GB2048680A - A male incontinence device - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of making a male incontinence device includes the following steps:- (a) dipping an inner former in latex or like solution to form a first closed-ended sheath (b) partly curing the sheath (c) dipping a second former a plurality of times in a latex or like solution to build up on the second former a cup-shaped article having an outlet tube therefrom (d) cutting off the closed end of the sheath to form a truncated sheath (e) juxtaposing the partly-cured truncated sheath and the cup and dipping the two together in a latex or like solution to form a latex or like skin over both the cup and the sheath thereby securing them together. The invention also relates to a Male Incontinence Device made by the said method.

Description

SPECIFICATION A male incontinence device This invention relates to an incontinence device for use by a male person, and intended to be worn on the penis.

There have been prior proposals for "condom" type male incontinence devices but these have not been fully satisfactory. One problem has been that their construction is complex and does not lend itself to efficient and inexpensive manufacture. Another problem is that with many known devices, there is a likelihood of discharged urine "backwashing", that is to say, coming into contact with the penis which is undesirable from the point of view of hygiene.

A male incontinence device has been proposed in British Patent Specification No. 1 375 940, and this device includes a rigid funnel located in the bottom of a "cap" and serving to clamp the material of the cap between itself and a drainage tube. Within the funnel is disposed a pad of porous material. Such an arrangement may involve problems in the security of attachment of the relevant parts and in accumulation of bacteria in the porous pad. Another proposal can be seen in British Patent Specification No. 871 862 wherein a penis-receiving sheath tapers towards one end and has a preformed flange at the other end.

A separate ring is used to ensure the various parts are held on to the body, tapes or straps being used in conjunction with the ring. British Patent Specification No. 1 274374 discloses yet another attempt but this device is considered by some to be rather cumbersome. British Patent Specification No. 1 459486 discloses wrapping a special strip around the penis inside the sheath. This procedure makes it more complex for a wearer to put on the device. In U.S.

Patent Specification No.4009717 there is a disclosure of a double layer condom device but this is speci fically designed to reduce danger of rupture during intercourse and is not an incontinence device.

According to the invention there is provided a male incontinence device which comprises a tubular sheath of thin rubber, synthetic rubber or plastics material which has located at one end a flap valve formed by two substantially flat confronting and abutting wall portions of the sheath, and, secured to the sheath near its lower end, a funnel having a wall thickness greater than that of the sheath.

The funnel may be secured to the sheath by a suitable adhesive.

In use, the flap valve serves as a non-return valve and prevents or at least substantially avoids backwashing.

In use of the invention, the tubular sheath is worn by the user in the manner of a conventional condom.

Also according to the invention there is provided a method of making a male incontinence device which includes the following steps: (a) dipping an inner former in latex or like solution to form a first closed-ended sheath (b) partly curing the sheath (c) dipping a second former a plurality of times in a latex or like solution to build up on the second former a cup-shaped article having an outlet tube therefrom (d) cutting off the closed end of the sheath to form a truncated sheath (e) juxtaposing the partly-cured truncated sheath and the cup and dipping the two together in a latex or like solution to form a latex or like skin over both the cup and the sheath thereby securing them together.

The cup-shaped article is preferably built up from a a plurality of dippings.

The aforesaid step (e) may be carried out by a single dipping operation but preferably two dippings are employed.

The invention will be better understood from the following non-limiting description of an example thereof given with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:~ Figure lis a cross-section in a vertical central plane taken through a male incontinence device according to one example of the invention; and Figure 2 is a vertical central cross-section taken at right angles to that of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front elevation view of a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a side elevation view of the male incontinence device shown in Figure 3.

The illustrated device includes a tubular sheath 10 of thin rubber. This may be of cylindrical or elliptical shape seen in horizontal cross-section. The sheath 10 tapes to form a flat valve. This valve is constituted by two substantially flat confronting and abutting wall portions 12,14. They engage each otherovera central plane and their two lower edges (one seen at 16) define a lower outlet of the sheath 10, leading into a space 18 within a funnel 20.

The funnel 20 may also be made of rubber or plastics material and has an upper cylindrical (or elliptical) portion 20 which is of a diameter substantially equal to that of the sheath 10. The funnel 10 is adhesively secured over the region 28 to the sheath 10.

The funnel has a tapering portion 24 and a urine outlet tube 26 which, in use, is attached to a suitable pipe leading to a urine container such as a bag worn on the leg. The region 28 is a region of the sheath just about the start of the taper, and the funnel is located so that its narrow outlet tube 26 has its entry spaced from the edges 16 of the flap valve.

