Patent Publication Number: US-2023137997-A1

Title: Topical applicator

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to prior-filed and co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/274,456, filed Nov. 1, 2021, the complete contents of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present device relates to the field of topical gel application and more specifically to specialized, individual-use topical content applicators. 
     Background 
     Individuals who have undergone medical treatment which requires the installation of a medical port in their person, are familiar with the procedures required to prepare for treatments which require a medical professional to access the port. Often accessing a port can be uncomfortable or painful and as such patients are frequently advised to apply lidocaine topically to the port and the surrounding region prior to arriving for the procedure requiring port access. However, topical lidocaine becomes highly fluid when it comes in contact with the body. Thus, it is not unusual for patients to have the lidocaine run down their bodies to undesired locations or simply not stay in place long enough to affect topical numbing of the skin. The common solution employed and recommended by medical professionals is to wrap the area in cellophane or plastic wrap in an effort to keep the lidocaine in place. However, those that have tried this are familiar with the fact that wrapping the area of the port is not a practical solution as the area where the port is installed may not be easily wrapped and/or the cellophane/plastic wrap simply does not adhere to the area sufficiently to keep the lidocaine in place. This same issue is true with many topical anesthetics and other topical analgesics which are not readily or immediately absorbed into the skin and must sit on the surface of the skin for a period of time to be effective. 
     What is needed is an apparatus to securely position a topical analgesic, anesthetic or other material against the skin such that the material is in contact with the skin for the desired period to have the desired effect. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further details of the present device are explained with the help of the attached drawings in which: 
         FIG.  1    depicts a top view of the topical applicator of  FIG.  1    in a closed position. 
         FIG.  2    depicts a top view of an open topical applicator. 
         FIG.  3    depicts an elevation view of the topical applicator of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    depicts a top view of another embodiment of the present device. 
         FIG.  5    depicts an elevation view of the embodiment shown in  FIG.  4   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
       FIG.  1    depicts a top view of a closed topical applicator  100 . As shown in  FIG.  1   , a topical applicator  100  can have a substantially circular geometry, but in other embodiments can have any other known and/or convenient configuration. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG.  1   , a topical applicator  100  is depicted in a closed or sealed position with a lid  110  covering the open end of a cup  102 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , a cup  102  can have a lip region  104 . In the embodiment of  FIG.  1   , a lip region  104  can extend circumferentially outward from the edge of a cup  102 , but in other embodiments can extend inward. In such embodiments, a lip region  104  can extend substantially perpendicularly from the edge of a cup  102 . A lip region  104  can have a substantially flat, or rounded, or any other known and/or convenient configuration. In some embodiments, a cup  102  can be comprised of a polymer or any other known and/or convenient material, which can be biodegradable. In such embodiments, a cup  102  can be substantially rigid or flexible to any known and/or convenient degree. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , a lid  110  can be configured to substantially correspond with the dimensions of a cup  102 . In some embodiments, a lid  110  can have at least one tab  112  that can extend outward past a lip region  104 . As shown in  FIG.  1   , a tab  112  can have a rounded geometry, but in other embodiments can have a substantially rectangular shape or any other known and/or convenient geometry. In other embodiments, a lid  110  can in whole or in part extend past a lip region  104 . In another alternative embodiment, a lip region  104  can have at least one notch to facilitate peeling off a lid  110 . A lid  110  can be comprised of a polymer, metallic foil, or any other known and/or convenient material. 
       FIG.  2    depicts a top planar view of a cup  102  with a lid  110  removed. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG.  1   , a lip region  104  can be comprised of two annular regions  106  and  108 , each having adhesives associated with each annular region  106   108 . An exterior annual region  106  can have a first adhesive that is adapted and configured to selectively seal a lid  110  to a cup  102 . In some embodiments, this first adhesive can contain an analgesic substance, such as, but not limited to lidocaine and/or any other known, convenient and/or desired substance contained within a cup  102  but allow selective removal of a lid  110  from a cup  102  when it is desired to expose the contents and opening of a cup  102  as well as an internal annular region  108  of a cup lid region  104 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG.  2   , an internal annular region  108  can be associated with an adhesive that is adapted and configured to selectively adhere to both a cup  102  and human or animal skin. In some embodiments, this second adhesive can contain an analgesic substance, such as, but not limited to lidocaine and/or any other known, convenient and/or desired substance contained within a cup  102 . 
       FIG.  3    depicts an elevation view of the topical applicator of  FIG.  1   . In the embodiment shown, a cup  102  can have a substantially rectangular cross-section with rounded edges at the bottom. In other embodiments, a cup  102  can have a substantially hemispherical or any other known and or convenient cross-sectional geometry. 
     In some embodiments, a cup  102  and a lip region  104  can be comprised of a flexible material or semi-rigid material such that it can conform to the shape of the body of the user to which the cup is attached. Moreover, in some embodiments a cup  102  can be comprised of a flexible material such that a cup  102  can be deformed by the user such that the media is held closer to the skin. 
     In some embodiments, a lid  110  can be a peel-off type lid  110  with a tab  112  to facilitate removal of a lid  110  from a cup  102 . However, in alternate embodiments, a lid  110  can be any known, convenient and/or desired style or material and can selectively couple a cup  102  in any known, convenient and/or desired manner or via any known, convenient and/or desired mechanism, such as a screw-type mechanism. In some embodiments wherein a lid  110  is selectively coupled with a cup  102  other than via adhesive, adhesive may not be associated with an exterior annular region  106  and/or an exterior annual region  106  can comprise an additional annular application of skin adhesive. 
     In operation, a user can remove a lid  110  and expose both the interior of a cup  102 , which can contain any known, convenient and/or desired topical application (and/or can be empty such that a user can introduce any desired media into a cup  102 ). A user can then (fill a cup  102  with desired media, if empty) and apply a lip region  104  of a cup  102  to the skin, thus adhering a cup  102  containing the media against the skin via a second adhesive in an internal annular region  108 . In such embodiments, a topical applicator  100  can specifically target an area of skin contained with the circumference or perimeter of a topical applicator  100 . In embodiments where a topical application is an analgesic, such as, but not limited to lidocaine, a topical applicator  100  can numb an area of skin contained with the circumference or perimeter of a topical applicator  100 . When treatment is concluded, a user can then remove a topical applicator  100  from the area of skin on which it was deployed. 
       FIG.  4    depicts a top view of another embodiment of the present device. In such embodiments, topical applicators  100  can be produced in a sheet configuration to create a “pack” of multiple topical applicators  400 . In such embodiments, individual topical applicators  100  can comprise an array in which topical applicators  100  can be removably connected. As shown in  FIG.  4   , instead of discreet, individual cups  102 , a bottom sheet  402  can have an array of cups  102 , which can be filled with a desired medium. The interstitial regions of a bottom sheet  402  can serve as lips  104  to cups  102 . These lips  104  can comprise a pair of annular regions  106   108  having different adhesives, as discussed supra. A top sheet  404  can be comprised of foil, polymer, or any other known and/or convenient substantive. A top sheet  404  can be removably attached to a bottom sheet  402  via a first adhesive region  106 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , Substantially orthogonal perforations  406  can allow for individual topical applicators  100  to be broken off as needed. In such embodiments, the resulting corners of each topical applicator  100  can be free of adhesive to allow a user to easily peel off a top sheet  404  to open a topical applicator  100  and expose a cup  102 . However, in other embodiments, a bottom sheet  402  can have cups  102  only partially connected tangentially. As described supra, this would also expose a second adhesive region  108  comprising an adhesive to removably attach a topical applicator  100  in direct contact with a desired skin surface. In other embodiments, a bottom sheet  402   
       FIG.  5    depicts an elevation view of the embodiment shown in  FIG.  4   . In such embodiments, a bottom sheet  402  can have a plurality of cups  102  protruding from the lower surface. Each cup  102  can be filled with a desired medium, such as, but not limited to a topical analgesic. A top sheet  404  can be removably attached to a bottom sheet  402  via a first adhesive region  106  surrounding the edge of each cup  102 . 
     In use, a user can select an individual topical applicator  100  from a sheet  400  and remove it from the rest of a sheet  400  along perforations  406 . The resulting individual applicator  100  can have a substantially rectangular lip surrounding the edge of a cup  102 . A user can peel off a top sheet  404  to expose the contents of a cup  102  and a second adhesive  108 . An individual applicator  100  can then be applied to a desired area of skin. When removal from the skin is desired, a user can use one of the adhesive-free corners to pull an applicator  100  off of the skin. 
     Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described in detail and in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts above, it is to be understood that those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many additional modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the invention. Moreover, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Accordingly, these and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims.