COATED CONDOM

• US 20140326250A1
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Published: 11/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LRC Products Ltd. (Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: LRC Products Ltd. (Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC)
• Inventors: Arnold, Andrew Richard, ABD Majid, Rohaida, Tosanun, Tossapom
• Granted Patent: US 10,857,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/844
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2006/044 with absorbent material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 6/005 Packages or dispensers for contraceptive devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 6/04 Condoms, sheaths or the like , e.g. combined with devices protecting against contagion

Abstract

A condom comprises, on one or more surfaces thereof, a self-lubricating coating comprising a dry powder having a particle size of 300 microns or less. The self-lubricating coating becomes lubricious when the coating comes into contact with a liquid environment. A method of making a self-lubricating condom comprises providing a dry condom and coating said condom, on one or more surfaces thereof, with a self-lubricating coating comprising a dry powder. The invention also provides the use of a dry powder such as xanthan gum to provide a self-lubricating coating for a condom.

Claims

1. A condom comprising:

an interior surface;

an exterior surface; and

a self-lubricating coating on at least a portion of one or both of the interior and exterior surfaces, the self-lubricating coating comprising a dry powder having a particle size of 300 microns or less;

wherein the self-lubricating coating becomes lubricious when in contact with a liquid environment.

3. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the self-lubricating coating is substantially non-lubricious when in a dry state.

4. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the liquid environment is aqueous or aqueous-based.

5. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the self-lubricating coating is dry.

6. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the condom is dry.

7. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the self-lubricating coating consists essentially of the dry powder.

8. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder is water-soluble.

9. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder comprises xanthan gum.

10. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder is selected from the group consisting of one or more polysaccharides, pullulan, one or more polyacrylamides, carrageenan, aloe vera, and mixtures of two or more of the above.

11. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder comprises a high molecular weight polysaccharide with a molecular weight of 10 KDa or more.

12. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder has a particle size of 200 microns or less.

13. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder has a particle size of 100 microns or less.

14. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the condom is free of lubricant.

15. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the condom is free of oil-based or water-based lubricants.

16. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the weight of the self-lubricating coating is from 0.005 g to 0.5 g per condom.

17. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the self-lubricating coating includes one or more enhancement actives.

18. The condom according to claim 17, wherein one of the one or more enhancement actives is in powder form.

19. The condom according to claim 17, wherein one of the one or more enhancement actives is a performance enhancing active.

20. The condom according to claim 17, wherein one of the one or more enhancement actives is a sensory effect active.

21. The condom according to claim 17, wherein one of the one or more enhancement actives is a flavour enhancing active.

29. A package comprising the condom according to claim 1.

30. The package according to claim 29, wherein the package comprises foil.

31. The package according to claim 29, wherein the package is free of any lubricant in a liquid or gel-like state.

32. The package according to claim 29 further comprising a liquid or gel like lubricant.

38. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder consists of xanthan gum.

39. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder consists of a polysaccharide.

40. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder consists of pullulan.

41. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder consists of a polyacrylamide.

42. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder consists of carrageenan.

43. The condom according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder consists of aloe vera.

44. The condom according to claim 17, wherein one of the one or more enhancement actives is a desensitising agent.

45. The condom according to claim 17, wherein one of the one or more enhancement actives is a vasodilator.

2. (canceled)

22. A method of making a self-lubricating condom comprising:

providing a dry condom having an interior surface and an exterior surface; and

coating a self-lubricating coating on at least a portion of one or both of the interior and exterior surfaces, the self-lubricating coating comprising a dry powder having a particle size of 300 microns or less.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein coating comprises tumbling the dry condom with the self-lubricating coating comprising a dry powder.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the tumbling is dry tumbling.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the tumbling is carried out for from 15 to 45 minutes.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein coating comprises a step selected from the group consisting of electrostatic spraying and powder flocking.

28. The method according to claim 22 further comprising using from 5 g to 500 g of dry powder per 1000 condoms.

23. (canceled)

33-37. -37. (canceled)