Soft cling female condom
US7322358B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 19, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jan 29, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 13, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S128/918
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A female condom is provided that includes a pouch of resilient membranous material and a hydrophilic cling mechanism. According to an embodiment of the invention, the cling mechanism includes three or more foam cling elements attached to an outer surface of the pouch. Upon insertion, the foam cling elements cling lightly to vaginal walls proximate a transition zone between the vagina's introitus and its rugated internal tissue. The foam cling elements may be shaped to permit them to nestle into a user's rugated internal vaginal tissue. An inserter may be coupled to the pouch for facilitating insertion of the condom. The inserter may retain a distal portion of the pouch in a collapsed form. The cling mechanism may be contained within the dissolvable inserter. The inserter may be dissolvable in the presence of vaginal moisture. Methods are also provided for collapsing the pouch and compressing it into an insertion package.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.