Airflow applicators and related treatment methods
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for treating an animal having a lice infestation to substantially eliminate both lice and lice eggs from the animal, the method comprising:
- obtaining an applicator, wherein at least a portion of the applicator is disposable, wherein the applicator comprises a plurality of elongated fingers, and wherein at least a subset of the plurality of elongated fingers comprise ports for delivering airflow, and wherein the applicator is configured for delivering heated airflow to a treatment site on the animal;
connecting the applicator to a heated airflow source;
delivering a heated airflow through the applicator to the treatment site to substantially eliminate the lice and lice eggs from the treatment site;
moving the applicator to a second treatment site;
delivering a heated airflow through the applicator to the second treatment site to substantially eliminate the lice and lice eggs from the second treatment site;
repeating the delivering and moving steps until substantially all lice and lice eggs have been eliminated;
removing at least a portion of the applicator from the heated airflow source;
disposing of at least a portion of the applicator; and
connecting a second applicator to the heated airflow source, wherein at least a portion of the second applicator is disposable, and wherein the second applicator is configured for delivering airflow to a treatment site on the animal.
2 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are embodiments of airflow applicators used for delivering directional, heated air to, for example, the scalp and hair of humans and/or animals to eliminate ectoparasites, such as lice and lice eggs. In preferred embodiments, the applicators are configured to deliver heated airflow (from a separate device, or from another portion of a single device, that generates heated airflow) efficiently right to where ectoparasites and their eggs most frequently reside. Also disclosed are treatment methods, including preferred treatment patterns, for delivering heated airflows for use in eliminating ectoparasites and their eggs on an animal.
180 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for treating an animal having a lice infestation to substantially eliminate both lice and lice eggs from the animal, the method comprising:
-
obtaining an applicator, wherein at least a portion of the applicator is disposable, wherein the applicator comprises a plurality of elongated fingers, and wherein at least a subset of the plurality of elongated fingers comprise ports for delivering airflow, and wherein the applicator is configured for delivering heated airflow to a treatment site on the animal; connecting the applicator to a heated airflow source; delivering a heated airflow through the applicator to the treatment site to substantially eliminate the lice and lice eggs from the treatment site; moving the applicator to a second treatment site; delivering a heated airflow through the applicator to the second treatment site to substantially eliminate the lice and lice eggs from the second treatment site; repeating the delivering and moving steps until substantially all lice and lice eggs have been eliminated; removing at least a portion of the applicator from the heated airflow source; disposing of at least a portion of the applicator; and connecting a second applicator to the heated airflow source, wherein at least a portion of the second applicator is disposable, and wherein the second applicator is configured for delivering airflow to a treatment site on the animal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for treating a human patient having a lice infestation to substantially eliminate both lice and lice eggs from the patient, the method comprising:
-
obtaining an applicator comprising a plurality of fingers, at least a subset of the plurality of fingers comprising ports, wherein the ports are positioned on the fingers along substantially only one side of the fingers, and wherein the ports are configured for delivering airflow to a treatment site on the scalp of the patient; connecting the applicator to a blower; contacting the scalp of the patient with the applicator at the treatment site; delivering a heated airflow through the ports to the treatment site to substantially eliminate the lice and lice eggs from the treatment site, wherein the airflow is delivered laterally of the applicator such that the treatment site extends from the applicator to only one side of the applicator; moving the applicator to a second treatment site; contacting the scalp of the patient with the applicator at the second treatment site; delivering a heated airflow through the applicator to the second treatment site to substantially eliminate the lice and lice eggs from the second treatment site, wherein the airflow is delivered substantially laterally of the applicator such that the second treatment site extends from the applicator to substantially only one side of the applicator; repeating the delivering and moving steps until substantially all lice and lice eggs have been eliminated from the patient. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification