Abstract:
A method and apparatus for the treatment of injuries or pain associated with the head or central nervous system. The present embodiment utilizes a head covering that is activated to produce an endothermic reaction to draw heat from, or apply cold to, the head and central nervous system. Layers are used to accomplish different applications and colors are used to associate with selected sport teams colors or camouflaged as may be required in a battlefield environment.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for the treatment of injuries or ailments of the head area including but not limited to head injury, bleeding, concussion, migraine, seizures or heat stroke through the application of accessible cold therapy. It is the intention of the current invention to be used or deployed immediately after sports injuries, injuries on the battlefield, injuries resulting from automobile accidents or other events that result in injury or pain to the head or central nervous system. It is well known that the quick application of cold treatments reduces swelling or reduces pain after events such as injuries to the head. The timely deployment of form fitting cold therapy compress device reduces the effects of an injury and in many instances arrest the injury from worsening. In addition, reoccurring medical conditions such as migraines, seizures or heat prostration will also benefit from a timely application or deployment of a cold head compress. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Cryotherapeutic or cold therapy helps reduces pain, arrests swelling, decreases the hyperactivity of the central nervous system and decreases vasodilation during bleeding. Advantages of emergency application of cold therapy are well known but not often used because it is difficult to carry ice around and/or the time needed to freeze water or materials for emergency use is time prohibitive. As an example, Cumming et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,262,601 calls for ice to be inserted into a helmet. 
         [0003]    Cryotherapeutic application during emergency situations often times may be an instant ice pack. An instant ice pack is a containment pack consisting of a small bag of water and other materials, such as ammonium nitrate, calcium ammonium nitrate, urea, or others. An endothermic reaction is commenced when the water bag in the pack is broken which facilitates the mixing with or dissolving of these other materials in the pack. Such instant cold packs are square or rectangular or some other flat shape. These flat shapes are difficult to attach to the head area and are difficult to put on and remove, often times requiring long bandages to wrap around the head. 
         [0004]    Pressure helps arrests swelling, decreases the hyperactivity of the central nervous system and decreases vasodilation during bleeding. The application of pressure is often times difficult for injuries or ailments of the head. Form fitting devices for the head are often times not available during emergency situations. 
         [0005]    Immediately after an injury to the head, especially with a laceration, an absorbent layer or gauze pad may be placed on the head to arrest the bleeding. This requires holding it in place which is problematic for attending emergency personnel. Wrapping a bandage around the head to secure the gauze pad is also problematic since the head is a partial globe in form and wrapping requires significant movement of the head. 
         [0006]    Oftentimes a patient&#39;s head is exposed to the elements and application of any cold treatment absorbs heat from the environment instead of the patients head. 
         [0007]    Placing of a helmet type device that cover a substantial portion of the head often times requires the helmet to be pulled onto the head from above or slightly from the back of the head. This may cause further injury. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows the emergency head covering that covers a substantial portion of the head. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2A  shows an emergency head covering with a deployment seam. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2B  shows a disposable emergency head covering with a deployment seam using tape fasteners. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a cross sectional view of a basic emergency head covering. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows a cross sectional view of emergency head covering where there are 2 outer layers and 2 inner layers. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5A  shows a cross sectional view of emergency head covering where there are 3 inner layers. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5B  show an expanded view of a section of  FIG. 5A  a cross section of emergency head covering depicting 3 inner layers. 
       
    
    
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0015]    The present invention addresses the timely deployment, as in an emergency application, of cryotherapeutic or cold therapy treatment for the head. An emergency head covering cold pack helmet reduces pain, arrest swelling, decreases the hyperactivity of the central nervous system, decreases vasodilation during bleeding and other injuries to the head. For example, emergency application of a cryotherapeutic cooling helmet is useful in simply arresting vasodilation during internal bleeding of the head, like a severe contusion. 
         [0016]    It is the intention of the present invention to supply a form fitting head covering secured to the head to aid in the timely application of pressure. The timely application of pressure also helps arrests swelling, decreases the hyperactivity of the central nervous system and decreases vasodilation during bleeding. A form fitting head covering also aids in holding the cryotherapeutic treatment to the head. 
         [0017]    In addition it is the intention of the present invention to provide an absorbent and non-stick layer fitted to the head to absorb bleeding or other liquids appearing around the head. 
         [0018]    In addition it is the intention of the present invention to provide an insulating layer. Said insulating layer provides some physical and thermal protection for the head. Said insulating layer limits the heat from the environment thus increasing the efficiency of the instant cold pack. Instead of the instant cold pack absorbing heat from the environment the insulating layer only allows heat into the instant cold pack from the head, thus providing greater cooling therapy for the patient&#39;s head. In addition, pockets may be attached to said insulating layer so that instant cold packs could be inserted making the emergency head covering reusable, further providing a positive environmental impact. 
         [0019]    In addition it is the intention of the present invention to provide ports positioned on the helmet and around the head. Said ports provide for the transfer of sound, adding additional cold treatments and observation of the head. For example said ports can be used to observe bleeding or other liquids appearing around the head. Also prepositioned ports around the ears can aid the transmission of sound energy or communication with the injured party. 
         [0020]    In addition it is the intention of the present invention to provide seams in the helmet such that by using a connecting material such as a hook and loop fastening components system the emergency head covering may be formed during the deployment event where the said head covering wraps around the head minimizing head movement after the injury. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , emergency head cover  11  covers substantially a significant portion of the head. This includes the top of head, sides of head, forehead and back of the head to at least the base of the skull. Corresponding brain tissue to be covered includes: Frontal lobe, Parietal lobe, Temporal lobe (2 sides), Occipital lobe and Cerebellum.  FIG. 1  shows a view of the helmet with seams  27  and enclosed measured volumes  36 . Enclosed measured volume  36  is a containment pack filled with material or materials capable of producing an endothermic reaction upon activation as in an instant cold pack. Said enclosed measured volume  36  outlines are shown as dashed lines. Outer most layer  14  is the layer seen by others or when the patient looks in a mirror. Said outer most layer  14  may be of a particular color that is used to associate with sports team colors or camouflaged as may be required in a battlefield environment. Transmission port  12  is meant to undercover the ear to allow for control transmissions of sound energy. Transmission port  12  may consist of a simple hole to allow communications to the injured. Transmission port  12  may also consist of material or a device to block or cancel harmful sound energy. An example of harmful sound is, in a war zone or emergency helicopter transport where loud or menacing sound energy could cause additional harm or cumulative damage. Another example of controlled transmission of sound energy through transmission ports  12  is to use ear phones for communication in an emergency helicopter transport where EMS personnel can more effectively communicate to patient being transported. Other ports  112  may allow for visual observation of the head including but not limited to, type of fluids, blood and are different from transmission ports  12  used to uncover the ears. Said other ports  112  may also be used to recharge instant cold pack, insertion of medical devices or materials. Strap  13  is attached to emergency head cover  11  for securing the apparatus to the head. Two straps  13  may be tied together to secure the apparatus to the head. One strap  13  may also be used with a hook and loop fastening system. Said single strap  13  fastening system may consist of stretchable material with one component of hook and loop fastening system attached to the end of said single strap  13 . Said single strap  13  is then stretched and connected to the other side of the emergency head covering where there is the opposite component of the hook and loop fastening system is attached and serves as a landing zone for said single strap  13 . This aids to gently secure emergency head covering  11  to patients head and applies some pressure. Said outer most layer  14  may be of a particular color that is used to associate with sports team colors or camouflaged as may be required in a battlefield environment. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2A  shows said seams  27  which may serve to separate enclosed measured volumes  36 . Deployment seam  28  is a component of a fastening system that aids in positioning the emergency head covering  11  around the head and is used to merge portions of apparatus during a deployment event. Said deployment event means when an emergency head covering is activated to start an endothermic reaction and placed on the head of a patient. Said deployment seam  28  provides an opening such that the emergency head covering  11  could be wrapped around the head in the form of a helmet thus minimizing the movement of the head. Normally a helmet type device is put on or deployed by sliding the helmet over the head. This action of sliding a helmet may cause additional trauma to a patient with a head injury or any other injury to the central nervous system. There may be more than one deployment seam  28  to further aid in wrapping the emergency head covering around the head. One embodiment is said deployment seam  28  may consist of hook and loop closing components construction to close and finally form the emergency head covering ( FIG. 4A ). In a preferred embodiment of a disposable apparatus shown in  FIG. 2B , said deployment seam  28  is a simple seam  27  that opens like a flap where at least one tape fastener  113  is used to close or complete the deployment of the emergency head covering  11 . Tape fasteners  113  are attached to the one side of the head covering and transversely attached to a landing zone  213  ( FIG. 4B ) to close and finally form the head covering around the head. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 3  showing a cross sectional view of emergency head cover  11  ( FIG. 1 ). All layers between the patients head and said enclosed measured volume  36  are called inner layers. All layers from out away from the patients head and out and away from the enclosed measured volume  36  are outer layers. Outer layer  24  is joined with inner layer  25  to form said enclosed measured volume  36  much like a containment packet ( FIG. 1 ). Outer layer  24  and inner layer  25  may consist of plastic, nylon, other or some combination of materials forming a containment packet capable of holding endothermic materials. Said enclosed measured volume  36  contains endothermic materials  26  capable of causing an endothermic reaction upon activation. Endothermic materials  26  for example may be ammonium nitrate and a bag of water. Other materials may be calcium ammonium nitrate, urea, or others. Activation of the reaction is a simple squeezing and bursting of the water bag. When said endothermic materials  26 , ammonium nitrate and a bag of water, mixes an endothermic reaction results as in an instant or disposable cold pack, thus providing emergency cold treatment to a substantial portion of the head. Seam  27  is the sealed or joined part of outer layer  24  and inner layer  25 . Inner layer  25 , outer layer  24 , seam  27  and endothermic materials  26  may form an instant cold pack. Multiple instant cold packs may be pre-combined with seams  27  to form the emergency head cover  11 . The above description represents the simplest and unique embodiment of the emergency head covering. Deployment seam  28  is one embodiment that aids in forming the emergency head covering  11 . It is recognized that  FIG. 3  shows outer layer  24  is also the outer most layer  14  ( FIG. 1 ) in this preferred embodiment or configuration of said emergency head covering  11 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  shows cross sectional view of emergency head cover  11  ( FIG. 1 ) a particular embodiment where outer most layer  14  consists of a shell made of different material such as neoprene. Outer most layer  14  may have pockets or inner most layer  225  attached to it to facilitate insertion of separate instant cold packs. Said instant cold packs are composed of outer layer  24  is joined with inner layer  25  to form said enclosed measured volume. Said enclosed measured volume is filled with endothermic materials  26 . Pockets or inner most layer  225  is the layer closest to the patients head and has openings  226  such that instant cold packs may be inserted and removed. Pockets or inner most layer  225  represents an inner most layer and is different from inner layer  25 . Deployment seam  128  shows hook and loop closing components construction to close and finally form the emergency head covering  11   
         [0025]      FIG. 5A  shows cross sectional view of a disposable embodiment of emergency head cover  11  ( FIG. 1 ) with 3 inner layers, inner layer  25 , inner absorbent layer  325  and inner most film layer  425 . Said inner layer  25  is sealed with outer layer  24  to create said enclosed measured volumes filled with endothermic materials  26 . Said inner absorbent layer  325  is an absorbent layer that may consist of cotton, absorbent polymer fibers or absorbent particles meant to collect blood or other fluids that are on or around the patients head. Said inner most film layer  425  is a porous sheet to allow blood or other fluids to pass through from the head and into the inner absorbent layer  325 . Ideally inner most film layer  425  is non-stick so as the emergency head covering is removed from the patient at a location where emergency medical staff need access to the patients&#39; head, as in a hospital, hair or skin of the patients head will not be fused to the emergency head covering.  FIG. 5B  shows an expanded view of a section of  FIG. 5A  a cross section of emergency head covering depicting the 3 inner layers. Said layers, inner layer  25 , inner absorbent layer  325  and inner most film layer  425  are meant to attached to form a single shell for the disposable emergency head cover  11 .