US3916902A

US3916902A - Male incontinence device

Info

Publication number: US3916902A
Application number: US406687A
Authority: US
Inventors: George T Lineberger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-10-15
Filing date: 1973-10-15
Publication date: 1975-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 1992-11-04

Abstract

A male incontinence device defined by a tubular sheath that is received over the male member of a patient and that is interconnected to a drainage receptacle, an inflatable cuff being joined to the uppermost end of the tubular sheath for securely mounting the sheath on the male member, and an elongated lumen joined to and extending longitudinally of the sheath for a major portion of the length thereof, the lumen communicating with the cuff for directing a fluid under pressure thereto for the inflation thereof.

Description

United States Patent [191 Lineberger Nov. 4, 1975 MALE INCONTINENCE DEVICE [76] Inventor: George T. Lineherger, 178

Reservoir Ave., Providence, RI. 02907 [22] Filed: Oct. 15, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 406,687

[52] US. Cl. 128/295 [51] Int. Cl. A61F 5/44 [58] Field of Search 128/294, 295

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,699,781 l/l955 Koch..... 128/295 5/1970 Lee 4/1970 Davis 128/295 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant ExaminerRick Opitz Attorney, Agent, or FirmSalter & Michaelson [57] ABSTRACT A male incontinence device defined by a tubular sheath that is received over the male member of a patient and that is interconnected to a drainage receptacle, an inflatable cuff being joined to the uppermost end of the tubular sheath for securely mounting the sheath on the male member, and an elongated lumen joined to and extending longitudinally of the sheath for a major portion of the length thereof, the lumen communicating with the cuff for directing a fluid under pressure thereto for the inflation thereof.

2 Claims, 5 Figures US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 MALE INCONTINENCE DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a male incontinence device that is applied directly to the male member of the patient.

Incontinence devices for male patients that have been used heretofore have normally consisted of bags or harnesses that were attached around the body of the patient and incorporated some form of container or receptacle that communicated with the male member for receiving urine therefrom. Although these prior known devices served the purpose intended, they required some dexterity in manipulation for the securement thereof to the patient, and in many instances, the patient was not able to manage or locate the device in position without the aid of trained personnel. Many of the prior known devices also used straps and other securing means for mounting of the device, including a drainage bag on the patient, and the use of such straps often caused edema when allowed to remain on the patient for extended periods of time. Further, the prior known incontinence devices which incorporated harnesses and straps for the mounting thereof on the patient were somewhat costly and in many instances also required replacement parts that additionally increased the overall cost of the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a male incontinence device of the external type that is applied directly over the male member of a patient. The incontinence device of the subject invention comprises an elongated, flexible, tubular sheath that terminates in a reduced tubular outlet portion, to which a drainage receptacle is interconnected. A tubular cuff is joined to the uppermost end of the tubular sheath and defines achamber that is inflatable for firmly mounting the sheath on the male member of the patient. An elongated lumen extends longitudinally of the sheath, for a major portion of the length thereof, the lumen communicating with the interior of the cuff for directing a fluid under. pressure thereto for the inflation of the cuff. A valve communicates with an external source of fluid u nder pressure and with the lumen, wherein the fluid received by the valve from the source is directed tothe lumen and into the cuff for the. inflation thereof, thereby firmly mounting the device on the male member of the patient.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide amale" incontinence device that is simple in construction and that canbe safely mounted on the male member of a patient without discomfort.

Another object of the invention is to provide a male incontinence device that is defined by an elongated, flexible, tubular sheath to which a cuff is joined at the uppermost end thereof, the cuff defining a chamber that is inflatable for firmly mounting the sheath on the male member of the patient.

Still another object is to provide an elongated tubular sheath of a male incontinence device that is normally located in rolled-up condition and that is mounted on the male member by being rolled thereover'to the position of use.

Still another object is to provide a male incontinence device comprising a tubular sheath to which an elongated lumen is joined for directing fluid under pressure to a cuff mounted on theuppermost end of the sheath, the lumen extending longitudinally of the sheath for a major portion of thelengththereof and being movable with the sheath from a rolled-up condition for location on the male member of the patient.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

, FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the male incontinence device embodied in the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the incontinence device illustrated in FIG. 1;

' FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the upper end of the incontinence device showing the cuff as joined thereto in the inflated condition for mounting of the device on the male member of the patient; and I FIG. 5 is an elevational view showing the sheath and lumen of the incontinence device located in a rolledup condition and prior to mounting of the device on the male member of the patient.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the incontinence device embodied in the present invention is illustrated and is generally indicated at 10. The device 10 includes an elongated, flexi- I communicates with the interior of the sheath; and, as

will be described, the tubular outlet portion 16 directs urine discharged by the patient to a suitably located container or receptacle.

Joined to the tubular sheath 12 at the uppermost end thereof is a cuff 20 that is also tubular in construction to define a chamber 21; and, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the chamber 21 of the cuff 20 is designed to receive a fluid underjpressure therein for the inflation of the cuff when the device is mounted on'the male member of a patient. In order to inject the fluid under pressure into the cuff 20, an elongated, flexible lumen 22 is joined directly to a wall of the sheath l2 and extends longitudinally thereof for a major portion of the length of the sheath 12. As seen in FIG. 2, the lumen 22 communicates directly with the chamber 21 of the cuff 20 and, as will be described, directs fluid under pressure thereto for the inflation of the cuff 20.

Detached from the sheath 12 is a portion 24 of the lumen 22 on which a valve 26 is mounted that has direct communication with a source of fluid under pressure. The valve 26 is of the conventional one-way type so that fluid under pressure is directed therethrough into the lumen 22 for inflating the cuff 20. A convenient source of fluid under pressure is a hypodermic type of container or any other suitable device that may be inserted into the valve 26 for injecting a fluid under pressure therethrough and into the lumen 22.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, the lumen 22 is formed as an integral part of the sheath 12, a wall 27 of the lumen 22 also forming a wall of the sheath. By providing the construction as illustrated, the lumen 22, together with the sheath 12, may be rolled to the position illustrated in FIG. 5 preparatory to mounting the device on the male member of the patient. With the device illustrated in the rolled form as shown in FIG. 5, the device is placed on the male member, and the sheath l2 and lumen 22 as formed as a part thereof are rolled upwardly on the male member until the male member is substantially and fully inserted within the sheath 12. The fluid under pressure is then injected into the lumen 22 and chamber 21 by way of the valve 26 to inflate the cuff 20. Inflation of the cuff 20 insures that the device is firmly mounted on the male member as required.

The cuff 20 that is formed as an integral part of the sheath 12 at the uppermost end thereof is inflated in accordance with the requirements for mounting the sheath on the male member of the patient. In this connection, the cuff compensates for individual anatomical differences of patients with which the device is used; and since the cuff is inflated only that amount to provide for holding of the device on the male member, the cuff is expandable in accordance with periodic expansion of the male member, and under such conditions will allow normal circulation in the tissue of the male member, thereby preventing tissue damage caused by edema when expansion has subsided. It is also seen that under such conditions the cuff returns to its normal position without any backflow of urine through the topmost edges thereof.

In use of the device, the sheath and lumen 22 are first located in the rolled-up position, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The sheath is then placed over the male member and rolled upwardly to the full extension thereof and until the cuff 20 is located adjacent to the pubic area of the patient. Using a hypodermic or syringe of suitable design, and with a required amount of fluid, such as liquid or air therein, the syringe is inserted into the valve 26, and the fluid is injected therethrough for flow into the lumen 22 and into the chamber 21 of the cuff 20 for inflation of the cuff. The device is thus firmly mounted on the male member of the patient, and thereafter a drainage tube having a bag attached thereto is interconnected to the outlet portion 16 of the device. The receptacle or bag interconnected to the tubular outlet portion 16 may be mounted on the leg of the patient or, if the patient is located in a prone position, may be positioned adjacent to the patient in any suitable manner.

Flow of urine into the sheath 12 due to incontinence of the patient is by gravity, and then into the tubular outlet portion 16 for discharge into the drainage receptacle. Since the sheath and cuff 20 are formed of a thin, flexible material, the device may be easily removed from the male member of the patient without any discomfort to the patient after the valve 26 is disconnected from the lumen 22 and the cuff deflated.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An incontinence device for a male patient, comprising an elongated, flexible, tubular sheath that includes a relatively thin walled upper portion that is adapted to be rolled and that is adapted to be received over the male member of said patient, the lowermost end of said sheath terminating in a reduced relatively thicker outlet portion to which a drainage receptacle is adapted to be interconnected, a tubular cuff joined to the uppermost end of said tubular sheath and defining a chamber that is inflatable when the sheath is mountable on said male member, wherein said cuff firmly engages the base portion of said male member for securely mounting said sheath on said male member, an elongated lumen extending longitudinally of said sheath and being integrally molded as a part thereof for a major portion of the length of the thin walled portion of said sheath, so that a wall of said lumen defines a portion of a wall of said sheath, the portion of said lumen that is formed as an integral part of said sheath being rollable therewith prior to mounting of the sheath on the male member, wherein the sheath and lumen as rolled therewith are easily mounted in place on said male member, one end of said lumen communicating with said cuff for directing a fluid under pressure thereto for the inflation thereof, valve means being adapted to communicate with an external source of said fluid under pressure and with the other end of said lumen, wherein fluid received by said valve means from said source is directed to said lumen and into said cuff for the inflation thereof.

2. A male incontinence device as claimed in claim 1, a portion of said lumen being detached from said sheath, and said valve means including a valve interconnected to the detached portion of said lumen for controlling flow of the fluid under pressure from said source to said lumen.