Apparatus for detecting temperature variations over selected regions of living tissue, and method thereof

Claim 1

A method of detecting temperature variations over selected regions of the breasts of a woman within a predetermined range of temperatures, and which method utilizes .[.liquid crystals enclosed between.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.elastic flexible .[.sheets which represent a composite.]. film, .Iadd.having temperature responsive liquid crystals.Iaddend., and which crystals are responsive to changes in skin temperatures of said breasts to display a color pattern on said film representative of said temperature variations, said method comprising: (a) wrapping said film around the breasts to be examined, (b) securing said film in position around said breasts; (c) positioning a first end of a tubular member and a spacer adjacent said first end in a region spaced from the edges of said film and between said breasts, said spacer providing communication between said first end of said tubular member and the region under said film; (d) connecting the opposite end of said tubular member to a vacuum source; (e) evacuating air from between said film and said breasts; (f) causing said film to stretch and conform to the contour of said breasts without materially deforming said breasts; and (g) observing the color pattern produced on said film representative of the temperature variations over said breasts.

Claim 2

A method of detecting temperature variations over selected regions of the breasts of a woman within a predetermined range of temperatures, and which method utilizes .[.liquid crystals enclosed between.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.elastic flexible .[.sheets which represent a composite.]. film, .Iadd.having temperature responsive liquid crystals.Iaddend., and which crystals are responsive to changes in skin temperatures of said breasts to display a color pattern on said film representative of said temperature variations, said method comprising: (a) wrapping said film around the breasts to be examined, (b) securing said film in position around said breasts; (c) positioning a first end of a tubular member and a spacer adjacent said first end in a region spaced from the edges of said film and between said breasts, said spacer providing communication between said first end of said tubular member and the region under said film; (d) connecting the opposite end of said tubular member to a vacuum source; (e) evacuating air from between said film and said breasts; (f) causing said film to stretch and conform to the contour of said breasts without materially deforming said breasts; and (g) observing the color pattern produced on said film representative of the temperature variations over said breasts.

Claim 8

A method of detecting temperature variations of the breasts of a woman within a predetermined range of temperatures, and which method utilizes .[.liquid crystals enclosed between.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.elastic flexible .[.sheets which represent a composite.]. film .Iadd.having temperature responsive liquid crystals.Iaddend., and which crystals are responsive to changes in skin temperatures of said breasts to display a color pattern on said film representative of said temperature variations, said method comprising: (a) wrapping said film around the woman and in contact with the breasts to be examined; (b) securing said film in position around said breasts; (c) positioning one port of said tubular member in a region spaced from the edges of said film and adjacent to the sternum of the woman's chest; (d) connecting the opposite port of said tubular member to a vacuum source; (e) applying a porous spacer between said one port of said tubular member and the woman's skin; (f) evacuating air from between said film and said breasts; (g) causing said film to stretch and conform to the contour of said breasts without materially deforming said breasts; (h) cooling said contoured film and said breasts for a relatively short period of time; and (i) observing the color pattern produced on said film representative of the temperature variations over selected regions of said breasts.

Claim 9

A method of detecting temperature variations of the breasts of a woman within a predetermined range of temperatures, and which method utilizes .[.liquid crystals enclosed between.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.elastic flexible .[.sheets which represent a composite.]. film .Iadd.having temperature responsive liquid crystals.Iaddend., and which crystals are responsive to changes in skin temperatures of said breasts to display a color pattern on said film representative of said temperature variations, said method comprising: (a) wrapping said film around the woman and in contact with the breasts to be examined; (b) securing said film in position around said breasts; (c) positioning one port of said tubular member in a region spaced from the edges of said film and adjacent to the sternum of the woman's chest; (d) connecting the opposite port of said tubular member to a vacuum source; (e) applying a porous spacer between said one port of said tubular member and the woman's skin; (f) evacuating air from between said film and said breasts; (g) causing said film to stretch and conform to the contour of said breasts without materially deforming said breasts; (h) cooling said contoured film and said breasts for a relatively short period of time; and (i) observing the color pattern produced on said film representative of the temperature variations over selected regions of said breasts.

Claim 11

An apparatus for detecting temperature variations of the breasts of a woman within a predetermined range of temperatures, said apparatus comprising: (a) .[.a plurality of.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.elastic flexible .[.sheets superimposed on each other to represent a composite.]. film having liquid crystals .[.enclosed therebetween.]., said crystals being responsive to changes in skin temperature of said breasts to display a color pattern on said film representative of said temperature variations; (b) securing means for securing said film in position when said film is wrapped around the breasts to be examined; and (c) a tubular member, a first end of said tubular member being located in a region spaced from the edges of said film and adapted to be positioned between said breasts, the second end of said tubular member adapted to be connected to a vacuum source for evacuating air from between said film and said breasts; (d) said .[.sheets.]. .Iadd.film .Iaddend.having sufficient flexibility and elasticity to .[.cause.]. .Iadd.permit .Iaddend.said film to stretch and conform to the contour of said breasts without materially deforming said breasts when a vacuum is drawn; and (e) a spacer located at said first end of said tubular member to prevent collapse of said flexible film around said first end of said tubular member, said spacer providing communication between said first end of said tubular member and the region under said film; whereby a color pattern is produced on said film representative of the temperature variations over regions of said breasts.

