EP1624835A1

EP1624835A1 - Condom

Info

Publication number: EP1624835A1
Application number: EP04731957A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marjorie Butcher
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-05-10
Filing date: 2004-05-10
Publication date: 2006-02-15
Also published as: WO2004100843A1; GB2417690A; GB2417690B; GB0524618D0

Abstract

A condom (1, 9, 12, 13, 15) comprises an elongate shaft section (5) with a rounded tip (8), a generally frustoconical guide section (6) tapering towards the shaft section (5), and a skirt (7) extending outwardly from the guide section (6). The condom (1, 9, 12, 13, 15) may be stored flat, optionally being produced from two sheets (2) of plastics material cut to shape and heatsealed together around a distal periphery (3). Openable pleats (10, 11) may be provided, extending across the skirt (7) and possibly also the guide section (6). The condom (1, 9, 12, 13, 15) may be made from a tough, relatively non-extensible plastics material and dimensioned to fit a penis slightly loosely to facilitate rapid application.

Description

CONDOM

The present invention relates to a prophylactic device which acts as a contraceptive and to lessen the risk of disease transmission. More particularly but not exclusively, it relates to a prophylactic device of improved convenience of use and rapidity of application.

With the spread of AIDS, Hepatitis C, and other diseases transmissible through sexual contact, conventional contraceptive devices and methods may no longer suffice. The contraceptive "Pill" and intra-uterine devices give no protection against disease (or parasites). The so-called "female condom" does afford greater protection, but it is not very convenient in use, requiring earlier insertion, for example.

The traditional male condom comprises a close-fitting generally cylindrical sheath of resiliently-expandable latex rubber or the like. Since it is tight-fitting to ensure that it stays in place, it can be awkward to apply when in a hurry, so some men may be inclined to dispense with its use, whatever the risk of conception or of infection to either partner. In some regions of the world, particularly where the level of HIV/AIDS infection is already high, many men appear to have abandoned interest in contraception, if they ever had any. Even if a woman in these regions wants a man to wear a condom, he may well not be prepared to delay sufficiently for her to fit a conventional condom to him.

In such regions, the cost of conventional condoms, and other contraceptive devices may also discourage their use.

In any case, the conventional male condom while usually effective as a contraceptive does not extend over a sufficient proportion of the body to protect either partner fully against transmission of disease or parasites.

There is hence a need for a simple, cheap contraceptive device that is easy and quick to open out from a stored configuration and apply, and which is more effective in blocking transmission of disease, for example via bodily fluids.

It is hence an object of the present invention to provide a contraceptive device to be worn by a man that obviates the above problems and provides the above improvements.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a condom adapted to be worn over the penis comprising in use an elongate generally frustoconical portion provided at its proximal end with skirt means extending transversely outwardly therefrom. Preferably, the condom comprises in use an elongate generally cylindrical portion extending from a distal end of said frustoconical portion to a closed distal end of the condom.

Alternatively, the generally frustoconical portion of the condom may extend to the closed distal end thereof.

The skirt means may be formed integrally with the generally frustoconical portion of the condom.

The condom is preferably provided with at least one openable pleat means, extending across the skirt means and disposed substantially flat in a stored configuration of the condom.

Advantageously, the condom comprises a plurality of said pleat means.

Said pleat means may extend generally radially across the skirt means of the condom.

Optionally, the pleat means may also extend into the frustoconical portion of the condom.

In a first embodiment, the condom comprises a single continuous film, for example one produced by dip-forming.

In a second, preferred embodiment the condom comprises two sheets of plastics material joined one to the other along their common distal peripheries. Advantageously, in a stored configuration of the condom, said sheets are disposed substantially in contact one with the other.

The sheets may then be manually opened one away from the other deploying the condom into its in use configuration.

The condom may be provided with handle means by which the sheets may be so opened.

The handle means may comprise said skirt means.

The condom may comprise two substantially identical sheets cut to shape and heat sealed one to the other in a single operation.

In either embodiment, the condom preferably comprises a flexible, substantially inextensible plastics material, such as polythylene film, or a film of a vinyl polymer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a condom adapted to be worn over the penis comprising an elongate sheath portion provided at its proximal end with skirt means extending transversely outwardly therefrom and having at least one openable pleat means extending thereacross and disposed substantially flat in a stored configuration of the condom.

Preferably, the condom comprises a plurality of said pleat means. Advantageously, said pleat means extends generally radially across the skirt means.

Optionally, the pleat means may also extend into the sheath portion of the condom.

The sheath portion of the condom may be generally frustoconical in use.

Alternatively, the sheath portion of the condom may comprise a generally frustoconical proximal portion and a generally cylindrical distal portion extending therefrom to a closed distal end of the condom.

In a first embodiment, the condom comprises a single continuous film, for example one produced by dip forming.

In a second embodiment, the condom comprises two sheets of plastics material joined one to the other along their common distal peripheries.

