Mucus testing processes and devices

• US 4,059,986 A
• Filed: 09/10/1976
• Issued: 11/29/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bank Of New England, N.A. (Bank of America Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Ovutime, Inc.
• Inventors: Schuster, Samuel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Queisser, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roskos, Joseph W.
• Application Number:
  US05/722,228
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 73/54, 73/64.4, 73/53, 128/2 W, 23/230 B
• 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

Abstract

A mucus sample from a bodily cavity is introduced between inner and outer bearing members, one of which is fixed, one of which is biased, and both of which have bearing surfaces of predetermined surface finish. Relative mechanical movement of the members indicates menstrual cycle phase.

Claims

1. A device for testing mucus from a bodily cavity, said device comprising an inner bearing element and an outer bearing element constrained for motion with respect to each other, means for biasing said elements for said motion, and means for indicating the occurence of such motion, said inner bearing element and said outer bearing element have inner and outer bearing surfaces, each of said bearing surfaces having a surface finish ranging from 8 to 125 microinches in valley to peak height.

2. A device for testing mucus from a bodily cavity, said device comprising a base, inner bearing means and outer bearing means, said inner bearing means and said outer bearing means being arranged for motion with respect to each other on said base, means for biasing said inner bearing means and said outer bearing means for said motion, and means for indicating the occurrence of said motion, said inner bearing means and said outer bearing means have inner and outer cylindrical bearing surfaces, each of said bearing surfaces having a surface finish ranging from approximately 0.2 microns to 3.2 microns in valley to peak height, the clearance between said bearing surfaces ranging from approximately 0.25 microns to 254.0 microns, said means for indicating including indicia movable with at least one of said bearing elements and indicia fixed in operation with respect to said base, said base and said inner bearing member being removably attached, one of said indicia being located on said base and the other of said indicia being located on said outer bearing member, said inner bearing member and said outer bearing member being disposed concentrically along a substantially horizontal axis.

3. A device for testing mucus from a bodily cavity, said device comprising a base, inner bearing means and outer bearing means, said inner bearings means and said outer bearing means being arranged for motion with respect to each other on said base, means for biasing said inner means and said outer bearing means for said motion, and means for indicating the occurrence of said motion, said inner bearing means and said outer bearing means have inner and outer cylindrical bearing surfaces, each of said bearing surfaces having a surface finish ranging from approximately 0.2 microns to 3.2 microns in valley to peak height, the clearance between said bearing surfaces ranging from approximately 0.25 microns to 254.0 microns, said means for indicating including indicia movable with at least one of said bearing elements and indicia fixed in operation with respect to said base, said inner bearing means and said outer bearing means being disposed concentrically along a substantially horizontal axis.

4. A device for testing mucus from a bodily cavity, said device comprising a base, inner bearing means and outer bearing means, said inner bearing means and said outer bearing means being arranged for motion with respect to each other on said base, means for biasing said inner bearing means and said outer bearing means for said motion, and means for indicating the occurrence of said motion, said inner bearing means and said outer bearing means have inner and outer cylindrical bearing surfaces, each of said bearing surfaces having a surface finish ranging from approximately 0.2 microns to 3.2 microns in valley to peak height, the clearance between said bearing surfaces ranging from approximately 0.25 microns to 254.0 microns, said means for indicating including indicia movable with at least one of said bearing elements and indicia fixed in operation with respect to said base, said base including an elongated handle and positioning means, said inner bearing means projecting from said rod and being substantially coaxial therewith, said positioning means indicating the relative axial position means of said outer bearing means and said inner bearing means, said inner bearing means and said outer bearing means being gravity actuated for relative movement with respect to each other.

5. A process for testing mucus from a bodily cavity, said process comprising inserting said mucus between inner bearing means and outer bearing means, said inner bearing means and said outer bearing means being arranged for motion with respect to each other, applying a relative bias to said inner bearing means and said outer bearing means, and indicating the occurrence or non-occurrence of said motion, said inner bearing means and said outer bearing means having inner and outer cylindrical bearing surfaces, each of said bearing surfaces having a surface finish ranging from approximately 0.2 microns to 3.2 microns in valley to peak height, the clearance between said bearing surfaces ranging from approximately 0.25 microns to 254.0 microns.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein said inner bearing means and outer bearing means are substantially coaxial along a horizontal axis.