WO2003089042A1

WO2003089042A1 - Device for irrigation of the vagina and application of pharmaceutical therein

Info

Publication number: WO2003089042A1
Application number: PCT/IT2003/000246
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luciano Tosato
Original assignee: Luciano Tosato
Priority date: 2002-04-19
Filing date: 2003-04-17
Publication date: 2003-10-30
Also published as: ITFO20020011A0; EP1496977A1; AU2003230214A1; ITFO20020011A1

Abstract

A vaginal irrigation tube is defined by a tubular first body (4), which has a first end (6) connectable to a bottle (3) of vaginal detergent, and a second end (7) closed axially and having a number of first outlet holes (9) permitting outflow of the vaginal detergent; and by a tubular second body (13), which is positioned coaxial with and about the first body (4), has a number of second outlet holes (23) permitting outflow of the vaginal detergent, has a free third end (14), and is connected in axially sliding manner to the first body (4) to move between a rest position, in which the second and third end (7, 14) are offset axially to define a seat (16) for housing a pharmaceutical product (17), and a work position to expel the pharmaceutical product (17) from the seat (16).

Description

DEVICE FOR IRRIGATION OF THE VAGINA AND APPLICATION OF

PHARMACEUTICAL THEREIN

VAGINAL IRRIGATION TUBE

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a vaginal irrigation tube.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a vaginal irrigation tube of the type comprising a substantially cup-shaped tubular body having a first end connectable to a bottle containing a liquid solution normally defined by a vaginal detergent in which a pharmaceutical product is dissolved.

The tubular body also has an axially closed second end, and a number of outlet holes permitting outflow of the liquid solution in use. BACKGROUND ART

Known vaginal irrigation tubes of the above type therefore do not permit insertion into the vagina of a solid pharmaceutical product. Known vaginal irrigation tubes of the above type also have the further drawback of failing to prevent outflow from the vagina of at least part of the liquid solution and therefore of the pharmaceutical product. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vaginal irrigation tube designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks, and which is also cheap and easy to produce.

According to the present invention, there is provided a vaginal irrigation tube, as claimed in Claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic view in perspective of a vaginal irrigation device comprising a preferred embodiment of the tube according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows an exploded view in perspective of the Figure 1 device;

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section of the Figure 1 tube;

Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section of a first variation of the Figure 1 tube;

Figure 5 shows a longitudinal section of a second variation of the Figure 1 tube . BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, number 1 indicates as a whole a vaginal irrigation device comprising a tube 2, and a known flexible bottle 3 containing a vaginal detergent and connected releasably to tube 2.

Tube 2 comprises an inner tubular body 4, which has a longitudinal axis 5, is substantially cup-shaped, has a first end 6 open outwards and a second end 7 closed axially by an end wall 8 substantially perpendicular to axis 5, and has a number of holes 9 extending radially through body 4 and arranged about axis 5.

End 6 has an annular cavity 10 formed on the outer surface of body 4, coaxially with axis 5, and forming part of a click-on fastening device 11 for fastening body

4 to bottle 3. Device 11 also comprises a flexible flange

(not shown) projecting radially inwards from the inner surface of a stem 12 of bottle 3 , and which engages cavity 10 when end 6 is inserted axially inside stem 12. Tube 2 also comprises an outer tubular body 13, which is fitted coaxially to body 4, is connected in axially sliding manner to body 4, and has an axially open free end 14. Body 13 is normally fitted releasably to body 4 by means of a click-on fastening device 15 for retaining bodies 4 and 13 in a rest position, in which relative ends 7 and 14 are offset axially with respect to each other to define a variable-volume seat 16 for housing and retaining, in the example shown, a table 17 of a pharmaceutical product.

Device 15 comprises a flexible flange 18, which projects radially inwards from the inner surface of body 13 to engage, when body 4 is inserted axially inside body 13, an annular cavity 19 formed on the outer surface of body 4 and coaxial with axis 5.

To release flange 18 from cavity 19 and move bodies

4 and 13 from the rest position to a work position, in which ends 7 and 14 are substantially aligned along axis

5 so that body 4^' expels tablet 17 from seat 16, bodies 4 and 13 have respective pairs of tabs 20 and 21 projecting radially outwards from the outer surfaces of relative bodies 4 and 13. Accidental movement of bodies 4 and 13 from the rest position to the work position is prevented by an annular locking member 22, which is of a length, measured parallel to axis 5, substantially equal to the length of seat 16, also measured parallel to axis 5, and is fitted removably to body 4, between tabs 20 and 21.

Body 13 also comprises a number of holes 23, which are formed radially through body 13 , are arranged about axis 5, and are greater in number and smaller in section than holes . In this connection, it should be pointed out that holes 23 are shaped and arranged to communicate hydraulically with holes 9, and so permit outflow of the vaginal detergent in bottle 3 regardless of the position of bodies 4 and 13 along and about axis 5.

Operation of device 1 will now be described with reference to Figure 1, and as of when bodies 3 and 14 are set to the rest position, locking member 22 is fitted to body 4, between tabs 20 and 21, and tube 2 is connected to flexible bottle 3 by fastening device 11. The vaginal detergent in bottle 3 is administered by squeezing bottle 3 to feed the vaginal detergent along body 4 and through holes 9 and 23. Once the vaginal detergent is administered, member 22 is removed, and, using tabs 20 and 21, bodies 4 and 13 are moved with respect to each other along axis 5 from the rest position to the work position to expel tablet 17 from seat 16.

The Figure 4 variation differs from Figures 1 to 3 solely by free end 14 of body 13 being closed axially by an end wall 24 substantially perpendicular to axis 5, and by seat 16 comprising a number of holes 25 arranged about axis 5 and extending radially through body 13 to administer, when bodies 4 and 13 are moved from the rest position to the work position, a pastelike pharmaceutical product - in the example shown, a gel or cream - contained inside seat 16.

The Figure 5 variation differs from Figures 1 to 3 solely by tablet 17 occupying only part of seat 16, the rest of which is filled with a pharmaceutical product in granules or powder, which is located between wall 8 and tablet 17, and is administered together with tablet 17 when moving bodies 4 and 13 from the rest position to the work position.

In a variation not shown, fastening device 15 is replaced by a connecting device comprising at least one pin, which projects radially from one of bodies 4, 13, and engages a guide formed on the other body 13, 4 and coiling about axis 5. The connecting device thus enables bodies 4, 13 to move with respect to each other from the rest position to the operating position by rotating and translating about and along axis 5.

Claims

1) A vaginal irrigation tube comprising a tubular first body (4) having a given longitudinal axis (5) , and in turn comprising a first end (6) connectable to a bottle (3) of vaginal detergent, and a second end (7) closed axially and having a number of first outlet holes

(9) permitting outflow, in use, of the vaginal detergent; characterized by also comprising a tubular second body (13) , which is positioned coaxially with and about said first body (4) , has a number of second outlet holes (23) communicating hydraulically, in use, with said first holes (9) to permit outflow of the vaginal detergent, and has a free third end (14) ; said first and said second body (4, 13) being connected in axially sliding manner to each other to move between a rest position, in which said second and said third end (7, 14) are offset axially to define a seat (16) for receiving a given pharmaceutical product (17) , and a work position to expel the pharmaceutical product (17) from the seat (16) .

2) A tube as claimed in Claim 1, and also comprising fastening means (15) for axially and releasably locking said first and said second body (4, 13) in said rest position. 3) A tube as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said fastening means (15) are click-on fastening means (15) .

4) A tube as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said click- on fastening means (15) comprise a flexible member (18) projecting radially from one of said first and said second body (4, 13) ; and a cavity (19) formed on the other of said first and said second body (4, 13), and which is engaged by the flexible member (18) when said first body (4) is inserted axially inside said second body (13) .

5) A tube as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said fastening means comprise guide means formed on one of said first and said second body (4, 13) and coiling along and about said axis (5) ; and pin means formed on the other of said first and said second body (4, 13) , and which engage said guide means; the first and second body

(4, 13) moving from said rest position to said work position by rotating and translating about and along said axis (5) .

6) A tube as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, wherein each said first hole (9) is larger in section than a said second hole (23) .

7) A tube as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, wherein said second holes (23) are greater in number than said first holes (9) .

8) A tube as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, and also comprising first and second gripping means (20, 21) projecting outwards from said first and said second body (4, 13) respectively, and by which to move the first and the second body (4, 13) from said rest position to said work position; locking means (22) being fitted removably between said first and second gripping means (20, 21) to prevent said first and said second body (4, 13) from moving from the rest position to the work position.

9) A tube as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, wherein said third end (14) is axially open.

10) A tube as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein said third end (14) is closed axially; said seat

(16) having a number of third holes (25) formed radially through said second body (13) .