Patent Application
20180092768
The herein disclosed invention relates to a condom for the purpose of preventing unwanted pregnancy and prevention of the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases during sexual intercourse, and more specifically to a unique and novel condom head and shaft implement for simulating the feeling that the male is uncircumcised which has features more comfortable and pleasurable for both men and woman.
Generally a condom is comprised of a thin membrane in the form of a rolled tubular sheath, which is unrolled and worn over the penis as a prophylactic barrier to prevent or guard against pregnancy and/or transmission of sexually transmitted diseases during intercourse. The barrier membrane of a typical condom is made of a liquid emulsion of latex or similar elastomeric materials formed to provide a thin membrane for optimizing sensitivity, tactile sensation, and heat transference from a penis during intercourse while still maintaining the strength and prophylactic properties of the condom. Recognizing that the thinnest barrier membrane will enhance the sensitivity, tactile sensation, and heat transference of the condom, the risk of a break or tear in a condom membrane during sexual intercourse is always a significant concern in condom design and manufacturing.
Generally, condoms are manufactured utilizing a dipping process, whereby an appropriately dimensioned mold or mandrel is dipped into a latex rubber emulsion, for example, formulated with various curing (vulcanizing) agents and accelerators, to create the condom membrane. The mold covered with the latex rubber is then withdrawn from the emulsion and subjected to elevated temperatures for drying and curing of the latex rubber membrane. In doing so the condom achieves the desired physical properties. The cured condom is then stripped from the mold and rolled into a toroidal configuration for packaging. Prior to intercourse, the condom is donned by placing the condom onto the head of a penis and unrolling it and extending the condom membrane downward along the shaft of the penis.
Some condoms are manufactured with cross ribs or other projections along the internal or external surfaces of a condom membrane for the purpose of stimulating the male and female during sexual intercourse. It was believed that the textured surface of such condoms provides increased frictional and tactual kinetics for enhancing tactile sensation and stimulation. Typically, the ribs or projections are integrally formed on the membrane surface of the condom during manufacture by the use of grooves or notches etched in the surface of the mold during the dipping process. The design of such ribs and projections range from interrupted rings canted with respect to the radial plane, helical and honeycomb patterns, and other various ribbed arrangements.
The problem with condoms having such ribs and projections is that the added texture of the ribs and projections may be abrasive or an irritant to a partner's tender areas. Contrary to the intent of such ribbed condoms, many partners prefer the natural feel of the male penis, and, in particular, that of the uncircumcised penis which serves as a natural lubricant. Intercourse with a man having a circumcised penis or where the man wears a traditional condom, all the lubrication needed for sexual intercourse is left to be provided naturally by a partner or a commercial lubricant. The inability to provide natural lubrication may lead to problems initiating, progressing, and concluding intercourse. Failing to use a commercial lubricant to maintain lubrication during intercourse may also impose the risk of pain or breach of the condom due to the pressures and frictional forces occurring during intercourse.
Yet another problem is that the configuration of the grooves or notches forming the ribs or projections on the mold during the dipping step of the manufacturing process previously described contributes to breakages or tears in condoms during use, defeating the prophylactic purpose of preventing pregnancy and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. When a smooth mold is withdrawn from a latex rubber emulsion, the uncured liquid latex rubber flows downward, ideally forming a uniform coating or layer of the rubber emulsion around the mold. However, as the uncured latex rubber flows along the surface of a grooved or notched mold, the grooves or notches in the mandrels interfere with the uniform flow of the rubber emulsion causing potential backfill problems which can result in the formation of undesirable weak spots in the condom and non-uniformity in wall thickness of the condom membrane.
It would therefore be a significant advance in the art of condoms to develop a condom which simulates and enhances the feeling of the natural lubricating properties of an uncircumcised penis to a sexual partner while avoiding the abrasiveness of ribbed condoms and preventing the weak spots and the resulting membrane failures that can be associated with prior art ribbed/textured condoms. An additional benefit of the condoms of the present invention is that these condoms are capable of being fabricated in a cost efficient and effective manner, using known conventional methods of condom production. This enables manufacturing facilities to produce the improved condoms with minimal retooling and/or changes to existing equipment.
The present invention is generally directed to a condom comprised of a continuous elastic tubular membrane having a shaft section, an open proximal end and a closed distal end. The diameter of the tubular elastic tubular membrane widens along an area between the distal and the proximal end of the condom to create an integral cover for the shaft section of the tubular membrane. The cover is intended to fold or collapse down over the shaft section toward the open proximal end of the condom forming an external sleeve in which the penis may move within during sexual intercourse. In particular, the external sleeve created by the cover due to the widened diameter of the tubular membrane mimics a foreskin and recreates the natural lubricating characteristics found in an uncircumcised penis, while maintaining the prophylactic qualities of the condom. In use, the sleeve created by the cover will allow for stimulation of a sexual partner through the natural contour and tactual kinetics of the penis without the abrasive characteristics of prior art ribbed condoms.
