KR20080031860A - Ectoparasite eradication method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of eliminating an ectoparasite infestation is disclosed that may include steps of defining a target area on an animal having an ectoparasite infestation (12), heating a volume of air to a temperature to form heated air (14), applying the heated air to the target area with an airflow (16) such that the heated air impinges directly on substantially all ectoparasites located within the target area, and maintaining the heated air at the target area for a period of time (18) sufficient to affect an ectoparasite mortality rate of at least 50%.

Description

In vitro parasite eradication method and device {ECTOPARASITE ERADICATION METHOD AND DEVICE}

The present invention relates to the removal of in vitro parasites. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of heated and pressurized air to remove extracellular parasites.

Over the past decade, head lice have grown rapidly across the globe, with an estimated 10 million cases annually in the United States alone. Head lice, Pediculus Capitis , is quite irritating to children and their parents. P. capitis has a life cycle that includes an egg stage, three juvenile instars, and an adult stage. Head infestation causes children to miss 12 to 24 million annually. It is quite difficult to eradicate head lice from humans. In addition, some families in developing countries have chronic invasion that is never eradicated. Head and body, P.humanus , are extremely genetically similar, and recent studies indicate they are the same species. Because head lice are similar to the body, the body causes several human diseases, including typhus and recursive fever, which have killed millions of humans during the 20th century.

Several methods are currently used to treat head lice invasion, including insecticide shampoos, specialized head lice combs and home remedies. These therapies are not effective in eliminating head lice invasion. Special shampoos, for example, are not efficient in erasing eggs, and hatched ones start to develop resistance to most of these shampoos. Using a lice treatment comb to comb and remove hatched teeth and eggs from individual hair is efficient but inconvenient and time consuming. Most parents do not have the patience to eliminate invasion in this way. In addition, hot air therapy has been proposed as a treatment for head lice. However, although hot air is shown to exterminate head lice and their eggs in vitro, these treatments are generally not efficient in vivo.

The method for eradicating head lice invasion must efficiently eradicate both hatched teeth and their eggs, and must be safe, reliable and easy to use. In addition, this method preferably uses non-chemical means to prevent any undesirable side effects in the patient and to prevent head lice from becoming resistant to treatment.

It is desirable to develop reliable non-chemical therapies to combat head lice and other in vitro parasites. The method for eliminating in vitro parasite invasion comprises the steps of: defining a target area of an animal in which the parasite is infested (ectoparasite infestation), heating a significant amount of air to a temperature to form heated air, Using airflow to direct contact with all extracorporeal parasites located in the target area using airflow to the target area and heating the target area for a time sufficient to achieve at least 50% in vitro parasite eradication rate. Maintaining the air.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an institutional method for eliminating in vitro parasite invasion is disclosed. This method comprises the steps of: determining a target area of an invasive human parasite, heating a substantial amount of air to a temperature of approximately 50 ° C. to 100 ° C. to form heated air, wherein all the heated air is located in the target area. about 45 ft ³ / min to a heated using a gas flow of approximately 365 ft ³ / min air phase to spray the target zone, and heating in the target region for about 5 seconds to one hour of air to contact the ectoparasites directly Maintaining the step.

The present invention may include a method of increasing contact of heated air with an extracorporeal parasite located within a target area. In one aspect, the method includes determining whether an in vitro parasite has a hair length suitable for compartmentalization, dividing the hair into a plurality of separate sections to expose the scalp areas, and each scalp area. And spraying the heated air into individual sections of the hair connected with them. In another aspect, the method may include regularly spraying heated air into the target area using a comb device for separating and raising the hair in the target area.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a handheld method for eliminating in vitro parasite invasion is disclosed. This method comprises the steps of: determining a target area of an invasive human parasite, heating a substantial amount of air to a temperature of approximately 50 ° C. to 100 ° C. to form heated air, wherein all the heated air is located in the target area. Spraying heated air to the target area using an airflow of approximately 20 ft ³ / min to approximately 220 ft ³ / min for direct contact with the in vitro parasite and for a time sufficient to achieve at least 50% of the in vitro parasite eradication rate. Maintaining heated air in the target area.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which by way of example describes the features of the invention.

1 is a flow chart illustrating a method for removing head lice in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flow chart illustrating a method for removing head lice in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for removing head lice in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for removing head lice in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a perspective view showing a comb device for separating and lifting hair.

6 is a flow chart illustrating a method for removing head lice in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

In the previously filed US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 133,067, the airflow range is obtained using a pitot tube anemometer, which is common in the prior art. Further experiments are presented and these measurements are inaccurate as errors can occur. Interestingly, the measurements reported for the airflow of the blow dryer from various manufacturers vary widely, which is described in the examples below. These reported measurements are the only marketing vehicle for the brow dryer industry. As such, this partial continuing application has been filed to correct the incorrect air flow range values reported in the aforementioned patent application. The following air flow ranges are latitude by volume measurement, examples of which are described in the Examples below. The upper and lower limits for the air flow range are shifted downward to adjust the newly measured air flow values, but the size of each range remains constant. The reported incorrect air flow range values are only innocent errors based on what is considered a standard measurement method in the prior art. This faulty standard measurement method results in an incorrect air flow range value. Accordingly, the airflow range varies but the inherent features of the present invention do not vary.

In accordance with the illustrative embodiment shown in the figures, certain terms are used herein to describe the same. Nevertheless, the scope of the present invention is not limited. Modifications and further modifications of the features of the invention described herein, as well as to those skilled in the art to which this specification pertains, and the further application of the spirit of the invention described herein are contemplated within the scope of the invention. . The following description focuses primarily on head lice, but various species of ectoparasites can be eradicated by using the disclosed invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to head lice, but extends to in vitro parasites of various species that may be affected by the methods disclosed herein. Examples can include teeth of various species including head lice and body lice, as well as unrestricted ticks, fleas, crab lice, parasitic flies, and the like.

The inventors have found a very efficient way to eradicate head lice and their eggs. This is based on the large volume of heated air that increases the rate of eradication of head lice and hatched head lice. This finding has the added advantage of eliminating or eradicating in vitro parasite infestations while having increased stability, efficiency, speed, simplicity and cost effectiveness over the prior art. According to its biological literature, many hatched heads survived after exposure to 60 ° C. air of a bonnet-style hair dryer. Similar results are obtained from tests using standard consumer brow dryers. Nearly all the louses exposed to air heated to 59 ° C. with an air flow of at least 85 ft ³ / min are extinguished within 20 seconds when the heated air is sprayed directly onto them. Significant survival in the first experiment is due to the low airflow along the bonnet-style hair dryer and hand-held brow dryer, as well as the release of the heated air to a location that hides it and its eggs. As inefficiently heated air is sparged it can escape to relatively cold air pockets in the bundle of hair matted by the hair dryer. The inventors believe that in the second experiment a significantly higher kill rate depends on the combination of heated air, high airflow rates and methods of using the same. The heated air used in this way is non-chemical and is preferred for the treatment of head lice because it takes relatively less time than shampoo or combing and this treatment does not involve side effects. Way. Thus, this method is useful for permanently eradicating head lice worldwide.

In general, animals infected with extracorporeal parasites need to treat most of the surface area of the invaded area. The nature and location of the invasion can vary considerably depending on the particular species and animal of the in vitro parasites involved. For example, the human invasive area of head lice will be different from the invasive area of a dog with fleas. Because a wide range of different animals are susceptible to the invasion of many types of ectoparasites, the method of targeting and treating target areas can vary considerably. Thus, the methods described herein are illustrative only and are not intended to be limiting in any way.

Similarly, all animals invading ectoparasites may benefit from methods included within the scope of the present invention. Such animals may include, for example, reptiles, mammals, birds, and the like. Additionally in one embodiment of the invention, the animal is a mammal. In other embodiments, the animal is a human. In order to simplify the technical content of the present invention without limiting the present invention, the following description relates to a human host in which head lice are invaded.

1-4 and 6 diagrammatically illustrate the steps for a method embodiment of the present invention. Not all illustrated steps are necessarily performed for a given embodiment. Similarly, the order of steps shown is not intended to be limiting and variations of the order are to be understood as being considered within the scope of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention consists of a method for treating in vitro parasite infestation. This method comprises the steps of defining a target area for an animal invaded by an ectoparasite (12), heating a significant amount of air to a temperature for forming heated air (14), wherein the heated air is located within the target area. Spraying the heated air to the target area according to the airflow to impinge direct contact with all extraneous parasites (16) and to the target area for a time sufficient to cause at least 50% of the parasite eradication rate. Maintaining heated air. Although a 50% erasure rate is allowed in marginal circumstance, the present invention prefers an effective erasure rate of approximately 100%. Conversely, an effective erasure rate of 50% cannot be achieved according to the prior art.

Depending on the step of defining the target area for the invasive animal, an in vitro parasite may form a plurality of individual target areas or a target area including the entire invasive area. The air heated according to a well-defined target area can be evenly spread over all invaded areas of the animal, thus helping to treat the animal as a whole through the treatment of multiple individual areas. In other cases, heated air can be sprayed simultaneously into a wide or multiple areas of the animal.

The step 14 of heating a substantial amount of air to a temperature to form heated air can be implemented by any means known to those skilled in the art, and sufficient heat can be applied in the air stream of the heated air. Head lice can be eradicated. The temperature of the heated air effective to eradicate head lice is contemplated within the scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, the temperature of the substantial amount of air is at least 50 ° C. The upper limit for this temperature may depend on the heat endurance of the invaded animal. In addition, the pain and discomfort thresholds can vary significantly between individuals so that the maximum allowable temperature can similarly vary. The maximum allowable temperature may be different for non-human animals. In addition, the durability of the animal can vary with the duration of the application, because the relatively high temperature is shorter tolerable compared to the time at which a relatively low temperature can be used. In one embodiment, the temperature of the significant amount of air may be between about 50 ° C and about 100 ° C. In other embodiments, the temperature of the substantial amount of air can be from about 54 ° C to about 65 ° C. In other embodiments, the temperature of the substantial amount of air can be from about 54 ° C to about 59 ° C. In yet other embodiments, the temperature of the significant amount of air can be approximately 59 ° C.

The heated air can be provided to the target area using any method known to those skilled in the art while the stream of heated air is maintained at a sufficient rate to eradicate head lice. Any air flow that is effective to eradicate head lice is contemplated within the scope of the present invention. As heat is applied, the upper limit for airflow may depend on the endurance of the invaded animal. The airflow that an animal can tolerate varies depending on the species. For example, pachyderms can tolerate significantly higher airflow than humans or birds. In one embodiment of the invention, the airflow is between about 25 ft ³ / min and about 2000 ft ³ / min. In other embodiments, the airflow is between about 30 ft ³ / min and about 430 ft ³ / min. In yet other embodiments, the airflow is approximately 35 ft ³ / min to 285 ft ³ / min.

Heated air can also be provided to the target area by regularly spraying the heated air onto the target area using a device for separating and lifting hair. Such an apparatus can be any means known to those skilled in the art that can separate and lift hair while providing heated air to heat all target areas in their entirety. In one embodiment, the device may be a comb device. The comb device may be attached to or separated from the device for delivering heated air. The inventor is based on using such a comb device, which can increase the efficiency of treatment without considering the length of the hair. One example of a comb device is described in detail below.

In one embodiment of the present invention, heated air may be maintained in the target area for a sufficient time to exhibit at least 50% in vitro parasite killing (18). The period includes a continuous and discontinuous period. For example, heated air can be performed consistently in the target area until at least 50% eradication rate is achieved. In other embodiments, the heated air can be delivered to the target area in multiple sparging regimes, such that the combined effect of the multiple sparging regimes reaches at least 50%. Intermediate times between applications can be seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, and so forth.

Although a killing rate of at least 50% is disclosed, according to the inventors' findings, the appropriate application disclosed herein can completely eliminate invasion of in vitro parasites, particularly parasites including head lice. However, certain embodiments are expected to have relatively low kill rates. In such cases, a relatively low eradication rate can be achieved while simultaneously invading the subject several times as mentioned above. For example, in embodiments where treatment results in 50% eradication, appropriate results may be achieved following treatment for several days. As such, in one embodiment, heated air is maintained in the target area for a time sufficient to achieve at least 70% in vitro parasite killing rate. In other embodiments, heated air is maintained in the target area for a time sufficient to achieve at least 85% in vitro parasite killing rate. In yet other embodiments, the heated air is maintained in the target area for a time sufficient to achieve at least 95% in vitro parasite killing.

The length of time that heated air is maintained to provide an acceptable in vitro parasite eradication rate is the direct application of temperature, airflow, hair coarseness and length, type of in vitro parasites, and heated air directly to the parasites in the target area. It may vary depending on a number of factors including the method. It is well known to those skilled in the art to assess a specific invasive environment and thus to time the sparging of heated air. If the target region comprises a plurality of individual target regions, the temperature of the heated air may be maintained in each target region for at least a certain time. In one embodiment of the invention, the heated air may be maintained in the target area for about 5 seconds to about 1 hour. Clearly, this period can be further limited by the durability of the invaded individual. In other embodiments, the heated air can be maintained in the target area for about 10 seconds to about 30 minutes. In yet other embodiments, the heated air may be maintained in the target area for about 20 seconds to about 60 seconds.

Those skilled in the art to which these methods belong will appreciate that the single factors mentioned above are not able to eliminate head lice invasion as a whole. Moreover, the combination of the various factors mentioned herein results in quite efficient results. As mentioned above, these factors include temperature, duration of exposure and direct impingement. For example, if heated air with airflow and temperature in the acceptable range is delivered to the target area, the lice can hide inside the bundle hair, thereby blocking direct contact of the heated air so that the lice survive treatment. The inventors emphasize that the combination of these factors significantly increases the efficiency of such treatment regimens compared to the prior art.

As shown in FIG. 2, one embodiment of the present invention provides an institutional method 20 for preventing in vitro parasite invasion. Within the institutional environment, this method represents a significant advance and the greatest efficiency over the prior art. The term "institutional" means a hospital, clinic, school, prison, immigration office or other branch known to those skilled in the art that is preferred for treating head lice invasion. In addition, the apparatus in which the institutional method is used is not limited in any way. For example, an institutional device can be handheld, mounted on a wall, mounted on a desk, mounted on a caster or wheel, or skilled in the art. It may be any other shape known to the. The method comprises the steps of defining a target area of a human being invaded by an in vitro parasite (22), heating a significant amount of air to a temperature of approximately 50 ° C. to 100 ° C. to form heated air (24), Spraying heated air into the target area using an airflow of approximately 45 ft ³ / min to approximately 365 ft ³ / min (26) and approximately 5 to directly strike substantially all extraneous parasites located within the target area. Sustaining heated air in the target area for a second to approximately 1 hour.

As mentioned above, the step 22 of defining the target area of an in vitro parasitic invasive human can result in the formation of a plurality of individual target regions or a target region comprising the entire invaded region. Air heated along a well-defined target area can be evenly spread over all invaded areas of the animal, thus helping the human being to be treated as a whole through the treatment of multiple individual areas. In other cases, the heated air can be sprayed simultaneously into a wide range or multiple areas of a human. Treatment of in vitro parasite invasion within an institutional setting is particularly preferred to be treated by an experienced clinician. According to the findings of the inventors, the eradication rate of in vitro parasites tends to increase according to the experience of the individual treated. In the description, the skilled clinician can better treat the entire invasive area more fully. If you omit these areas during treatment, the extracorporeal parasites will spread out of these areas and thus quickly reinvade.

The step 24 of heating a significant amount of air to a temperature of approximately 50 ° C. to approximately 100 ° C. to form heated air is known to those skilled in the art so that sufficient heat is maintained in the air stream of heated air that can eradicate head lice. It may be carried out by any means known in the art. Care must be taken to minimize the discomfort of the human being treated due to the temperature of the heated air. The maximum temperature that can be used tends to depend on the thermal endurance of the invaded human. Also, the pain and discomfort thresholds can vary significantly between individual humans, so that the maximum allowable temperature can similarly vary. As mentioned above, the thermal endurance of an animal can vary depending on the duration of application because relatively high temperatures can only tolerate a shorter time as compared to a time that generally uses relatively low temperatures. In one embodiment, the temperature of the substantial amount of air may be approximately 54 ° C to 65 ° C. In other embodiments, the temperature of the significant amount of air can be approximately 54 ° C. to 59 ° C. In yet other embodiments, the temperature of the significant amount of air can be approximately 59 ° C.

In one embodiment, the heated air may be sparged into the target area according to an airflow of about 45 ft ³ / min to about 365 ft ³ / min so that the heated air is in direct contact with all extracorporeal parasites in the target area. Airflows in this range are more than airflows that can be produced by consumer brow dryers and are therefore more suitable for institutional environments. In other embodiments, the airflow can be between about 50 ft ³ / min and about 150 ft ³ / min.

In a further embodiment of the institutional method, the heated air is maintained in the target area for about 5 minutes to about 1 hour (28). In general, heated air should be maintained in each target area for a sufficient time to eradicate extracellular parasites in the area. In other embodiments, the heated air is maintained in the target area for about 10 seconds to about 30 minutes. In yet other embodiments, the heated air is maintained in the target area for about 20 seconds to about 60 seconds. The terms "eradication" and "elimination" refer to infestation, not necessarily to the in vitro parasite itself. Although killed and physically removed extracorporeal parasites are within the scope of the present invention, it is not necessary to kill or physically remove all extraneous parasites from the area. That is, if some of the extracorporeal parasites in this region survive but are no longer visible after treatment in accordance with the features of the present invention, infestation may be considered eradicated. Similarly, one or more extracorporeal parasites of the same sex are alive but unpaired invasion may be considered eradicated or completely eliminated because there are no parasites of different sex.

As shown in FIG. 3, when determining the target area, the length of an individual's hair can be associated with the eradication method. As such, one embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of determining if an in vitro parasite-infested human has a sectioning hair length suitable for sectioning, and subjecting the hair to a plurality of individual sections to expose multiple scalp areas. Dividing into 34 and providing heated air to each individual section of hair associated with the respective scalp regions. Individual sections of hair can be separated using, but not limited to, human fingers, clips, rubber bands, elastic fabrics, wires, combs, pins, hairpins, and combinations thereof. In addition, the term "sequentially" is intended to describe a systematic and orderly sequence of treating the scalp sections to ensure that the entire invaded area is treated, thereby more effectively eradicating head lice invasion. . The temperature of the heated air sparged into the respective scalp sections can be maintained for a period of time in the air stream as described above. In addition, it is preferred to spray heated air to multiple sides of each individual section of the hair in order to eradicate head lice that can be blocked by air flow by the hair partitioned on one side.

The inventors have found that the in vitro parasite eradication rate may be increased depending on how the hair is divided. This method is not intended to be limiting but merely provided as an example of dividing the hair into individual sections. Other methods for regularly spraying heated air into the invaded area may be considered within the scope of the claimed invention. Human hair should be combed as a whole using a standard comb prior to treatment to prevent entanglement and matting. The hair is then flared under the center of the scalp, and one side is secured to the top using a large hair clip. On the opposite side, the hair is partitioned into squares of approximately 2 inches by 2 inches depending on the thickness of the hair, forming approximately 7 to 10 sections on one side. One method of compartmentalization can be initiated along the upper part of the head, starting at the forehead and proceeding to the back of the neck along one side of the upper part. Each section of hair can be tightly twisted in the hair root and fixed using a standard butterfly clip. Under the first row of compartment sections, the remaining hair can be compartmentalized into similar compartments around the ear. After removing the large hair clip, the method is repeated for the other side. After partitioning, treatment can begin from the lowest section in the front of the ear on one side. This section is clipped and the hair is gripped using one hand at a position approximately 3 inches from the scalp. It is preferable to loosen the hair to help the movement of heated air. The heated air may be injected near the scalp surface at an angle of approximately 45 ° to the scalp. The heated air can be blown in one direction for about 30 seconds while the device that sprays the heated air is not moving. The hair can be fixed to parachutes out so that heated air can flow through the hair. The heated air is then injected in a similar manner to the other side of the compartment for approximately 30 seconds. Hair is reconditioned after treatment. Each compartment section is treated by regularly moving the back toward the neck in a similar manner until the entire head is treated.

As shown in FIG. 4, the institutional method additionally comprises a step 40 comprising regularly spraying heated air 44 to the target area using a device for raising and separating the hair in the target area. It may include. The device for separating and lifting the hair may be a comb device. This combing method can be used due to the difficulty of physically partitioning relatively short hair, coarse hair, and the like into separate scalp sections. However, the length and coarseness of human hair is not limited to the embodiment of the method used, and alternative embodiments provide a better means for eradicating head lice. For example, short hairs that are difficult to compartmentalize can be divided into scalp sections as described in the examples above without departing from the scope of the present invention. Similarly, using a comb device is not limited to hair that is difficult to compartmentalize, and thus is considered even for relatively long hair.

The inventors have found that the in vitro parasite eradication rate may be increased depending on how combing is used. This method is not intended to be limiting, but merely to provide an embodiment using a comb device. In addition, the following method shows an increased eradication rate for long hair and short hair, and thus is not limited by the length of the hair. Human hair should be combed globally using a standard hair comb before treatment to prevent any matting and tangling. The hair is then burned under the center of the scalp. The comb device can be used to introduce heated air starting at the end of the forehead. The teeth of the comb device should be oriented so that heated air is blown over the top of the human head. The comb device can be slowly pulled from the side of the human scalp towards the sideburns. Each pass takes approximately 2 minutes so that substantially all of the area of the scalp is exposed for at least 30 seconds. This speed is approximately 1 inch per 20 seconds in most situations. This downward movement is repeated as each movement is somewhat overlapped and moved from the front of the human head to the rear. The comb device is then placed over the whiskers, with the blades towards the top of the ear towards the back of the head. The comb device can be dragged around and behind the back of the ear at the same speed as described above. The blades of the comb device should be in contact with the scalp for best treatment. As the human head is then inclined forward to expose the back of the neck, the comb device is dragged from the base of the neck to the top of the head at the rate described above. This procedure is repeated until all the hair is done.

One embodiment of a comb device for separating and raising hair from the scalp while maintaining a stream of heated air is shown in FIG. 5. The comb device 60 is not intended to be limiting but to illustrate an embodiment of how such a device is configured. Any device that separates and raises the hair and at the same time provides a stream of heated air to the scalp can be considered within the scope of the present invention. Various motions may be contemplated, including but not limited to pushing motions, pulling motions, sliding motions, and the like, in which the comb device may be used. In this embodiment, the cylindrical tube 62 may be coupled to a source of heated air at the proximal end 63 such that heated air may flow in the direction of the arrow 72. Cylindrical tube 62 may be coupled to distal tube 64 with airflow opening 70 and obliquely cut end 67. The distal tube 64 may be coupled to the cylindrical tube 62 by the connector 66 or any other attachment means known in the art. The distal tube 64 and the cylindrical tube 62 may also consist of a single tube including an obliquely cut end 67 and an airflow opening 70. The comb device 60 also includes a comb 68 coupled to the obliquely cut end 67 of the distal tube 64. The blades of the comb 68 can be tilted from the tube 62 in a direction opposite to the direction 72 of the air flow. It is also contemplated that the comb may be formed as part of the tube. According to this shape, the heated air may flow from the heating air source in the direction 72 through the cylindrical tube 62 to the distal tube 64 and exit the airflow opening 70. The heated air is pressurized from the comb device 60 in the scalp region as the comb 68 separates and raises the hair. Substantially under this action, heated air is delivered to the hair roots and to the location where the lice often remain along the length of the hair.

Any shape of a comb device known to those skilled in the art that functions to lift and detach hair is contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention. Such devices may include blades oriented opposite to the general direction of the airflow, blades oriented in the same direction as the airflow, or any other shape known to those skilled in the art. It is intended to include in a direction greater than 90 ° to the contrary the direction of the airflow.

In addition, all forms of apparatus for spraying heated air known to those skilled in the art to the target area are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. In an aspect, heated air may be produced and blown into the room air through the hair. In other features, the heated air can be recycled through the device, thereby reducing the overall power demand of the device by preserving and / or reusing the pre-heated air. Also inhalation devices are contemplated. Preferably it is used to recirculate heated air and / or to inhale in the opposite direction to the heated air in order to more quickly remove the eggs falling by shaking from dead, dying lice and live lice and hair. In other features, the filter can be used in a device for capturing head lice, eggs and debris, thereby minimizing the number of safety hazards involved in the collection and processing of bloody organisms.

