U.S. patent number 3,709,224 [Application Number 05/170,205] was granted by the patent office on 1973-01-09 for sheath assembly for douche nozzle.
Invention is credited to Sol B. Fielding.
United States Patent |
3,709,224 |
Fielding |
January 9, 1973 |
SHEATH ASSEMBLY FOR DOUCHE NOZZLE
Abstract
A sheath structure to be received about a douche nozzle tip
including a deformable liquid permeable sheath or cushion body
containing a passage into which the douche nozzle may project, with
a tubular liner stiffer than the sheath body received within that
body and about the nozzle and preferably having an inner end wall
engageable by the nozzle to prevent its projection through the end
of the sheath body. The tubular element may have a shoulder or
shoulders engageable with the nozzle in a fluid sealing relation,
to prevent liquid from passing outwardly along the outside of the
nozzle.
Inventors: |
Fielding; Sol B. (Los Angeles,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
22618987 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/170,205 |
Filed: |
August 9, 1971 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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35682 |
May 8, 1970 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
604/2;
604/275 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M
3/0279 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61M
3/02 (20060101); A61M 3/00 (20060101); A61m
003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/239,227,247,251,270 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Medbury; Aldrich F.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending
application Ser. No. 35,682 filed May 8, 1970 and now abandoned on
"Sheath Assembly for Douche Nozzle".
Claims
I claim:
1. A vaginal douche sheath to be used with an elongated douche
nozzle having fluid discharge openings, comprising a sheath body
adapted to be received about said nozzle and containing a passage
which is open at one end for extension of said nozzle thereinto and
is at least partially closed at the opposite inner end by an end
wall thereof, said body being formed of a deformable liquid
permeable cushioning material which is soft at least when wet and
through which fluid may pass from said nozzle to the exterior of
said body, the outer surface of said sheath body being dimensioned
for reception within the human vagina, and a tubular element
received within and lining said passage in said body and formed of
a material which is more rigid than said sheath body when the
latter is wet, said tubular element having an inner end wall near
said end wall of said body and which extends at least partially
across the inner end of said tubular element to a position adapted
to be received axially opposite said nozzle in a relation limiting
inward movement of the nozzle relative to the tubular element and
body and thereby preventing damage to said soft body by said
nozzle, said tubular element containing an aperture or apertures to
pass fluid from the interior thereof to said sheath body for
discharge therefrom.
2. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 1, in which said
element has a tubular side wall which extends from said inner end
wall to said open end of the sheath body and which then projects
outwardly beyond said open end.
3. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 1, in which said
tubular element has a portion forming a shoulder of reduced
diameter at a location axially outwardly of said aperture or
apertures and engageable with said nozzle in a relation forming
essentially a seal against fluid flow axially outwardly between the
nozzle and tubular element and past said shoulder.
4. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 1, in which said
tubular element has a portion forming a shoulder of reduced
diameter at a location axially outwardly of said aperture or
apertures and engageable with said nozzle in a relation forming
essentially a seal against fluid flow axially outwardly between the
nozzle and tubular element and past said shoulder, said shoulder
being located within the interior of said sheath body.
5. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 1, in which said
tubular element has a portion forming a shoulder of reduced
diameter at a location axially outwardly of said aperture or
apertures and engageable with said nozzle in a relation forming
essentially a seal against fluid flow axially outwardly between the
nozzle and tubular element and past said shoulder, said tubular
element having a tubular side wall which extends from said inner
end wall to said open end of the sheath body and which then
projects outwardly beyond said open end and has said reduced
diameter shoulder formed thereon at a location spaced outwardly
from said open end of the body.
6. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 1, in which said
tubular element has a portion forming a shoulder of reduced
diameter at a location axially outwardly of said aperture or
apertures and engageable with said nozzle in a relation forming
essentially a seal against fluid flow axially outwardly between the
nozzle and tubular element and past said shoulder, said shoulder
being resiliently deformable to enhance the effectiveness of its
sealing engagement with said nozzle.
7. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 1, in which said
tubular element has a portion forming a shoulder of reduced
diameter at a location axially outwardly of said aperture or
apertures and engageable with said nozzle in a relation forming
essentially a seal against fluid flow axially outwardly between the
nozzle and tubular element and past said shoulder, said tubular
element having a tubular side wall which extends from said inner
end wall to said open end of the sheath body and which then
projects outwardly beyond said open end and has said reduced
diameter shoulder formed thereon at a location spaced outwardly
from said open end of the body, said side wall of said tubular
element having a portion of reduced diameter forming a second
shoulder at a location axially outwardly of said aperture or
apertures but within the interior of said sheath body for engaging
the nozzle to assist in blocking fluid flow between the tubular
element and nozzle.
8. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 1, in which said
tubular element has a portion forming a shoulder of reduced
diameter at a location axially outwardly of said aperture or
apertures and engageable with said nozzle in a relation forming
essentially a seal against fluid flow axially outwardly between the
nozzle and tubular element and past said shoulder, said tubular
element having a tubular side wall which extends from said inner
end wall to said open end of the sheath body and which then
projects outwardly beyond said open end and has said reduced
diameter shoulder formed thereon at a location spaced outwardly
from said open end of the body, said side wall of said tubular
element having a portion of reduced diameter forming a second
shoulder at a location axially outwardly of said aperture or
apertures but within the interior of said sheath body for engaging
the nozzle to assist in blocking fluid flow between the tubular
element and nozzle, said tubular element being formed of a
resiliently deformable material giving to said shoulders a
resilience to constrict about the nozzle.
9. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 1, in which said
tubular element is removable from said sheath body.
10. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 1, including
adhesive permanently securing said tubular element in fixed
position within said sheath body.
11. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 1, in combination
with a douche nozzle projecting into said tubular element and said
sheath body and blocked by said inner end wall of said tubular
element against movement axially through said end wall of the
sheath body.
12. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 1, in combination
with a douche nozzle projecting into said tubular element and said
sheath body and blocked by said inner end wall of said tubular
element against movement axially through said end wall of the
sheath body, said tubular element having a portion forming a
shoulder of reduced diameter at a location axially outwardly of
said aperture or apertures and engaging said nozzle in a relation
forming essentially a seal against fluid flow axially outwardly
between the nozzle and tubular element and past said shoulder.
13. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 1, in combination
with a douche nozzle projecting into said tubular element and said
sheath body and blocked by said inner end wall of said tubular
element against movement axially through said end wall of the
sheath body, said tubular element having a portion forming a
shoulder of reduced diameter at a location axially outwardly of
said aperture or apertures and engaging said nozzle in a relation
forming essentially a seal against fluid flow axially outwardly
between the nozzle and tubular element and past said shoulder, said
shoulder being resiliently deformable to enhance the effectiveness
of its sealing engagement with said nozzle.
14. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 1, in combination
with a douche nozzle projecting into said tubular element and said
sheath body and blocked by said inner end wall of said tubular
element against movement axially through said end wall of the
sheath body, said tubular element having a portion forming a
shoulder of reduced diameter at a location axially outwardly of
said aperture or apertures and engaging said nozzle in a relation
forming essentially a seal against fluid flow axially outwardly
between the nozzle and tubular element and past said shoulder, said
tubular element having a tubular side wall which extends from said
inner end wall to said open end of the sheath body and which then
projects outwardly beyond said open end and has said reduced
diameter shoulder formed thereon at a location spaced outwardly
from said open end of the body, said side wall of said tubular
element having a portion of reduced diameter forming a second
shoulder at a location axially outwardly of said aperture or
apertures but within the interior of said sheath body for engaging
the nozzle to assist in blocking fluid flow between the tubular
element and nozzle, said tubular element being formed of a
resiliently deformable material giving to said shoulders a
resilience to constrict about the nozzle.
15. A vaginal douche sheath to be used with an elongated douche
nozzle having fluid discharge openings, comprising a sheath body
adapted to be received about said nozzle and containing a passage
which is open at one end for extension of said nozzle thereinto and
is at least partially closed at the opposite inner end by an end
wall thereof, said body being formed of a deformable liquid
permeable cushioning material which is soft at least when wet and
through which fluid may pass from said nozzle to the exterior of
said body, the outer surface of said sheath body being dimensioned
for reception within the human vagina, and a tubular element
received within and lining said passage in said body and formed of
a material which is more rigid than said sheath body when the
latter is wet, said tubular element being constructed to pass fluid
from the interior thereof to said sheath body for discharge
therefrom, said tubular element having a portion forming a shoulder
of reduced diameter engageable with said nozzle in a relation
forming essentially a seal against fluid flow axially outwardly
between the nozzle and tubular element and past said shoulder.
16. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 15, in which said
shoulder is located within the interior of said sheath body.
17. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 15, in which said
tubular element projects outwardly beyond said open end of the body
and has said reduced diameter shoulder formed thereon at a location
spaced outwardly from said open end of the body.
18. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 15, in which said
shoulder is resiliently deformable to enhance the effectiveness of
its sealing engagement with said nozzle.
19. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 15, in combination
with a douche nozzle projecting into said tubular element and said
sheath body and engaging said shoulder essentially in fluid sealing
relation.
20. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 15, in which said
tubular element projects axially beyond said body and has two of
said shoulders one within and one outwardly beyond said body, and
is formed of a resiliently deformable resinous plastic material
giving resilience to said shoulders.
21. A vaginal douche sheath to be used with an elongated douche
nozzle having fluid discharge openings, comprising a sheath body
adapted to be received about said nozzle and containing a passage
which is open at one end for extension of said nozzle thereinto and
is at least partially closed at the opposite inner end by an end
wall thereof, said body being formed of a deformable liquid
permeable cushioning material which is soft at least when wet and
through which fluid may pass from said nozzle to the exterior of
said body, the outer surface of said sheath body being dimensioned
for reception within the human vagina, and a tubular element
received within and lining said passage in said body and formed of
a material which is more rigid then said sheath body when the
latter is wet, said tubular element being constructed to pass fluid
from the interior thereof to said sheath body for discharge
therethrough, and a tab carried by said sheath body and projecting
therefrom and axially outwardly therebeyond at the outside of said
tubular element for exerting a pulling force on said body.
22. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 21, in which said
tubular element is formed of resiliently deformable material and
has an inner end wall axially inwardly of said nozzle and at least
one resilient reduced diameter shoulder engageable with the nozzle
essentially in sealing relation.
23. A vaginal douche sheath to be used with an elongated douche
nozzle having fluid discharge openings, comprising a sheath body
adapted to be received about said nozzle and containing a passage
which is open at one end for extension of said nozzle thereinto and
is at least partially closed at the opposite inner end by an end
wall thereof, said body being formed of a deformable liquid
permeable cushioning material which is soft at least when wet and
through which fluid may pass from said nozzle to the exterior of
said body, the outer surface of said sheath body being dimensioned
for reception within the human vagina, and a tubular element
received within and lining said passage in said body and formed of
a material which is more rigid than said sheath body when the
latter is wet, said tubular element being constructed to pass fluid
from the interior thereof to said sheath body for discharge
therefrom, said tubular element having a portion forming a
resilient shoulder of reduced diameter past which an enlarged
portion of said nozzle may be forced and acting to releasably
retain said nozzle in the tubular element.
24. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 23, in which said
tubular element has a second shoulder engageable in sealing
relation with a portion of said nozzle and retained thereagainst by
engagement of said first shoulder with the nozzle.
25. A vaginal douche sheath to be used with an elongated douche
nozzle having fluid discharge openings, comprising a sheath body
adapted to be received about said nozzle and having a generally
tubular side wall containing a passage which is open at one end for
extension of said nozzle thereinto and is at least partially closed
at the opposite inner end by an end wall thereof, said body being
formed of a deformable liquid permeable cushioning material which
is soft at least when wet and through which fluid may pass from
said nozzle to the exterior of said body, the outer surface of said
sheath body being dimensioned for reception within the human
vagina, and a tab secured to said sheath body and projecting
therefrom and axially outwardly therebeyond for exerting a pulling
force on the body and located for reception at the outside of said
nozzle.
26. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 25, in which said
tab has a portion received adjacent and secured to the inner
surface of said sheath body.
