US1569877A - Apparatus for maintaining constant temperature on a portion of the body - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 19 1926.

s. L. OWENS APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING coNsTANT TEMPERATURE ON A FSNT'ION OF THE non! Orizinal Filed July 3. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 19, 1926. 1,569,877

5. L, OWENS APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING CONSTANT TEMPERATURE ON A PORTION OF THE BODY Original Filed July :5, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL LOGAN OWENS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT COLUMBIA.

APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING CONSTANT TEMPERATURE ON A PORTION OF THE BODY.

Application filed July 3, 1924,Seria1 No. 723,980. Renewed December 1, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it. known that I, SAMUEL LOGAN OWENS, citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Maintaining Constant Temperature on a Portion of the Body, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to containers for cooling or heating media adapted to be readily and properly attached to any part of the body, whether human or animal, maintaining the same in warm or cool condition as may be required.

The main object of this invention is to furnish a thermal or temperature retaining container that will readily adapt itself to any part of the body and be retained in a fixed position as long as in use.

The apparatus is primarily intended for the use of physicians in general, particularly surgeons and their assistants in connection with their professional work such as opera tions when the room temperature is high, but the device is also found to be very use ful for other persons exposed to excessive heat. This isvery desirable in the case of a surgeon or other medical man, because without such a cooling device the perspiration is apt to run down his'forehead, dim his eyesight when dropping from his face, and fall into the field of operation, with the v consequent risk of serious contamlnation.

The device is then applied as an ice cap I over the top and around the forehead and back of the head. It is firmly secured in such a manner that. four, six, or any suitable number of distinct compartments are formed in the container. This arrangement is made so that the ice, broken up into convenient size preferably in the form of shavings, or water or other fluid or semi-fluid cannot pass around in the bag but be confined in the parting from the spirit and scope of the invention. i

In the drawings Figs. 1, 2 and 3 represent respectively front, side and rear elevations of the ap paratus as applied on a persons head for keeping the same cool during surgical operations or other work;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are similar views of the apparatus as applied to a patient for cooling his neck after an operation;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 8 is a section along line 88 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of the apparatus closed; and

Fig. 10 a fragmentary erspective view of the apparatus closed a ter having been filled. I v

In the drawings reference numeral 15 represents the apparatus constructed in the sha' e of along, narrow bag of cylindrical, ova or any other suitable cross section. As illustrated the tubularmember or bag is flat sided which isconsidered the best shape for securing it firmly on the body. The end 16 of the bag is closed but the end 17 is open permittin the easy filling of the bag which is made 0 some suitable waterproof materal such as soft rubber, rubberized silk, mercerized cotton, or the like. Balloon covering is considered avery good material to use;

A convenient size of the bag for wrapping around the head is about thirty-six inches length and one and one-half inches diameter, or a capacity of about one quart of water.

At the closed end 16 of the bag is formed an ear 18 for a short connecting cord 19. A short distance below the open end 17 of the bag is furnished on the outside a rein: forcing strip 20 on each side thereof. Each strip hasa loose flap 21 substantially rectangular in shape and pointing in the direction of the mouth of the open end 17. The flap has two or more perforations 22 for a closingflstring 23.

Below each flap 1s shown another re1nforcing piece 24:, which carries a small car 25.

WVhen using the apparatus as a cooling device for the head of a surgeon, for m stance, the bag is first filled to its capacity with ice of a convenient size. The pliable mouth of the open end 17 makes this a very easy operation. The mouth is next closed by pressing the sides of the open end together and doubling it and rolling it upon itself a few turns as at 26, Figs. 9 and 10, whereupon the flaps 21 are folded over the rolled portion and the string 23 taken back and forth through the perforations 22 in both flaps and the ends tied together. No leakage of melted ice can then take place through the mouth of the bag.

The apparatus is now ready to be applied on apersons head. To cool the head and to prevent perspiration from running down the face and the neck the best manner to secure it is indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The bottom or closed end is then placed with the ear 18 against the middle of the forehead, then the bag; is taken around the head once directly above the ears and where meeting the car 18, the bag is tied with the short cord 19 tightly. The loose portion of the bag is thereupon taken over the top of the head to the nape of the neck and under the ring already formed to p ovide a loop around the same as at :27. Figs. 9 and 3. The month end of the bag is then tied by the ends of the cord 23 or another cord by threading it through the ears 25 and around the bag. itself as at 28 of the same figures Finally still another cord 29 is taken a couple of turns around the bag at the top ofthe head as at 30 and both endsztightened around the ha; over thepersons ears as at 31 and tied securely. In this manner the apparatus is not only attached very firmly to the head' so that it cannot come oif or shift around when the person moves his head in any direction; but six distinct compartments have been formed in the bag to break up the wave motion. These compartments have been indicated by reference numerals 32. 33, 34. 36 and 37 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 4, 5 and 6. these show the application ofthe apparatus to the neck of'a patient. Unless the upper part of the patients head is required to be cooled at the same. time, the bag is now only partly filled. with iceshavings. fluid or semi-fluid. After closing the mouth of the bag as already described, the two ends of the bag are brought together so that the contents are permitted. to collect in. the middle portion thereof, the end portions remaining; empty. The middle portion. 38 of the bag is then laid around the neck, under the chin and ears of the patient. The end portions 30 and 40. which are empty and consequently to exits."

collapsed, are then crossed at the nape of the neck as at 11 where a cord is tied around the bag so that the portion or con'ipartment 38 will be closed from the compartments .9 and 4&0. The latter are then taken over the ears of the patient and united at the forchead by cord 19 which is taken through the ears The use of the device as a hotbag is no ditterent from the above described and the application to other parts of the body than the head or neck may be readily understood.

Aside from the use of the container bv physicians and patients. it is readily applicable for general use by persons exposed I. beat, such as firemen. furnace and rolling" mill workers. chefs. and others.

Having now described the invention. 1 claim:

1. IL container of the class described comprising' a tubular member of resilient material closed at one end, elements adapted to eliectually close the open end of the member. said eltlilelliS connin'ising wide flaps arranged oppositely on the sides of the tubular memher. and means for fixedly securing; said member to a part of the human or animal body, said means including ears arranged oppositely alongthe sides of the tubular member below said elements and another ear at the closed end of the member and cords adapted to be tied around the container at suitable places and to said ears thereby dividing the container into a plurality of substantially non-communicating. compartn'ients, thus breaking up the wave motion of the contents.

2. A container of the class described comprising a tubular member of resilient material closed at one end, elements adapted to eli'ectually close the open end of the member. and means for fixedly securing said member to a part of the human 0 animal body, said elements including reinforcing, short s! rips arranged on opposite sides of said member below the open end and provided with flaps adapted to fold over the same when the open end is rolled around itself, said flaps'havmg apertures and a string engaging in said apertures, said means including other strips adjacent said first strips and provided with ears below said flaps "and. another car at the closed end of the member, and cords adapted to be tied around the container at suitable places and to said ears thereby dividing the container into' a plurality of substantially nonconimunicating compartments, thus breaking up the wave motions of the con tents. I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

SAMUEL LOGAN OTVENS.

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