Applicator Glove

Abstract

The disclosed invention uses a finger covering to position a supply of medicine in a location where it may be administered in a manner that increases applicant's control of the administration and lowers the anxiety level of the patient by using a sheathed finger.

Description

PRIORITY/CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non-provisional application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application No. U.S. 62/853,438 entitled “Medical Applicator Glove” filed by Daniel C. Phelan on May 28, 2019. That application is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Introducing medicine to infants and animals may be a difficult process. While human adults can comprehend the need to take or apply a medicine, infants and animals typically resist taking medicine in some manner. When introducing oral medications, the challenge is keeping the mouth open to introduce the medicine and then forcing the mouth closed to prevent the medicine from coming out. This involves forcing the mouth open, dropping the medicine in and then forcing the mouth closed. If the medicine is in liquid form, a syringe is forced into the mouth and the medicine is discharged. This process can introduce anxiety into the recipient.

Topical medicine has additional issues. In some cases, medicine needs to be applied to a sensitive location or an area that is not normally touched. The recipient usually does not understand what is happening, causing anxiety as medicine is applied.

As a result, there is a need for a way to either apply or introduce medicine or other substances in a manner that does not produce anxiety in the recipient or to a location that is otherwise inaccessible to anything other than hands.

SUMMARY

An exemplary embodiment includes a finger covering (hereinafter a glove, but a finger cot is also within the scope of the invention) with a bladder located on the finger pad of at least one finger. The bladder is dimensioned to accept medicine or other substance in either solid or liquid form. The medicine may be added to the bladder with the exemplary embodiment of the invention either on or off the hand. Once the glove is on the hand and the bladder is loaded, the glove is then positioned where the medicine needs to be introduced. Alternatively, the bladder may be in the palm of the glove and be operated in a substantially similar manner.

The medicine may be delivered in different forms. If the medicine is to be administered orally, the applicator with the bladder is inserted into the mouth. Once in the mouth, the bladder discharges the medicine. This bypasses the tongue and other obstructions, forcing the medicine down. If the medicine is to be applied topically or into another orifice, the delivery is performed in a substantially similar manner by placing a finger at the application site and discharging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1a shows an exemplary embodiment where only a single finger is covered.

FIG. 1b shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1a.

FIG. 1c shows an alternative embodiment where the relaxed state of the finger cover is bent.

FIG. 1d shows an exemplary embodiment where the applicator is a full glove.

FIG. 2a shows the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1d being used on a dog to apply a topical medication in the dog's ear.

FIG. 2b shows the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1d being used on an infant to apply oral medication.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment that uses a palm bladder to store medicine that is discharged though a discharge nozzle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

An exemplary embodiment of the disclosed invention as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b utilizes an applicator 100 dimensioned to allow a finger to be inserted in the applicator 100 with a bladder 102 located adjacent to the finger pad of a finger. The bladder 102 has an aperture 104 that opens toward the distal end of the applicator 100. The applicator 100 can be placed at the location the medicine needs to be applied. Once in position, the medicine is discharged from the bladder 102 to reach the intended location.

Medicine may be discharged in different ways. In one embodiment, when the applicator 100 is placed in the opening to receive the medication, the user presses on the proximal end of the bladder 102 with his thumb, causing pressure to build in the bladder 102 to discharge the medicine out of the aperture 104. In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 1c, the applicator 100 might be designed to have a curved relaxed state to make an angle applicator 110. Instead of the thumb applying pressure to the bladder 102, the action of straightening the finger in the angle applicator 110 causes the tension to build in the bladder 102 forcing the medicine to discharge out the bladder 102 through the aperture 104.

In operations, the user places the applicator 100 in any embodiment adjacent to the opening where the medicine needs to be applied. Once in position, the user causes the medicine to discharge out the aperture 104, causing the medicine to enter the opening (a mouth for oral medicine as in FIG. 2b or on a surface for topical medication as in 2a).