27. A vaginal douche sheath as recited in claim 25, in which said
tab is a thin strip of sheet-form material extending along and
cemented to the inner surface of the side wall of said sheath body
near said one end.
Description
The arrangement disclosed and claimed in the present application
constitute improvements on the invention covered by my U.S. Pat.
No. 3,512,526, based on application Ser. No. 685,628 filed Nov. 24,
1967, which was copending with the above identified application
Ser. No. 35,682 of which the present case is a
continuation-in-part. Certain features of one of the embodiments
shown in the present application are disclosed and claimed in my
copending application Ser. No. 170,218 filed Aug. 9, 1971 on
"Vaginal Treatment Assembly".
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to improved sheath units to be placed about
the fluid discharge nozzle of a douche device.
In my above identified application Ser. No. 685,628, I have
disclosed a cushioning sheath device to be received about a douche
nozzle, and including a deformable liquid permeable preferably
resilient sheath body and a tubular liner received within the
sheath body and disposed about the nozzle. The material of the
sheath body, at least when wet, is relatively soft as compared with
both the nozzle and the tubular liner element, and is adapted to
pass water or other cleansing or treating liquids from the nozzle
through the sheath material to its exterior for delivery to the
vaginal tissues. The body of the sheath may then be manipulated
during discharge of the liquid to gently rub or wipe the vaginal
surfaces in a manner assisting in cleansing or applying medication
to them, without danger of contacting those surfaces by the
essentially rigid nozzle itself.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides certain improvements in sheath
assemblies of the above discussed type, for increasing their
effectiveness in several respects. For one thing, a sheath assembly
constructed in accordance with the present invention protects the
outer sheath body very positively against any possible damage which
might be caused to that body as a result of manipulation of the
douche nozzle contained therein. For this purpose, the tubular
liner element within the deformable sheath body is constructed to
have an end wall within the sheath body and opposite the end of the
douche nozzle designed to at least partially close that end of the
tubular element and thereby limit the extent to which the nozzle
can be inserted into the tubular element and the sheath body. Thus,
the nozzle is positively restrained in a manner such that it cannot
be unintentionally forced through the end of the deformable sheath
body. At a location near this end wall of the inner tubular
element, the latter may be apertured to enable the desired flow of
water or other liquids laterally from the tubular liner into the
material of the outer body for discharge outwardly therefrom.
Another feature of the invention resides in the formation of the
tubular liner element to have one or more reduced diameter shoulder
portions which are engageable with the nozzle in a relation forming
essentially a seal between the liner and nozzle to prevent flow of
water or other fluids between these parts and past the shoulder or
shoulders. For best results, the tubular liner projects axially
outwardly beyond one extremity of the sheath body, and has one of
the mentioned shoulders at a location spaced from that body, while
a second of the shoulders may be formed within the interior of the
sheath body. The liner element may be resiliently deformable, to
give the shoulder or shoulders resilience in a manner enhancing the
seals formed thereby.
The sheath body may be secured in fixed position relative to the
inner liner by an adhesive or otherwise, or may be free for removal
from the liner, for cleaning or replacement. In the later case, it
is helpful to provide a pulling tab attached to the sheath body and
projecting axially outwardly or downwardly therefrom along the
outer side of the tubular liner element for access by a user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The above and other features and objects of the invention will be
better understood from the following detailed description of the
typical embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in
which:
FIG. 1 is primarily an axial section through a first form of douche
nozzle sheath assembly constructed in accordance with the
invention;
FIG. 2 shows the sheath assembly of FIG. 1 with a douche nozzle
received therein;
FIG. 2a is a transverse section taken on line 2a-2a of FIG. 2;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a variational type
of sheath assembly; and
FIGS. 4 and 5 show two other forms of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 2, I have shown at 10 a conventional douche nozzle, shown
connected to the usual flexible hose 11 which receives water or
douche fluid from an elevated gravity bag 12 or other fluid source
capable of producing a flow of liquid from that source through hose
11 and into nozzle 10. The nozzle is essentially rigid or stiff,
and may typically be formed of an appropriate resinous plastic
material of suitable rigidity. The nozzle is illustrated in FIG. 2
as being centered about an axis 13, and being elongated in the
direction of that axis, and contains a correspondingly elongated
passage 14 whose lower end receives fluid from hose 11, and whose
upper end communicates with a number of apertures 16 in the side
wall 17 of the nozzle for passing fluid outwardly to the exterior
of that nozzle. Externally, the nozzle has an outer surface 18
which is essentially cylindrical between the locations 19 and 20 in
FIG. 2, and which beneath the location 19 flares gradually and
essentially conically to a location 21 beyond which the nozzle may
have an externally hexagonal portion 22 for engagement with a tool
if necessary in screwing the nozzle onto a hose fitting 23. At its
upper end, upwardly beyond the location 20, the outer surface of
the nozzle may flare gradually and essentially conically at 24, to
form an enlarged head 25 containing the side wall apertures 16. At
the upper extremity of enlarged head 25, the nozzle may have a
closed generally transverse end wall 26. If desired, the nozzle may
have a slight longitudinal curvature, in a manner well known in the
art, instead of extending straight along axis 13 in the manner
illustrated. Also, the exterior configuration of the nozzle may of
course vary in different respects in accordance with known prior
teachings.
A sheath assembly 27 is provided about the above discussed douche
nozzle 10, and is shown separately as it appears when removed from
the nozzle in FIG. 1. This assembly includes an outer main sheath
element or sheath body 28, and an inner tubular liner element or
sleeve 29 received within body 28. Body 28 is formed of a
deformable liquid permeable cushioning material, which is very soft
and pliable, at least when wet, to avoid any possibility of damage
to the vaginal tissues when contacted by this body 28. The sheath
or cushion body 28 has an essentially tubular side wall portion 30
which is open at its lower end for extension thereinto of liner 29
and the nozzle, and which is closed at the upper end of the sheath
body by an upper or axially inner end wall 32. Internally, the
tubular side wall 30 of body 28 preferably contains an inner
straight cylindrical surface 33, extending upwardly from bottom end
31 to a location 34 at which the inner surface may curve inwardly
at 35 across the end of liner 29. Externally, the body 28 has an
outer surface 36 which tapers gradually and progressively and
desirably frusto-conically from lower end surface 31 to a location
37 at which the outer surface curves or is rounded inwardly as
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to provide a narrowed and rounded leading
end of the sheath body.
The material forming sheath body 28 is of a type containing a large
number of passages or pores which communicate with one another
through the entire radial thickness of the side wall of the body,
between surfaces 33 and 36, and also through the entire thickness
of end wall 32, in a manner enabling water or another fluid from
nozzle 10 to pass freely and rapidly through the material to the
outside of body 28. As an example, body 28 may be formed of an
appropriate resiliently deformable open pored sponge material, such
as polyurethane sponge (which is soft both when wet and dry), any
other suitable synthetic sponge material, rubber sponge,
regenerated cellulose sponge material (soft only when wet), or the
like. Alternatively, body 28 may be formed of any other soft fluid
permeable cushioning substance, such as for example cotton or other
massed natural or synthetic fibers, an appropriate knitted or woven
cushioning material formed of a suitable yarn or threads of cotton
or other material, a mass or series of layers of paper or
paper-like material, et cetera. The cushioning substance may also
be of a type adapted to expand to an increased thickness or
external size when wet. One desirable expansible substance of this
type is a highly compressed cotton-like mass of natural and/or
synthetic fibers, typically including for example cellulose, rayon
and polyurethane fibers, with the fibers being adapted to be
automatically released from their compressed condition when they
become wet.
The tubular liner sleeve element 29 within outer body 28 is formed
of a material which is substantially stiffer, harder and more rigid
than the very soft porous cushion body 28, but which itself
preferably has substantial resilient deformability, and is
therefore more flexible than the nozzle 10. For best results, liner
element 29 is formed of a resiliently deformable or flexible
resinous plastic material which is substantially impermeable to
water and other douche liquids. For example, the liner may be
formed of polyvinyl chloride, or any other appropriate substance
which can be safely received within the body cavity.
Liner 29 has a tubular side wall 38, which projects axially
outwardly or downwardly beyond the lower extremity of porous
cushion body 28 to a location 39, to provide a handle portion of
liner 29 beyond body 28 by which a user may hold and manipulate the
device without grasping the cushion body. The tubular side wall 38
extends upwardly into the interior of body 28 to the location of an
upper rounded axially inner or top end wall 40 of the tubular liner
element, which end wall extends along the inside of and engages and
backs up the rounded end wall 32 of body 28. Near its upper end,
the tubular side wall 38 of liner 29 contains apertures 41, through
which liquids from the nozzle may flow laterally into the porus
material of cushion body 28, for discharge therefrom.
The tubular side wall 38 of element 29 may have an outer surface 42
which may be of straight cylindrical configuration along the entire
axial distance from a location 43 (FIG. 1) to location 44, except
as the diameter is reduced at a location 45 just beneath apertures
41. At the region 45, the entire thickness of the side wall 38 is
deformed radially inwardly, and annularly about axis 13, to provide
an annular inner shoulder 46 of a diameter slightly less than the
diameter of the internal cylindrical surface 47 above and beneath
that location. Both the upper and lower sides of this annular
reduced diameter shoulder 46 may curve gradually radially inwardly
to provide tapering upper and lower surfaces 48 and 49 on the
shoulder. The internal and external straight cylindrical surfaces
of tubular side wall 38 continue downwardly to the location of a
bottom downwardly tapering shoulder or flange 50 formed by
providing an inturned reduced diameter annular portion of the
material of the tubular element 29 of the shape shown in FIGS. 1
and 2. The two annular shoulders 46 and 50 may extend inwardly to
approximately the same diameter, and are both resiliently
deformable and resiliently expansible by virtue of the resilient
characteristics of the material of which liner 29 is formed, to
engage nozzle 10 in fluid sealing fashion. That is, shoulder 46 is
dimensioned to annularly engage the outer surface area 24 of the
nozzle in its installed position, beneath apertures 41, while
shoulder 50 correspondingly annularly engages the tapered outer
surface 21 of the nozzle near its lower or axially outer end, to
form a further seal against fluid leakage or loss downwardly
between the nozzle and liner 29, and past the two shoulders.
The diameter of external surface 42 of liner 29 may be very
slightly greater than the normal internal diameter of outer porous
body 28, to be a sufficiently tight frictional fit within body 28
to retain the two elements 28 and 29 in assembled positions as
shown in FIG. 1 during handling. However, this light friction fit
enables easy removal of the porous body 28 from liner 29 for
cleaning or replacement whenever desired. Alternatively, the two
parts 28 and 29 may be permanently secured together, as by
provision of an adhesive material between surfaces 33 and 42, at a
location vertically between shoulder 46 and bottom extremity 31 of
body 28.
In using the device of FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper enlarged portion 25
of nozzle 10 is first forced upwardly past shoulder 50 and then
past shoulder 46, to the installed position of FIG. 2, in which
effective water tight seals are formed at both of the shoulders 46
and 50 for preventing downflow of any water or liquid between the
nozzle and liner 29 past the two shoulders. Also, it is noted that
the surfaces 21 and 24 of the nozzle engage the two shoulders in
opposite directions, so that the nozzle is effectively held in its
FIG. 2 position within the sheath assembly, and in proper
engagement with the two shoulders. In some instances, it is
contemplated that only a single shoulder may be employed, or that
two shoulders may be provided for positioning purposes but that
only one of the shoulders may provide an actual effective seal,
though the two-seal arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2 is preferred. With
the device assembled in the FIG. 2 position, the user may grasp the
lower handle portion of tubular liner 29, beneath lower end 31 of
cushion body 28, and may or may not also grasp the exposed portion
of nozzle 10, and then may easily manipulate the assembly while
holding it in this manner. Water or another douche liquid can be
then forced through the nozzle from source 12, to discharge from
the upper end of the nozzle through apertures 16 and into the outer
body 28, to then flow through the pores of that body to its outer
surface for cleansing or treating the walls of the vaginal cavity.
During or after such discharge of the liquid, the cushion body 28
is movable against and relative to the vaginal tissues to
facilitate the cleansing or medicating function without any danger
of damage to those tissues, and all under the manipulative control
of the exposed lower handle portion of element 29 and the nozzle.
The provision of the upper end wall 40 of the tubular liner element
29 prevents the nozzle 10 from contacting the top wall 32 of the
cushion body, and thereby prevents the nozzle from being
unintentionally forced through soft top wall 32 of the cushion body
during insertion of the device.
FIG. 3 shows another arrangement which is very similar to that
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, except in the respects specifically
discussed below. In FIG. 3, the outer porous body 28a may be
identical with body 28 of FIGS. 1 and 2, and liner 29a may be the
same as liner 29 of the first form of the invention except that the
shoulder 46a is located near the bottom of body 28a, and the
apertures 41a are provided at locations spaced along essentially
the entire vertical or axial length of the body 28a. Thus, the
liquid discharging from apertures 41a is conducted more directly to
all portions of the sponge body 28a than in FIG. 1, though in many
instances the FIG. 1 arrangement is completely effective to
distribute the liquid sufficiently to the entire body 28. In FIG.
3, the outer body may be either cemented permanently in fixed
position on the liner 29a, or connected merely by a light
frictional fit on the liner, both as discussed in connection with
the first form of the invention. If the outer body 28a is
removable, one or more pull tabs may typically be provided as
illustrated at 51 in FIG. 3, this tab desirably extending upwardly
at 52 into the interior of body 28a, and downwardly beyond the
lower extremity of body 28a to the location 53. Tab 51 is received
at the outside of tubular liner 29a, so that in grasping the bottom
exposed portion of the liner, a user may also hold tab 51 against
the liner in a manner enabling the two parts to be withdrawn from
the vaginal cavity simultaneously. It is also contemplated that the
liner 29a may be withdrawn separately, and that the outer porous
body 28a may be removable individually by means of pull tab 51. Tab
51 may be formed as a thin flexible ribbon or tape of any
appropriate material, such as a suitable plastic sheet material or
fabric. The tab may be suitably secured permanently to body 28c, as
by an appropriate cement or adhesive, stitching, clipping, or by
otherwise attaching it to any convenient portion of the body. FIG.
3 typically illustrates an arrangement in which the tab is attached
by cementing. In lieu of a ribbon, an appropriate string or cord
may be employed for forming the pull tab or tabs, or if the body 10
is formed of a knitted or woven material the pull tab or tabs may
be formed merely as extended ends of the yarn, thread, string or
cord of which the material is formed.
FIG. 4 shows another arrangement in which the inner liner 29b is
assumed to be identical with liner 29 of FIG. 1, but has an outer
porous body 28b which is shorter axially or vertically than that
shown at 28 in FIG. 1. This arrangement is utilized where a shorter
area of contact with the vaginal tissues is desired. The protection
of the porous body against damage by the nozzle, and the provision
of the fluid tight seals at shoulders 50b and 46b, are essentially
the same in FIG. 4 as in FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 5 shows a final variation, which may be considered as
identical with that of FIG. 1 (or of the other forms) except that
the top wall 40c of liner 29c extends only partially and not
completely across the upper end of the nozzle, thus leaving a
typically circular aperture 140c in top wall 40c. Wall 40c
therefore forms in effect an annular flange which projects inwardly
far enough to limit upward movement of the nozzle relative to liner
29c, and thus prevent damage to the cushioning sheath body 28c by
the nozzle. My copending application Ser. No. 170,218 discloses and
claims certain added features of novelty relating to this
arrangement of FIG. 5, and involving provision of a pusher element
adapted to extend through the aperture 140c for enabling removal of
liner 29c from the vagina separately while leaving the cushion or
sheath 28c in the vagina.
In any of the forms of the invention, if the nozzle is of a
longitudinally curving configuration, the resilient flexibility of
body 28 and liner 29, or the corresponding parts of the other forms
of the invention, will enable the liner and the porous body about
it to be deformed slightly by the essentially stiff and rigid
nozzle, just sufficiently to permit use of the parts together, and
with effective fluid tight seals still being maintained at the
various seal shoulders, as discussed.
While certain specific embodiments of the present invention have
been disclosed as typical, the invention is of course not limited
to these particular forms, but rather is applicable broadly to all
such variations as fall within the scope of the appended
claims.
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