Suction clamped treatment cup saliva sampler
OwnerPatricia A. Richardinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A selective collector of a human patient's saliva for monitoring or analysis is formed as a substantially conical flat concave cup of resilient molded polymer with tubing connections at an apex portal, and a large entrance portal having a soft compliant foam elastomer rim positioned for contact with the patient's soft tissue, such as the interior of the patient's cheek around the parotid salivary duct. Suction is connected to the soft foam rim, holding the concave cup in position, and suction, fixed pressure, pulsing pressure or electrical stimulation may promote the flow of saliva to a collector vessel. Medication may be administered to the patient's soft tissue if desired throug the entrance portal.
Claims12
A flexible, resilient saliva sampler comprising in combination
- A. A suction blower,
- B. A hollow concave cap having an interior chamber bounded by a large entrance portal and a small inner portal,
- C. Means forming a soft flexible rim of elastomer foam material encircling the entrance portal and facing outward for depressible abutting engagement with the soft tissue of a human patient,
- D. First sampling conduit means connecting the inner portal to an external collector zone, and
- E. Second suction conduit means connecting the soft flexible rim encircling the entrance portal to the suction blower,
- whereby suction created by the blower holds the soft flexible elastomer foam rim against the patient's soft tissue, encircling a salivary duct outlet, and secreted saliva is collected in the interior chamber for delivery down the sampling conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.