Sweat-collecting device and method

• US 4,542,751 A
• Filed: 01/21/1983
• Issued: 09/24/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wesco Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Original Assignee: Wesco Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Inventors: Webster, Henry L., Barlow, Wayne K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Application Number:
  US06/459,838
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 128/760, 128/767, 128/630, 128/632, 604/304, 604/308, 604/312, 604/315, 604/316, 604/327, 604/332, 604/338, 604/345, 604/346, 604/355, 604/356, 604/896, 604/897
• US Class Current: 600/573
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0064 for taking sweat or sebum samples measuring sweat production A61B5/4266
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4266 sweat secretion

Abstract

A sweat-collection device formed as a solid body having a shallowly concave, sweat-collecting surface at a face thereof defining a concavity with a rim lying wholly within a common plane for firm placement over an iontophoresis-stimulated area of a person'"'"'s skin to collect sweat from the skin area and pass it through a bore at the center of the concavity. The concavity is so shallow that no dead space occurs between the collecting surface and the skin and flesh bulged into the concavity when the device is applied to a patient whose sweat is to be collected for testing. Optionally, the concavity may be modified without introducing dead space thereinto, to incorporate barrier means for preventing unusually soft skin and flesh of infants and some adults from bulging into and closing the bore. A length of flexible tubing is secured to the axial bore for receiving and storing the collected sweat, and a chamber may be provided in the body of the device opposite the sweat-collecting surface for receiving and holding the tubing in flat coiled condition. A strap is provided for securing the device to a patient whose sweat is to be tested. Provision is preferably made for retaining, in and for discharging from the tubing, sweat after it has been collected.

Claims

1. A sweat-collection device for application to a substantially flat area of the human body, comprising a solid body having concave means defined at a face thereof by a sweat-collecting surface which gradually recedes from a rim lying wholly in a common plane to an axial bore that extends to the opposite face of said solid body, the maximum depth of said concave means being such that the skin and flesh of said flat area of a human body to which the device is applied will bulge into contact with said sweat-collecting surface over substantially the entire area thereof when said rim is placed firmly against the skin of said flat area of the human body, leaving substantially no dead space in the interface between the bulged skin and said sweat-collecting surface, whereby body secretion pressure of sweat will force said sweat through said interface to said axial bore, said bore being adapted to connect with a length of flexible, sweat collector tubing at said opposite face of the solid body, and said solid body being adapted to be fastened against the said flat area of a human body so as to maintain firm placement of said rim and sweat-collecting surface against the skin.

2. A sweat-collection device according to claim 1, wherein the body includes a portion of disc formation which projects from a substantially rectangular portion formed as a backing plate;

and wherein there are means at opposite ends of said backing plate for removably receiving an attachment strap.

3. A sweat-collection device in accordance with claim 1, including a length of flexible tubing adapted for connection to the axial bore for collecting sweat therefrom;

and a pneumatic bulb arrangement for discharging collected sweat from said tubing, comprising tubular shanks extending from sealed connection with opposite ends of a relatively short, relatively large diameter, flexible tube and adapted to snugly receive opposite ends of said flexible tubing, one of said tubular shanks being closed.

4. A sweat-collection device in accordance with claim 3, wherein the tubular shanks are the needle portions of respective hyperdermic needles having hubs adapted to sealingly receive the opposite ends of the flexible tubing.

5. A sweat-collection device in accordance with claim 3, wherein barrier means are provided at the entrance of the bore for preventing unusually soft skin and flesh from protruding into said bore.

6. A sweat-collection device according to claim 1, wherein the sweat-collecting surface is of squat conical formation.

7. A sweat-collection device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes barrier means at the entrance of the bore for preventing unusually soft skin and flesh from protruding into the bore.

8. A sweat-collection device according to claim 7, wherein the barrier means comprises symmetrically placed, outwardly tapered ribs protruding from the sweat-collecting surface into the concavity and radiating from the opening of the axial bore.

9. A sweat-collection device according to claim 7, wherein the barrier means comprises symmetrically placed, outwardly tapered grooves in the sweat-collecting surface and radiating from the opening of the axial bore.

10. A sweat-collection device in accordance with claim 1, having the opposite face of the body recessed as a chamber for receiving flexible tubing when connected to the axial bore and coiled in flat formation.

11. A sweat-collection device in accordance with claim 10, including a length of flexible tubing normally connected to the axial bore for collecting sweat therefrom and normally coiled in flat, spiral formation within the receiving chamber;

and a pneumatic bulb arrangement comprising tubular shanks extending from sealed connection with respective opposite ends of a relatively short, relatively large diameter flexible tube and adapted to snugly receive opposite ends of said flexible tubing, one of said tubular shanks being closed.

