Surgery – Sexual appliance
Reexamination Certificate
1996-05-03
2001-06-19
Lacyk, John P. (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Sexual appliance
Reexamination Certificate
active
06248059
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Benefit of priority is hereby claimed pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §120 to a prior U.S. design patent application filed under the same title and with the same inventors on Apr. 25, 1996, Ser. No. 29/053,584.
The present invention relates in general to improved impotence treatment appliances and, in particular to pump assisted vacuum therapy impotence treatment technology improved for reliability, performance, and user controlled convenience.
The medical condition of male impotence (i.e., the inability to achieve adequate penile erection for sexual intercourse) has been the subject of significant medical and scientific attention. Various therapies, both surgical and nonsurgical, have been previously made available for treating male impotence. One nonsurgical therapy generally involves the therapeutic use of a vacuum chamber for producing penile engorgement by drawing blood into the erectile bodies of the user's male sex organ, i.e., penis, by using a vacuum. The user's penis is placed within a vacuum chamber or cylinder. With a relative vacuum seal established between the user's body and such vacuum chamber, negative pressure or vacuum is produced within the chamber, leading to vacuum induced engorgement. An elastic cincture band or similar device is then used to secure the engorged condition of the male sex organ.
The art has seen a variety and a progression of devices for use with vacuum therapy. For example, commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,856,498 (Osbon) and 4,378,008 (Osbon, Sr.) both disclose examples of vacuum chambers for use in vacuum erection enhancement therapy. In such examples, a vacuum tube is interconnected to a vacuum source (i.e., a source of negative pressure), such as a manual or hand pump. Examples of elastic cincture bands or rings are referenced in such patents. Such rings typically are initially applied to the outside diameter of the vacuum chamber and then subsequently transferred to the base or root of the user's engorged penis. Such arrangement captures and maintains the vacuum induced rigidity thereof.
Different devices and advancements have sought to improve interface of the technology with the user. Commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,453 (Osbon, et al.) illustrates a vacuum chamber with a tapered end distal to the user during use. Such built-in taper facilitates application of exemplary cincture bands to the vacuum chamber. Accommodating the relatively small size and strong resiliency of such rings is one aspect of the physical manipulations involved with vacuum enhancement therapy.
The actuation of manually operated vacuum pumps is another existing aspect of the technology. Battery operated vacuum pumps have in some instances been associated with vacuum chambers, such as in direct mount arrangements, as shown by example in further commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,808 (Osbon, et al.). There, an inline self-contained housing includes a battery operated vacuum motor apparatus using a reciprocating diaphragm pump arrangement driven by a small electric motor with an eccentric output shaft.
Other arrangements have involved the combination of a hand operated (i.e., manually driven) vacuum pump directly mounted or associated with the vacuum chamber. An example of one such system is the Response system by Smith-Collins Pharmaceutical, Inc., Westchester, Pa., which includes a cylinder which threads onto a vacuum pump, which pump has a long projecting lever pivotably mounted so as to be directed back from an inline pump housing towards the vacuum chamber. See Marmar, et al., “Penile Plethysmography on Impotent Men Using Vacuum Constrictor Devices,”; pp. 198-203; September 1988; Volume XXXII; No. 3; Urology Journal.
Because vacuum therapy impotence treatment requires some physical manipulations, the user's dexterity and strength are inherently involved in the process. With some patients, particularly if advanced age, disease, or other degenerative physical condition is involved, the physical aspects of the therapy may be more significant than with other more generally fit or capable patients. Because of the sensitive nature of the therapy involved, the reliability of any system or technology and its ease of use can be other significant factors in the overall success of the therapy for a given patient.
The disclosures of the above-referenced U.S. patents, and the subject matter of any patents incorporated by reference therein, are fully incorporated herein by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses various of the foregoing aspects, and others, concerning vacuum therapy impotence treatment operations. Generally speaking, a principal object of this invention is improved impotence treatment appliances and systems. More particularly, one main concern is improved operations involving pump assisted therapeutic devices.
It is another more particular object of the present invention to provide devices having improved reliability and improved user friendliness (i.e., ease of use), to thereby improve overall vacuum therapy success, whether using manually or battery operated pump assisted equipment.
It is a further object to provide devices which result in improved performance, thereby generally increasing user satisfaction, confidence, and abilities in connection with practicing vacuum therapy techniques.
It is another general object to provide apparatus, for use with either electric or manually operated devices, which improves sealing fit and user comfort, for improved efficiency in therapeutic technique and increased user acceptance, thereby again resulting in total overall improvement in practice of the therapeutic technique.
Particularly in connection with presently disclosed manually operated pump embodiments, it is a more specific object to provide improved reliability and dependability in such mechanical vacuum pump arrangements, coupled with improved operating (i.e., stroke) efficiency. It is another more particular object, in the context of either such manually operated embodiments or in electric operated embodiments, to provide a collective self contained system arrangement of predetermined contour and curvature which improves a user's ability to create a vacuum seal between the vacuum chamber and user's body.
Another present specific aspect is to provide an improved vacuum chamber for use alternatively with a variety of devices. Likewise, a more specific present object is to provide improved vacuum chamber inserts alternatively usable with a variety of devices for improved user comfort and improved vacuum seal arrangements.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in, or will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from, the detailed description which follows. Also, it should be further appreciated that modifications and variations to the specifically illustrated and discussed features or materials and devices hereof may be practiced in various embodiments and uses of this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, by virtue of present reference thereto. Such variations may include, but are not limited to, substitution of equivalent means and features or materials for those shown or discussed, and the functional or positional reversal of various parts, features, or the like.
Still further, it is to be understood that different embodiments, as well as different presently preferred embodiments, of this invention may include various combinations or configurations of presently disclosed features or elements, or their equivalents (including combinations or configurations thereof not expressly shown in the Figures or stated in the detailed description). One exemplary such embodiment of the present invention relates to a male organ conditioning appliance for the treatment of impotence. Such an appliance may comprise an elongated vacuum chamber and a combination self contained pump housing and chamber handle.
Such an elongated vacuum chamber preferably has a first open end adapted for introduction of a user's flaccid penis in
Carroll Maureen
Flynn Stephen J.
Gamper Steven C.
McMillan John A.
Mitchell John M.
Kearney Rosiland
Lacyk John P.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Timm Medical Technologies, Inc.
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