Advantageously, in a stored configuration of the condom, said sheets are disposed substantially in contact one with the other.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for the manufacture of a condom comprising the steps of providing two sheets of plastics film, placing them in contact one with the other, forming pleats in at least one of the sheets, cutting a desired shape from both sheets simultaneously and heat-sealing distal edges of the sheets together to form the condom. Advantageously, the method comprises the step of forming pleats in each said sheet.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a condom comprising two sheets of plastics film, heat-sealed one to the other along corresponding edges, and comprising in use a generally frustoconical portion provided with skirt means extending transversely outwardly from an open proximal in-use end thereof.

Preferably, at least one pleat means is provided extending across said skirt means.

Advantageously, a plurality of said pleat means is provided.

The condom is may be produced according to a method as described in the third aspect above.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a first condom embodying the invention in its stored (flat) configuration;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a second condom embodying the invention in its stored

(flat) configuration;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a third condom embodying the invention, expanded for use; Figure 4 is a plan view of a fourth condom embodying the invention in its stored

(flat) configuration; and

Figure 5 is a plan view of a fifth condom embodying the invention in its stored (flat) configuration.

Referring now to the Figures, and to Figure 1 in particular, a first condom 1 comprises two identical sheets 2 of flexible thermo-plastics material heat-sealed one to the other along a majority of their periphery 3, except along an openable first end 4. Polyethylene film, for example, of a grade usable in medical examination gloves, is a suitable material, and allows the sheets 2 to be cut to shape and peripherally sealed one to the other in a single operation.

The first condom 1 comprises an elongate shaft section 5, a guide section 6 and a skirt section 7. The shaft section 5 has an enclosed tip 8.

When the first condom 1 is opened out for use, the shaft section 5 is roughly cylindrical, with a rounded tip 8. The guide section 6 is frustoconical, tapering distally towards the shaft section 5, and the skirt section 7 extends outwardly to each side from the open proximal end of the guide section 6.

The condom 1 is rapidly openable from its flat configuration as shown by grasping each sheet 2 by a periphery of its respective skirt section 7 and simply drawing them apart. This also opens out at least a proximal portion of the guide section 6, and probably part or all of the shaft section 5. The condom 1 is then ready for use. The condom 1 is applied to an erect penis by introducing the glans penis into the open proximal end of the guide section 6 and then drawing the condom 1 down over the penis until the skirt section 7 extends to cover the groin surrounding the base of the penis.

The condom 1 is preferably sized such that the guide section 6 is substantially wider at its proximal end than the glans penis, and the shaft section 5 is a slightly loose fit around the penis, to allow rapid application, and in particular rapid application without needing active male cooperation. As for conventional condoms, a range of sizes can of course be provided (possibly labelled "large", "extra large" and "super large" rather than by specific numerical dimensions). The skirt section 7 is sized to bar transfer of bodily fluids from female to male, as well as vice versa.

A second condom 9, shown in Figure 2, is similar to the first 1, except that a plurality of pleats 10, 11 are provided in each sheet 2, preferably formed before the sheets 2 are cut to shape and peripherally heat-sealed together. Here, the condom 9 is provided with both short pleats 10 extending generally radially across the skirt region 7 and long pleats 11 extending across both the skirt section 7 and the guide section 6. Other variants are envisaged having only short pleats 10 or only long pleats 11.

In either case, the pleats 10, 11 allow the skirt section 7 to open out more easily. The long pleats 11 also allow the guide section 6 to have a more pronounced taper when opened out, compared to that of the first condom 1. A third condom 12 is shown in Figure 3 in its opened configuration, ready for application. This condom 12 is provided with four long pleats 11, here shown opened out to allow the guide section 6 and skirt 7 to flare outwardly. Also, the frustoconical guide section 6 and the generally cylindrical shaft section 5 here merge smoothly one into the other.

As shown, the heat-sealed periphery 3 of the two flexible thermoplastics sheets 2 is itself sufficiently flexible to have only a minor effect on the overall shape of the condom 12. (This also applies to the other condoms shown).

A fourth condom 13, shown in Figure 4, has a guide section 6 tapering smoothly down to the tip 8 of the condom 13, without a generally cylindrical shaft section 5 therebetween.

The skirt section 7 of the fourth condom 13 is provided with a peripheral zone 14 having increased film thickness relative to a remainder of the condom 13. This may help to maintain the skirt section 7 in its fully-opened condition while the condom 14 is in use, although it will require the use of plastics film specifically made for the purpose, rather than conventional film of substantially constant thickness.

Such a thickened periphery zone 14 to the skirt section 7 also provides a more securely grippable portion of the condom 13 for opening it out. For this purpose, it may be sufficient for only a part of the peripheral zone 14 to have an increased film thickness.

A fifth condom 15 differs from the others shown in that the skirt section 7 and the guide section 6 have been formed separately, and then joined along a heat-sealed seam 16. (The particular condom 15 shown has no distinct shaft section 5, as for the fourth condom 13, though this feature is equally applicable to condoms 1, 9 having both a shaft section 5 and a guide section 6). This form of construction allows a skirt section 7 to be formed with a plurality of (short) pleats 10, only two of which are shown for clarity, and then joined to an unpleated guide section 6, either before or after the heat-seal 3 along the periphery of the condom 15 is formed.

In each embodiment, the tip 8 may be either reinforced or have an extra layer of material.

The tip 8 may also be provided with a teat or the like of conventional form to receive ejaculate.

Each of the condoms 1, 9, 12, 13, 15 shown can conveniently be stored flat until it is needed, or could be rolled up about an axis transverse to its longitudinal axis if preferred. When needed, it can rapidly be opened out and applied.

This is of particular benefit in situations in which the male partner is not particularly concerned about contraception or infection, but the female partner is.

While the condoms shown above have been formed by cutting and heat-sealing together two sheets of polyethylene film or the like, there may be circumstances in which a condom without a seam may be preferred (for example, although it would not be a point of weakness, it might be perceived as such). Condoms of the same overall shape as those shown could be made by conventional dip- forming methods, in which an appropriately shaped mould is dipped into a solution, emulsion or latex of polymer, and the liquid film produced is dried to form a solid, flexible polymer film of the desired shape. While this might be more complex and expensive a process than simply cutting and heat-sealing polyethylene film, the design of the condom of the present invention renders unnecessary the use of high performance, highly extensible rubber, as in the conventional condom. Since the condom of the present invention is introduced to be sized as a loose fit, for rapid application, less costly polymers, such as vinyl polymers, could be used. These are strong and flexible, but not particularly extensible compared to rubber and other elastomers.

The condoms shown may be of especial value in "less-developed countries", for example in Africa, in which HIV/AIDS infection levels are relatively high, but alternative forms of protection are too expensive and/or males have little tradition of concern over contraception.

The skirt section of the condoms shown is also of use in all situations in which there is concern about infection via bodily fluids, particularly from female to male.

Claims

1. A condom to be worn over a penis comprising an elongate generally frustoconical portion provided at its proximal end with skirt means extending radially outwardly therefrom.

2. A condom as claimed in claim 1, comprising an elongate generally cylindrical portion extending from a distal end of said frustoconical portion to a closed distal end of the condom.

3. A condom as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generally frustoconical portion of the condom extends to a closed distal end thereof.

4. A condom as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the condom is provided with at least one openable pleat means, extending across the skirt means and disposed substantially flat when the condom is in a stored configuration.

5. A condom as claimed in claim 4, comprising a plurality of said pleat means.

6. A condom as claimed in either claim 4 or claim 5, wherein said pleat means extend generally radially across the skirt means of the condom.

7. A condom as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the pleat means also extend into the frustoconical portion of the condom.

8. A condom as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a single continuous film, for example one produced by dip-forming.

9. A condom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising two sheets of plastics material joined one to the other along their common distal peripheries.

10. A condom as claimed in claim 9, wherein said sheets are disposed substantially in contact with the other when in a stored configuration of the condom.

11. A condom as claimed in claim 10, provided with handle means by which the sheets may be opened one away from the other to deploy the condom into its in use configuration.

12. A condom as claimed in claim 11, wherein the handle means comprise said skirt means.

13. A condom as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12, comprising two substantially identical sheets cut to shape and heat sealed one to the other in a single operation.

14. A condom as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a flexible, substantially inextensible plastics material, such as polyethylene film, or a film of a vinyl polymer.

15. A condom as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a zone of increased thickness extending around all or part of a periphery of the skirt means.

16. A condom to be worn over a penis comprising an elongate sheath portion provided at its proximal end with skirt means extending radially outwardly therefrom and having at least one openable pleat means extending thereacross so that the skirt means may be disposed substantially flat in a stored configuration of the condom.

17. A condom as claimed in claim 16, comprising a plurality of said pleat means.

18. A condom as claimed in either claim 16 or claim 17, wherein said pleat means extends generally radially across the skirt means.

19. A condom as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the pleat means also extends into the sheath portion of the condom.

20. A condom as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the sheath portion of the condom is generally frustoconical.

21. A condom as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the sheath portion of the condom comprises a generally frustoconical proximal portion and a generally cylindrical distal portion extending therefrom to a closed distal end of the condom.

22. A condom as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 21, comprising a single continuous film, for example one produced by dip forming.

23. A condom as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 21, comprising two sheets of plastics material joined one to the other along their common distal peripheries.

24. A condom as claimed in claim 23, wherein said sheets are disposed substantially in contact one with the other when in a stored configuration of the condom.

25. A method for the manufacture of a condom comprising the steps of providing two sheets of plastics film in contact one with the other, forming pleats in at least one of the sheets, cutting a desired shape from both sheets simultaneously and heat-sealing distal edges of the sheets together to form the condom.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, comprising the step of forming pleats in each said sheet.

27. A condom comprising two sheets of plastics film, heat-sealed one to the other along corresponding edges, and comprising a generally frustoconical portion provided with skirt means extending radially outwardly from an open proximal end thereof.

28. A condom as claimed in claim 27, wherein at least one pleat means is provided extending across said skirt means.

9. A condom as claimed in either claim 27 or claim 28, produced according to a method as claimed in either claim 25 or claim 26.