US2295062A - Cervical diaphragm - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 8, 1942- e. w. TOWNSEND 2,295,062 v CERVICAL DIAPHRAGM Filed Dec. 5, 1941 INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 8, 1942 CERVICAL DIAPHRAGM Guy W. Townsend, Denver, (3010., assignor to Earle C. Haas, Denver, Colo.

Application December 5, 1941, Serial No. 421,712

2 Claims. (Cl. 128-131) This invention relates to a vaginal or cervical diaphragm, more particularly of the type of vaginal diaphragm used in conditions where the physician is desirous of sealing or damming the os uteri from the vaginal vault.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a self-retaining diaphragm which will prevent flow from the vagina to the uterus, and yet will not interfere with the flow of normal secretions from the uterus. Another object of the invention is to provide a diaphragm of this character which may be trimmed down by the physician to adapt it to different conditions which may be encountered without injury to its sealing function.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved servical diaphragm;

Figs. 2 and 3 are cross sections through the improved diaphragm illustrating two alternate methods of manufacture; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic, sagittal section of the human body illustrating a typical placement of the improved diaphragm.

The basic principle of the improved diaphragm is the provision of a plurality of miniature, concentric, diaphragms forming multiple, annular, flexible valves or fins thereabout. These miniature diaphragms or annular valves are inclined so as to serve in the manner of check valves, that is, they act to check the entrance of undesired substances to the s uteri but do not interfere with the discharge of normal secretions therefrom. These annular valves or fins are very thin and flexible so that they may conform to irregularities in the tissue surface and since each valve is but a unit in a plurality of valves any leakage in one or more can be checked by the remainder of the valves.

The plurality of diaphragms or valves also serve in the nature of multiple vacuum cups to assist in retaining the invention in its proper placement. The plurality of annular valves also serves to make this diaphragm universal in its application,

for the attending physician may trim away the outer valves to shape the diaphragm or reduce the size thereof without injuring the efliciency of the remaining valves.

The preferred form of the improved diaphragm comprises a concavo-complex disc ill of rubber or similar impervious, flexible material. The disc is preferably, but not necessarily, thickened at its middle to provide suflicient stiffness at its peripheral portions.

A plurality of frusto-conical, concentric, annular fins l I are moulded on the concave face of the disc in such a way that they will incline outwardly from the concave surface and outwardly from the axis of the disc, as shown in Fig. 3. A protuberance 12 extends from the axis of the concave face terminating in any suitable head l3.

In use the diaphragm is positioned against the os uteri with the protuberance l2. approximating the opening of the cervical canal. It has been found that the disc will retain itself against the os uteri, with the assistance of tissue support against its convex face, due to the vacuum action of the plurality of valve fins. The protuberance l2 serves, however, to prevent accidental and mechanical lateral misplacement of the diaphragm disc.

The flexible valves or fins l I contact the tissue surfaces around the os uteri and flex themselves to conform to the undulations of the tissues so as to provide a plurality of annular contacts about the os uteri with each annular contact assisting in sealing the remaining contacts. Due to the incline of the fins, external substances tending to travel toward the os uteri are deflected away from the tissues while internal secretions are allower to flow along the tissues past the fins.

An alternately formed diaphragm is illustrated in Fig. 2 comprising a plurality of concentric, thin, flexible, dished discs M. The discs decrease in radius of curvature and in diameter as the axis of the diaphragm is approached. The entire series of discs is secured together adjacent the axis in any desired manner, such as by means of cement or vulcanization or by means of a stem l5 having an enlarged head l6 which clamps the discs against a shoulder portion I'I thereon.

The stem carries any suitably shaped extremity such as a pear-shaped extermity l8. This form of the diaphragm is used and functions exactly the same as the first described form.

It will be noted that the diaphragms may be furnished the profession in the largest expected size with a wide plurality of valves or fins. The physician can then, after examination of the patient, trim off one or more of the ring valves to While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A diaphragm oi the class described comprising: a first circular dished disc: a plurality oi successively smaller circular dished discs, nested concentrically within the concavity or the first disc with their annular edges lying in respective parallel planes, the radius of convexity of the reduce the size of the diaphragm without eiiect- 'ing the efllciency oi the remaining ring valves.

successively smaller discs decreasing as their size decreases, and an axially positioned stem member projecting from the concave side or said iisc.

2. A diaphragm oi the class described comprising: a first circular dished disc; a plurality oi successively smaller circular dished discs nested concentrically within theconcavity oi the first with their annular edges lying in ;-respectlvc parallel planes, the radius of convexity of the successively smaller discs decreasing as their size decreases, all 01 said discs being joined adjacent their common axes; and a stem member projecting from said axes into the concavity of said discs.

GUY W. TOWNSEND.

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