Device for exercising pelvic floor muscles

• US 5,213,557 A
• Filed: 10/07/1991
• Issued: 05/25/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Neen Design Ltd. (Tyco Valves & Controls Gulf Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: John Firth
• Inventors: Firth, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Crow, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US07/771,815
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 272/116, 272/119, 272/93, 272/117, 272/120, 272/137, 600/28, 600/32, 482/93, 482/105, 482/107, 482/148
• US Class Current: 482/105
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/06 User-manipulated weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/20 for vaginal muscles or other sphincter-type muscles

Abstract

A device for exercising pelvic floor muscles by insertion into the vagina of a woman comprises at least one weight, and a casing with two or more parts releasably and sealingly connected, to define an internal cavity for receiving one or more of the weights. The cavity is preferably of plastics material, the parts having a snap fit connection, and a retrieval tag may also be incorporated. A set of weights is preferably provided, so that the mass of the device can be varied by choosing one or more of the weights.

Claims

1. A device for exercising pelvic floor muscles by inserting into the vagina, said device comprising a casing being a vaginal insert, and a set of two or more weights separate from said casing, said casing having at least two parts and means defining an internal cavity in said casing for removably receiving one or more of said weights, wherein said casing parts have a sealing connection therebetween, said connection being releasble to allow access to said cavity for insertion of at least one said wight, and said connection being made to seal said casing, said casing and said connection being so constructed that when said casing is sealed it supports and retains said weights in said cavity, said weights fitting together to form a shape complementary to at least a portion of said internal cavity, and said casing parts in which said cavity is defined being adapted to be fully received in the vagina.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said casing is of plastics material.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said casing has first and second parts defining said internal cavity.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said casing parts have a snap fit connection.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said casing has a first casing part, the lower part in use, which is substantially conical, with a rounded tip.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said casing has a second casing part, the upper part in use, which is cylindrical.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said casing incorporates a retrieval tag.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said retrieval tag is releasably and sealingly connected to a first part of said casing, being a lower part in use.

9. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said retrieval tag is formed integrally with a first part of said casing, being a lower part in use.

10. A device as claimed in claim. 1, wherein a set of two or more weights is provided.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said weights of a set are of different masses.

12. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a single weight is provided, said weight having a shape complementary to that of said internal cavity.

13. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said set of weights includes a rod onto which said other weight or weights fit.

14. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said casing has a second casing part, the upper part in use, which is frusto-conical.

15. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said casing has a second casing part, the upper part in use, which is part-spherical.

16. A vaginal insert for exercising pelvic floor muscles by insertion of a device into the vagina, said device comprising a casing and a set of weights separate from said casing, said casing having at least two parts adapted to ge releasably and sealing connected together, and means defining an internal cavity in said casing fior removably receiving one or more of said weights, wherein said two casing parts are relatively movable by the user between an open configuration and a closed configuration, access to said cavity being afforded when said two casings parts are placed in said open configuration whereby said at least one weight is introducible into said cavity by said user, and wherein when said two casing parts are placed in said closed configuration by said user said two casing parts engage each other and at least one said weight is held in said cavity, said weights fitting together to form a shape complementary to at least a portion of said internal cavity.

17. A device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said two parts form a housing in said closed configuration which substantially completely encloses said weight.

18. A kit of parts for exercising pelvic floor muscles by inserting a device into the vagina, said kit comprising a device having a casing for insertion into the vagina, and a set of weights separate from aid casing said casing having at least two parts and means defining an internal cavity in said casing, said parts having a sealing connection therebetween, said connection being releasble to allow access to said cavity and being made to seal said casing again, each of said set of weights being insertable into said cavity at the choice of the user when said two parts are in said released condition, wherein the weight of said device is variable at the discretion of the user by the choice and insertion by the user of a selected said weight or combination of said weights of said set into said cavity to suit the user'"'"'s needs said casing with said weights inserted comprising a device which is fully inserted into the vagina and wherein said weights fit together to form a shape complementary to at least a portion of said internal cavity.