Patent EP0260044A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4002175A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for cortical thermal therapy

Assignee: ENVIRONMENTAL DEVICES CORP
•
Filing: 1975-06-25
•
Granted: 1977-01-11
•
Expires: 1995-06-25
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A method and apparatus for enhancing a person's cerebral functions by providing a selective increase in the cerebral temperature while leaving the temperature of the rest of the body as is. The method and apparatus elevate the exterior skull temperature to a selected value within the range between 38° and 50° Celsius and change the temperature within a limited rate.

Inventors

  • 👤 David M. Brainard
  • 👤 II Edward C. Brainard

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 15:19
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/01; A61B5/40; A61B5/4058; A61B5/4064; A61F; A61F7/00; A61F2007/0086

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 95 words
Cortical temperature -- elevating apparatus for imposing a selected elevated body-differential cortical temperature to a person, said apparatus comprising A. controllable thermal means for the localized heatinhg of the head of a person, B. sensor means for sensing the temperature of the person's head, and C. control means connected with said sensor means to receive a temperature-responsive signal and controlling in response thereto said thermal means to apply a temperature selected from the range between 38° and 50° C to the person's head, with a maximum rate of temperature increase below 1.0° C per minute.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 95 words
Cortical temperature -- elevating apparatus for imposing a selected elevated body-differential cortical temperature to a person, said apparatus comprising A. controllable thermal means for the localized heatinhg of the head of a person, B. sensor means for sensing the temperature of the person's head, and C. control means connected with said sensor means to receive a temperature-responsive signal and controlling in response thereto said thermal means to apply a temperature selected from the range between 38° and 50° C to the person's head, with a maximum rate of temperature increase below 1.0° C per minute.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 incuding a head garment mounting said thermal means for relatively high heat transfer with a wearer's head.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said sensor means includes a temperature sensor mounted with said garment for disposition in relatively close thermal contact with the wearer's head.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said sensor means includes a tympanic membrane temperature sensor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 46 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized in that said control means includes means for controlling said thermal means to regulate the rate of temperature decrease from said selected elevated temperature to the person's present normal level at a maximum rate below 0.5° C per minute.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized in that said control unit includes means for limiting the rate of temperature increase to 0.8° C per minute.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 further characterized in that said control unit includes means for limiting the rate of temperature decrease from an elevated level to normal, to 0.4° C per minute.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 83 words
A method for enhancing human cerebral functioning comprising the steps of A. selectively elevating the cortical temperature by imposing a selected elevated body-differential temperature to the person's head, B. monitoring the head temperature during at least the interval of said temperature-elevation, and C. controlling the elevation of the head temperature in response to said monitoring to a temperature selected from the range between 38° C and 50° C, and controlling the rate of temperature increase to be less than 0.8° C per minute.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 83 words
A method for enhancing human cerebral functioning comprising the steps of A. selectively elevating the cortical temperature by imposing a selected elevated body-differential temperature to the person's head, B. monitoring the head temperature during at least the interval of said temperature-elevation, and C. controlling the elevation of the head temperature in response to said monitoring to a temperature selected from the range between 38° C and 50° C, and controlling the rate of temperature increase to be less than 0.8° C per minute.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 42 words
A method as defined in claim 8 in which said controlling step further includes the step of controlling the rate of temperature decrease from said selected temperature to the person's present normal level to a maximum rate of 0.4° C per minute.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2429583A Cited
US2718584A Cited
US3074410A Cited
US3897790A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1980-01-11 1980-07-12 1981-01-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1984-01-11 1984-07-12 1985-01-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1988-01-11 1988-07-12 1989-01-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag