Abstract:
A method and apparatus to treat nosebleeds includes the steps of producing cold air using the input of air into a cooling apparatus and administering the cold air to the inside of the nose. The apparatus includes a cooling device with no moving parts. Preferably the cooling device is a vortex tube or a Peltier-type thermoelectric cooler. The cold air can also be mixed with water to moisturize the cold air.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to the treatment of nosebleeds, in particular, treatments involving the use of cold temperature.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Nosebleeds are common because the nasal membrane contains many tiny superficial blood vessels that are very fragile. Common causes of nosebleeds include dry air, colds, allergies, sinusitis, physical injury, and drug side effects. Children, in particular, are vulnerable to nosebleeds.  
         [0003]     Various remedies for nosebleeds exist, and the idea of using cold temperature to stop nosebleeds is not new. Cold temperature constricts the blood vessels and also increases the blood viscosity. Many medical sources encourage the application of an icepack on the nose when nosebleeds occur. At home, cold, wet towels are often used. Unfortunately, those methods only cool the outside of the nose and have only a slight effect on the inner nasal membrane, where the blood vessels are located. Commercial icepacks also have a tendency to heat up with time. For this reason, these methods cannot stop a nosebleed as quickly as desired.  
         [0004]     The present inventor has recognized the need for a method and apparatus that is effective at stopping nosebleeds quickly.  
         [0005]     The present inventor has recognized the need for a method and apparatus to treat nosebleeds that is portable, inexpensive, easy to use, quick to take effect, and safe.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention provides a method and apparatus to treat nosebleeds that comprises the application of a cold fluid to be sprayed or injected inside the affected nostril of the nose.  
         [0007]     According to the preferred embodiment, the cold fluid is air and the apparatus of the present invention comprises an air tank filled with pressurized air connected by a hose to a vortex tube.  
         [0008]     The Vortex tube was invented in 1930 by French physicist Georges J. Ranque and later improved by the German physicist Rudolf Hilsch. A vortex tube separates pressurized air into two streams of hot and cold air due to its internal configuration. A description of the configuration and operation of vortex tubes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,952,281; 4,240,261; and 5,327,728, all herein incorporated by reference. A vortex tube includes an inlet opening for receiving air from a pressurized air tank, a cold air outlet and a hot air outlet.  
         [0009]     The cold air outlet of the vortex tube of the present invention is connected to a hose with a nozzle adapted to administer the cold air into the affected nostril of the nose. The warm air outlet discharges to atmosphere. Although in this embodiment the vortex tube inlet opening is connected to an air tank to provide the source of pressurized air, the vortex tube could instead be connected to an air compressor to provide the source of pressurized air.  
         [0010]     Because vortex tubes have lower efficiency than traditional air conditioning equipment, the vortex tube has not gained widespread use for cooling. Currently, it is only used for certain industrial spot cooling applications. However, the present inventor has recognized that for nosebleeds, efficiency is not an issue because only a small amount of cooling is needed. Far more important qualities are portability, convenience, safety, cost, and speed of delivering the cold air.  
         [0011]     The preferred embodiment apparatus has very few moving parts and is durable and easily transportable. It also produces cold air faster than a conventional air conditioning or refrigerating system. Furthermore, the preferred embodiment apparatus uses breathable air instead of a refrigerant, increasing safety in operation. In addition, the apparatus is particularly effective because the fluid that is applied can reach deep into the nose to the bleeding area to take effect, even when the nose is filled with blood clots or mucus. Moreover, a gas is easy to use, even by children, because it is unnecessary to find the bleeding spot or clean the nose first. In effect, the cold gas finds the bleeding spot as if ice could be applied directly to the bleeding spot, with no mess or undue effort.  
         [0012]     This apparatus could also have an attached moisturizer that adds water to the fluid spray, and an attached air pump to replenish the compressed air.  
         [0013]     A second embodiment method and apparatus includes a pre-cooled air tank to administer the cold fluid to the user&#39;s nose.  
         [0014]     Another embodiment method and apparatus for administering a fluid to the user&#39;s nose to stop a nosebleed has an aerosol-like refrigerant spray of a safe gas, so that, upon expansion, a cold gas is generated and can be applied inside the user&#39;s nose.  