The device may be affixed to the penis by one or more strips of protective dressing in the form of an adhesive tape.

Such a protective dressing may be of the kind known as "STOMAHESIVE" (Registered Trade Mark) or by the material sold by E. R. Squibb & Sons, Inc.

under the trade name "URIHESIVE". Such protective dressing adhesive tape material may be that disclosed in British Patent Specification No. 1 088992.

The embodiment of the invention just described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 has the sheath 10 secured to a funnel or cup-shaped article 20 by adhesive over the region 28. In a different, and presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the sheath and funnel are secured together by a dipping operation in a latex or like solution. This embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

A generally cylindrical sheath 110 is made with a closed end by dipping a suitable former in a latex solution. The former is dipped once or possibly twice to give a wall thickness of approximately 0.0015 to 0.0025 inches. The sheath 110 may taper at its bottom end-it is then partially cured. Simultaneously, or subsequently, a funnel or cup-shaped article 120 having an outlet 126 is made by dipping a suitable former a plurality of times in latex solution. It is dipped a sufficient number of times to build up a wall thickness of approximately 0.04 to 0.06 inches. The sheath 110, when partly cured, is trimmed off along the lines 116,117 so making a flap valve at the lower end of the sheath 110. The two flaps of the valve are seen at 119 in Figure4.The sheath 110 and thefunnel 120 are then juxtaposed and held together while they are dipped a few times (e.g. once or twice) in a latex solution, so forming an external layer of latex which after curing bonds the two together securely.

As a result, a wall thickness of about 0.050 inches is achieved for the funnel and about 0.006 inches for the supper part of the sheath 110. The upper end of the sheath 110 is provided if desired with a reinforcing rim 130 of the kind conventional on known condoms, but such a rim is not essential in all cases.

AURIHESIVE (Registered Trade Mark) strip 132 may be used if required to attach the incontinence device to the penis of the wearer. The thicker-walled funnel portion of the device serves to protect the device against occasional knocks; in other words without the thicker protective funnel a chance knock could force urine back through the flap valve which would be medically undesirable.

As is the case of the device according to Figures 1 and 2, in normal use a tube connects the outlet tube 126 to a suitable urine container such as a leg bag.

The double dipping process described above has been found to be a very convenient and reliable manufacturing procedure, and the device itself has been found to have the merits of simplicity. By comparison with the incontinence device proposed in U.S. Patent Specification No.3 138 160, the device described and illustrated herein features a nonreturn flap valve and a protective funnel, both of which features are thought to contribute to the effectiveness of the present device. In contrast, in the arrangement according to U.S. Patent Specification 3 298 370, the flap valve 12 is remotely situated. The proposal in U.S. Patent Specification No. 3 742 953 involves a rigid funnel connected to a sheath, and the funnel has integral radial ridges which serve to prevent relative rotation between funnel and sheath.

The sheath used is a commercially available condom and the user is intended to assemble the device himself and puncture the condom during assembly.

Such a procedure would not be practical or satisfactory for many persons who have the misfortune to suffer from incontinence.

Claims (8)

1. A method of making a male incontinence device which includes the following steps:~ (a) dipping an inner former in latex or like solution to form a first closed-ended sheath (b) partly curing the sheath (c) dipping a second former a plurality of times in a latex or like solution to build up on the second former a cup-shaped article having an outlettube therefrom (d) cutting off the closed end of the sheath to form a truncated sheath (e) juxtaposing the partly-cured truncated sheath and the cup and dipping the two together in a latex or like solution to form a latex or like skin over both the cup and the sheath thereby securing them together.

2. A method according to Claim 1 in which the cup-shaped article is built up by a plurality of dippings.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2 in which the securing step (e) involves two dipping operations.

4. A method according to any preceding claim in which the dipping is carried out in such a way as to produce a wall thickness of substantially 0.006 inches in the region of the sheath and substantially 0.050 inches in the cup-shaped region.

5. A male incontinence device made by a method according to any one of Claims 1-4.

6. A male incontinence device which comprises a tubular sheath of thin rubber, synthetic rubber or plastics material which has located at one end a flap valve formed by two substantially flat confronting and abutting wall portions of the sheath, and, secured to the sheath near its lower end, a funnel having a wall thickness greater than that of the sheath.

7. A male incontinence device made from latex rubber by dipping operations and comprising a tubular sheath which tapers to a flap valve formed by two substantially flat confronting and normally abutting wall portions of the sheath and a funnel attached to the sheath below the valve by an outer layer of latex rubber.

8. A male incontinence device substantially as herein particularly described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.