Although treatment is preferred to be carried out in an institutional setting to obtain the best possible outcome of treatment, i.e. eliminating in vitro parasite invasion, the handheld method most commonly used at home is within the scope of the present invention. It is considered to be. Handheld methods of treatment include devices that produce lower airflow than the manufacturing device used in the above-mentioned methods. As such, the efficiency of the handheld method is somewhat lower than shown within the institutional environment. In this case, efficient eradication of in vitro parasitic invasion can be achieved through a number of treatments.

Accordingly, FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention that provides a handheld method for eliminating parasitic invasion. The term "handheld" applies to brow dryers and the like that can be used and purchased at home. In some cases, certain handheld brow dryers may be classified as institutional devices due to the relatively high airflow of certain models. This handheld method comprises the steps of defining a target area of a human invading parasites (82), heating a significant amount of air (84) to a temperature of approximately 50 ° C. to 100 ° C. to form heated air, Spraying heated air to the target area using an airflow of approximately 20 ft ³ / min to approximately 220 ft ³ / min (86) and at least such that the air is in direct contact with substantially all extracorporeal parasites located within the target area and at least Maintaining the heated air in the target area for a time sufficient to achieve a 50% in vitro parasite killing rate (88). As described above, the period may be continuous or discontinuous.

In one embodiment of the invention, the treatment may be done using a brow dryer with an attached comb device. The comb device may be of any shape known to those skilled in the art, such as but not limited to the device 60 shown in FIG. 5. In this case, the temperature and air flow will depend on the specific brow dryer used. However, the temperature and air flow will be within the above mentioned range. In one embodiment of the invention, the temperature of the substantial amount of air may be between about 54 ° C and about 65 ° C. In other embodiments, the temperature of the substantial amount of air can be from about 54 ° C to about 59 ° C. In yet other embodiments, the temperature of the significant amount of air can be approximately 59 ° C. In one embodiment for the airflow, the airflow can be from about 25 ft ³ / min to about 125 ft ³ / min. In addition, although in vitro parasite eradication rates vary considerably with the immaturity and relatively low airflow of individuals undergoing treatment in the handheld method, the heated air in one embodiment is sufficient time to achieve at least 70% of the in vitro parasite eradication rate. In the target area for a while. In other siling examples, heated air may be maintained in the target area for a time sufficient to achieve at least 85% in vitro parasite killing rate. In yet other embodiments, the heated air may be maintained in the target area for a time sufficient to achieve at least 95% in vitro parasite killing. This eradication rate may be the result of a single treatment or may be a combined ratio of several treatments.

Given the relatively low air flow rate of some brow dryers, the comb device can raise and separate the hair, thus further assisting the direct delivery of heated air to the extracorporeal parasites in the invaded area. The comb device of FIG. 5 is oriented so that the hair is raised and separated by a pulling motion rather than the pushing motion of the latest standard brow dryer accessories. Other embodiments may include a comb device using push motion, which is considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

As mentioned above, the incorrect air flow range is obtained by using a pitot tube anemometer. Such devices use a velocimetric method to measure airflow. Velocity measurement flow is given by linear movement of gas per hour, with feet per second (fps) being a common unit. Since the measurement of the air velocity is easily obtained by using a simple device, the velocity measurement data can be used in some cases. When the velocity of the airflow is determined, the linear data is converted to volumetric data by integrating the cross-sectional area of the conduit, ie, by multiplying the cross-sectional area of the conduit by the linear airflow. This particular technique can cause a high degree of inaccuracy because the linear airflow is nonlaminar (i.e. not always guided downstream of a straight line) and discontinuous (i.e. not constant velocity over the cross section of the conduit). have. Thus, velocity measuring airflow may not be a reliable way to account for airflow in most cases.

Alternatively, the volumetric airflow is given as a plane per hour or volume passing through a specific point, and the typical unit is the cube of feet per minute (ft ³ / min or cfm). The inventors of the present invention believe that volumetric airflow measurements may be a more accurate means of describing airflow because nonlaminarity and velocity mismatches in cross section do not significantly affect the final data. This is because the volume airflow is the amount of air volume passing through the conduit per hour without taking into account microcurrent movement. These volumetric measurements can more accurately account for reported airflow range values. Non-limiting methods for measuring volume airflow are described in the Examples below.

Example

The following examples of airflow measurement methods are not intended to be limiting and are provided to aid in a clearer understanding of certain embodiments of the present invention.

Example  One

A phyto tube anemometer (Dwyer model 166-12 phyto tube connected to a TSI DP-Calc ™ digital micromanometer) is used to measure the airflow of a standard hair brow dryer. The linear airflow velocity (ft / min) is measured at 24 points across the orifice of the blower, and the "correction factor" is determined for the air velocity at the center of the orifice relative to the average air velocity across the orifice. Then 100 air velocity measurements are taken at the center of the orifice and averaged. The correction factor is then applied at the average air velocity. The corrected air velocity is then multiplied by the cross-sectional area of the orifice, resulting in a volume air flow (cfm).

The air flow measured for the hair brow dryer using a pitot tube is 170 cfm. Since the air current is partially cut off by the heating element near the discharge orifice, the airflow is normalized by attaching the PVC pipe having a first inside diameter of ^1/2-foot long 2 to the discharge orifice. Accordingly, the airflow is introduced into the pipe in a turbulent state, but a semi-laminar flow normalized by the end of the pipe can be realized. Velocimetric airflow is then established as described above and converted to volume airflow. Its measurements are shown in Table 1.

Example  2

The pitot tube anemometer and the linear airflow velocity measuring method of Example 1 are used to measure the airflow of a wall-mounted blower of the type used for drying hands in the bathroom. The airflow measured for a wall mounted blower is 490 cfm. This air flow is obtained directly at the orifice of the blower. Its measurements are shown in Table 1.

Example  3

The Tito tube anemometer and the linear airflow velocity measuring method of Example 1 are used to measure the airflow of a custom blower designated herein as a custom blower (1). The airflow measured for this device is 450 cfm. The air flow is determined by placing the pitot tube directly in the airstream along the entire length of the flexible lake (65 inches). The temperature of the lake orifice is measured at 55 ° C. The air temperature in the surrounding space is ˜25 ° C., and the relative humidity in the surrounding space is ˜50%. These measurements are shown in Table 1.

Example  4

The Tito tube anemometer and the linear airflow velocity measuring method of Example 1 are used to measure the airflow of a custom blower, designated herein as a custom blower (2). The airflow measured for this device is 361 cfm. The air flow is determined by placing the pitot tube directly in the airstream along the entire length of the flexible lake (65 inches) and the internal temperature is set to 63 ° C using a closed-loop digital temperature controller. The temperature at the discharge orifice of the lake is therefore 59 ° C. (temperature decrease due to conduction and radiation heat losses through the lake wall). The air temperature in the surrounding space is ˜25 ° C., and the relative humidity in the surrounding space is ˜50%. These measurements are shown in Table 1.

Example  5

Airflow measurements are determined by the Bulk Volumetric method as follows. Large bags are made of plastic. In particular, a 40 inch continuous polyethylene tube stock (~ 25.5 inches in diameter or 40 inches wide) with a thickness of 0.004 inches is cut to a length of 181.5 inches. The ends are sealed with adhesive packaging tape except for the small opening at the corner of one end of the bag, which corresponds to approximately 2.5 inches in diameter. A fully inflated bag is first modeled using a 3D parametric CAD system by inflating the bag and measuring the measurements of the outer bag dimensions. Using this model, the inflated volume of the bag is calculated to be 83,000 inches ³ +/- 5%. Each device of Examples 1-4 is individually used to inflate a fully retracted bag through a small opening at the end, and the time to complete the inflation is recorded. These measurements are repeated 10 times, so that the average time for each device and expansion is calculated. The volume of the bag is then divided by the average time needed to fill the bag, resulting in an airflow (cfm). These measurements are shown in Table 1.

Example  6

Airflow measurements are determined by Bernoulli's orifice flow meter method according to the following. Bernoulli's flowmeter consists of a PVC pipe and a fine thin steel plate. Each blower device of Examples 1-4 is attached to a flowmeter, and a pressure difference is obtained in the chamber on one side of the plate. The Bernoulli equation, written in Microsoft Excel, converts the pressure difference in air into a velocity measuring airflow. This equation is then used to convert each pressure difference into a stream of air (cfm). Their measurements are shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Airflow values measured for Examples 1-7

Device Manufacturer report value Pitot tube Bulk volume Bernoulli Flowmeter Bonnet style dryer - - 9 10 Brow Dryer A 580 170 41 33 ^{Note 1} Brow Dryer B 170 - 102 - Wall mounted 170 490 103 ^{Notes 2} Custom blowers 1 720 ^{notes 4} 450 113 ^{Notes 3} Custom Blower 2 720 ^{notes 4} 361 88 93 Low-Power Custom Blowers 360 ^{Note 4} - 87 89

Note 1-Blow dryer loses a small amount of airflow through the back of the fan housing

Note The housing of the two-wall-mounted blower is designed to vent air to any other position as the pressure in the discharge orifice increases, so this method is not appropriate.

Note 3-Custom Blower 1 has a very high air flow rate measured using a flow meter.

Note 4-These values are calculated from the speed measurement data provided by the manufacturer.

As mentioned, the air flow first reported in previously submitted US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 133,067 is measured using a pitot tube anemometer. Table 1 shows the data of measuring the same air flow using at least two different methods described above. It also includes airflow data from power custom blowers and bonnet style hay dryers. The bulk volumetric method is simple and significantly reduces experimental and computational errors. Bernoulli's lamellar flow measurement is used to verify the data derived from the bulk volume method for the devices, and a flow meter method can be used for the device. Because the two methods use different principles, the values obtained are correlated within +/- 5 cfm (-5%) with respect to each other, and these values are more accurate than the values reported in the above practice. It can be constant.