Claim 12

An apparatus for detecting temperature variations of the breasts of a woman within a predetermined range of temperatures, said apparatus comprising: (a) .[.a plurality of.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.elastic flexible .[.sheets superimposed on each other to represent a composite.]. film having liquid crystals .[.enclosed therebetween.]., said crystals being responsive to changes in skin temperature of said breasts to display a color pattern on said film representative of said temperature variations; (b) securing means for securing said film in position when said film is wrapped around the breasts to be examined; and (c) a tubular member, a first end of said tubular member being located in a region spaced from the edges of said film and adapted to be positioned between said breasts, the second end of said tubular member adapted to be connected to a vacuum source for evacuating air from between said film and said breasts; (d) said .[.sheets.]. .Iadd.film .Iaddend.having sufficient flexibility and elasticity to .[.cause.]. .Iadd.permit .Iaddend.said film to stretch and conform to the contour of said breasts without materially deforming said breasts when a vacuum is drawn; and (e) a spacer located at said first end of said tubular member to prevent collapse of said flexible film around said first end of said tubular member, said spacer providing communication between said first end of said tubular member and the region under said film; whereby a color pattern is produced on said film representative of the temperature variations over regions of said breasts.

Claim 17

An apparatus for detecting temperature variations of the breasts of a woman within a predetermined range of temperatures, said apparatus comprising: (a) .[.a plurality of.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.elastic flexible .[.sheets superimposed on each other to represent a composite.]. film having liquid crystals .[.enclosed therebetween.]., said crystals being responsive to changes in skin temperature of said breasts to display a color pattern on said film representative of said temperature variations; (b) securing means for securing said film in position when said film is wrapped around the chest of the woman to be examined and in contact with the breasts to be examined, (c) said securing means comprising first and second elastic chest encircling straps, said first strap being wrapped longitudinally around said film adjacent its upper edge and said second strap being wrapped longitudinally around said film adjacent its lower edge, and interengaging members respectively affixed to the opposite ends of each of said first and second straps for fastening said straps around the torso of the woman being examined; (d) vacuum means for evacuating air between said film and said breasts; said vacuum means comprising .[.a vacuum source,.]. a valve assembly having a tubular member connected to said film and a vacuum source, one end of said tubular member being located in a region spaced from the edges of said film and adapted to be positioned adjacent to the sternum of the woman's chest, the opposite end of said tubular member being connected to said vacuum source; (e) said .[.sheets.]. .Iadd.film .Iaddend.having sufficient flexibility and elasticity to .[.cause.]. .Iadd.permit .Iaddend.said film to stretch and conform to the contour of said breasts without materially deforming said breasts when a vacuum is drawn; and (f) a porous spacer positioned adjacent said one end of said tubular member to prevent collapse of said flexible film around said one end of said tubular member; whereby a color pattern is produced on said film representative of the temperature variations over selected regions of said breasts.

Claim 18

An apparatus for detecting temperature variations of the breasts of a woman within a predetermined range of temperatures, said apparatus comprising: (a) .[.a plurality of.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.elastic flexible .[.sheets superimposed on each other to represent a composite.]. film having liquid crystals .[.enclosed therebetween.]., said crystals being responsive to changes in skin temperature of said breasts to display a color pattern on said film representative of said temperature variations; (b) securing means for securing said film in position when said film is wrapped around the chest of the woman to be examined and in contact with the breasts to be examined, (c) said securing means comprising first and second elastic chest encircling straps, said first strap being wrapped longitudinally around said film adjacent its upper edge and said second strap being wrapped longitudinally around said film adjacent its lower edge, and interengaging members respectively affixed to the opposite ends of each of said first and second straps for fastening said straps around the torso of the woman being examined; (d) vacuum means for evacuating air between said film and said breasts; said vacuum means comprising .[.a vacuum source,.]. a valve assembly having a tubular member connected to said film and a vacuum source, one end of said tubular member being located in a region spaced from the edges of said film and adapted to be positioned adjacent to the sternum of the woman's chest, the opposite end of said tubular member being connected to said vacuum source; (e) said .[.sheets.]. .Iadd.film .Iaddend.having sufficient flexibility and elasticity to .[.cause.]. .Iadd.permit .Iaddend.said film to stretch and conform to the contour of said breasts without materially deforming said breasts when a vacuum is drawn; and (f) a porous spacer positioned adjacent said one end of said tubular member to prevent collapse of said flexible film around said one end of said tubular member; whereby a color pattern is produced on said film representative of the temperature variations over selected regions of said breasts.