Menstrual cup

• US 10,357,395 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2018
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Flex Company
• Original Assignee: The Flex Company
• Inventors: Miller, Andrew Ross, Adame, Jane Hartman
• Primary Examiner(s): Kidwell, Michele M
• Application Number:
  US16/132,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20190083296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/4404 Details or parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/4553 placed in the vagina, e.g. for catamenial use pessaries A61F6/08; absorbent cups A61F13/2045

Abstract

A menstrual cup and applicator for use in the vagina. The menstrual cup having a receptacle for holding fluid and having a stem device connected to the top of the cup and extending through the open cavity through the bottom of the cup. The stem is configured to actuate the side and rim of the cup to allow for easier insertion and removal of the cup. The applicator may have several components and is configured to grasp a folded cup and position the cup in a deployed position within the vagina. Additionally, the applicator is designed to aid in the removal of the menstrual cup.

Claims

1. A menstrual cup comprising:

a receptacle having a resiliently foldable rim defining a generally circular perimeter in an unfolded state, a sidewall having an inner wall surface defining a cavity therein, the cavity having a top portion proximal to the foldable rim with a first opening and a bottom portion with a second opening, wherein the cavity is configured to collect a fluid; and

an elongated stem having a proximal end and a distal end and an elongated middle portion therebetween wherein the proximal end is attached to the sidewall,

wherein the stem seats within the second opening to form a fluid seal therewith;

wherein the manipulation of the distal end of the elongated stem applies a pulling force to the inner wall surface whereby a fold in the sidewall is created; and

wherein the receptacle may have at least two positions;

a folded position wherein the fold in the sidewall extends inward towards the center of the cavity; and

a deployed position wherein the foldable rim is unfolded such that the first opening of the top portion conforms to the generally circular perimeter of the unfolded resiliently foldable rim.

2. The menstrual cup of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion of the cup is further configured to form an interference fit with the stem.

3. The menstrual cup of claim 1, wherein the stem further comprises a stop disposed at a point along the length of the stem.

4. The menstrual cup of claim 1, wherein the cup is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of silicone material and a thermoplastic elastomer.

5. The menstrual cup of claim 2, wherein the seal is configured to be reinforced material such that it is thicker than the sidewall.

6. The menstrual cup of claim 2, wherein the seal is selected from a group consisting of a radial seal and a wiper seal.

7. The menstrual cup of claim 1, wherein the stem comprises a resiliently foldable ring configured to cooperatively engage with a groove formed into the foldable rim and the side wall of the receptacle such that the depth of groove does not exceed the thickness of the sidewall, and wherein the ring is configured to pull against the foldable rim, sidewall, and inner wall when the stem is actuated and pulled by the user.

8. The menstrual cup of claim 1, wherein the stem is a continuous extension of the foldable rim.

9. The menstrual cup of claim 1, wherein the stem further comprises an elongated aperture configured to extend from the proximal end through the distal end whereby air pressure may be appropriately balanced in each of the folded and deployed positions.

10. The menstrual cup of claim 1, further comprising at least one hole to equalize the pressure for the removal of the cup.

11. The menstrual cup of claim 10, wherein at least one hole is disposed through the elongated stem.

12. The menstrual cup of claim 10, wherein the at least one hole is disposed through the sidewall of the cup near the top portion.

13. The menstrual cup of claim 1, wherein the distal portion of the stem further comprises grip enhancements.

14. The menstrual cup of claim 13, wherein the grip enhancements are selected from a group consisting of ridges, spiral ridges, a loop, a ring, and independent structures.

15. The menstrual cup of claim 1, wherein the cup is coated in parylene.

16. The Menstrual cup of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the elongated stem is connected to the inner wall of the receptacle and the elongated middle portion is configured to pass through the cavity and the second opening of the bottom portion of the receptacle such that the distal end extends below the receptacle.

18. The menstrual cup of claim 7 wherein the ring is overmolded into the cup.

19. The menstrual cup of claim 1 wherein the stem is a string wherein the string is molded into the cup.

20. The menstrual cup of claim 19 wherein the string is molded into the cup by a method selected from a group consisting of co-molding and overmolding.

17. A method of manufacture of a menstrual cup comprising:

Designing an inverted menstrual cup having a receptacle having a resiliently foldable rim defining a generally circular perimeter in an unfolded state, a sidewall having an inner wall surface defining a cavity therein, the cavity having a top portion proximal to the foldable rim with a first opening and a bottom portion with a second opening, wherein the cavity is configured to collect a fluid; and

an elongated stem having a proximal end and a distal end and an elongated middle portion therebetween wherein the proximal end is attached to the sidewall,

wherein the stem seats within the second opening to form a fluid seal therewith;

wherein the manipulation of the distal end of the elongated stem applies a pulling force to the inner wall surface whereby a fold in the sidewall is created; and

wherein the receptacle may have at least two positions;

a folded position wherein the fold in the sidewall extends inward towards the center of the cavity; and

a deployed position wherein the foldable rim is unfolded such that the first opening of the top portion conforms to the generally circular perimeter of the unfolded resiliently foldable rim;

Obtaining mold tooling configured to align with the inverted menstrual cup design;

Molding the inverted menstrual cup with the mold tooling;

Extracting the inverted menstrual cup from the molding;

Reverting the menstrual cup to a desired final shape.