Brain cooling device

Abstract

There is disclosed headwear comprising an endothermic reactor and a trigger to initiate an endothermic reaction in the reactor whilst being worn on a wearer's head. Such may preferentially be utilised in or in conjunction with a motorcycle safety helmet or similar crash protection device. The headwear is intended to prevent or delay the onset of brain damage as a result of serious trauma or head injury.

1 . Headwear comprising an endothermic reactor and a trigger to initiate an endothermic reaction in the reactor while being worn on a wearer's head. 
     
     
         2 . The headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger is arranged to initiate the endothermic reaction in response to detection of an impact or imminent impact on the headwear. 
     
     
         3 . The headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger is arranged to initiate the reaction in response to an impact on the headwear. 
     
     
         4 . The headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the headwear is a helmet for protection of a wearer's head from impacts. 
     
     
         5 . The headwear of  claim 4 , wherein the headwear is a motorcycle safety helmet. 
     
     
         6 . The headwear of  claim 2 , wherein the headwear comprises means to detect an impact or imminent impact based on a detected acceleration of the headwear exceeding a threshold magnitude. 
     
     
         7 . The headwear of  claim 3 , wherein the trigger is arranged to initiate the reaction in response to a force or pressure generated in the headwear by the impact exceeding a threshold magnitude. 
     
     
         8 . The headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the endothermic reactor comprises two or more reagents which will react together in an endothermic reaction, when the reaction is initiated. 
     
     
         9 . The headwear of  claim 8 , wherein each of the two or more reagents is contained in the endothermic reactor, separated from other reagents with which it will react, in respective cells or reservoirs. 
     
     
         10 . The headwear of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the reagents is contained in a layer arranged to encompass substantially all or a part of the head of a wearer. 
     
     
         11 . The headwear of  claim 9 , wherein one or more membranes separate the reagents from each other, the trigger being configured to initiate the endothermic reaction by opening a hole in the membrane through which the separated reagents may be brought into contact. 
     
     
         12 . The headwear of  claim 11 , wherein the trigger includes a plunger for opening the hole in the membrane. 
     
     
         13 . The headwear of  claim 11 , wherein the trigger includes one or more frangible regions in the membrane, configured to open to form a hole when tension in the membrane exceeds a threshold magnitude. 
     
     
         14 . The headwear of  claim 11 , wherein the membrane or trigger comprises a shape memory alloy, or a shape memory structure, in a first memorized state and is configured to open a hole in the membrane in response to a change in the shape memory state to a second memorized state. 
     
     
         15 . The headwear according to  claim 1 , wherein the trigger comprises a shape memory alloy, or a shape memory structure, in a first memorized state and is configured to initiate the reaction in response to a change from the first memorized state to a second memorized state. 
     
     
         16 . The headwear according to  claim 2 , wherein the trigger comprises an element of electroreactive material for initiating the reaction in response to a signal generated by said detection. 
     
     
         17 . The headwear according to  claim 9 , wherein the endothermic reactor is configured to contain the reagents and the reaction products of the endothermic reaction prior to and during the reaction. 
     
     
         18 . The headwear according to  claim 1 , further including an emergency initiation device also operative to initiate the reaction. 
     
     
         19 . Headwear comprising a gas-expansion cooling device for cooling a wearer's head and a trigger to initiate release of the gas from a pressurized container into a decompression region adjacent to or in a region of the headwear that is configured to enclose the head of a wearer. 
     
     
         20 . Headwear comprising a reagent package arranged to remove heat energy from a wearer's head when activated by an impact. 
     
     
         21 . A motorcycle safety helmet comprising:
 a rigid outer shell;   a layer of impact absorbing material inside the rigid outer shell;   an endothermic reactor, substantially contained inside the rigid outer shell, containing two or more reagents which will react together in an endothermic reaction to absorb heat from inside the helmet; and   a trigger arranged to initiate the endothermic reaction in the reactor, while being worn on a wearer's head, in response to detection of an impact or imminent impact on the helmet.   
     
     
         22 . A motorcycle safety helmet comprising:
 a rigid outer shell;   a layer of impact absorbing material inside the rigid outer shell;   an endothermic reactor, substantially contained inside the rigid outer shell, containing two or more reagents which will react together in an endothermic reaction to absorb heat from inside the helmet; and   a trigger arranged to initiate the endothermic reaction in the reactor, while being worn on a wearer's head, in response to an impact on the helmet.   
     
     
         23 . The motorcycle safety helmet of  claim 22 , wherein each of the two or more reagents is contained in the endothermic reactor, separated from other reagents with which it will react, in respective cells or reservoirs. 
     
     
         24 . The motorcycle safety helmet of  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the reagents is contained in a layer arranged to encompass substantially all or a part of the head of a wearer. 
     
     
         25 . The motorcycle safety helmet of  claim 23 , wherein one or more membranes separate the reagents from each other, the trigger being configured to initiate the endothermic reaction by opening a hole in the membrane through which the separated reagents may be brought into contact.