Allergy testing device and method of testing for allergies
Inventors
Hein, Jr., Gary L. • Hein, Douglas S.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-8469900-B2
Publication Date
2013-06-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
An allergy testing system comprises a skin test device having a grip portion for holding the device. One or more legs extend from the grip, and each leg is oriented to interact with a well containing a potential allergen. Each leg has a test head, and each test head has a plurality of elongated spike members. The elongated spike members have a sharp end configured to receive the potential allergen from a well and to puncture a patient's skin. In addition, each test head has at least one touch activator. The touch activator is longer than the plurality of elongated spike members, such that during an allergy test, the touch activator comes into contact with the skin prior to the elongated spike members, causing the touch activators to activate nerve tissue that blocks transmission of pain, resulting in a reduction of pain and/or discomfort during testing.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an allergy testing system and a skin test device in which pain during testing is reduced by using a touch activator configured to contact skin before elongated spikes puncture skin and deliver a test solution. The device includes an elongated grip portion with multiple legs spaced and oriented to interact with multiple wells containing test solutions, and each test head includes a plurality of elongated spikes each with a sharp end configured to receive the test solution from a well and to puncture skin to deliver the test solution. Each test head further includes at least one touch activator that is longer than the plurality of elongated spikes, so that during an allergy test the touch activator comes into contact with the skin prior to the elongated spikes.
When the touch activator contacts the skin, it activates nerve tissue that suppresses transmission of pain, resulting in a reduction of pain during testing. This gate-control approach is incorporated into the device structure by configuring the relative lengths so the touch activator precedes the elongated spikes, thereby providing nerve tissue activation before puncturing and delivery.
To support correct loading and administration, the system includes wells and reservoirs sized and oriented to receive a separate test head of the skin test device, with reservoir sizing and orientation configured to receive both the elongated spikes and the touch activator of each test head. An orientation-assisting structure is described, including a T-shaped extension configured to ensure each test head is placed into the wells in a proper orientation.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover four main inventive areas: an allergy testing system, two skin test device implementations, and a method for administering an allergy test.
Touch activator longer than elongated spikes
Each test head includes elongated spikes and at least one touch activator longer than the plurality of elongated spikes, such that the touch activator contacts skin prior to the elongated spikes.
Nerve tissue activation to reduce pain
The touch activator contacts the skin prior to puncturing and activates nerve tissue that suppresses transmission of pain, resulting in a reduction of pain during testing.
Wells and reservoirs sized to receive the test head
A plurality of wells each has a reservoir sized and oriented to receive a separate test head of the skin test device, and configured to receive the elongated spikes and the touch activator of each test head.
Grip portion and legs with test heads
A skin test device comprises a grip portion for holding the device and at least one leg oriented to interact with a well containing a test solution, with each leg having a test head with elongated spikes and at least one touch activator.
Method of administering allergy test with touch-activator precedence
A method for administering an allergy test includes placing the device into at least one well containing a test solution to load the test solution onto the test head and pressing the device against skin such that the touch activator contacts the skin prior to the elongated spikes puncturing the skin and delivering the test solution.
Across the independent claims, the shared inventive core is the touch activator being longer than the elongated spikes so it contacts skin first and activates nerve tissue to suppress pain transmission, thereby reducing pain during an allergy test. The claims also recite the grip portion with legs and test heads, the wells and reservoirs sized and oriented to receive the test heads, and the loading and pressing operation for allergy testing.
Stated Advantages
Reduction of pain during testing by activating nerve tissue that suppresses transmission of pain.
Reduction of pain during testing by activating nerve tissue that suppresses pain.
Activation of nerve tissue occurs prior to puncturing, configured to suppress pain transmission during administration.
Documented Applications
Administering an allergy test to skin of a patient using a test head having elongated spikes and a touch activator contacting skin prior to spike puncture.
Using a skin test device with multiple legs interacting with multiple wells containing test solutions for allergy testing.
Self-loading of test solution onto a test head by placing the allergy testing device into at least one well containing a test solution.
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