Hypothermia control device for infants

Abstract

The present invention is directed to articles for decreasing heat loss from a human body, particularly a small child or an infant. In some embodiments, the articles are infant headwraps consisting essentially of one sheet of a non-woven, polymeric material containing a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate material, with a plurality of flaps and fastening devices. Such articles described herein can be used to prevent hypothermia in small children and/or infants by decreasing radiant heat loss.

1 . An article for covering at least a human head, consisting essentially of:
 at least one sheet of a nonwoven, polymeric material having at least one radiant-reflective surface, the at least one sheet comprising a first flap and a second flap;
 wherein a dimension between at least a portion of the first flap and a portion of the second flap is sufficient in length to close around the human head; and 
 wherein the first flap and the second flap each comprises at least one fastening device adapted to secure the flaps together to maintain the sheet around the human head. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the first flap and the second flap are adjacent to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the first flap and the second flap extend from opposite sides of the sheet. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein a top of the sheet further includes a third flap extending approximately transverse to the extent of the first flap and the second flap, an area of at least a portion of the third flap being sufficient to enclose a top part the human head. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein the third flap further comprises at least one fastening device adapted to secure the flap. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein said at least one fastening device is each independently selected from the group consisting of hook-and-loop fasteners, button-and-hole fasteners, male-and-female snaps, ribbon ties, zippers, laces, cords, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the sheet further includes a flap folded to create at least one flat edge. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1 , further comprising at least two elements substantially spaced along the widest part of the sheet by a distance of at least an average width of a human head. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 8 , wherein said at least two elements indicate a location where the human head is to be placed, or to facilitate stabilizing the human head in place. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven, polymeric material includes a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate material. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one sheet of the nonwoven, polymeric material has a polygonal shape. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the polygonal shape comprises at least four sides. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one sheet of the nonwoven, polymeric material has a circular shape. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein said at least the human head is an infant head. 
     
     
         16 . An article for wrapping at least an infant head, consisting essentially of one polygonal-shaped sheet of a nonwoven, polymeric material having at least one radiant-reflective surface and three individual flaps,
 wherein a first flap and a second flap extend from opposite sides of the polygonal-shaped sheet, a dimension between at least a portion of the first flap and a portion of the second flap being sufficient in length to close around the infant head;   wherein an area of at least a portion of a third flap extending from a top end of the polygonal-shaped sheet is sufficient to enclose a top part of the infant head;   wherein the first flap and the second flap each comprises at least one fastening device adapted to secure the flaps together to maintain the sheet around the infant head, and   wherein the nonwoven, polymeric material having at least one radiant-reflective surface includes a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate material.   
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the third flap further comprises at least one fastening device adapted to secure the flap. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the bottom of the polygonal-shaped sheet further includes a flap folded to create a horizontal edge. 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 16 , further comprising at least two elements substantially spaced along the widest part of the sheet by a distance of at least an average width of an infant head. 
     
     
         21 . The article of  claim 20 , wherein said at least two elements indicate a location where the human head is to be placed, or to facilitate stabilizing the human head in place. 
     
     
         22 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the polygonal-shaped sheet comprises at least four sides. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled)