Surgery – Male reproductory tract shields or birth control devices – Condoms
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-03
2001-10-09
Brown, Michael A. (Department: 3764)
Surgery
Male reproductory tract shields or birth control devices
Condoms
C128S918000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298853
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The general field of the present invention relates to condoms, i.e. prophylactic sheaths, and more particularly to condoms which are of abbreviated length which substantially cover the glans penis only during use.
General Background
Condoms have traditionally served as a means of prophylaxis against conception. More recently, with the development of birth control pills and the increase in contagion of various sexually transmitted diseases, (STDs), condoms have become valued more, perhaps, as a means of prophylaxis against transmission of SIDs than against conception. Several aspects regarding the use of condoms as opposed to other forms of preventing conception are recognized. Condoms are known to break during use and other forms of preventing conception, primarily birth control pills, are generally considered to be at least as effective as a condom for preventing conception.
The woman, moreover, possesses an assurance in knowing she is relatively safe from pregnancy if she is taking birth control pills regularly. A condom may break during use and while the man may readily discern this condition the woman cannot. A man might ignore the breakage or be truly unaware of the same and in either case the woman is typically without recourse to remedy the situation in which she has the more direct interest. The presence of a conventional full length latex condom essentially is not noticed by a female during intercourse but the same drastically reduces the sensitivity of the penis and the pleasure derived from the same activity for males who consequently frequently dislike wearing condoms for this reason. It is considered that the male aversion to wearing of a conventional full length latex condom was and is still a major factor in the adoption of alternative birth control measures by women.
In addition to birth control pills, interuterine devices, (IUDs), diaphragms and spermicidal jelly have been widely popular as alternatives to condoms for the prevention of unwanted pregnancies. The popularity of these measures is considered in view of the disadvantages associated with each. Birth control pills alter the body's chemistry and although the levels of estrogen and progestogen utilized has been decreased over the last several decades of use the fact remains that side effects attend regular and particularly regular and prolonged use of birth control pills. RIDs have been associated with serious medical problems for various reasons and many women generally find the implantation of the devices to be objectionable and the presence of the devices to be a marked source of discomfort. The use of diaphragms and spermicidal jelly poses a considerable inconvenience upon the woman as insertion is often difficult and the required presence of the device for many hours after intercourse is often uncomfortable. However, despite all these inconveniences, all three methods have been and are still quite popular as an alternative to the use of conventional condoms which pose neither inconvenience nor discomfort nor threat of physical side effects to the woman other than the reliance upon the willing cooperation of the male including detection of the breaking and prompt replacement of a broken condom during use.
In essence it is considered that, for the purposes of preventing unwanted pregnancy, many forms of contraception are preferred as alternatives to the use of a conventional full length latex condom by women despite the discomfort and risks associated with these alternatives because men dislike wearing conventional full length latex condoms and can not be reliably expected to use the same in a responsible manner simply because of the adverse affect upon the sensitivity of the penis imposed by the wearing of this prophylactic sheath. Most recently, approval has been granted for the marketing of a “morning after” birth control pill which will enable women to prevent contraception hours after coitus, hence practically removing any inhibition against having intercourse imposed by the adoption of a prophylaxis against an unwanted pregnancy.
However, there is no known alternative to a prophylactic device worn by the male for the prevention of infection by STDs during coitus. A conventional full length latex condom is widely recognized as the only effective means of avoiding STD contagion during coitus and is generally considered effective in protecting the male as well as the female from contacting a STD from the other during intercourse. The transmission of a disease from a male to a female during coitus is considered mainly to be associated with transfer of seminal fluid. More specifically, it is the absorption of the seminal fluid by mucous membranes such as that which line the vagina, which is considered to result in the sexual transmission of a disease from a male to a female during coitus. A regards the reverse process, i.e. the transmission of disease from the female to the male during coitus, it is considered that for a healthy, epidermally unbroken, penis only the urethra provides a mucous membrane lining which is susceptible to infection but without a condom this avenue of infection is quite adequate for the acquisition of a STD by the male.
In short, it is recognized that men dislike wearing conventional full length condoms because of the loss of sensitivity which results and if the avoidance of pregnancy is the only concern there are other contraceptive alternatives to the use of a condom by the man which the woman may adopt, however, only a condom is considered effective in preventing the transmission of disease during coitus. Therefore, despite the many various advances in contraceptives over the last several decades touched upon above, relatively recent condom development, as evidenced by the number of U.S. Patents issued annually for the same, accelerated markedly in response to the increase in SIDs during the last fifteen years in the United States. This recent development, as discussed below, includes consideration of an abbreviated condom which would not greatly diminish sensitivity and hence would be less objectionable to use by the male. As discussed at some length above, the loss of sensitivity imposed by wearing of a conventional full length latex condom is considered central to the common male aversion to proper use of the same and this aversion is considered to be the main reason the risk of acquiring a STD is tolerated by both men and women.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 2,703,574 issued to A Hirschfeld on Mar. 8, 1955 discloses a ‘Rubber Sanitary Device’ or abbreviated condom intended to enclose the glans penis and be held in place by a bottom thickened ring or band intended to seal the device “in engagement with the posterior annular portion of the glans” (Col. 1, Lines 60-62); which is bulb shaped and radially symmetrical about a central vertical axis, “an intermediate section of said receptacle portion being circular in cross section” (Column 2, Lines 28-29).
DT 25 19 357 issued to A. Kopelowicz on Nov. 11, 1976 for an ‘Elastic Cap Contraceptive Sheath’ discloses an abbreviated condom for enclosing the glans penis with a tip located reservoir possessing “concertina folds” (English Abstract) held in place by a bottom adhesive band which folds over after location of the radially symmetric device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,290 issued to James H. Yahr on Apr. 11, 1989 for a ‘Prophylactic Device’ discloses an abbreviated condom of radially symmetric dimensions intended to enclose the glans penis and being held in place by a thickened band “to be positioned in the coronal sulcus to prevent leakage of fluids collected in the hood” (Abstract) which is at least thrice as wide as it is thick to prevent rolling.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,742 issued to John Y. Phelps, III on Apr. 18, 1989 for a ‘Contraceptive Device’ discloses an abbreviated condom intended to fit upon the glans penis above the corona and held in place by adhesive interrupted in areas central and extending radially downward from the top of the device which is
Brown Michael A.
Gibson Peter
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