Indicator device for detecting the amount of sebum in hair and scalp and method therefor

• US 4,313,393 A
• Filed: 09/19/1978
• Issued: 02/02/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Dail Corporation
• Original Assignee: American Colloid Company (Minerals Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hourihan, Joseph C., Hunter, LeRoy, Saad, Hosny, Inglis, Mary C., Oberstar, Helen E., Barbuscio, Frank D.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASICH, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US05/943,909
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 116/200, 116/201, 116/206, 424/9, 424/7, 73/356, 23/230 B, 23/230 L
• US Class Current: 116/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0064 for taking sweat or sebum samples measuring sweat production A61B5/4266
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4272 sebum secretion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/446 Scalp evaluation or scalp disorder diagnosis, e.g. dandruff
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/521 Single-layer analytical elements

Abstract

An indicating device for determining the dry, normal or oily characteristics of human hair and scalp. More particularly, an indicating device comprising an oil absorbent indicating material, treated with an oil-soluble dye, surrounded by an oil permeable membrane. The invention additionally relates to a method for determining the dry, normal or oily characteristics of the hair and scalp.

Claims

1. An indicator device for contact with human hair or scalp for determining the oiliness thereof, comprising (a) an oil-absorbent sheet material capable of absorbing sebum from the hair and scalp, said oil-absorbing sheet material being dyed on a surface with (b) an oil-soluble dye, soluble in sebum, capable of giving a visual physical color change in the area when placed in contact with sebum to form a spot of differing color when the dye dissolves the sebum of a size proportional to the amount of sebum absorbed by the oil-absorbing material, and (c) a non-adhering oil-permeable transparent sheet material permeable to said sebum adjacent to and superimposed over said dyed surface, said oil-permeable sheet forming part of an envelope enclosing said dyed oil-absorbent sheet, and allowing passage of sebum when brought into contact with sebum, whereby said sebum is absorbed by said absorbent sheet material to effect said visual physical color change which is visible through said transparent envelope surface.