Reduced-pain allergy skin test device

Abstract

An allergy skin test device is disclosed that causes less pain than commonly used devices that include multi-point sharp puncture heads. The allergy skin test device incorporates multiple dull pressure heads distributed amongst the sharp multi-point sharp puncture heads, each dull pressure head activating a neurological pain gate that reduces pain sensation typically caused by the neighboring multi-point head when it engages the skin.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An allergy skin test device, the device comprising:
 a plurality of sharp puncture heads, each supported by a supporting member extending from a support element, each of the sharp puncture heads providing at least one sharp element at a first length from the support element; and 
 a pluralityat least one dull pressure headshead extending from the support element, the at least one dull pressure head providing a dull surface area at a second length that is greater than the first length, 
 wherein when said allergy skin test device is pressed into a skin surface to be tested: 
 the plurality of dull pressure heads being interspersed among the plurality of sharp puncture heads, 
 at least one dull pressure head being cooperative with a sharp puncture head so as to promote a pain gate effect that reduces pain sensation caused by the sharp puncture head 
 the at least one dull pressure head cooperates with one or more of the plurality of sharp puncture heads to contact the skin surface before the at least one sharp feature of the one or more sharp puncture heads because of the difference between the first and second lengths, and 
 the at least one sharp element of the one or more sharp puncture heads punctures the skin surface to introduce allergens therein, when the dull pressure head sinks sufficiently into the skin to offset the difference between the first and second lengths. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The allergy skin test device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sharp puncture heads is arranged as a regular circular array of sharp puncture heads. 
     
     
       3. The allergy skin testing device of claim  2  1, wherein the regular array is one of:
 a square array, a rectangular array, a linear array, a polygonal array, an oval array, a circular array, an ellipsoidal array, a radially symmetric array dull head is within ¼ of an inch of the one or more of the sharp puncture heads with which it cooperates. 
 
     
     
       4. The allergy skin test device of claim  1  3, wherein there is a dull pressure head for each sharp puncture head the at least one dull head cooperates with at least two of the plurality of sharp puncture heads. 
     
     
       5. The allergy skin test device of claim  1  3, wherein the at least one dull pressure head and the sharp puncture head with which it cooperates are physically positioned relative to one another so that when the skin test device is applied with pressure to the skin of a patient, the at least one dull pressure head is adapted to contact the skin before the cooperative sharp puncture head the dull pressure head creates a pain gate effect in the skin surface to be tested before the sharp feature punctures the skin. 
     
     
       6. The allergy skin test device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a gripping element, and 
 wherein both the plurality of sharp puncture heads, and the plurality dull pressure heads, are supported by arms coupled to and extending from the gripping element wherein the support element includes a grasping portion by which said allergy skin test device can be grasped while pressing it into the skin surface to be tested. 
 
     
     
       7. The allergy skin test device of  claim 6 , wherein the gripping element is one of:
 a linearly extended member, a central hub member, a curved extended member, a round member, an oval member, an ellipsoidal member difference between the second length exceeds the first length by at least ⅛ of an inch. 
 
     
     
       8. The allergy skin test device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each dull pressure head is supported by a flexible arm, the flexible arm extending the dull pressure head supported thereon beyond any sharp puncture heads adjacent thereto so that when the skin test device is applied with pressure to the skin of a patient: 
 each dull pressure head is thereby configured to contact the skin before the sharp puncture heads adjacent thereto the dull surface area of the dull head is at least 1/16 of an inch in diameter. 
 
     
     
