Female incontinence control device with magnetically operable valve and method
First Claim
1. An incontinence device for a female, comprising conduit means for receiving, conducting, and discharging urinary fluids from the bladder, said conduit means including a conduit member having opposing inlet and outlet openings, means for holding said conduit member in a predetermined position relative to the urethra such that said inlet opening is received in the bladder and said outlet opening is positioned outside the urethra, and magnetically actuatable valve means having a normally closed position, said valve means being positioned within said conduit means proximate the outlet opening such that said valve means is positioned outside the urethra for magnetic actuation from outside said urethra from said closed position to an open position for selectively controlling the flow of urinary fluid through said conduit means for discharge through said outlet opening.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A female incontinence control device includes a conduit having inlet and outlet openings for receiving, conducting and discharging urinary fluid. The device also includes stabilizing structure, which can be adjustable, for holding the conduit in its installed position relative to the urethra and bladder such that a drainage inlet opening can receive fluid from the bladder, and the outlet discharge opening is positioned outside the urethra. The conduit includes a magnetically actuatable drainage control valve adapted to be positioned between the urethral orifice and the labia majora. Magnetic actuation of the valve from a normally closed position to an open position is thus easily accomplished by manipulating a portable magnet at a distal end of the conduit outside the urethral opening to selectively control urinary flow through the conduit. The method of controlling female incontinence includes the steps of providing and positioning a conduit to receive the urinary fluid and magnetically actuating the valve in the conduit by manipulating a magnet proximal the conduit in the vicinity of the valve to open the valve and allow accumulated urinary fluids to be drained through the outlet opening. Removal of the magnet permits the valve to automatically close.
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Citations
28 Claims
- 1. An incontinence device for a female, comprising conduit means for receiving, conducting, and discharging urinary fluids from the bladder, said conduit means including a conduit member having opposing inlet and outlet openings, means for holding said conduit member in a predetermined position relative to the urethra such that said inlet opening is received in the bladder and said outlet opening is positioned outside the urethra, and magnetically actuatable valve means having a normally closed position, said valve means being positioned within said conduit means proximate the outlet opening such that said valve means is positioned outside the urethra for magnetic actuation from outside said urethra from said closed position to an open position for selectively controlling the flow of urinary fluid through said conduit means for discharge through said outlet opening.
- 24. An incontinence device comprising a conduit having a proximal end portion with an inlet opening for receipt in the bladder, a distal end portion with an outlet opening for discharging urinary fluid, and a passageway intermediate said inlet and outlet opening for conducting said urinary fluid from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, means for holding said conduit in a predetermined position relative to the urethra, said holding means including a positioning member provided at said distal end portion of said conduit for disposition between the urethral orifice and the labia majora, said positioning member having a predetermined cross sectional magnitude greater than the magnitude of the urethral orifice to prevent proximal migration of said conduit, valve means provided at said distal end portion for controlling the discharge of urinary fluid through said outlet opening, said valve means being magnetically actuatable at said distal end portion from a closed position to an open condition to selectively control discharge of urinary fluid from said outlet opening.
- 27. A method of controlling female incontinence comprising providing a conduit predeterminedly dimensioned to be partly positionable in the female urethra, said conduit having opposing inlet and outlet openings with a connecting passageway therebetween and a magnetically actuatable control valve for controlling flow of urine through the passageway past the outlet opening, positioning the outlet opening and the control valve proximal the labia majora of a female, positioning the inlet opening of the conduit to receive substantially all of the urinary fluids which drain from the bladder, so that the control valve, when closed, permits accumulation of urinary fluids, when open, allows the urinary fluids to pass through the conduit for discharge from the outlet opening, and selectively opening the control valve by manipulating a portable magnet at the control valve to magnetically actuate the valve into an open condition and allow the accumulated urinary fluids to discharge through the outlet opening.
Specification