         [0015]     Yet another embodiment method and apparatus for administering cold fluid to the user&#39;s nose comprises a conventional refrigeration system providing cold air to be applied to the nose. The apparatus could include a small, portable refrigerator for cooling air, or one with a hose attached directly to a cold air output from the evaporator coil.  
         [0016]     According to another embodiment method and apparatus for administering a fluid to the user&#39;s nose, a supply of gas is cooled as it passes through a thin tube or coil that is cooled from the outside. For example, a pressurized air supply from a tank or from a compressor, pump or fan can supply air through a coil which is cooled by an external supply of ice, cold water, or a spray of gas or liquid applied onto the coil.  
         [0017]     According to another embodiment a Peltier-type cooling device can be used to cool air that is applied inside the nostril to stop a nosebleed.  
         [0018]     Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, and from the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of the present invention in its preferred embodiment;  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is schematic view of a fifth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a sixth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a seventh embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]     While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.  
         [0027]     The preferred embodiment apparatus  6  is shown in  FIG. 1 , and includes a vortex tube  10  having a cold air output  1   1  and a hot air output  12 . The cold air output  11  is connected to an output hose  14 . Output hose  14  has an applicator or nozzle  15  attached at the end for injecting the cold air into the affected nostril. The nozzle is preferably removable for cleaning or is disposable, for hygienic reasons. Hose  14  may also have an attached moisture reservoir  24 . The reservoir  24  can have a supply of water that is delivered as droplets or vapor into the hose  14  by the velocity of air passing through the hose  14  or through a venturi arranged within the hose. Vortex tube  10  has an input  13  which receives air from input hose  16 . Input hose  16  is attached to pressurized air supply  18  and can include a valve  17  for controlling the rate of air flow and acting as a shut off.  
         [0028]     The hot air outlet  12  can be provided with a vented cover or shroud to prevent hot air from contacting a user. It is also desirable to prevent blood from entering the vortex tube. A bend can be provided in the applicator  15  in a way that the vortex tube will be at a higher position than the bend, wherein gravitational force will prevent blood from flowing into the vortex tube.  
         [0029]     A second apparatus  19  is shown in  FIG. 2  and includes a pre-cooled tank  20  filled with pressurized air. Such a tank could be pre-cooled in a freezer and insulated to retain a cold temperature for an extended period of time after removal from the freezer. A hose  21  with a valve  22  is attached to the pre-cooled air tank  20 . A nozzle  23  is attached at the end of hose  21  for injecting the cooled air into the affected nostril. The nozzle is preferably removable for cleaning or is disposable, for hygienic reasons. Hose  21  may also have an attached moisture reservoir  24 . The reservoir  24  can have a supply of water that is delivered into the hose  21  by the velocity of air passing through the hose  21 . Pre-cooled air tank  20  may have a charging hose  25  attaching pre-cooled air tank  20  to an output of an air pump  26 .  
         [0030]     The air pump  26  could also be used with any of the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-5  that use an air tank.  
         [0031]     A third embodiment apparatus  28  is shown in  FIG. 3  and includes a tank of compressed refrigerant gas  30 . Attached to the refrigerant gas tank  30  is a hose  31  with a valve  32  and a nozzle  33  at the end for injecting the cooled refrigerant gas into the affected nostril. The refrigerant gas must be safe for inhalation. The refrigerant gas is selected such that it cools to a great extent when it discharges and expands from the nozzle  33 . Alternately, the reservoir can contain a liquid or gas that is already at a low temperature. A mechanism can be provided to prevent adverse over-cooling by a very cold gas to prevent frostbite. The nozzle is preferably removable for cleaning or is disposable, for hygienic reasons. Hose  31  may also have an attached moisture reservoir  24 . The reservoir  24  can have a supply of water that is delivered into the hose  31  by the velocity of air passing through the hose  31  or through a venturi within the hose.  
         [0032]     A fourth embodiment apparatus  36  is shown in  FIG. 4  that includes a refrigerator  40  comprising an evaporator  41 , an air coil  42 , a pump or fan  43 , and the remaining components of a conventional refrigeration circuit  44 , i. e., a circuit that includes a compressor, a condenser, a valve and the evaporator  41 . The air coil  42  is connected to hose  45 , which includes a valve  46  and a nozzle  47  for injecting the cooled air into the affected nostril. The nozzle is preferably removable for cleaning or is disposable, for hygienic reasons. Hose  45  may also have an attached moisture reservoir  24 . The reservoir  24  can have a supply of water that is delivered into the hose  45  by the velocity of air passing through the hose  45  or through a venturi within the hose. Air delivered though the coil  42  is cooled by the evaporating refrigerant. Alternately, the pump or fan  43  could be replaced by a pressurized air tank.  
         [0033]     A fifth embodiment apparatus  48  is shown in  FIG. 5  and includes a container of cold fluid  50 . Container  50  includes air coils  51  inside, and a pump or fan  52  blowing air through air coil  51 . The air coil is connected to a hose  53 , which can include a valve  54  and a nozzle  55 . The nozzle is preferably removable for cleaning or is disposable, for hygienic reasons. Hose  53  may also have an attached moisture reservoir  24 . The reservoir  24  can have a supply of water that is delivered into the hose  53  by the velocity of air passing through the hose  53  or through a venturi within the hose. Alternately, the pump or fan  52  could be replaced by a pressurized air tank.  
         [0034]     A sixth embodiment apparatus  60  utilizes an air tank  64  of pressurized air having an outlet  66  connected to a tube  68  in the form of a coil. A compressed refrigerant tank  72  is mounted with the air tank  64  and has an outlet  74  connected to a valve  76  that is connected to a nozzle  78  that directs discharged and expanded refrigerant, such as CO 2 , at and over the coil. The refrigerant gas cools to a great extent when it discharges and expands from the nozzle  78  and it cools the air passing through the tube  68 . The tube  68  is connected to a nozzle  83  at the end thereof for injecting the cooled air into the affected nostril. A valve  88  can be located along the tube  68 . The nozzle  83  is preferably removable for cleaning or disposable, for hygienic reasons. The tube  68  can have an attached moisture reservoir  24 . The reservoir  24  can have a supply of water that is delivered into the tube  68  by the velocity of air passing through the tube or through a venturi within the tube.  
         [0035]      FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of the invention wherein a Peltier-type thermoelectric cooling device is used to cool air for application into the nose to stop a nosebleed. A Peltier-type device is a solid state active heat pump which transfers heat from one side of the device to the other side of the device against the temperature gradient using consumption of electrical energy. A Peltier-type device is connected to a DC voltage and one side cools and the other side heats. A Peltier-type cooling device is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,560,968, herein incorporated by reference.  
         [0036]     A seventh embodiment apparatus  100  includes a Peltier-type device  108  that includes a first heat transfer surface  110  on a cooling side within an air chamber  112 , and a second heat transfer surface  114  on a heating side outside of the chamber  112 . The second heat transfer surface  114  should be protected with a shield to prevent accidental contact by a user.  
         [0037]     The device  108  includes thermoelectric elements  115  of semiconductor doped with N-type impurity ions or P-type impurity ions, electrodes  116 ,  117  of copper or the like, and a ceramic substrate  118  or the like enclosing the electrodes  116 ,  117 . The heat transfer surfaces  110 ,  114  are provided on the substrate  118 .  
         [0038]     An air pump or fan  120 , or alternately a pressurized air tank, blows air through the chamber  112  via an inlet hose  124  where it is cooled. An outlet hose  128  is connected to an outlet of the chamber and to an applicator or nozzle  130  for application of the cooled air into the user&#39;s affected nostril to stop a nosebleed. A valve  138  can be located along the tube  128 . The nozzle  130  is preferably removable for cleaning, or is disposable, for hygienic reasons. The hose  128  can have an attached moisture reservoir  24 . The reservoir  24  can have a supply of water that is delivered into the tube  128  by the velocity of air passing through the tube or through a venturi within the tube.  
         [0039]     From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.