Sexual stimulation

• US 7,104,950 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tricatalyst, LLC
• Original Assignee: Th, Inc.
• Inventors: Levy, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilbert, Samuel G.
• Application Number:
  US10/260,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20030073881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 446220-226, 600 29- 32, 600 38- 41, 606/198, 606/197, 606/192, 606/193, 601/76, 601/77, 601/96
• US Class Current: 600/38
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 19/40 Devices insertable in the genitals
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 19/44 Having substantially cylindrical shape, e.g. dildos
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 19/50 Devices for use during sexual intercourse
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0103 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0153 hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5048 Audio interfaces, e.g. voice or music controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5092 Optical sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/66 Cooled

Abstract

A predominantly solid, phallus-shaped, semi-rigid device with an internal mechanism that expands designated surface regions outwardly to change the shape of the device. A fluid filled reservoir located at one end of the device expresses fluid through internal channels, causing the resilient expansion at specified surface regions due to a locally reduced cross section. A sexual preference transfer function that combines the masturbatory action of a first person with the expressed or non-expressed sexual preferences of a second person. A sexual preference transfer function is utilized to improve the control or influence of a sexual pleasure device in contact with a second person based on autonomic and/or manually collected data.

Claims

1. A method of providing sexual pleasure, the method including

grasping a phallus-shaped device with a first hand;

inserting the device with a defined initial shape into a body cavity capable of receiving sexual pleasure;

moving said device in a predominantly linear reciprocal motion; and

,

while grasping said device with said first hand, radially expanding a first portion of a shaft of said device with said first hand.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein radially expanding the first portion of the shaft changes an overall shape of the shaft.

3. The method of claim 2 further including returning said shaft to an original state by relaxing the grasp of said first hand.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said change of shape is effected through fluid displacement.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said shaft includes a second portion that maintains essentially a constant radius as the first portion is radially expanded.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the shaft has a wall thickness in its second portion greater than a wall thickness in its first portion.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the second portion of the shaft is radially solid.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first and second portions extend side- by-side along the shaft.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the second portion forms a band about a circumference of the shaft.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein radially expanding the first portion of the shaft includes increasing a size of a localized feature at an outer surface of the shaft.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said moving and said expanding occur simultaneously.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said moving and expanding are performed while holding said device with said first hand in a single grip orientation.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said first hand grasps a deformable portion of the phallus-shaped device containing a fluid reservoir.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the deformable portion has a significantly larger diameter than said shaft.

15. The method of claim 13 further including transmitting a lateral force as applied by the hand grasping the reservoir to a distal end of the device through a relatively rigid connection therebetween.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein radially expanding a first portion of a shaft includes radially expanding two radially-expandable surfaces of the shaft, the two radially-expandable surfaces being in hydraulic communication with a fluid reservoir within the device, and spaced apart from each other.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the shaft has a semi-rigid core including a first core portion contiguously molded with said radially expanded shaft portion, and a second core portion adjacent the first core portion and of a similar diameter thereto.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the device defines a permanently sealed internal volume.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein radially expanding the first portion of the shaft changes an overall shape of the shaft.

20. The method of claim 19 further including returning said shaft to an original state by relaxing the grasp of said first hand.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said change of shape is effected through fluid displacement.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said shaft includes a second portion that maintains essentially a constant radius as the first portion is radially expanded.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the shaft has a wall thickness in its second portion greater than a wall thickness in its first portion.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the second portion of the shaft is radially solid.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the first and second portions extend side-by-side along the shaft.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the second portion forms a band about a circumference of the shaft.

27. The method of claim 18 wherein radially expanding the first portion of the shaft includes increasing a size of a localized feature at an outer surface of the shaft.

28. The method of claim 18 wherein said moving and said expanding occur simultaneously.

29. The method of claim 18 wherein said moving and expanding are performed while holding said device with said first hand in a single grip orientation.

30. The method of claim 18 wherein said first hand grasps a deformable portion of the phallus-shaped device containing a fluid reservoir.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the deformable portion has a significantly larger diameter than said shaft.

32. The method of claim 30 further including transmitting a lateral force as applied by the hand grasping the reservoir to a distal end of the device through a relatively rigid connection therebetween.

33. The method of claim 18 wherein radially expanding a first portion of a shaft includes radially expanding two radially-expandable surfaces of the shaft, the two radially-expandable surfaces being in hydraulic communication with a fluid reservoir within the device, and spaced apart from each other.

34. The method of claim 18 wherein the shaft has a semi-rigid core including a first core portion contiguously molded with said radially expanded shaft portion, and a second core portion adjacent the first core portion and of a similar diameter thereto.

35. A method of providing sexual pleasure including:

inserting a phallus-shaped device with a defined initial shape into a body cavity capable of receiving sexual pleasure;

squeezing a fluid-filled chamber rigidly attached to an end of the inserted device external to said body cavity to resiliently alter the shape of the device;

removing the device from the body cavity; and

reinserting the device with the device still in its altered shape.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein squeezing the chamber radially expands a portion of the device within the body cavity.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein, upon squeezing of the chamber, the radially expanding portion of the device undergoes a continuously variable radial expansion.

38. The method of claim 35 further including, with the device disposed within the body cavity, releasing the squeezed chamber to cause the device to return to its initial state.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the steps of inserting, squeezing and removing are all performed with one hand while maintaining a constant grip orientation on the chamber.

40. The method of claim 35 wherein, upon squeezing of the chamber, the radially expanding portion of the device alters in shape to form one or more discrete features.

41. The method of claim 35 further including rotating the device.

42. The method of claim 35 wherein the squeezing step is performed before the inserting step.

43. The method of claim 35 wherein all steps are performed with one hand.

44. The method of claim 35 wherein the device and chamber together define a permanently sealed volume.

45. A device for sexual pleasure comprising:

a longitudinally rigid shaft portion for insertion into a human body, the shaft portion having a radially-expandable exterior surface in a discrete region thereof; and

a graspable portion rigidly secured to one end of the shaft portion and containing a manually manipulable fluid reservoir in hydraulic communication with the radially-expandable surface for altering an outer shape of the shaft portion in response to manual manipulation of the graspable portion, the shaft and graspable portions together defining a permanently sealed volume;

wherein the radially-expandable surface is an exposed surface of an outer wall of the shaft portion that varies in thickness along the radially-expandable surface and has a contoured exterior surface when radially expanded, said contoured exterior surface defining undulations.

46. The device of claim 45 wherein the shaft portion also includes a non-deformable surface region.

47. The device of claim 46 wherein said non-deformable surface region is disposed near a proximal end of the shaft.

48. The device of claim 46 wherein said non-deformable surface region is disposed intermittently along a length of the shaft.

49. A device for sexual pleasure comprising:

a longitudinally rigid shaft portion for insertion into a human body, the shaft portion having a first radially-expandable exterior surface in a discrete region thereof, and a second radially-expandable exterior surface;

a graspable portion rigidly secured to one end of the shaft portion and containing a first manually manipulable fluid reservoir in hydraulic communication with the first radially-expandable surface for altering an outer shape of the shaft portion in response to manual manipulation of the graspable portion; and

a second manually manipulable fluid reservoir defined within the graspable portion and in hydraulic communication with the second radially-expandable exterior surface.

50. The device of claim 49 wherein the graspable portion is attached to said shaft for transmitting a manually-induced motion from the graspable portion to the shaft portion.

51. The device of claim 49 wherein the graspable portion is of a greater diameter than the shaft portion.

52. The device of claim 49 wherein the shaft portion also includes a non-deformable surface region.

53. The device of claim 49 wherein the first radially-expandable surface is an exposed surface of an outer wall of the shaft portion that varies in thickness along the first radially-expandable surface.

54. The device of claim 49 wherein the graspable portion is attached to said shaft for transmitting a torque from the graspable portion to the shaft portion.

55. The device of claim 49 wherein the shaft portion has two radially-expandable surfaces in hydraulic communication with the first fluid reservoir and spaced apart from each other.

56. The device of claim 49 wherein the shaft portion has a semi-rigid core including a first portion contiguously molded with said first radially-expandable surface, and a second portion adjacent the first portion and of a similar diameter thereto.

57. The method of claim 49 wherein the shaft and graspable portions together define a permanently sealed volume.

58. A device for sexual pleasure comprising:

a longitudinally rigid shaft portion for insertion into a human body, the shaft portion having a radially-expandable exterior surface in a discrete region thereof; and

a graspable portion rigidly secured to one end of the shaft portion and disposed generally on one side of a longitudinal axis of the shaft portion, the graspable portion containing a manually manipulable fluid reservoir in hydraulic communication with the radially-expandable surface for altering an outer shape of the shaft portion in response to manual manipulation of the graspable portion;

wherein the shaft and graspable portions together defining a permanently sealed volume.

59. The device of claim 58 wherein the graspable portion is attached to said shaft for transmitting a manually-induced motion from the graspable portion to the shaft portion.

60. The device of claim 58 wherein the graspable portion is of a greater diameter than the shaft portion.

61. The device of claim 58 wherein the shaft portion also includes a non-deformable surface region.

62. The device of claim 61 wherein said non-deformable surface region is disposed in an orientation from a list consisting of:

linearly along a length of the shaft, near a distal end of the shaft, near a proximal end of the shaft, intermittently along a length of the shaft, and asymmetrically disposed upon one side of the shaft.

63. The device of claim 58 wherein the radially-expandable surface is an exposed surface of an outer wall of the shaft portion that varies in thickness along the radially-expandable surface.

64. The device of claim 58 wherein the graspable portion is attached to said shaft for transmitting a torque from the graspable portion to the shaft portion.

65. The device of claim 58 wherein the shaft portion has two such radially-expandable surfaces in hydraulic communication with the fluid reservoir and spaced apart from each other.

66. The device of claim 58 wherein the shaft portion has a semi-rigid core including a first portion contiguously molded with said radially-expandable surface, and a second portion adjacent the first portion and of a similar diameter thereto.

67. A device for sexual pleasure comprising:

a longitudinally rigid shaft portion for insertion into a human body, the shaft portion having a radially-expandable exterior surface in a discrete region thereof; and

a graspable portion rigidly secured to one end of the shaft portion, disposed generally on one side of a longitudinal axis of the shaft portion, and containing a manually manipulable fluid reservoir in hydraulic communication with the radially-expandable surface for altering an outer shape of the shaft portion in response to manual manipulation of the graspable portion, the shaft and graspable portions together defining a permanently sealed volume;

wherein the radially-expandable surface has a contoured exterior surface when radially expanded, said contoured exterior surface defining undulations.