Patent Application
20220039487
The present invention relates to apparel that supports male genitalia.
A healthy penis generally has constant, unrestricted oxygenated blood flow. This constant oxygenated blood flow can only occur if the penile arteries and veins are unrestricted. The unrestricted penile arteries and veins allow for a constant flow of oxygen rich blood from the heart, to the bottom of the penile shaft, to the tip of the penis (the glans) through the penile arteries, and back through the penile veins.
Men's underwear, for example, briefs, boxers, and boxer briefs, can restrict the blood flow into and out of the penile shaft by distorting the penis under the wearer's own weight. A lack of proper oxygenated blood flow into the penile shaft can lead to long term atrophy of the penile tissue and erectile dysfunction.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to prevent restriction of the arteries and veins of the penis to promote healthy oxygenated blood flow. Further, there is a need in the industry for an apparel that supports a penis such that the arteries and veins are unrestricted allowing for healthy oxygenated blood flow into the penile shaft, while simultaneously allowing de-oxygenated blood to leave the penile shaft.
The present invention relates to apparel having a cradle that supports a penis therein preventing restriction of the penile arteries and veins and allowing for healthy blood flow through the penis.
A feature of the present invention is to provide an apparel that prevents a penis from becoming distorted, when the apparel is being worn.
A further feature of the present invention is to provide an apparel that elevates a penis away from a scrotum, when the apparel is being worn.
A further feature of the present invention is to provide a cradle attachment within underwear that supports a penis such that the arteries and veins are unrestricted allowing for healthy blood flow within the penis, when the underwear is being worn.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present invention. The objectives and other advantages of the present invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the description and appended claims.
To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention, in part, relates to an apparel. The apparel includes a body and a cradle. The body includes a front side, a rear side, a bottom, a top, an inner surface, and an outer surface. The bottom of the body defines a pair of leg openings. The top of the body has a waistband. The inner surface of the body defines an inside of the body. The cradle includes a looped band. The looped band is coupled to the inner surface of the body at the front side such that the cradle is entirely on the inside of the body, for example, up and away from the scrotum. The looped band is configured to cradle a penis therein.
The present invention further relates to a method of supporting a penis. The method includes a step of wearing an apparel around a waist and legs of a user. The apparel includes a body and a cradle. The body includes a front side, a rear side, a bottom, a top, an inner surface, and an outer surface. The bottom of the body defines a pair of leg openings. The top of the body has a waistband. The inner surface of the body defines an inside of the body. The cradle includes a looped band. The looped band is coupled to the inner surface of the body at the front side such that the cradle is entirely on the inside of the body. The method further includes a step of placing the penis through the looped band. The penis can be placed through the looped band and the looped band can be adjustably positioned to maintain the penis in a desired position, for example, with respect to the scrotum.
The present invention further relates to a method of treating a patient having a penis and being afflicted by erectile dysfunction. The method includes a step of diagnosing the patient with erectile dysfunction. The method further includes a step of prescribing that an apparel be worn by the patient, around a waist and legs of the patient. The apparel includes a body and a cradle. The body includes a front side, a rear side, a bottom, a top, an inner surface, and an outer surface. The bottom of the body defines a pair of leg openings. The top of the body has a waistband. The inner surface of the body defines an inside of the body. The cradle includes a looped band. The looped band is coupled to the inner surface of the body at the front side such that the cradle is entirely on the inside of the body. The method further includes a step of placing the patient's penis through the looped band.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are intended to provide a further explanation of the present invention, as claimed.
Apparel having a cradle to support a penis and methods using the apparel and cradle are described herein.
According to the present invention, the apparel includes a cradle that supports a penis therein, preventing the penis from bending and distorting, and improving oxygenated blood flow of the penile arteries and veins in at least some wearers.
References herein to “an example” or “a specific example” or “an aspect” or “an embodiment,” or similar phrases, are intended to introduce a feature or features of the apparel, or components thereof, or methods of using or manufacturing the apparel (depending on context), and that can be combined with any combination of previously-described or subsequently-described examples, aspects, embodiments (i.e. features), unless a particular combination of features is mutually exclusive or if context indicates otherwise. Further, as used in this specification, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents (e.g. at least one or more) unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The present invention includes an apparel having a body and a cradle. The body includes a front side, a rear side, a bottom, a top, an inner surface, and an outer surface. The bottom defines a pair of leg openings. The top includes a waistband. The inner surface defines an inside of the body. The cradle includes at least a looped band. The looped band is coupled to the inner surface of the body at the front side such that the cradle is entirely on the inside of the body. The looped band is configured to hold and support a penis therein.
The apparel of the present invention includes a garment made of a fabric material that is worn over the pelvic area and includes an elastic waistband that circles a user's waist. The shape of the apparel includes two split leg sleeves each of which covers at least a portion of a respective leg, and respectable leg openings. The leg openings are defined at the bottom of the leg sleeves. The front side covers a crotch area of a user and the rear side covers a buttocks of the user.
The apparel can include, but is not limited to, men's underwear, men's shorts, men's bathing suits, men's pants, men's jock straps, and the like. The men's underwear can include any type of men's underwear such as, but not limited to, briefs, boxers, boxer briefs, low-rise briefs, high-rise briefs, and the like.
The fabric material can include, but is not limited to, cotton, polyester, spandex, nylon, viscose, elastance, wool, or a combination thereof. For example, the apparel can be made of 95% viscose and 5% elastane, or of 100% cotton.
The cradle of the present invention is coupled to the inner surface of the apparel at the front side of the apparel. The cradle can comprise at least a looped band. A portion of the looped band can be coupled to the inner surface such that a majority of the looped band hangs downward from the inner surface of the apparel. The looped band can define a looped opening that is sized to receive a shaft of a penis therethrough. The shaft of a penis can rest within the looped band such that the looped band supports the penis and prevents the penis from bending, sagging, or distorting, thereby maintaining unrestricted penile arteries and veins, which promotes healthy and constant oxygenated blood flow into the penile shaft and de-oxygenated blood flow out of the penile shaft to maintain healthy penile tissue. The looped band further supports the penis away from the scrotum such that the temperature of the scrotum can remain relatively lower than when resting against the penis, which in turn can boost a user's sperm count.
The looped band can be made of a fabric material, a cotton material, a synthetic material, a rubber material, another flexible material, a combination thereof, or the like. For example, the looped band can be made of a cotton and elastic polyurethane fiber blend.
A length of the looped band can be in a range of from about 2 inches up to about 4 inches, in a range of from about 2.5 inches to about 3.5 inches, or about 3 inches.
The looped band can include a consistent width along its entirety. The width of the looped band can be in a range of from about 0.75 inches to 1.5 about inches, or about 1 inch.
The looped band can include a semi-circular lower portion coupled to a semi-circular upper portion, with the semi-circular lower portion having a width greater than the semi-circular upper portion. The width of the semi-circular lower portion can be in a range of from about 0.75 inches to 1.5 inches, or about 1 inch. The width of the semi-circular upper portion can be in a range of from about 0.375 inches up to 0.75 inches, or about 0.5 inches.
The looped band can also include an adjustable diameter to adjust for smaller or larger penises. For example, a first end of the looped band can be releasably coupled to a second end of the looped band by a coupler. The coupler can include male and female snap buttons, hook and loop fasteners, ties, buttons, magnetic couplers, combinations thereof, and the like. The coupler can include a first attachment portion that releasably couples to a second attachment portion. The first attachment portion can be permanently affixed to the first end and the second attachment portion can be permanently affixed to the second end. The second attachment portion can include multiple attachment portions disposed along a length of the looped band, allowing a user to selectively couple the first attachment portion to one of the multiple second attachment portions, thereby adjusting the diameter of the looped band.
The looped band of the cradle can be permanently affixed to the inner surface of the apparel. For example, the looped band can be stitched, adhered, embroidered, integrated into, or otherwise fastened to the inner surface.
In certain embodiments, the looped band of the cradle is releasably coupled to the inner surface by a coupler. The coupler can include male and female snap buttons, hook and loop fasteners, ties, buttons, magnetic couplers, and the like. In certain embodiments, the looped band can be releasably coupled to off the shelf apparel by safety pins, hook and loop fasteners, stitching, and the like. Using a safety pin or hook and loop fasteners to attach the looped band allows a user to place the cradle in any desired position on the apparel.
The looped band can further include a gripping material disposed on or embedded in an inner surface of the looped band. The gripping material can prevent the penis from being dislodged from the looped band. The gripping material can be used in any type of apparel listed above, but specifically can be used in a bathing suit or running shorts, in which the penis is more likely to be dislodged by movement of the user. The gripping material can be a rubber material, such as silicone and the like. The gripping material can include a plurality of rubber strips, a plurality of rubber bumps, elastomeric stippling, an elastomeric coating, a combination thereof, or the like. The plurality of rubber strips can include two, three, four, five, or more strips. The strips can be substantially parallel or parallel to one another. The plurality of rubber strips and the plurality of rubber bumps can be spaced apart from one another by from about 1 mm to about 6 mm, or spaced apart from one another by about 2 mm to about 5 mm, or spaced apart from one another by about 3 mm to about 4 mm.
The cradle can further include an elongated band. The elongated band can include a first portion and a second portion. The first portion can be coupled to the looped band and the second portion can be coupled to the inner surface of the body at the front side. The elongated band can enable the cradle to hang and sway relative to the inner surface of the apparel. Furthermore, the elongated band enables a user to position the looped band in different areas within the apparel, which can provide additional comfort and improved blood flow to the user's penis.
The elongated band can be made of a fabric material, a rubber material, another flexible material, or the like. For example, the elongated band can be made of a cotton and elastic polyurethane fiber blend.
The length of the elongated band can be in a range of from about 1 inch to about 3 inches, from about 1.5 inches to about 2.5 inches, or about 2 inches.
The cradle can be permanently affixed to the inner surface of the apparel by the elongated band. For example, the second portion of the elongated band can be stitched, adhered, or otherwise fastened to the inner surface.
The cradle can be releasably coupled to the inner surface of the apparel by the elongated band. In such embodiments, the second portion of the elongated band releasably couples to the inner surface of the body at the front side by a coupler. The coupler can include male and female snap buttons, hook and loop fasteners, ties, buttons, magnetic couplers, and the like. In certain embodiments, the second portion of the elongated band can be releasably coupled to off the shelf apparel by safety pins and the like. Using a safety pin to attach the elongated band allows a user to place the cradle in any desired position on the apparel.
The couplers of the present invention can include a first attachment portion that releasably couples to a second attachment portion. The first attachment portion can be permanently affixed to the cradle and the second attachment portion can be permanently affixed to the inner surface of the body.
The second attachment portion can be about 2 inches up to about 6 inches below the waistband, about 3 inches up to about 5 inches below the waistband, about 3.5 inches up to about 4.5 inches below the waistband, or about 4 inches below the waistband.
The present invention can include multiple second attachment portions permanently affixed at different locations of the inner surface. The second attachment portions can be placed side by side near a central crotch portion of the front side. For example, the second attachment portions can be placed at a first side of the central crotch portion and/or at a second side of the central crotch portion. Having multiple second attachment portions at different locations of the inner surface allows a user to couple the cradle at a desired location of the inner surface of the apparel. Examples of multiple second attachment portions can include multiple snap buttons at different locations, an elongated horizontally disposed hook and loop fastener strip, multiple hook and loop fastener patches at different locations, an array of snap buttons, and the like.
The multiple second attachment portions can be about 1 inch up to about 6 inches apart from one another, about 2 inches up to about 5 inches apart from one another, or about 3 inches up to about 4 inches apart from one another.
In certain embodiments, the multiple second attachment portions can be arranged vertically relative to one another in a direction from the pair of leg openings towards the waistband. This allows a user to couple the cradle closer to the waistband or farther away from the waistband, as desired. An example of multiple second attachment portions arranged vertically can include multiple snap buttons arranged above and below one another, an elongated vertically disposed hook and loop fastener band, multiple hook and loop fastener patches arranged above and below one another, an array of fasteners, a combination thereof, and the like.
When the cradle is removably coupled to the inner surface of the body, the cradle can be a disposable item that is used once or more than once and then thrown away. The cradle can be sterilized and/or made of an antimicrobial material. The cradle can be stored in a vacuum sealed package prior to use.
Referring now to the figures,
Coupler 40, 41, and the other couplers described herein, can comprise a single or multiple fastener or fasteners, or fastener or fastener pair component, directly fastened to the inner surface of the apparel, for example, free of a band, mounting fabric, strip, or the like.
The apparel 10 of
The embodiment of
A method of supporting a penis can include the step of wearing an apparel around a waist and legs, the apparel having a body and a cradle. The body includes a front side, a rear side, a bottom, a top, an inner surface, and an outer surface. The bottom defines a pair of leg openings. The top includes a waistband. The inner surface defines an inside of the body. The cradle includes at least a looped band. The looped band is coupled to the inner surface of the body at the front side such that the cradle is entirely on the inside of the body. The method further includes the step of placing the penis through the looped band. If the apparel includes multiple sets of second attachment portions, the user can alternate between placing the penis substantially to the right throughout the day or substantially to the left throughout the day. The cradle supports the penis in a substantially horizontal position, which prevents the obstruction of blood flow and promotes healthy and constant oxygenated blood flow into the penile shaft and de-oxygenated blood flow out of the penile shaft to maintain healthy penile tissue. The cradle further supports the penis away from the scrotum, such that the temperature of the scrotum remains lower than when in contact with the penis, which boosts sperm count of the user.
The apparel can also be used as a device to aid in healing of the penile shaft after surgery. For instance, the penis may need to be suspended or protected for an extended period of time after penis extension surgery, after receiving a Priapus shot, or after adult male circumcision. The present invention further aids in healing the penile tissues and promotes greater comfort throughout the day for the patient.
The present invention also provides a method for treating a patient suffering form erectile dysfunction. The method can comprise one or more of the steps of: diagnosing a patient with erectile dysfunction; prescribing use of an apparel described herein to treat a diagnosed case of erectile dysfunction; and wearing an apparel as described herein to treat erectile dysfunction.
The disclosure herein refers to certain illustrated examples, it is to be understood that these examples are presented by way of example and not by way of limitation. The term “about,” as it appears herein, is intended to indicate that the values indicated can vary by plus or minus 5%. The intent of the foregoing detailed description, although discussing exemplary examples, is to be construed to cover all modifications, alternatives, and equivalents of the examples as can fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the additional disclosure.
The entire contents of all cited references in this disclosure, to the extent that they are not inconsistent with the present disclosure, are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention can include any combination of the various features or embodiments described above and/or in the claims below as set forth in sentences and/or paragraphs. Any combination of disclosed features herein is considered part of the present invention and no limitation is intended with respect to combinable features.
Other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the present specification and practice of the present invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the present specification and examples be considered as exemplary only with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims and equivalents thereof.
