Continuous method for making adhesive-lined male external catheters

• US 5,128,088 A
• Filed: 08/14/1990
• Issued: 07/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hollister Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hollister Incorporated
• Inventors: Ellingson, Eric D., Shimomura, Gary D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, Michael W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stemmer, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US07/567,111
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 604/352, 604/351, 604/349, 264/304-306, 264/130, 264/131, 427/271, 427/273, 427/277, 427/272, 427/337, 427/208.6, 156/289, 156/294, 156/293
• US Class Current: 264/305
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/453 for collecting urine or other discharge from male member A61F6/04 takes precedence ; devices for taking sperm samples A61B10/0058

Abstract

A continuous method for making adhesive-lined condom catheters for male urinary drainage. The method involves successive steps carried out with respect to a dipping mandrel and a latex catheter being formed upon it, all of which may be performed automatically as the mandrel is advanced from one station to the next.

Claims

1. A method for making male external catheters with adhesive-coated inside surfaces by means of a vertically-oriented, rigid, dipping mandrel having a generally cylindrical body portion and a reduced lower end portion, comprising the steps of:

applying a heat-curable, pressure-sensitive adhesive to surfaces of said body portion and said reduced lower end portion to form a weakly-adhering, pressure-sensitive adhesive coating thereon;

then, while said coating is uncured, washing away said coating from said surfaces of said lower end portion and a part of said body portion adjacent thereto while leaving a band of said adhesive coating about a part of said cylindrical body portion thereabove;

then curing said adhesive of said band;

then dipping said mandrel into a latex bath to form a first latex layer over said mandrel and said band of adhesive coating and exposing said first latex layer to a coagulating agent and heat;

repeating said latex dripping step to form at least one further latex layer over said first latex layer and also exposing said further layer to a coagulating agent and heat;

drying said latex layers to provide a dry, multi-layered latex catheter supported by said mandrel;

dipping said mandrel in a silicone bath to form a release coating upon said catheter; and

curing said silicone release coating.

2. The method of claim 1 in which there is the further step of rolling said catheter off of said mandrel with said band of pressure-sensitive adhesive coating releasing from said mandrel and adhering to said catheter'"'"'s inner surface.

3. The method of claims 1 or 2 in which said step of applying said adhesive to said mandrel includes dipping said mandrel into a bath of liquid pressure-sensitive adhesive.

4. The method of claim 1 in which there is the step of applying a release agent to the surfaces of said mandrel below said adhesive band following said washing step and prior to dipping said mandrel in a latex bath.