Processes and devices for determining properties of bodily mucus

• US 3,926,037 A
• Filed: 03/14/1975
• Issued: 12/16/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bank Of New England, N.A.
• Original Assignee: Harold Kosasky, Louis Kopito, Samuel R. Schuster
• Inventors: Kopito, Louis, Schuster, Samuel R., Kosasky, Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Queisser, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roskos, Joseph W.
• Application Number:
  US05/558,247
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• Field of Search: 73/53,60,64.4,9,10,169,15A,15R,141AB 128/2W 23/23B
• US Class Current: 73/54.37
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0012 Ovulation-period determination for animals A61D17/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0022 based on measurement of viscosity or visco-elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 11/00 Investigating flow properties of materials, e.g. viscosity, plasticity; Analysing materials by determining flow properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/487 of liquid biological material

Abstract

A device for determining the properties of a bodily mucus comprises a pair of cooperating members, the working face of each member defining a bearing surface of predetermined surface characteristics. A sample of bodily mucus is applied to the working face of one member or removed from the cervix using one of the cooperating members and the working faces are pressed together to form a plurality of mucus containing regions. The cooperating members are pulled apart. The surface area of the mucus containing regions is substantially greater than the surface area of the interface between the working faces, whereby the mucus is torn apart at the interface and is not separated from the surface of the mucus containing regions. The force required to tear the mucus at the interface defines the properties of the bodily mucus and provides an indication of menstrual cycle phase.

Claims

1. A device for determining the properties of bodily mucus comprising:

a. a pair of separable cooperating members, each said member having a working face defining a bearing surface of predetermined configuration, said bearing surfaces in face to face relationship define a plurality of regions adapted to contain a bodily mucus sample, the surface area of said regions being greater that the surface area of the interface between said bearing surfaces; and

b. indicating means operatively connected to at least one of said members for providing an indication of the force required to separate said members when said regions contain a bodily mucus sample, the force required to separate said bodily mucus sample at said interface defines the property of said bodily mucus.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the predetermined finish of each said bearing surface includes peaks and valleys, the average peak to valley height being in the range of 0.002 to 2.0 mm.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said predetermined surface configuration of each said bearing surface is in the form of a plurality of elongated members in spaced parallel relationship to one another, each said elongated member having a substantially triangular profile in right cross section occurring at a rate of 50 to 1000 cycles per cm.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said indicating means includes a gravitational load operatively connected to one of said members, said gravitational load having a weight in the range of 10 to 1000 grams.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said indicating means includes a force measuring device operatively connected to one of said members, said force measuring device having indicia defining a scale.

6. A process for determining the properties of bodily mucus, said process comprising the steps of:

a. placing the bodily mucus on at least one of a pair of separable cooperating members;

b. pressing said cooperating members together to form a plurality of mucus containing regions, the surface area of said mucus containing regions being greater that said surface area of an interface between said cooperating members;

c. applying a force to at least one of said cooperating members, said force tending to cause relative motion of said cooperating members with respect to each other; and

d. indicating the occurrence of said relative motion for determining the properties of said bodily mucus.

7. The process as claimed in claim 6 wherein each said cooperating member has a working face defining a bearing surface of predetermined finish to form said plurality of mucus containing regions when said cooperating members are pressed together.

8. The process as claimed in claim 7 wherein each of said bearing surfaces is formed with peaks and valleys, the average peak to valley height being in the range of 0.002 to 2.0 mm.

9. The process as claimed in claim 6 wherein said force applying step includes the step of lifting one of said cooperating members, a gravitational load having a weight in the range of 10 to 1000 grams being connected to the other of said cooperating members.

10. The process as claimed in claim 6 wherein said force applying step includes the step of lifting one of said cooperating members, the other of said cooperating members being fixed against movement, the occUrrence of relative motion being indicated on a force measuring device operatively connected to said one cooperating member.