Example  7

According to manufacturer A's report, the airflow for brow dryer A is 580 cfm. According to manufacturer B's report, the air flow is 170 cfm for the more powerful brow dryer B. The bulk volume method of Example 5 is used to measure the air flow from Brow Dryers A and B, respectively. The airflow of brow dryer A is measured at ˜41 cfm while the airflow of brow dryer A is measured at ˜102 cfm. The bulk volume method thus measures the relative airflow from the brow dryers as expected, and the substantially more powerful brow dryers have a relatively high airflow.

The above-mentioned devices are intended to describe the application of the spirit of the present invention. Various modifications and alternative arrangements may be contemplated without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, while the invention is described and illustrated in the drawings in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many variations can be made without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

Claims (35)

A method for eliminating in vitro parasite invasion, the method comprising Determining the target area of the animal in which the parasite is infested (ectoparasite infestation), Heating a substantial amount of air to a temperature to form heated air, Spraying the heated air to the target area using an airflow such that the heated air is in direct contact with all extracorporeal parasites located in the target area and Maintaining heated air in the target area for a time sufficient to achieve an in vitro parasite eradication rate of at least -50%. The method of claim 1 wherein said animal is a mammal. The method of claim 2, wherein the mammal is a human. The method of claim 1, wherein the extracorporeal parasite is head lice. The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the substantial amount of air is from about 50 ° C. to about 100 ° C. 7. 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the temperature of the substantial amount of air is from about 54 ° C to about 65 ° C. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the temperature of the substantial amount of air is from about 54 ° C to about 59 ° C. The method of claim 1 wherein the air flow is from about 25 ft ³ / min to about 2000 ft ³ / min. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the air flow is from about 30 ft ³ / min to about 430 ft ³ / min. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the air flow is from about 35 ft ³ / min to about 285 ft ³ / min. The method of claim 1, wherein the heated air is maintained in the target area for about 5 seconds to about 1 hour. The method of claim 11, wherein the heated air is maintained in the target area for about 10 seconds to about 30 minutes. The method of claim 12, wherein the heated air is maintained in the target area for about 20 seconds to about 60 seconds. The method of claim 1, wherein the heated air is maintained in the target area for a time sufficient to achieve at least 70% extracorporeal parasite eradication rate. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the heated air is maintained in the target area for a time sufficient to achieve at least 95% extracorporeal parasite eradication rate. The method of claim 1, wherein spraying the heated air to the target area further comprises regularly spraying the heated air to the target area using a device that raises and separates hair within the target area. How to. The method of claim 16 wherein the device for lifting and separating hair is a comb device. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the comb device has blades oriented opposite to the direction of the airflow. In an institutional method for eliminating in vitro parasite invasion, the method Determining the target area of the human being invaded by an in vitro parasite, Heating a substantial amount of air to a temperature of approximately 50 ° C. to 100 ° C. to form heated air, Spraying the heated air to the target area using an airflow of approximately 45 ft ³ / min to approximately 365 ft ³ / min so that the heated air is in direct contact with all extracorporeal parasites located in the target area; -Maintaining heated air in the target area for about 5 seconds to 1 hour. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the temperature of the substantial amount of air is from about 54 ° C to about 65 ° C. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the temperature of the substantial amount of air is from about 54 ° C to about 59 ° C. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the air flow is between about 50 ft ³ / min and about 150 ft ³ / min. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the heated air is maintained in the target area for about 10 seconds to about 30 minutes. The method of claim 23, wherein the heated air is maintained in the target area for about 20 seconds to about 60 seconds. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the method is Determining whether the in vitro parasite has a hair length suitable for compartmentalization, Dividing the hair into a plurality of individual sections to expose the scalp areas and Continuously spraying the heated air into individual sections of the hair connected with the respective scalp areas. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising regularly spraying heated air into the target area using a comb device for separating and elevating hair in the target area. A handheld method for eliminating in vitro parasite infestation, the method comprising Determining the target area of the human being invaded by an in vitro parasite, Heating a substantial amount of air to a temperature of approximately 50 ° C. to 100 ° C. to form heated air, Spraying the heated air to the target area using an airflow of about 20 ft ³ / min to about 220 ft ³ / min so that the heated air is in direct contact with all extracorporeal parasites located in the target area; And maintaining heated air in the target area for a time sufficient to achieve an in vitro parasite eradication rate of at least -50%. 29. The handheld method of claim 27, wherein the temperature of the substantial amount of air is from about 54 ° C to about 65 ° C. 29. The handheld method of claim 27, wherein the temperature of the substantial amount of air is from about 54 ° C to about 59 ° C. 28. The handheld method of claim 27, wherein the air flow is between about 25 ft ³ / min and about 125 ft ³ / min. 28. The handheld method of claim 27, wherein the heated air is maintained in the target area for a time sufficient to achieve at least 70% extracorporeal parasite eradication rate. 32. The handheld method of claim 31, wherein the heated air is maintained in the target area for a time sufficient to achieve at least 85% extracorporeal parasite eradication rate. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein spraying the heated air into the target area further comprises regularly spraying the heated air into the target area using a device that raises and separates hair within the target area. Handheld method. 34. The method of claim 33 wherein the device for separating and lifting hair is a comb device. 35. The method of claim 34 wherein the comb device has blades oriented opposite to the direction of the airflow.

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