Sleeves configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide

• US 20090112055A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A.
• Application Number:
  US12/006,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20090112055A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/38
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 6/04 Condoms, sheaths or the like , e.g. combined with devices protecting against contagion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to sleeves that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide.

Claims

1. A penile sleeve comprising:

a flexible tube having a first open end and a second open end; and

one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors.

2. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the flexible tube having a first open end and a second open end comprises:

one or more elastomeric materials.

5. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the flexible tube having a first open end and a second open end comprises:

one or more collars.

8. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the flexible tube having a first open end and a second open end comprises:

one or more optical waveguides.

9. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the flexible tube having a first open end and a second open end comprises:

one or more light emitting materials.

11. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more light emitters.

12. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more light sources that are associated with one or more optical waveguides.

13. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more light sources that are associated with one or more light emitting materials.

15. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more power supplies.

16. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more electromagnetic receivers.

17. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more control units.

21. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more control units that act in response to one or more sensors.

23. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more light sources that are associated with one or more quantum dots.

24. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more light sources that are associated with one or more fluorescent materials.

26. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more light sources that are associated with one or more optical fibers.

27. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more light sources that are associated with one or more rare-earth materials.

32. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more light sources that emit infrared light.

34. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more light sources that are configured to emit light that is specifically selected to avoid damage to tissue.

35. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more light sources that include one or more transmitters.

36. The penile sleeve of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources that are operably coupled to the flexible tube and that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more light sources that include one or more receivers.

37. The penile sleeve of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors.

43. The penile sleeve of claim 37, wherein the one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors that include one or more diazeniumdiolates.

44. The penile sleeve of claim 37, wherein the one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors that are associated with one or more quantum dots.

45. The penile sleeve of claim 37, wherein the one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors that are admixed with one or more rare-earth materials that facilitate upconversion of energy.

46. The penile sleeve of claim 37, wherein the one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors comprise:

one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors that are coupled to one or more polymeric materials.

47. The penile sleeve of claim 37, further comprising:

one or more nitric oxide permeable layers.

49. The penile sleeve of claim 47, wherein the one or more nitric oxide permeable layers comprise:

one or more nitric oxide permeable layers that include one or more nitric oxide selective membranes.

51. The penile sleeve of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more sensors.

52. The penile sleeve of claim 51, wherein the one or more sensors comprise:

one or more sensors that are configured to detect nitric oxide.

53. The penile sleeve of claim 51, wherein the one or more sensors comprise:

one or more sensors that are configured to detect one or more nitric oxide donors.

57. The penile sleeve of claim 51, wherein the one or more sensors comprise:

one or more sensors that are configured to detect penile rigidity.

58. The penile sleeve of claim 51, wherein the one or more sensors comprise:

one or more sensors that include one or more transmitters.

3-4. -4. (canceled)

6-7. -7. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

18-20. -20. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

28-31. -31. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

38-42. -42. (canceled)

48. (canceled)

50. (canceled)

54-56. -56. (canceled)

59. A system comprising:

circuitry for operating one or more light sources that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors and that are operably coupled to a flexible tube having a first open end and a second open end.

86. The system of claim 59, further comprising:

circuitry for operating one or more sensors.

60-85. -85. (canceled)

87-93. -93. (canceled)

94. A system comprising:

means for operating one or more light sources that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors and that are operably coupled to a flexible tube having a first open end and a second open end.

95. The system of claim 94, further comprising:

means for operating one or more sensors.

96. A system comprising:

a signal-bearing medium bearing;

one or more instructions for operating one or more light sources that are configured to facilitate release of nitric oxide from one or more photolyzable nitric oxide donors and that are operably coupled to a flexible tube having a first open end and a second open end.

97. The system of claim 96, further comprising:

one or more instructions for operating one or more sensors.

98-100. -100. (canceled)