GB2258995A

GB2258995A - A container for a condom

Info

Publication number: GB2258995A
Application number: GB9217883A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terence Frederick Blackman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-08-28
Filing date: 1992-08-21
Publication date: 1993-03-03
Also published as: GB9217883D0; GB9118450D0

Abstract

A container (2) for a condom, which container (2) comprises a body portion (4) for containing the condom, a lid (6) for retaining the condom in the body portion (4), and hanger means (8) for enabling the container (2) to hang from the body of a person, for example from their neck. <IMAGE>

Description

A CONTAINER FOR A CONDOM This invention relates to a container for a condom.

The use of condoms has long been advocated as a method of birth control. The use of condoms has also long been advocated as a method of controlling sexually transmitted diseases. With the recent advent of the killer disease known as Aids, the use of condoms is being advocated more than ever before. Government sponsored advertisements recommending the use of condoms are now widespread.

The majority of persons agree that the use of a condom is a good idea for helping to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and especially Aids. However, many of these persons do not use condoms for the simple reason that, at the appropriate time, they did not have a condom readily available. This may be because the persons involved forgot to purchase a condom, left the condom at another place, or simply left the condom in a pocket, wallet or bag which was not conveniently within reach. Whatever the reason, the net result is that persons who might be using condoms often do not use them. At best this means that money spent on advertising advocating the use of condoms is wasted. At worst, diseases may be transmitted between partners and, if the disease is Aids, then those persons catching Aids will almost surely die. Unwanted pregnancies also cannot be overlooked.The cost of nursing terminally ill Aids patients is very significant, as indeed is the cost of maintaining an unwanted child.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the invention there is provided a container for a condom, which container comprises a body portion for containing the condom, a lid for retaining the condom in the body portion, and hanger means for enabling the container to hang from the body of a person.

Usually, the body portion will be constructed and designed to receive one condom only. The body portion may of course be constructed and designed to receive two or more condoms but it is preferred that the container should not be bulky and that the container should preferably be a small, discreet and aesthetically pleasing item, for example an item of jewellery. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, the container is able to serve an extremely useful purpose in that it will promote the use of condoms, thereby helping to reduce the occurrence cf sexually transmitted diseases and/or unwanted pregnancies.

Advantageously the container can hang from the neck of a person, male or female, and thus the container will always be able to provide a condom at the required moment. The condom will never be forgotten and it will never be out of reach. The container can be worn as an item of jewellery, either discreetly next to a persons skin or less discreetly outside a person's clothing. In either instance, because people will be looking at an aesthetically pleasing item, there will be no need for persons to become embarrassed at the time when they see the container. Some extrovert persons may well take a delight in wearing the container in full view. Irrespective of how the container is worn, it will clearly have many beneficial effects in helping to reduce the occurrence of sexually transmitted diseases and/or unwanted pregnancies.

Preferably, the body portion is tubular. The tubular body portion may be circular or oval in cross section.

Other cross sectional shapes for the body portion may be employed.

The lid may be a push fit lid. Alternatively, the lid may be a hinged lid. With a hinged lid, the lid may be a snap shut hinged lid. Other types of lids, for example screw lids may be employed.

The hanger means may be a loop member. Other types of hanger means may however be employed.

Preferably, the hanger means is pivotally attached to the body portion. If desired however the hanger means may be pivotally attached to the lid.

The container may include a length of material which is secured to the hanger means and by which the container is able to hang from the body of the person.

The length of material may be a length of chain. The chain may be a gold or a silver chain or a chain of any other desired and appropriate material. Still further, the length of material may be a length of leather so that the container may be suspended from a leather thong. Other types of material may also be employed.

As indicated above, the container will usually hang from the person's neck but, if desired, the container could hang from other parts of the person.

The container may be sold with or without the condom.

The container may be made from any desired material.

Thus, for example, the container may be made from gold, silver, stainless steel or a plastics material. The container may be provided with a pattern, for example a diamond cut pattern.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a person wearing a container for a condom; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the container shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side view of the container shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is an underneath view of the container shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side view of a second container for a condom; Figure 6 is an underneath view of the container shown in Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of the top part of the container shown in Figure 5.

Referrring to Figures 1 - 4, there is shown a container 2 for a condom (not shown). The container 2 comprises a body portion 4 for containing the condom, a lid 6 for retaining the condom in the body portion 4, and hanger means in the form of a loop member 8 for enabling the container 2 to hang from the neck of a person 10 by means of a chain 12.

The container 2 is constructed as an item of jewellery which is made of gold. The gold is provided with a design as shown and the design may be a diamond cut design or the design may be provided by any other suitable and appropriate means. As can be seen from Figure 2, the body portion 4 is tubular. As can be seen from Figure 4, the tubular body portion is circular in cross section.

The lid 6 is a push fit lid 6. The lid 6 has a reduced diameter portion 14 which fits into the body portion 4.

As can be seen most clearly from Figure 3, the loop member 8 is a closed member 8 which is pivotally secured by a weld 16 to the body portion 4.

Referring now to Figures 5, 6 and 7 similar parts as in Figures 1 - 4 have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. In Figures 5 - 7, the lid 6 is a hinged lid which pivots about a pivot 18.

Also, the loop member 8 is a closed loop member but it is triangular in shape as opposed to being circular in shape as shown in Figure 3. Figures 5 and 7 show a pivot 20 which enables the loop member 8 to pivot with respect to the body portion 4. The lid 6 shown in Figures 5 and 7 is a snap shut lid.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the length of material formed by the chain 12 can be replaced by a chain of another design or by a length of another material such as a strip of leather. The body portion 4 and the lid 6 can be made of a material other than gold so that the body portion 4 and the lid 6 may be made of silver, stainless steel or a plastics material. The person 10 has been shown as being a male person but the person 10 may equally well be a female person. The first container 2 shown in Figures 1 - 4 may be 5.5cm long and 1.1cm in diameter. The second container 2 as shown in Figures 5 - 6 is of an oval cross sectional shape as can be seen in Figure 6. The widest part of this oval shape is 1.5cm and the length on the container 2 is 6.2cm. The containers of the present invention may of course be made in other sizes and other shapes.

Claims

1. A container for a condom, which container comprises a body portion for containing the condom, a lid for retaining the condom in the body portion, and hanger means for enabling the container to hang from the body of a person.

2. A container according to claim 1 in which the body is tubular.

3. A container according to claim 2 in which the body is circular or oval in cross section.

4. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the lid is a push fit lid.

5. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the lid is a hinged lid.

6. A container according to claim 5 in which the hinged lid is a snap shut hinged lid.

7. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the hanger means is a loop member.

8. A container according to claim 7 in which the hanger means is pivotally attached to the body portion.

9. A container according to claim 7 in which the hanger means is pivotally attached to the lid.

10. A container according to any one of the preceding claims and including a length of material which is secured to the hanger means and by which the container is able to hang from the body of the person.

11. A container according to claim 10 in which the length of material is a length of chain.

12. A container according to claim 11 in which the chain is a gold or a silver chain.

13. A container according to claim 10 in which the length of material is a length of leather.

14. A container according to any one of the preceding claims and including the condom.

15. A container according to any one of the preceding claims and which is made from gold, silver, stainless steel or a plastics material.

16. A container according to any one of the preceding claims and which is provided with a diamond cut pattern.

17. A container for a condom, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.