Temperature-dependent adhesion between applicator and skin during cooling of tissue
First Claim
1. A method for cooling a tissue region of a human subject having skin, the method comprising:
- applying an applicator to the subject'"'"'s skin such that an adhesive is disposed between a heat-transfer surface of the applicator and the subject'"'"'s skin; and
cooling the adhesive via the heat-transfer surface of the applicator while cooling the tissue region to a sufficiently low temperature to damage tissue at the tissue region,wherein cooling the adhesive reversibly increases tensile adhesion between the subject'"'"'s skin and the heat-transfer surface of the applicator by a factor of at least 1.25.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention includes applying adhesive onto skin of a human subject. An applicator is then brought into contact with the adhesive such the adhesive is disposed between the applicator and the subject'"'"'s skin. The applicator is activated to cool a tissue region via the subject'"'"'s skin, via the heat-transfer surface of the applicator, and via the adhesive. While the tissue region cools, the adhesive also cools, thereby reversibly strengthening adhesion between the subject'"'"'s skin and the heat-transfer surface and forming a strong bond therebetween. The strengthened adhesion inhibits any movement of the applicator relative to the skin. After cooling the tissue region, the adhesive is warmed, thereby weakening the adhesion which allows the heat-transfer surface of the applicator to be easily separated from the skin.
661 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for cooling a tissue region of a human subject having skin, the method comprising:
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applying an applicator to the subject'"'"'s skin such that an adhesive is disposed between a heat-transfer surface of the applicator and the subject'"'"'s skin; and cooling the adhesive via the heat-transfer surface of the applicator while cooling the tissue region to a sufficiently low temperature to damage tissue at the tissue region, wherein cooling the adhesive reversibly increases tensile adhesion between the subject'"'"'s skin and the heat-transfer surface of the applicator by a factor of at least 1.25. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification