Retention devices

• US 5,217,450 A
• Filed: 02/10/1992
• Issued: 06/08/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Interag
• Original Assignee: Carter Holt Harvey Plastic Products Group Limited
• Inventors: Pryor, Raymond J., Pharaoh, James F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US07/831,732
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 606/198, 604/105-109, 604/174, 604/891.1, 128/830, 128/831, 128/833, 128/839
• US Class Current: 604/891.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 7/00 Devices or methods for introducing solid, liquid, or gaseous remedies or other materials into or onto the bodies of animals for reproduction or fertilisation A61D19/00 ; devices for implanting pellets, radon seeds or the like A61M37/0069

Abstract

A retention device which can be removably retained in a body cavity has branch members which are movably connected to each other such that two relative configurations may be obtained. In one configuration the branch members are nested inside one another for inserting the retention device in a cavity. Once in a cavity an operating member is used to displace the branch members to form the second configuration, in which parts of the branch members are expanded to bear against the walls of the cavity and retain the device.

Claims

1. A retention device for removable retention in a passageway or cavity, comprising a first bifurcated member having a first junction and a first pair of resilient moveable branch members each extending from said first junction and each having a distal end;

a second bifurcated member having a second junction and a second pair of resilient moveable branch members each extending from said second function and each having a distal end;

the distal ends of each of said first pair of branch members being movably connected to corresponding distal ends of each of said second pair of branch members, said bifurcated members being displaceable into first, second and third configurations, the first configuration for insertion of said retention device in said passage or cavity having the branch members of said first bifurcated member substantially nested within the branch members of said second bifurcated member, said first junction in a first position adjacent said second junction and said moveable connections between said branch members adjacent to each other, the branch members of at least one of the bifurcated members being configured for biasing said connections outwardly from the first configuration toward the second configuration for retaining said retention device in said passage or cavity, the second configuration having the branch members of said first bifurcated member remaining substantially nested within the branch members of said second bifurcated member, said first junction in a second position which is further from said second junction than the first position and said moveable connections between said branch members being in a spaced apart relationship and being resiliently expanded towards said spaced configuration for engaging against walls of said passage or cavity, the third configuration having the branch members of said first bifurcated member no longer substantially nested within the branch members of said second bifurcated member but forming respective sides of a diamond for withdrawal of the device from the passageway or cavity, said device being displaceable from said second configuration to said third configuration wherein the second bifurcated member includes an elongated element extending away from said second junction in a direction opposite said branch members of the second bifurcated member and terminating in foldable legs axially spaced from said branch members of the second bifurcated member.

2. A retention device as claimed in claim 1 having flexible movable connections between said branches of said bifurcated members coated with a cushioning layer.

3. A retention device as claim in claim 1 wherein said retention device is associated with or forms part of a device for veterinary purposes.

4. A retention device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said branch members are flexibly resilient.

5. A retention device as claimed claim 1 wherein said branch members of bifurcated member are resiliently connected to corresponding branch members of the second bifurcated member.

6. A retention device as claimed in claim 1 wherein in the third configuration said first junction, said second junction, and said moveable connections between said branches form vertices of said diamond, and a distance between said first junction and said second junction is greater than a distance between said moveable connections.

7. A retention device as claimed in claim 1 including an elongate operating member attached to the first junction.

8. A retention device for removable retention in a passageway or cavity, comprising a first bifurcated member having a first junction and a first pair of resilient moveable branch members each extending from said first junction and each having a distal end;

a second bifurcated member having a second junction and a second pair of resilient moveable branch members each extending from said second junction and each having a distal end;

the distal ends of each of said first pair of branch members being movably connected to corresponding distal ends of each of said second pair of branch members, said bifurcated members being displaceable into first, second and third configurations, the first configuration for insertion of said retention device in said passage or cavity having the branch members of said first bifurcated member substantially nested within the branch members of said second bifurcated member, said first junction in a first position adjacent said second junction and said moveable connections between said branch members adjacent to each other, the branch members of at least one of the bifurcated members being configured for biasing said connections outwardly from the first configuration toward the second configuration for retaining said retention device in said passage or cavity, the second configuration having the branch members of said first bifurcated member remaining substantially nested within the branch members of said second bifurcated member, said first junction in a second position which is further from said second junction than the first position and said moveable connections between said branch members being a spaced apart relationship and being resiliently expanded towards said spaced configuration for engaging against walls of said passage or cavity, the third configuration having the branch members of said first bifurcated member no longer substantially nested within the branch members of said second bifurcated member but forming respective sides of a diamond for withdrawal of the device from the passageway or cavity, said device being displaceable from said second configuration to said third configuration wherein the second bifurcated members includes an elongated element extending away from said second junction and terminating in foldable legs, wherein an elongate operating member is attached to said first junction and wherein the operating member and said elongated element extend in opposite directions only from the respective junctions.