Electrode for non-invasive allergy testing
First Claim
1. An allergy testing system comprising:
- means for containing a hydrolyzed allergen, such means having opposed first and second surfaces, said first surface being adapted to contact an area of skin of a person being tested;
a charge plate contacting said second surface of said allergen containing means;
means for providing an electric charge produced from an electric current of between 1 and 4 milliamperes to said allergen, whereby said allergen is transcutaneously delivered into said area of skin; and
means effectively positioned for detecting the temperature of said area of skin proximate said allergen containing means and for outputting an electric signal indicative of said temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein is an electrode for performing a plurality of allergy tests on a patient undergoing tests. The allergy electrode consists of a plurality of individual testing electrodes and a single common electrode. Each of the testing electrodes includes allergen delivery apparatus and a temperature sensor. The allergen is contained in a removable allergen impregnated pad. If a dry allergen is used, it may be hydrolized with a drop of distilled water prior to application. A small electric charge charges a charge plate on one side of the allergen pad and a common ring on the electrodes is grounded in circuit with the charging plate, thereby causing electric field to transfer the allergen through the pores of the skin. The area surrounding the allergen delivery area is sensed for temperature by a thin film temperature sensor and a rigid temperature conducted base. A thermistor or other temperature to voltage transducer converts the sensed temperature to an electric voltage which is applied through appropriate differential amplifiers and multiplexer to an analog to digital converter. The digital data is then stored by a microprocessor in random access memory. An output device can be connected to receive the stored data and the time at which it was stored so as to manifest to the physician the change in temperature of the tested area with respect to time.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An allergy testing system comprising:
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means for containing a hydrolyzed allergen, such means having opposed first and second surfaces, said first surface being adapted to contact an area of skin of a person being tested; a charge plate contacting said second surface of said allergen containing means; means for providing an electric charge produced from an electric current of between 1 and 4 milliamperes to said allergen, whereby said allergen is transcutaneously delivered into said area of skin; and means effectively positioned for detecting the temperature of said area of skin proximate said allergen containing means and for outputting an electric signal indicative of said temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An allergic response testing device for skin, including:
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iontophoretic allergen delivery means for transcutaneously delivering a selected substance into the skin of a person to test for allergic response of the person to said substance, said means including charging and return electrodes positioned for spaced topical placement on the skin effective to provide a conductive iontophoretic path through the tissue of the skin, said charging electrode including a charging member and in electrical communication therewith a medium for containing said selected substance, said medium being positioned to separate said charging member from contact with the skin upon said topical placement of said charging electrode; and temperature sensing and signaling means coupled with said allergen delivery means and positioned for placement in thermal contact with said skin at an area in juxtaposition to said path, for sensing skin temperatures in said area after initiation of said transcutaneous substance delivery and for outputting electric signals indicative of such temperatures. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A device for performing a plurality of allergy tests on the skin of a person under test comprising:
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a plurality of testing means each including; a temperature pickup and signal providing means having an opening therethrough adapted to be placed in contact with the skin of said person, said pickup and signal providing means providing an electric signal manifesting the temperature of said skin contacting said pickup and signal providing means, and allergen delivery means positioned through said opening for transcutaneously delivering said allergen to said patient, said delivery means including electrode means across which voltage may be impressed to generate an electric field and allergen containing means positioned to be in the generated electric field and adapted to contact said skin; common temperature sensing means, adapted to be placed in contact with said skin in an area remote from any reaction caused by the transcutaneous delivery of said allergen to said patient, for providing an electric signal manifesting the normal temperature of said skin; and lead means coupled to each of said testing means and said common means for providing an electric charge to said electrode means and for receiving said signal from said pickup and signal providing means and said common means. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of testing for, and signaling indicia of, an allergic response manifested at the skin of a person, comprising
(a) establishing and completing a conductive path in skin tissue between a charging electrode, which includes a substance to be tested for allergenicity, and a spaced apart return electrode, thereby to deliver such substance iontophoretically into the skin tissue; - and
(b) detecting the temperature of the skin proximate said path and outputting an electric signal indicative of said temperature. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A method of allergy testing, comprising:
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placing a hydrolyzed allergen containing member in contact with an area of skin of a person being tested; providing an electromotive-force to said member; discontinuing said electro-motive force; sensing the temperatures of the skin of the person proximate said member after said electromotive force is discontinued during a period of time effective for sensing the rate and extent of temperature rise in said skin in an allergic response of the person to said allergen; transducing said sensed temperatures during said period to electric output indicia of said temperatures; and signaling said electric output indicia during said period. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. The method according to claim 37 wherein said method includes utilizing an electrode having a permanent charge plate and a replaceable member, said method further including placing a new member in said electrode and attaching said electrode to said patient'"'"'s skin for each test.
Specification