US3130721A - Mechanical contraceptives - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1964 c. YOUNG 3,130,721

MECHANICAL CONTRACEPTIVES Filed June 26, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l Figl.

INVENTOR I John C. Young April 28, 1964 J. c. YOUNG 3,130,721

MECHANICAL CONTRACEPTIVES Filed June 26, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5. Fig.6.

INVENTOR 4 John C. Young United States Patent O 3,130,721 MECHANICAL CONTRACEPTIVES John C. Young, 135 S. Hiland Ave, Pittsburgh 6, Pa. Filed June 26, 1961, Ser. No. 119,506 7 Claims. (Cl. 128-127) This invention relates to mechanical contraceptives and particularly to a mechanical contraceptive or pessary which is positioned in the vagina at or near and surrounding the cervix by a firm member.

The need for a simple, inexpensive means for contraception has become increasingly acute. Many areas of the earth suffer from famine, disease, poverty and squalor because of their excessively high and completely uncontrolled birth rate. No really simple, effective means of aiding in the control of this problem has been achieved.

Many types of pessaries and diaphragm type contraceptives have been proposed. These, however, take some skill in their successful application, usually require some special mechanical device for insertion and, in many cases, medical skill in fitting. Such devices are not feasible for those underdeveloped and uneducated areas of the world where they are most needed. There are available male contraceptives, but those are, in general, not adapted for reuse and are for that reason not satisfactory in such underdeveloped areas.

I have invented a contraceptive device which solves these problems. I provide a pessary type contraceptive which does not require special skill or mechanical equipment for installation, and which is reusable and effective.

Preferably, I provide a diaphragm of semielastic material in generally saucer-shaped or reversed saucer-shaped configuration adapted to cover the cervix area and frictionally engage the walls of the vaginal passage thereabout, a cylindrical sheath member of elastic material closed and fixed at one end to the underside or outer surface of the base of said saucer-shaped diaphragm and at the center thereof and adapted to removably engage a firm member. Preferably the cylindrical sheath member is of thin elastic material such as latex film.

In the foregoing general description of my invention, I have set out certain objects, advantages and purposes. Other objects, advantages and purposes will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view showing one of the embodiments of this invention in place;

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of the pessary;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of a fifth embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of a sixth embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view of a seventh embodiment of my invention; and

FIGURE 10 is a side elevation of an eighth embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated a saucerlike diaphragm 10 of semielastic material, preferably rubber, of suificient rigidity to bear against the walls of the vaginal passage 11 to surround the cervix 12 at or near it, to seal it from the vaginal passage. A cylindrical sheath 13 is fixed at its capped end to a center point 14 of the outer surface of the bottom of the diaphragm 10. The sheath 13 is preferably formed of thin elastic mate- 3,130,721 Patented Apr. 28, 1964 rial such as latex film which will collapse when installed, although this is not essential. The sheath 13 is adapted to be loosely but firmly removably placed on a firm member prior to copulation and is placed in the final position shown in FIGURE 1 by reason of the engagement of the walls of the vaginal passage on the periphery of diaphragm 10 by the completion of the inward original stroke of the firm member. Thereafter upon beginning of withdrawal of the firm member the diaphragm 10 and sheath 13 are left in proper position as in FIGURE 1.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 4, I have illustrated a contraceptive device made up of a saucerlike diaphragm 20 having inturned lips 21 adapted to surround the cervix of a wearer and an outer peripheral annular bead or flange 22 adapted to firmly engage the walls of the vaginal passage of a wearer at or near the cervix. A sheath 23 is fixed to the center of bottom 24 precisely as in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6, I have illustrated still other forms of my invention similar to that of FIGURE 4 but provided with plural rings 25 on the sheath member 23a of which ring 25a in FIG- URE 6 is smaller than the other rings 25. These rings maintain the sheath 23a open after insertion with most of the rings 25 in contact with the vaginal wall to form an increased measure of protection and to insure holding the device in proper position. It is obvious, of course, that the device of this invention could be inserted by using an applicator rod, a cylindrical object, or a finger, without the co-operation of the male.

FIGURE 7 illustrated an embodiment in which the diaphragm member 28 is inverted over the sheath 29 for easier insertion. A thick, wide, flat portion 30 is provided about the periphery of the diaphragm to hold it in place and to prevent any tendency of the diaphragm to tip.

FIGURE 8 illustrates a form in which the diaphragm member 31 is inverted over sheath 32 as in FIGURE 7 but a resilient O-ring 33 is formed about the periphery thereof.

FIGURE 9 shows an essentially plane diaphragm 34 attached to the end of sheath 35 and provided with a peripheral O-ring 36.

FIGURE 10 shows a device of my invention essentially the same as that of FIGURE 9 but having a heavy band '37 as a peripheral ring to contact the vaginal walls. 7 While I have illustrated and described certain presently preferred embodiments of my invention hereinabove, it will be understood that this invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a contraceptive device, a generally semielastic impervious saucerlike member adapted to surround a cervix at or near thereat and engage the walls of a vaginal passage in sealing relation and a thin elastic collapsible sheath means on said member adapted to releasably engage a firm member for placement in said vaginal passage by completion of the original inward stroke and released from said firm member by engagement of the said member by said vaginal passage when the original back stroke of the firm member begins.

2. In a device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the saucerlike member has an inturned lip to surround the cervix of the wearer at or near thereat and an annular peripheral bead engaging the walls of the vaginal passage at or near thereat.

3. In a device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the saucerlike member has an integral annular outer edge peripheral ring and the sheath means is provided with multiplicity of integral annular peripheral rings, most of such rings so spaced as to engage the walls of the vaginal passage to form spaced open supporting members of the sheath 0.9 whereby, the sheath and the saucerlike member of the device are firmly held in position at or near a cervix.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the saucerlike member is reversed over the sheath and is provided with an integral heavy peripheral-resilient band.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the saucerlike member is reversed over the sheath and provided with an integral resilient O-ring about the periphery thereof.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the saucerlike member is essentially planar and provided With an integral resilient O-ring about the periphery thereof.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the saucerlike member is essentially planar and provided with an integral heavy peripheralresilient band.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 733,068 Mitchell July 7, 1903 806,589 Smart Dec. 5, 1905 1,316,436 Feeney Sept. 16, 1919 2,071,248 Campbell Feb. 16, 1937 2,442,066 Waterbury May 25, 1948 2,444,672 Prather July 6, 1948 2,704,068 Beranek Mar. 15, 1955

Claims (1)

1. IN A CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICE, A GENERALLY SEMIELASTIC IMPERVIOUS SAUCERLIKE MEMBER ADAPTED TO SURROUND A CERVIX AT OR NEAR THEREAT AND ENGAGE THE WALLS OF A VAGINAL PASSAGE IN SEALING RELATION AND A THIN ELASTIC COLLAPSIBLE SHEATH MEANS ON SAID MEMBER ADAPTED TO RELEASABLY ENGAGE A FIRM MEMBER FOR PLACEMENT IN SAID VAGINAL PASSAGE BY COMPLETION OF THE ORIGINAL INWARD STROKE AND RELEASED FROM SAID FIRM MEMBER BY ENGAGEMENT OF THE SAID MEMBER BY SAID VAGINAL PASSAGE WHEN THE ORIGINAL BACK STROKE OF THE FIRM MEMBER BEGINS.

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