The condom of the present invention is formed by providing a flow of an emulsion of latex or similar elastomeric material over a mold having rounded smooth surfaces. The rounded smooth surfaces of the mold will prevent a backup in the flow of the emulsion of elastomeric material and promote the even distribution of the emulsion over the mold, wherein, after being dried, the emulsion will create a barrier membrane for the condom will be of sound integrity for use in sexual intercourse.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of this specification, including the claims and drawings herein.
Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly to
The membrane 20 of condom 10 has an outer surface 22 preferably formed of a homogenous layer of resilient prophylactically suitable liquid-impermeable material. Preferably the homogenous layer of resilient prophylactically suitable liquid-impermeable material will be formed of latex, polyurethane, or polyisoprene and be elastic to form around the varying size and shape of the penis P while remaining robust enough to withstand tearing under the pressures and frictions involved in sexual intercourse. The membrane 20 of condom 10 will preferably have a thickness in the range of about 0.002 to 0.006 inches. It can, however, be much thicker and consequently stronger than an ordinary condom without adversely affecting the enjoyment of either the male or female partner.
Shaft 13 is relatively tube shaped around the central opening 24 to provide entry of a penis into the elongate sheath 14. A beaded edge 16 is provided at end 15 around the central opening 24 upon which condom 10 may be unrolled. The sheath 14 of condom 10 is formed to provide tight fit on penis P as to make a seal for preventing leakage during normal use. The sheath 14 has a neck section 17 from which the membrane 20 extends to create a bulbous portion 18 on the outer surface 22 of the membrane 20 along the head 12 or along the sheath 14 of the condom 10, the bulbous portion 18 having a diameter greater than the diameter of the head 12 and the sheath 14.
The head 12 of the condom 10 is substantially conical in shape with the reservoir 19 located centrally at the closed distal end 11. The interior surface 21 of the tubular sheath 14 is smooth and terminates distally at the reservoir 19. The beaded edge 16 is rolled at the open proximal end 15 of the condom 10 for preventing tears.
The exemplary dimensions of the condom 10 when expanded are shown in
Now referring to
Use of the condom 10 will enhance pleasurable sensation and sensual excitement for both male and female partners. The sheath 14 and sleeve 23 configuration of condom 10 mimics an uncircumcised penis, increasing the tactual kinetics between the partners, and maintains the elastic grip of the sheath 14 to retain penis P within condom 10. It is envisioned that the bulbous portion 18 of the condom 10 will be sufficient to form sleeve 23 over almost the full length of sheath 14 to allow for full insertion of the penis P within sleeve 23. However, the dimensions of the bulbous portion 18 and the length of sleeve 23 are not limited as such and may be varied as required.
Referring to
The membrane 20 of the condom 10 having sheath 14 and bulbous portion 18 are simultaneously provided in the dipping process. Mold 26 is preferably collapsible to allow for the removal of condom 10 from mold 26 without the risk of damage to membrane 20 by rolling over the wider diameter of distal end 32, which could cause stretching and possible compromise of the membrane 20. As can be seen in
A condom 10 is formed by successive immersions of the mold 26 with the distal end 32 first into the emulsion of elastomeric material with desired prophylactic properties. It is important that during the first immersion of mold 26 into the emulsion of elastomeric material that the resulting coating of elastomeric material be even and wafer thin and evenly distributed on the mold 26 so that the resulting inside or interior surface of the condom 10 is smooth and uniform to enhance the prophylactic properties of the resulting membrane 20. After running the mold 26 and the first coating of elastomeric material through a drying process, such as by passing the mold 26 through a drying oven, the mold 26 and the dried membrane of elastomeric prophylactically suitable material is generally dipped again to generate a condom 10 with a membrane 20 of the desired thickness. To produce a condom 10 with a membrane 20 of an adequate thickness and with prophylactically suitable properties, it is preferable that every condom 10 be first immersed and then subsequently cured with heat at least twice. The beaded edge 16 is formed by rolling the open end 15 down along the outside of surface 20.
The condom 10 is then leached, washed, and coated with powder. Once leached, washed, and coated, the mold 26 is compressed into its collapsed form, seen in
Typically, with prior art ribbed/textured condoms, the etched recesses in the mold for forming the ribbing or projections on the condom, interferes with the normal flow of uncured latex rubber over the mandrel surface generating areas of backfills and uneven distribution. This backfilling and uneven latex distribution during the dipping process eventually results in the formation weak areas in the surface of the cured condom. The resulting weak areas are susceptible to rupture and/or tearing. However, the protuberances 28 of the present invention, formed on mold 26 in smooth curves upon outer surface 30, without the edges commonly etched into molds to form ribs on prior art condoms, allows for a smooth flow of the emulsion of elastomeric prophylactically suitable material over the outer surface 30 of the mold 26 minimizing the flow disruption of the uncured emulsion of elastomeric material to provide an even distribution of the emulsion of elastomeric material over the mold 26 minimizing areas of backfill and thereby reducing or eliminating weak areas in the resulting condom 10.
Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is not intended to be limiting. Those of skill in the art may recognize various modifications to the embodiment, which modifications are meant to be covered by the spirit and scope of the appended claims and are not intended to be construed to be limiting to such and may include variations in sizes, shapes, areas having the bulbous portion 18, and other configurations.