       9. An allergy skin test device, the device comprising:
 a regular array ofat least one sharp puncture headselement located at the distal end of a supporting member that extends from a support element to a first length with respect to the support element; 
 a corresponding regular array ofat least one dull surface area located at the distal end of a dull pressure heads, each of the sharp puncture heads being cooperative with a dull pressure head so as to contact the skin before the corresponding sharp puncture head; and 
 a gripping element used to apply the allergy skin test device to the skin of the patient, both the regular array of sharp puncture heads, and the corresponding regular array of dull pressure heads, extending from the gripping element head that extends from the support element to a second length with respect to the support member that is greater than the first length, 
 wherein when said allergy skin test device is pressed into a skin surface to be tested:
 the at least one dull pressure head cooperates with the at least one sharp element to contact the skin surface before the at least one sharp element because of the difference between the first and second lengths, and 
 the at least one sharp element punctures the skin surface to introduce allergens therein when the dull pressure head sinks into the skin to offset the difference between the first and second lengths. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The allergy skin test device of  claim 9 , wherein
 each sharp puncture head is supported by a first flexible arm cooperative with the gripping element, 
 each dull pressure head is supported by a second flexible arm cooperative with the gripping element, 
 each second flexible arm is in nearest neighbor relationship with the first flexible arm, and 
 the first flexible arm is of a different length than the second flexible arm the support element includes a grasping portion by which said allergy skin test device can be grasped while pressing it into the skin surface to be tested. 
 
     
     
       11. The allergy skin test device of claim  9  10, wherein the first flexible arm is longer than the second flexible arm the at least one dull pressure head is within ¼ of an inch of the at least one sharp feature. 
     
     
       12. The allergy skin test device of claim  9  10, wherein the second flexible arm is less flexible than the first flexible arm at least one dull pressure head cooperates with at least two sharp elements, each located at a distal end of a supporting member extending from the support element to the first length, the sharp elements being within ¼ of an inch of the at least one dull pressure head. 
     
     
       13. The allergy skin test device of  claim 9 , wherein:
 each dull pressure head extends further from the gripping member than a nearest sharp puncture head, and 
 when the allergy skin test is applied with pressure to the skin of a patient an angle within a range of working angles, each dull pressure head is adapted to contact the skin before the nearest sharp puncture head the dull pressure head creates a pain gate effect in the skin surface to be tested before the sharp feature punctures the skin. 
 
     
     
       14. An allergy skin test device, the device comprising:
 a sharp puncture head;   a plurality of dull pressure heads, each dull pressure head being cooperative with the sharp puncture head so as to resiliently contact the skin before the sharp puncture head; and   a gripping element for gripping the allergy skin test device, for supporting the sharp puncture head and the plurality of dull pressure heads, and for applying pressure to skin of a patient via the sharp puncture head and the plurality of dull pressure heads.   
     
     
       15. The allergy skin test device of  claim 14 , wherein:
 each of the dull pressure heads is supported by a flexible arm, and when the skin test device is applied with pressure to introduce allergens into the skin of a patient, the flexible arm is configured to transmit the applied pressure to the skin through the dull pressure head to provide a pain gate effect, while an adjacent sharp puncture head punctures the skin.   
     
     
       16. An allergy skin test device, the device comprising:
 a first applicator supporting a plurality of dull pressure heads, and having a plurality of holes interspersed among the plurality of dull pressure heads; and   a second applicator, configured to cooperatively couple with the first applicator, the second applicator supporting a plurality of sharp puncture heads, the plurality of sharp puncture heads being sized and positioned so as to be able to simultaneously move through the plurality of holes when the first and second applicators are cooperatively coupled,   wherein when the first and second applicators are cooperatively coupled, at least one dull pressure head is cooperative with a sharp puncture head so as to promote a pain gate effect that reduces pain sensation caused by the sharp puncture head when the skin test device is applied with pressure to skin.   
     
     
       17. A method of performing an allergy skin test, said method comprising:
 providing a dull pressure head that extends a dull surface area to a first length from a support element, the support element having a grasping portion;   providing a sharp element that is extended by a supporting member to a second length from the support element, the first length being greater than the second length; and   applying pressure the supporting member through the grasping portion, wherein:   the dull surface area of the dull pressure head engages the skin to be tested, the dull surface engaging the skin before the sharp element due to the difference between the first and second length, and   the sharp element punctures the area of the skin to be tested to introduce an allergen therein, the puncturing occurring when the dull surface area of the dull head sinks sufficiently into the skin to offset the difference in the first and second lengths.    
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17, wherein the area of the skin to be tested is within ¼ of an inch of where the dull surface area engages the skin to be tested.  
     
     
       19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first length exceeds the second length by about ⅛ of an inch.  
     
     
       20. The method of claim 17, wherein said applied pressure through the dull surface area establishes a pain gate effect in the skin to be tested before the skin is punctured by the sharp element.