four rounded corners. 
     
     
         15 . The fillable gel pack of  claim 11  wherein the first and second side panels are substantially circular or elliptical in shape. 
     
     
         16 . A method of fabricating a fillable gel pack, the method comprising:
 providing a first side panel having a peripheral region characterized by a first boundary;   providing a second side panel having a peripheral region characterized by a second boundary;   joining the first side panel and the second side panel by forming a sealed periphery joining a portion of the peripheral region of the first side panel shorter than the first boundary with a portion of the peripheral region of the second side panel shorter than the second boundary, wherein the sealed periphery comprises one or more outwardly disposed convex portions, and an unsealed portion of the peripheral region of the first side panel and an unsealed portion of the peripheral region of the second side panel define an unsealed periphery that provides a fluid conduit passing from a region external to the fillable gel pack to a region internal to the fillable gel pack; and   
     
     
         17 . The method of fabricating the fillable gel pack of  claim 16 , further comprising disposing a hydratable gel material between the first side panel and the second side panel. 
     
     
         18 . The method of fabricating the fillable gel pack of  claim 16 , wherein the joining comprises heat sealing or laminating. 
     
     
         19 . The method of fabricating the fillable gel pack of  claim 16 , further comprising attaching a sealing member to the unsealed periphery, thereby sealing the unsealed periphery. 
     
     
         20 . The method of fabricating the fillable gel pack of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 joining a first valve portion to the first side panel in a vicinity of the unsealed periphery, the first valve portion extending from the unsealed periphery; and   joining a second valve portion to the second side panel in the vicinity of the unsealed periphery and extending from the unsealed periphery, and   joining the first valve portion and the second valve portion to each other on two edges to define a channel extending from the unsealed periphery.   
     
     
         21 . The method of fabricating the fillable gel pack of  claim 16 , wherein the first side panel and the second side panel each comprise a neck portion extending from the unsealed periphery defining a channel.