In further exemplary embodiment, the technology may be adapted to apply substances to other locations. These include, but are not limited to applying analgesic to a child's gums in a child's mouth 220 during teething as shown in FIG. 2b and applying grease to locations that can accept a finger but no other oil dispensing tools.

Additionally, the applicator 100 may be placed inside the opening, where the applicator 100 occupies a substantial part of the opening to create a seal, such as in a dog's ear 215 as shown in FIG. 2a. The applicator 100 itself acts as a plug preventing the medicine from leaving the dog's ear 215. This allows the remainder of the hand to be used to assist rotating the dog 210 to allow gravity to take the medicine in as deep as needed.

The applicator 100 may have the medicine loaded in different ways. One embodiment comes with the bladder 102 preloaded, and the aperture 104 opens when the pressure is applied. In alternate exemplary embodiment, the bladder 102 may be loaded by the user. An example of medicine to be loaded into the bladder 102 would include medicine that is typically provided in a tube with a nozzle. The nozzle is inserted into the aperture 104 and loaded into the bladder 102 for use. Once the nozzle is removed, the user operates the applicator 100 as previously described.

In an alternate exemplary embodiment, the bladder 102 is dimensioned such that a fixed amount of a medication or other substance to be dispensed. The applicator 100 may have bladders 102 dimensioned for different volumes to applied. Examples would include an applicator 100 dimensioned for a 5 milliliters verses an applicator 100 dimensioned for a 1 milliliter.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the applicator 100 is integrated into a full or partial glove 120 as shown in FIG. 1d, where multiple fingers and the palm may be covered. A glove 120 embodiment may have a bladder 102 on the finger pad of one or more fingers and operate as previously discussed.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the applicator 100 may be incorporated into a bladder glove 300 that also contains a palm bladder 302. In operations, the user places the discharge nozzle 306 (located in the same location as the bladder 102 in prior embodiments) at the location to receive the medicine. The user's other fingers then apply pressure to the palm bladder 302, forcing medicine though the tube 304 and out the discharge nozzle 306.

One of skill in the art will appreciate that embodiments provide an improved delivery mechanism for medication or other substances. Although specific embodiments are illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose can be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This specification is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of embodiments. In particular, one of skill in the art will appreciate that the names and terminology are not intended to limit embodiments. Furthermore, additional apparatus can be added to the components, functions can be rearranged among components, and new components corresponding to future enhancements and future physical devices used in embodiments can be introduced without departing from the scope of the invention. The terminology used in this application is intended to include all embodiments and alternatives which provide the same functionality as described herein.

Claims

1. An apparatus for applying a substance, comprising:

A finger cover;

A discharge mechanism located on said finger cover; and

A bladder coupled to said discharge mechanism.

2. The apparatus from claim 1, wherein said substance discharges from said bladder through said discharge mechanism under user control.

3. The apparatus from claim 1, wherein said discharge mechanism is integrated into said bladder.

4. The apparatus from claim 3, wherein said discharge mechanism is a discharge aperture in said bladder.

5. The apparatus from claim 1, wherein said finger cover is integrated into a glove.

6. The apparatus from claim 5, wherein said discharge mechanism is a nozzle coupled to a flexible tube coupled to said bladder.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said bladder is located in a palm of said glove.

8. The apparatus from claim 1, wherein said bladder further comprises an opening that allows said substance to be inserted.

9. The apparatus from claim 8, wherein said bladder prevents said substance from discharging until initiated by a user.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, when said bladder is preloaded with said substance.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said substance may be installed in said bladder by use of a tool.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said bladder may be reloaded.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, where said finger cover has a relaxed state where said finger cover is bent, but a tense state when said finger cover is straightened.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said bladder discharges when said finger cover is straightened.

15. A method for introducing substance to an object, comprising:

Positioning applicator covering at least one finger to an application location; and

Discharging said substance from said applicator.

16. The method of claim 15,

Wherein said object is capable of movement; and

Wherein said object may be restrained by use of a hand coupled to said applicator.