1. An applicator to enhance sleep by regulating the temperature of a subject’s frontal cortex when worn, the applicator comprising:
a thermal regulator region comprising a phase change material having a phase transition between about 10 degrees C. and about 40 degrees C.;
a thermal transfer region in thermal communication with the thermal regulator region, wherein the thermal transfer regions is configured to conform to and to contact a subject’s forehead so that the thermal transfer region is positioned against the subject’s head over the frontal cortex; and
a strap configured to hold the applicator against the subject’s head when the subject is sleeping.
2. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the thermal regulator comprises a plurality of capsules, wherein each capsule encapsulates the phase change material.
3. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the thermal regulator comprises a single body comprising the phase change material.
4. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the thermal regulator region comprises a plurality of capsules each encapsulating the phase change material, wherein the capsules are arranged in a matrix of thermally conductive and conformable material.
5. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the phase change material comprises a paraffin.
6. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the phase change material comprises a mixture of two or more different phase change materials.
7. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the thermal regulator is configured so that the phase change material is maintained at about the phase transition temperature for greater than about 30 minutes when the applicator is worn by a subject.
8. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the thermal regulator is configured so that the phase change material is maintained at about the phase transition temperature for greater than about 6 hour when the applicator is worn by a subject.
9. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the thermal transfer regions comprises a material having a thermal conductivity of greater than about 0.1 watts per meter kelvin (W(m*K)).
10. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the thermal transfer region is configured to position the thermal regulator over just the frontal cortex and immediately adjacent regions.
11. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the thermal transfer region is configured to contact the subject’s forehead but not to contact the subject’s periorbital or cheek regions of the subject’s face when the applicator is worn by the subject.
12. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the thermal transfer region is configured to contact the subject’s forehead but not to contact the back of the subject’s head when the applicator is worn by the subject.
13. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the thermal transfer region comprises a layer of thermally conductive material configured to contact the subject’s forehead when the applicator is worn by the subject.
14. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the strap is configured as a headgear.
15. An applicator to enhance a subject’s sleep by regulating the temperature of the frontal cortex when worn, the applicator comprising:
a thermal regulator region comprising a plurality of bodies each enclosing a phase change material having a phase transition between about 10 degrees C. and about 40 degrees C.;
a thermal transfer region in thermal communication with the thermal regulator region, wherein the thermal transfer regions is configured to conform to and to contact a subject’s head over the frontal cortex,
further wherein the thermal transfer region is configured to contact and the subject’s forehead but not to contact the subject’s periorbital or cheek regions of the subject’s face to regulate temperature when the applicator is worn by the subject; and
a strap configured to hold the applicator against the subject’s head when the subject is sleeping.
16. The applicator of claim 15, wherein the plurality of bodies comprises a plurality of capsules, wherein each capsule encapsulates the phase change material.
17. The applicator of claim 15, wherein the plurality of bodies are arranged in a matrix of thermally conductive and conformable material.
18. The applicator of claim 15, wherein the phase change material comprises a paraffin.
19. The applicator of claim 15, wherein the phase change material comprises a mixture of two or more different phase change materials.
20. The applicator of claim 15, wherein the thermal regulator is configured so that the phase change material is maintained at about the phase transition temperature for greater than about 30 minutes when the applicator is worn by a subject.
21. The applicator of claim 15, wherein the thermal regulator is configured so that the phase change material is maintained at about the phase transition temperature for greater than about 6 hours when the applicator is worn by a subject.
22. The applicator of claim 15, wherein the thermal transfer regions comprises a material having a thermal conductivity of greater than about 0.1 watts per meter kelvin (W(m*K).
23. The applicator of claim 15, wherein the thermal transfer region is configured to contact the subject’s forehead but not to contact the back of the subject’s head when the applicator is worn by the subject.
24. The applicator of claim 15, wherein the thermal transfer region comprises a layer of thermally conductive material configured to contact the subject’s forehead when the applicator is worn by the subject.
25. The applicator of claim 15, wherein the strap is configured as a headgear.
26. A method of enhancing sleep in a subject, the method comprising:
positioning an applicator having a thermal regulator region comprising a plurality of bodies each enclosing a phase change material having a phase transition between about 10 degrees C. and about 40 degrees C. and a thermal transfer region in thermal communication with the thermal regulator region so that the thermal transfer region contacts the subject’s forehead but does not contact the periorbital or cheek regions of the subject’s face; and
maintaining the temperature of the thermal transfer region at the phase transition temperature to enhance the subject’s sleep.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein positioning comprises positioning the applicator so that the thermal transfer region does not contact the top or back of the subject’s head.
28. The method of claim 26, wherein positioning comprises adjusting a headgear to hold the applicator to the subject’s head.
29. The method of claim 26, wherein maintaining comprises maintaining the temperature of the thermal regulator region at the phase transition temperature for at least 30 minutes.
30. The method of claim 26, wherein maintaining comprises maintaining the temperature of the thermal regulator region at the phase temperature for at least 1 hr.
31. The method of claim 26, wherein maintaining comprises maintaining the temperature of the thermal regulator region at the phase temperature for at least 6 hrs.
32. The method of claim 26, wherein positioning comprises adjusting the thermal transfer region of the applicator to conform to the subject’s head.
33. A method of enhancing sleep in a subject, the method comprising:
positioning an applicator having a thermal regulator region comprising a plurality of bodies each enclosing a phase change material having a phase transition between about 10 degrees C. and about 40 degrees C. and a thermal transfer region in thermal communication with the thermal regulator region so that the thermal transfer region contacts the subject’s forehead but does not contact the periorbital, cheek, top or back regions of the subject’s head; and
maintaining the temperature of the thermal transfer region at the phase transition temperature for more than about 30 minutes to enhance the subject’s sleep.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for shielding an opening of a building, comprising:
a plurality of rectangular panels installable side by side to cover an opening of a building, each panel comprising:
a rectangular frame with pins fixedly attached at the ends of and extending outwardly from a first frame element, anchoring flanges fixedly attached to a second frame element opposite the first frame element, two or more locking flanges fixedly attached at positions on at least one of third and fourth frame elements, and a shielding material extending across the rectangular frame, wherein the anchoring flanges and locking flanges are placed on each panel such that they do not interfere with the respective flanges on other panels when the panels are stacked on top of one another in a nested configuration.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shielding material of the plurality of rectangular panels is arranged as a honeycomb.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shielding material of the plurality of rectangular panels is arranged as a solid sheet with a series of openings.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shielding material of one of the plurality of rectangular panels includes a hinged portion configured to allow access to the opening of the building without removing the panel.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shielding material and frame elements of the plurality of rectangular panes are made of at least one of:
aluminum;
stainless steel; and
high-impact molded plastic.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising anchoring points fixed in relation to the building and configured to interface with the two or more anchoring flanges; and
wherein the anchoring points interface with the two or more anchoring flanges by bolts fed through coaxially aligned holes in the anchoring points and the anchoring flanges.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising slots configured to interface with the two or more pins.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the slots are contained within a common rail mounted parallel to one edge of the opening of the building.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the two or more pins are tapered to allow the panels to pivot about the interface of the pins and the slots.