Involuntary urine control apparatus, system and method
First Claim
1. An involuntary urine control valve apparatus, which apparatus comprises:
- a) a cylindrical jacket having a one outlet end and an other inlet end and an external diameter and surface adapted to fit slidably and comfortably in a snug fit and having a length to be inserted only a short distance into the open distal end of the urethra of a subject;
b) a collar chamber means extending circumferentially about the external diameter of and toward the other inlet end of the jacket;
c) a collar means about the collar chamber means to stabilize the jacket in position within and to the interior wall of the urethra, the collar means adapted to move between a radially outwardly extended, inflated position to stabilize the jacket against the internal wall of the urethra and a radially deflated position to permit the insertion into or removal from the urethra of the jacket;
d) a radially extended flange means having an external surface from the one end of the jacket adapted to fit about and adjacent the open distal end of the urethra;
e) a valve means on the external surface of the flange means to permit the introduction of a fluid into the collar means and to permit the release of the fluid from the collar means;
f) a valve chamber means in the jacket to connect the valve means with the collar means;
g) a head means secured to the outlet end of the jacket and having at least one urine flow passageway to permit the flow of urine externally from the subject;
h) a tension-biased, magnetically activated ball valve within the jacket, which ball valve is adapted to move generally longitudinally within the jacket between a tension-biased closed position against a valve seat to prevent the flow of urine through the jacket from the inlet to the passageway and a magnetically activated, open position with the ball valve removed from the valve seat to permit the flow of urine from the inlet to the passageway, by the external use of a magnet by the subject, the ball valve having sufficient tension to be placed in the closed position, but insufficient to prevent the ball valve to move to the open position unless magnetically activated.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An involuntary urine control valve apparatus, system and method comprising a urine control valve adapted to be inserted a short distance into the distal end of the urethra of a subject, the control valve including a jacket which is fitted within the distal end of the urethra. The ball valve is a tension-biased, magnetic ball valve subject to move between open and closed position by an externally held magnet held by the subject near the jacket. The jacket includes a inflatable-deflatable collar in which is radially inflatable to stabilize the outer jacket within the urethra. The outer jacket includes an outwardly-extending flange at the other end, which extends about the urethral opening. The system includes a finger operated pump for the inflation of the collar in the outer jacket, to stabilize the outer jacket within the urethra. The system also includes a measuring tool kit for measuring urethral size to determine the correct size of the control apparatus to be employed.
86 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. An involuntary urine control valve apparatus, which apparatus comprises:
-
a) a cylindrical jacket having a one outlet end and an other inlet end and an external diameter and surface adapted to fit slidably and comfortably in a snug fit and having a length to be inserted only a short distance into the open distal end of the urethra of a subject; b) a collar chamber means extending circumferentially about the external diameter of and toward the other inlet end of the jacket; c) a collar means about the collar chamber means to stabilize the jacket in position within and to the interior wall of the urethra, the collar means adapted to move between a radially outwardly extended, inflated position to stabilize the jacket against the internal wall of the urethra and a radially deflated position to permit the insertion into or removal from the urethra of the jacket; d) a radially extended flange means having an external surface from the one end of the jacket adapted to fit about and adjacent the open distal end of the urethra; e) a valve means on the external surface of the flange means to permit the introduction of a fluid into the collar means and to permit the release of the fluid from the collar means; f) a valve chamber means in the jacket to connect the valve means with the collar means; g) a head means secured to the outlet end of the jacket and having at least one urine flow passageway to permit the flow of urine externally from the subject; h) a tension-biased, magnetically activated ball valve within the jacket, which ball valve is adapted to move generally longitudinally within the jacket between a tension-biased closed position against a valve seat to prevent the flow of urine through the jacket from the inlet to the passageway and a magnetically activated, open position with the ball valve removed from the valve seat to permit the flow of urine from the inlet to the passageway, by the external use of a magnet by the subject, the ball valve having sufficient tension to be placed in the closed position, but insufficient to prevent the ball valve to move to the open position unless magnetically activated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. An involuntary urine control valve apparatus, which apparatus comprises:
-
a) a cylindrical jacket having a one outlet end and an other inlet end longitudinally aligned and an external diameter and surface adapted to fit slidably and comfortably in a snug fit and having a length to be inserted only a short distance into the open distal end of the urethra of a subject; b) a collar chamber means extending circumferentially about the external diameter of and toward the other inlet end of the jacket; c) a collar means about and secured to the collar chamber means to stabilize the jacket in position within and to the interior wall of the urethra, the collar means adapted to move between a radially outwardly extended, inflated position to stabilize the jacket against the internal wall of the urethra and a radially deflated position to permit the insertion into or removal from the urethra of the jacket; d) a radially extended flange means having an external surface and a smooth, internal surface, from the one end of the jacket adapted to fit about in a contoured manner and adjacent the open distal end of the urethra; e) a valve means on the external surface of the flange means to permit the introduction of a fluid into the collar means to stabilize the jacket in position within the urethra and a further means to permit the release of the fluid from the collar means; f) a valve chamber means comprising a generally longitudinal passageway in the jacket to connect the valve means with the collar means; g) a head means threadably and removably secured to the one outlet end of the jacket and having a plurality of surrounding, spaced-apart urine flow passageways to permit the flow of urine externally from the subject; h) a tension-biased, magnetically activated ball valve comprised of a metal ball having a thin polymeric coating, which ball valve is adapted to move generally longitudinally within the jacket between a tension-biased closed position against a ball valve seat to prevent the flow of urine through the jacket from the inlet to the passageway and a magnetically activated, open position with the ball valve removed from the valve seat to permit the flow of urine from the inlet to the passageway, by the external use of a magnet by the subject, the ball valve having sufficient tension to be placed in the closed position, but insufficient to prevent the ball valve to move to the open position unless magnetically activated. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
-
19. An involuntary urine control valve method, which method comprises:
-
a) inserting a cylindrical jacket, having a one outlet end and an other inlet end and an external diameter and surface, slidably and comfortably in a snug fit a short distance into the open distal end of the urethra of a subject; b) stabilizing the jacket in position within and against the interior wall of the urethra with a collar means about the jacket, the collar means moving between a radially outwardly extended, deflated position against the internal wall of the urethra to stabilize the jacket in a use position in the urethra and a radially deflated position of about the external diameter of the jacket to permit the insertion into or removal from the urethra of the jacket by a subject; c) fitting about and adjacent to the open distal end of the urethra one radially extending flange means having an external surface extending from the one outlet end of the jacket; d) introducing a fluid into the collar means and permitting the release of fluid from the collar means by a valve means on the external surface of the flange means; e) connecting the valve means to the collar means with a fluid chamber means in the jacket; f) securing a head means to the one outlet end of the jacket and having at least one urine flow passageway therein to permit the flow of urine externally from the subject; g) positioning a tension-biased, magnetically activated ball valve within the jacket, the ball valve adapted to move generally longitudinally within the jacket between a tension-biased closed position against a ball valve seat in the jacket to prevent the flow of urine through the jacket from the inlet to the passageway and a magnetically activated, open position with the ball valve removed from the valve seat permitting the flow of urine from the inlet to the passageway by the external use of a magnet by the subject; and h) employing an external magnet means by a user to move the ball valve between a closed position and an open position. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification