US2034926A - Syringe - Google Patents

Description

March 24, 1936.

L. M.v SMITH SYRINGE Filed Aug. 16, 1933 Patented Mar. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 16 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in syringes, and more particularly to syringes of the character commonly used as vaginal douches, although the invention may have other and various uses as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various types of syringes vand vaginal douches have been developed, but these devices formerly known were not; as efcient as is desirable. Some of these heretofore known devices depended to some extent upon a slight scouring action for cleansing and others depended upon a substantial dilation of the vaginal wall caused by liquid pressure alone. Both these methods taken .individually are not sufficient to insure perfect cleansing. In addition, none of these previously known devices of which I am aware utilized the outflow of liquid as an aid Vto cleansing, but were dependent entirely upon the Vcleansing action of the liquid as it left the nozzle of the syringe or douche. Also, in every instance of which I am aware, devices heretofore have been made of a material which, if not handled with great care, could cause abrasions or other injuries to the vaginal wall.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide a vaginal syringe or douche made of a flexible, resilient material noninjurious to the vaginal wall.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a device of the character described constructed so as to utilize the douching liquid not only upon its discharge from the nozzle or end of the device, but also upon the exit of the liquid from the vagina for cleansing purposes.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a vaginal douche or the like which insures the proper velocity of discharge of douching liquid at the nozzle end of the device through great variations of liquid pressures entering the device.

Still a further object of this invention is the provision of a device of the character described which insures a positive expansion of the vaginal wall causing the cleansing liquid to come in contact with? the entire surface, the normal folds being smoothed out by the `dilation of the Wall.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a vaginal douche or the Vlike incorporating in the one element positive expansion or dilation of the vaginal walls, dilatingliquid pressure within the vagina, and a scouring action to insure cleanliness.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages lof the present inven- 1933, Serial No. 685,307 (Cl. 12S- 239) tion have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the disclosures hereinafter.

The invention includes these and other features of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter described, and shown in a preferred form v in the drawing, as more particularly indicated by the claims.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a device embodying principles of the present invention shown connected to a cleansing liquid supply conduit.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the device itself taken substantially as indicated by line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the device taken substantially as indicated by the line III- III of Figure 2.v

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the nozzle of the device taken substantially as indicated by the line IV-IV of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing a slightly modified form of connecting member.

As shown on the drawing:

In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention the main or body portion of the device is a flexible resilient member I0, preferably made of a suitable rubber composition that will cause no physical injury even though the device may be carelessly handled. This member IIJ is provided with an irrigation passage I I therethrough. In linear dimension, the diameter of the member Il] is preferably not less than one-eighth of the length of the member, whereby the member insures a positive dilation of the vaginal walls when inserted. The forward end of the member is rounded as indicated at -.I2 to enable a gentle entrance.

At the rear end thereof, the member is provided with a shouldered connecting member I3 flanged as at I4 to afford a seat for a washer .I5 which abuts the rear end of the member II) around the passage II. The inner end of the connecting member I3 is threaded as indicated at I6 so that the connecter will stay anchored during use in the passage II. The threads .are preferably .relied upon for their frictional gripping action and the member III is preferably not internally threaded along the passage I I. The connecter is very easily removed due -to the resiliency of the member I0 for cleansing purposes. As seen in Figure 1, the device is shown attached through the connecter I3 to `a .suitable liquid conduit I'I which may be the tube leading yfrom a fountain clearly in Figure 4. As indicated clearly in Figures 2 and 4, the discharge apertures 2| are. lo-

cated in different lateral planes, and those located in one plane are disposed' at a different' angle from those located in another plane.

Located at any desirable or suitable point within the irrigation passage is a centrally passaged Venturi-like or metering member 22 provided with an external iiange 23 which is re- `siliently gripped by the inner walls of the member I0 to hold the metering device in position. The aperture through the metering device is obviously smaller than the irrigation passage I I and consequently affords a partial restriction to iluid flow through the passage thereby causing a change in velocity of the cleansing uid. In this manner, the velocity of cleansing iluid whendischarged through the orices 2| may be increased.

The connecter I3, the nozzle I8, and the metering member 22, may each be formed of any suitable material, but are preferably of hard rubber or a phenolic or alcoholic condensation product.

Outlet passages in the form of substantially semicircular grooves are formed integrally in the external surface of the member I0. Any desired number of these grooves may be provided. As illustrated, two grooves diametrically opposed to each other are provided. The grooves may be of any desirable size, but preferably have a total flow capacity approximately equal to one-half that of all of the orifices 2 I. By this means, substantially half of the douching fluid is prevented from immediately leaving the vagina, thus causing to some extent a further dilation of the vaginal walls due to the iluid pressure and also assuring proper cleansing.

It will be apparent that thorough 'cleansing will result even to the very bottom of all folds or crevices in the vaginal wall. One of the most important parts of the vaginal tract to be cleansed is the deep fold between the cervix of the uterus and the vaginal wall. Great diiiiculty has been experienced heretofore in cleansing this region, but a complete insertion of the present invention causes a dilation of the vagina and brings the rounded or button-like head of the nozzle I8 in position to cover the 0s uteri and elevate the cervix, thereby opening the aforejsaid deep fold for thorough cleansing, and pre- 'vent the douching fluid from entering the uterus.

In the structure illustrated in Figure 5, a slightly different form of connecter 25 is shown which is provided with a smoothinner end 26 for insertion in the irrigation passage I This con- I necter is also ilanged as at 2'I to properly seat a washer 28 against the rear end of the member I0 around the irrigation passage. The connecter is also shouldered as is the connecter I3 to insure a proper connection to the fluid conduit.

With the inner end of the lconnecter smooth as at 26, other means must be employed to hold the connecter in position during use, andl to this end an apertured cap 29 of any suitable material is provided. This cap is provided with an inner boss 30 bearing against the ange 21 of the connecter and is also provided with an outer internally threaded ilange 3| engaging the exterior surface of the member I0 to hold the parts in position. With this construction, it will at once be apparent that the member I0 may be swivelled or rotated around the connecter 25 relatively thereto, and the conduit attached to the connecter will not be twisted.

The rotation of the member III, aided materially by the edges of the grooves 24 affords a scouring action to thereby further increase the .cleansing possibilities of the device.

In use, any suitable form of clamp or stop cock may be used in the conduit II. The device is inserted inthe vagina, the clamp or stop cock released and the douching fluid permitted to be discharged through the orices 2 I, and the velocity of discharge of the uid being effected as above explained by the metering member 22. The outow of the fluid from the vagina will be only approximately one-half as rapid as the inflow, as aforestated, due to the capacity of the grooves 24. The outflow of fluid in the grooves 24 will also exercise a cleansing action and insure removal of any accumulated secretions. During the douching process, the member II) is preferably rotated as explained above, thereby adding to the cleansing with a resultant scouring action. During the cleansing process, the vagina will be dilated a material extent by the member yIll and also dilated a further extent by the liquid pressure therein, which, taken in conjunction with the scouring action and the cleansing action of the fluid during its outow in the passages 24, insures a positive and thorough cleansing.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a douche of the character described, a. .resilient member having an irrigation passage therethrough, nozzle means on the end of said member, and a plug-like member in said irrigation passage having a passage therethrough of less size than said irrigation passage to permit a variance in Velocity of the douching uid, said member being selectively locatable at any desirable point relative to said nozzle.

2. In a douche of the character described, a resilient member having an irrigation passage therethrough and being of sufficient size to insure expansion of the vaginal walls, said member being o'f suflicient length to project well without the vagina even when inserted to the full depth of the vagina, said member also having a plurality of longitudinally extending drain grooves in the outer surface thereof of a capacity not exceeding one-half the amount of iiuid passable through the douche, and a swivel connection associated with the outer end of said member to establish communication between said irrigation passage and a supply conduit to permit rotation of said member relatively to `said supply conduit while inserted in a vagina.

3. In a douche of the character described, a resilientmember having an irrigation .passage therethrough and being of a suicient size to insureexpansion of the vaginal walls, said member having a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves in the outer face thereof to function as drain passages, means associated with the inner end of said member having discharge openings therein of a capacity substantially twice that of said grooves, a selectively disposable plug-like member in said irrigation passage and having a passage therethrough of less size than said irrigation passage, and a swivel connection associated with the outer end of said member for establishing communication between said irrigation passage and a fiuid supply conduit.

LAWRENCE M. SMITH.

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