MEANS FOR DETECTING CHANGES IN THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SKIN

• US 3,830,224 A
• Filed: 12/19/1972
• Issued: 08/20/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ashod S. Dostoomian, Riccardo Vanzetti
• Original Assignee: Ashod S. Dostoomian, Riccardo Vanzetti
• Inventors: Vanzetti, Riccardo, Dostoomian, Ashod S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Medbery, Aldrich F.
• Application Number:
  US05/316,641
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2R,2H 23/23LC 73/356,358
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/165 of organic liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals

Abstract

Liquid crystals which have the property of changing color in response to temperature variations are contained in packages and are carried by an article of clothing. These packages sense the temperature of the skin at a control area and at an area that is related to the reproductive system. The gradient of the temperatures between these two areas is then used to determine the existence of a physiological change.

Claims

1. A device for detecting and visually displaying a thermal gradient between at least two skin areas of a living body comprising an item to be worn on said body, said item supporting at least two packages containing liquid crystals that are responsive to changes in skin temperature, said item being adapted to support one of said packages over a control area where basal body temperature is sensed and being further adapted to support the other of said packages over an area that is related to the reproductive system to sense body temperature changes thereat.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said item is a girdle, and said other package is supported by said girdle to lie over the ovaries.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said item is a brassiere, said brassiere having at least one cup, and said other package comprises a part of said cup.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein another part of said cup comprises an additional package containing liquid crystals that are responsive to changes in skin temperatures, and said other package and said additional package are disposed in spaced relation thereon.

5. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said item is an article of clothing, said article having at least two apertures formed therein, one of said packages being positioned in each of said apertures, and means for securing said packages to said article of clothing.

6. A device for detecting and visually displaying a thermal gradient between at least two skin areas of a living body comprising an item to be worn on said body, said item comprising a package containing liquid crystals that are responsive to changes in skin temperature, said package being large enough to have a first part that lies over a control area where basal body temperature is sensed and a second part that lies over an area that is related to the reproductive system to sense body temperature changes thereat.

7. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein said item includes a belt having at least one downwardly depending portion, said first part of said package being supported by said downwardly depending portion to lie over an ovary and said second part being supported by said downwardly supporting portion to lie over a control area.

8. A device as defined in claim 7 wherein said belt includes a second downwardly depending portion, a second package containing liquid crystals that are responsive to changes in skin temperature being supported by said second depending portion, a first part of said second package being supported to lie over the other ovary and a second part of said second package being supported to lie over a control area.

9. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said packages is comprised of first and second sheets of plastic material having a layer of said liquid crystals therebetween, at least one of said sheets being transparent, said layer of liquid crystals being adaPted to change color in response to changes in skin temperature.

10. A device as defined in claim 9 wherein said sheets and layer are rectangular.

11. A device as defined in claim 9 wherein said sheets and layer are circular.

12. A device as defined in claim 9 wherein said sheets define a plurality of cavities, said layer of liquid crystals being disposed in each of said cavities, and the liquid crystals in each of said cavities are operative in a different temperature range.