12. A method of collecting sweat from a person'"'"'s skin for testing, comprising the steps of inducing sweating in an area of the person'"'"'s skin;

attaching a sweat-collection device in accordance with claim 1 over said area of the person'"'"'s skin, with the rim of the sweat-collecting surface placed firmly against said skin;

detaching the sweat-collector tubing from the axial bore of the body of the device after sweat has been collected; and

closing the ends thereof; and

, at an appropriate time thereafter, expelling collected sweat from said tubing into a testing vessel.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the ends of the sweat-collector tubing are closed by connecting them to opposite ends, respectively, of relatively short tubular means to form a closed loop.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the short tubular means includes a pneumatic bulb intermediate its ends with one of said ends closed and one open;

and wherein collected sweat is expelled from the sweat-collector tubing by disconnecting one end thereof from the closed end of the tubular means and pressing said bulb.

15. A sweat collection device, comprising a solid body having concave means at a face thereof defining a sweat-collecting surface which gradually recedes from a rim lying wholly in a common plane to an axial bore that extends to the opposite face of said body so said surface will substantially conform to the bulging of a person'"'"'s skin and flesh, the maximum depth of said concave means being in the range of from 0.5 to 1.75 millimeters so that the bulged skin will be in contact with said surface over substantially the entire area thereof when said rim is placed firmly against said skin, leaving substantially no dead space in the interface between the bulging skin and said surface, whereby body secretion pressure of sweat will force said sweat through said interface to said axial bore;

a length of flexible, sweat-collector tubing whose inside diameter is sufficiently small to substantially preclude evaporation from an open end thereof during sweat collection and having one end connected to said bore at said opposite face of the body so as to receive sweat from said surface; and

means for fastening said solid body against the area of skin from which sweat is to be collected, so as to maintain firm placement of said rim and surface against the skin.

16. A sweat collection device according to claim 15, wherein the tubing is coiled in flat spiral formation and the said opposite face of the body is recessed to receive the coiled tubing, said tubing being compactly positioned within the receiving recess but adapted to be extended rectilinearly therefrom.

17. A sweat collection device according to claim 15, wherein the sweat-collecting surface is of substantially conical formation.

18. A sweat collection device according to claim 17, wherein the altitude of the conical formation is within the range of from 0.5 to 1.75 millimmeters and the diameter of the base is within the range of from 20 to 35 millimeters.

19. A sweat collection device according to claim 15, wherein the shallow concavity is of circular formation having a diameter within the range of from 20 to 35 millimeters.

20. A sweat collection device according to claim 15, wherein the concave means is of substantially circular formation, the maximum depth is one millimeter, and the diameter is twenty-seven millimeters;

and wherein the inside diameter of the sweat-collector tubing is eighty-six hundreths of a millimeter.

21. A sweat collection device according to claim 15, wherein the solid body includes a portion of disc formation which projects from a substantially rectangular portion formed as a backing plate;

and wherein the means for fastening said body to the skin of a person comprises means at opposite ends of said backing plate for removably receiving an attachment strap.

22. A method of collecting sweat from a person'"'"'s skin for testing, comprising the steps of inducing sweating in an area of the person'"'"'s skin;

attaching a sweat collection device over said area of the person'"'"'s skin, said device comprising a solid body having concave means defined at a face thereof by a sweat-collecting surface which gradually recedes from a rim lying wholly in a common plane to an axial bore that extends to the opposite face of said solid body, the maximum depth of said concave means being such that the bulged skin will be in contact with said surface over substantially the entire area thereof when said rim is placed firmly against said skin, leaving substantially no dead space in the interface between the bulging skin and said surface, whereby body secretion pressure of sweat will force said sweat through said interface to said axial bore, a length of flexible, sweat-collector tubing whose inside diameter is sufficiently small to substantially preclude evaporation from an open end thereof during sweat collection and having one end connected to said bore at said opposite face of the body so as to receive sweat from said surface, and means for fastening said body against the area of skin from which sweat is to be collected, so as to maintain firm placement of said rim and surface against the skin, the rim of said sweat-collecting surface being placed firmly against said skin;

detaching the sweat-collector tubing containing sweat from said body of the device; and

expelling the sweat therefrom for test purposes.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the ends of the sweat-collector tubing are closed by connecting them to the opposite ends, respectively, of a relatively short length of relatively rigid tubing, to form a closed loop.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein collected sweat is expelled from the collector tubing by disconnecting one end thereof from the relatively rigid tubing and connecting it to an elastomer bulb by means of a relatively short length of similar rigid tubing.

25. A method according to claim 22, wherein the ends of the detached tubing are closed;

and, at an appropriate time thereafter, the sweat is expelled from said tubing into a testing vessel.

26. A method according to claim 22, wherein the collected sweat is expelled from the collector tubing by connecting an end thereof to an elastomeric bulb.