MECHANICAL SCARIFIER

• US 3,756,242 A
• Filed: 01/04/1972
• Issued: 09/04/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ronald G. Coss
• Original Assignee: Ronald G. Coss
• Inventors: Coss, Ronald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaudet, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Application Number:
  US05/215,327
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 128/333,304,302,315 145/53
• US Class Current: 606/167
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/205 Vaccinating by means of needles or other puncturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/322 Skin grafting apparatus

Abstract

A mechanical scarifier for the controlled abrading of the skin of a patient in allergy testing, for example. The device comprises a guard terminating in an annular end face seatable against a skin surface to be abraded, a rotary blade within the guard and terminating in a scarifying edge adjacent and within the lateral confines of the end face and adapted to abrade the skin surface against which the end face of the guard is seated, means for adjusting the position of the scarifying edge of the blade relative to the end face of the guard in the axial direction, and cam means for rotating the blade about the axis of the end face of the guard in response to axial movement of a housing reciprocable relative to the guard, such rotation of the blade resulting in the desired abrasion of the skin surface.

Claims

1. In a mechanical scarifier the combination of:

a. a guard comprising a sleeve having a first external annular flange at its rearward end and terminating at its forward end in a second external annular flange defining an end face seatable against a surface to be scarified;

b. a housing having a hollow interior mounted on said guard to move reciprocally relative thereto, said housing including an internal annular flange at its forward end engageable with said first annular flange on said sleeve to limit rearward movement of said housing relative to said guard, and a rearward end;

c. a cam follower pin connected to said housing and extending into the interior thereof;

d. a shaft positioned within said housing and said guard and being rotatably and axially movable relative to said housing and said guard, said shaft having a forward end, a threaded portion, and a rearward end;

e. a rotary blade removably connected to said forward end of said shaft within said guard and terminating in a scarifying edge adjacent and within the lateral confines of said end face of said guard and adapted to scarify a surface against which said end face of said guard is seated;

f. a cam threadedly connected about said threaded portion of said shaft and mounted for rotation within said housing, said cam having a cylindrical surface with a helical cam groove disposed therein for receiving said cam follower pin, whereby forward movement of said housing and the engagement of said cam follower pin and said helical cam groove will rotate said shaft and blade within said guard;

g. a tubular closure means surrounding the rearward end of said shaft and connected to the rearward end of said housing;

h. an adjustment knob located exteriorly of and at the rearward end of said housing and connected to said rearward end of said shaft for rotating said shaft relative to said cam, said housing, and said guard, whereby such rotation of said knob positions said blade relative to said end face of said guard for determining the depth of penetration by said blade of the surface to be scarified; and

i. means for biasing said housing in a direction rearwardly of said guard whereby said internal annular flange of said housing engages said first annular flange on said guard.

2. A mechanical scarifier as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said helical groove extends along a portion only of the circumference of said cylindrical surface of said cam.

3. A mechanical scarifier as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said cam includes an axial opening having a threaded portion for engaging the threaded portion of said shaft, and a lateral opening; and

including a shaft retaining means received within said lateral opening of said cam for engaging the threaded portion of said shaft.

4. A mechanical scarifier as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said biasing means comprisEs a spring, said spring positioned around said shaft and between said cam and said tubular closure means.