Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02218733 2006-O1-24
CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICE AND METHODS AND
APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING THE SAME
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to contraceptive devices and methods and apparatus for
making them.
2. Prior art
Condoms have been made for many years by dipping a form into a latex solution,
withdrawing the form from the solution and then curing the layer of latex
adhering to the
form. The condom is then removed from the form by rolling it. During further
processing
and testing of the condom it may be placed on several different forms by
unrolling it onto
the form and then rolling it to remove it from the form.
The rolling and unrolling of a condom in a conventional condom plant is
usually
done by rotating brushes or rollers. Typically, a form carrying the condom is
moved past
a rotating brush or roller and the brush or roller rolls or unrolls the condom
as the form
carries it past the brush.
This application discloses a contraceptive device made up of a condom having a
pair of strips rolled into the condom on opposite sides thereof for unrolling
the condom
onto the user's penis. The device is assembled by placing a condom on an
elongated torn,
placing the pair of strips in contact with the condom on opposite sides
thereof and then
rolling the condom and, with it, the strips. The ends of the strips must be
held in contact
with the condom when the rolling is started or they will not be rolled into
the condom and
the device will be inoperative for its intended purpose.
A rotating brush or roller could be used to unroll the condom of this new
contraceptive device onto the form but a brush cannot be used to roll the
condom with the
strips. The reason for this is that, after the strips have been placed on
opposite sides of the
condom on the form, the form must be moved to and past the rotating brush and
there has
been no way to keep the ends of the strips on contact with the condom until
the brush is
reached. The strips are very thin and have almost no weight, so that the
slightest stirring
of air in the room will move the feather-light strips away from the condom.
The rotating
brush will roll the condom but the strips will be hanging, loose somewhere
else and will
not be rolled into the condom, thereby making the device inoperative for its
intended
CA 02218733 2006-O1-24
purpose. This problem which is more severe when wider strips are used, makes
it
impossible to use prior art methods and apparatus for assembling this new
contraceptive
device.
Further, condoms have been made the same way and have had the same problems
and disadvantages for decades. Certain problems that have existed with condoms
for over
half a century still exist with condoms being sold today. One such problem is
the fact that
the condom user is admonished to squeeze the condom reservoir flat and hold it
that way
while the condom is being donned. The slippery lubricated condom is already
difficult
enough to put on without requiring an extra hand to hold the reservoir tlat.
Conventional condoms are packaged by sandwiching the rolled condom between a
pair of packaging sheets and then sealing the sheets to each other around the
edges thereof.
The use of wider strips for unrolling the condom results in several problems
during the
assembly and packaging of the device, which problems do not exist with
conventional
condoms without the strips or with narrow strips.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A contraceptive device made up of a rolled tubular condom having an open end
and a closed end having thereon a ribbed, inverted reservoir, with a pair of
strips of a
preferred width being rolled into the condom on opposite sides thereof for
unrolling it onto
the penis. Methods and apparatus are provided for assembling the device
wherein the
condom is placed on an elongated form and the first ends of the strips are
brought into
contact with the condom and held on opposite sides thereof adjacent to the
open end of the
condom.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a
contraceptive device comprising a condom having an elongated tubular
configuration with
an open end and a closed end, the closed end having thereon a generally
cylindrical
reservoir, the reservoir having thereon a plurality of ribs positioned in an
annular zone
having a width extending axially along the reservoir, the ribs extending
across the width of
the annular zone and being so positioned in the zone that no annular band of
the zone is
free of ribs.
Yet another embodiment provides a process of assembling a contraceptive device
made up of a pair of strips rolled into an elongated condom on opposite sides
thereof, each
of the strips having an end having a leading edge, comprising a. placing the
condom in
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unrolled condition on an elongated form, b. bringing the ends of the strips
into generally
flattened contact with the condom on the form, and holding at least one third
of the leading
edges in contact with condom, and c. rolling the condom and strips.
A still further embodiment of the present invention provides a process for
assembling a contraceptive device made up of a rolled tubular condom lying in
a plane and
having an open end and a closed end, the device also having a pair of strips
having fiirst
ends rolled into the condom on opposite sides thereof, the strips each having
an
intermediate portion and a free second end, the device also having first and
second
packaging sheets positioned on opposite sides of the plane to sandwich the
condom
therebetween, the first packaging sheet having a side facing the open end of
the condom,
the second sheet having a side facing the closed end of the condom, comprising
a. placing
a surface tension agent on the device, b. moving the intermediate portions of
the strips
toward each other, the surface tension agent being placed on the device in a
location to
contact the intermediate portions of the strips when the strips are moved
toward each
other, c, positioning the second ends of the strips to extend away from the
intermediate
portions in opposite directions, d. bringing the packaging sheets into contact
with each
other on opposite sides of the condom, and e. sealing the packaging sheets to
each other
around the edges thereof.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention there is
provided
a process for assembling a contraceptive device made up of a rolled tubular
condom
having a pair of strips having first ends rolled into the condom on opposite
sides thereof
and a pair of packaging sheets positioned to sandwich the condom therebetween,
the
sheets each being made up of inner and outer layers laminated together, the
inner layers
facing each other and being made of a thermoplastic material having a first
melt heat input
requirement, the strips being made of a thermoplastic material having a second
melt heat
input requirement, comprising a. positioning the condom between the packaging
sheets
with the inner layers in contact with each other around the periphery of the
sheets and the
strips extending away from each other toward opposite edges of the packaging
sheets, and
b. applying heat and pressure to a zone extending around the periphery of the
sheets to seal
the sheets to each other and to the strips, the zone comprising first and
second subzones,
the first subzone extending inwardly from the edges of the sheets and the
second subzone
extending inwardly from the first subzone, the amount of heat applied to
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the first subzone being sufficient to exceed both the first and second melt
heat input
requirements of the inner layers and the strips, the amount of heat applied to
the second
subzone being such that at a point in the second subzone the heat applied to
the inner
layers exceeds the first melt heat input requirement and the heat applied to
the strips is less
than the second melt heat input requirement.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention there is
provided apparatus for assembling a contraceptive device made up of a pair of
strips rolled
into a tubular condom on opposite sides thereof and a pair of packaging sheets
positioned
to sandwich the condom therebetween, comprising a. a base, b. means on the
base for
supporting the condom in a working position with the strips extending from the
condom in
opposite direction, c. a pair of fingers positioned on opposite sides of the
condom in the
working position, d. means connected to the fingers for moving the fingers
back and forth
toward and away from each other, the fingers being so positioned that the
fingers engage
intermediate portions of the strips and move the intermediate portions into
contact with the
condom when the fingers are moved toward each other.
A still further embodiment provides a process for assembling a contraceptive
device made up of a condom having a pair of strips rolled into the condom on
opposite
sides thereof; the condom having an axis, a closed end, an open end and a ring
extending
around the open end; comprising a. placing the condom on an elongated form
having a
free end such that the free end of the form is in the closed end of the condom
and the open
end of the condom is spaced from the free end of the form, b. brlnglng free
ends of a pair
of strips into contact with the condom on opposite sides thereof adjacent to
the ring on the
open end of the condom, c. bringing an elongated rolling surface into contact
with the ring
on the condom, and d. moving the rolling surface along a path parallel to the
axis of the
form and in a direction toward the closed end of the condom to roll the condom
and the
strips.
Yet another embodiment provides apparatus for assembling a contraceptive
device
made up of an elongated tubular condom having a pair of strips rolled into the
condom on
opposite sides thereof, the condom having an open end and a closed end with a
ring
encircling the open end, comprising a. a base, b. an elongated form having
first and second
ends, the first end being free and the second end being attached to the base,
the form
having an axis, c. a pair of rolling elements positioned on opposite sides of
the form and
each having thereon a rolling surface, the elements being movable between
first and
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second positions in such a manner that when the elements are moved from the
second
position to the first position the rolling surfaces are carried along paths
generally parallel
to the axis of the form, the elements being so positioned that when the
rolling surfaces are
moved from the second position to the first position the rolling surfaces
contact the ring on
the condom to roll the condom, and d. means on the base for moving the rolling
elements.
Streams of air applied to the strip ends is the preferred way of holding the
tirst
ends of the strips in contact with the condom as elongated rolling elements
are brought
into contact with the condom at the open end thereof and then moved in
directions parallel
to the condom axis toward the closed end of the condom to roll the condom and
the strips.
Intermediate portions of the strips are moved radially inward toward each
other by tingers
or streams of air and held there as two heat-sealable packaging sheets are
moved together
on opposite sides of the rolled condom, with second ends of the strips
extending away
from the condom in opposite directions. A package is formed by applying heat
and
pressure to the packaging sheets to
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seal the sheets to each other in-a zone extending around,the periphery of the
thereof, with dies
being provided for applying differing amounts of heat to subzones making up
the sealed zone.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the device showing the parts
of the
device separated vertically for clarity.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the device showing the manner in which the condom
is
pulled out of the package after the package has been opened.
Figure 3 is a cross sectional side view showing the manner in which the condom
is
unrolled onto the penis when the strips which are rolled into the condom are
pulled.
Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross sectional view of the closed end of
the
condom of this invention showing ribs which serve to maintain the condom
reservoir in an
inverted configuration.
Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4 showing the
ribs which
maintain the reservoir in an inverted condition.
Figure 6 is a schematic side view of apparatus used for assembling the device
of this
invention showing the apparatus in a first position at the start of a cycle of
operation.
Figure 7 is a schematic view of the apparatus of Figure 6 showing the
positioning of
the apparatus at a point near the midpoint of the first half of a cycle of
operation.
Figure 8 is a schematic view of the apparatus of Figure 6 showing the
positioning of the
apparatus in a second position at the midpoint of a cycle of operation.
Figure 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary front view of a holding manifold which
holds the
strips during the second half of a cycle of operation, showing apertured
surfaces through
which air is drawn to hold the strips and spans of resistance wire which
severs the strips.
Figure 10 is a side view of the holding manifold taken on line 10-10 of Figure
9 showing
the spans of resistance wire which cut the strips at the end of the first half
of a cycle of
operation.
Figure 11 is a front view, substantially reduced in size, of one of the condom
rolling
elements showing the apertured face of a feed manifold which holds the ends of
the strips,
during the first half of a cycle of operation, to carry the strips into
position to be rolled with
the condom during the second half of a cycle of operation.
Figure 12 is a plan view of a carriage which supports and moves elements which
roll
the condom showing how the rolling elements are supported.
Figure 13 is a plan view of a carriage which supports the holding manifold.
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Figure 14 is a schematic, fragmentary side view showing apparatus for applying
a
surface tension agent to the condom for holding the ends of the strips in
contact with the
condom for rolling.
Figure 15 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross sectional view showing how the
surface
tension agent holds the ends of the strips in contact with the condom for
rolling.
Figure 16 is a fragmentary schematic side view showing the manner in which an
electrostatic charge is applied to the strips to hold the strip ends in
contact with the condom.
Figure 17 is a fragmentary plan view of a preferred embodiment of the rolling
elements where the rolling elements are semi-cylindrical in configuration.
Figure 18 is a plan view of a third embodiment of the rolling elements where
the
rolling elements are in the form of a single tube with a resilient inner
lining.
Figure 19 is a schematic view of the system which drives and controls the
apparatus
used to assemble the device.
Figure 20 is a fragmentary view, greatly enlarged, showing the two laminated
layers
which make up each of the two sheets used to package the device.
Figure 21 is an enlarged side view showing the manner in which a pair of
fingers are
used to move intermediate portions of the strips toward each other and into
contact with the
condom to provide slack in the strips when the package is opened.
Figure 22 is a fragmentary view of the bottom of one of the fingers shown in
Figure
21 showing that part of the finger which engages the periphery of the condom
ring to center
the condom.
Figure 23 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of one of the fingers showing
the
manner in which the finger pushes intermediate portions of the strips into
contact with the
lubricant on the condom to provide slack in the strips when the device is
used.
Figure 24 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the configuration of dies
used to
seal the packaging sheets to each other around the periphery thereof.
Figure 25 is a cross sectional view taken on line 25-25 of Figure 24 showing
the cross
sectional configuration of the dies which provide differential heating in that
portion of the
package which is sealed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The Device .
Referring now in detail to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a cross sectional view
of the
device with the various parts of the device separated vertically for clarity.
The device is
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made up of a rolled condom 25 with a pair of strips 26 rolled into the condom
on opposite
sides thereof. The strips are preferably made of ~ a thermoplastic material
such as
polyethylene, with a thickness of about 0.01 to 0.03 millimeters and
preferably have widths
such that the sum of the widths of the strips is at least 20% of the length of
the circumference
of the rolled condom. Narrow strips tend to allow the condom to prematurely
unroll (i.e.,
unroll slightly before the condom contacts the penis), frequently resulting in
a tangled condom
which cannot be used. The condom is housed in a package made up of a pair of
packaging
sheets 27 which sandwich the condom 25 therebetween, with the sheets 27 being
sealed to
each other in a zone 32 extending around the peripheries of the sheets.
The condom has a tubular configuration when unrolled, with a closed end and an
open
end with a ring 33 extending around the open end. The ring 33 may be the ring
which
extends around the open end of a fully unrolled conventional condom (Figure 8)
or it may be
formed by a portion of the condom which has been rolled (Figure 3). The closed
end of the
condom is provided with a generally cylindrical reservoir 34 which is inverted
as shown in
Figure 1 and 3.
The reservoir 34 is inverted at some point during the assembly of the device
and that
configuration is maintained during the packaging so that, when the package is
opened, the
reservoir will still be inverted. By keeping the reservoir inverted, the
necessity of squeezing
the reservoir flat and holding it that way while the condom is being put on is
obviated. This
makes it much easier to don the condom, since it frees up one hand. Preferably
the condom
is placed on a form (not shown) having in the end thereof a recess having a
size sufficiently
large to receive the reservoir. A vacuum is applied to the recess to invert
the reservoir into
the recess. This is a known process.
In order to insure that the reservoir maintains its inverted configuration,
the reservoir
34 is provided with a group of ribs 38 (Figures 4 and 5) arranged in an
annular zone
extending around the periphery of the reservoir. The ribs 38 are shown
extending
longitudinally along the reservoir but may extend in other directions so long
as there is no
annular band of the reservoir in the zone which is free of ribs.
Preferably, there is a second group of ribs 39 which are arranged in an
annular band
around the reservoir on the closed end of the condom 25 as shown in Figure 4.
This second
group of ribs is longitudinally spaced from the first group to leave an
annular band 40
between the zones which is free of ribs. The two spaced groups of ribs insure
that, when the
reservoir is inverted, the bending will occur in the rib-free band 40. This
precisely controls
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the amount of reservoir which is inverted and significantly reduces the
likelihood that the
reservoir will lose its inverted configuration during further processing and
packaging.
The ribs 38 and 39 may be in the form of corrugations but are preferably in
the form
of solid ribs as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The ribs 38 and 39 may be formed by
providing
the form on which the condom is to be made with slots or grooves (not shown)
which will
fill when the form is dipped into the latex solution. Upon curing, the ribs
become a
permanent part of the condom.
It can be seen that the ends of the strips 26 are sealed between the packaging
sheets
27 at opposite edges of the package in the zone 32 (Figures 1 and 25).
Intermediate portions
44 of the strips 26 are forced inward toward each other (as described below)
prior to sealing
the packaging sheets to provide slack in the strips. Without this slack, the
condom cannot be
pulled from the package (after the package is torn into two parts) without
premature unrolling
of the condom. If the condom unrolls prematurely (prior to contact with the
penis) even a
slight amount, part of the unrolled end of the condom is likely to become
rolled into the
unrolling condom and cause the condom to become tangled to the point where it
cannot be
used.
Figure 2 shows the device after the user has opened the package. The user
opens the
package by tearing it into two generally equal parts. Holding the two parts of
the package
and moving them away from each other pulls the condom, 25 out of the package
and into the
position shown in Figure 2. Still holding the two parts of the package, the
user moves the
condom 25 into contact with the end of his penis 45 (Figure 3) and then gives
his wrists a
quick flick. The condom 25 will instantly unroll onto the penis 45 as shown in
Figure 3
without the user touching it with his hands. Because of the ribs 38 and 39,
the reservoir 34
will retain its inverted configuration as shown in Figure 3, so that there is
no need to squeeze
the reservoir flat and hold it that way as the condom is being donned.
The methods and apparatus for assembling the device are described below.
Assembly of the Condom and Straps
Figure 6 is a schematic side view showing apparatus used for assembling the
condom and
strips. This apparatus includes a base 46 supporting a conveyor 47 carrying a
plurality of
blocks 50. Attached to and extending upward from each block 50 is a
cylindrical form 51
having a proximal end secured to the block 50 and a free distal end, the
distal end being
rounded as shown in the drawings. The free end of the form 51 is preferably
provided with
the recess (not shown) described above.
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A carriage 52 (Figure 12) is provided with rollers 56 which roll along a pair
of guide
rods 57 which are attached to the base and extend vertically upward, parallel
to each other,
to serve as a track for the reciprocation of the carriage 52.
The carriage 52 carries a pair of elongated rolling elements 58 which are
supported
by rods 59 which are slidably mounted in tubular portions 62 secured to the
carriage 52.
Compression springs 63 (Figure 12) urge the rolling elements 58 toward each
other, with nuts
64 being threaded onto the ends of the rods 59 to adjust the innermost
positions of the rolling
elements and to center the rolling elements on the form 51 on opposite sides
thereof. Each
rolling element 58 is supported by a pair of rods 59, one positioned above the
other. A
bracket 67 attached to the carriage 52 is provided with a hole 68 for securing
the carriage to
a piston rod 69 of a cylinder 76 (Figure 19) for moving the carriage up and
down.
The purpose of the rolling elements 58 is to simultaneously unroll the condom
25 onto
the form 51 and pull the strips into position to be rolled and then, after the
strips 26 are in
place, to roll the condom and the strips. The lower ends of the rolling
elements 58 are
provided with beveled surfaces 78 (Figures 6 and 11) which, upon downward
movement,
engage the ring 33 of the condom 25 and begin to unroll the condom onto the
form 51 when
the condom is positioned on the upper end of the form as shown in Figure 6.
Elongated
rolling surfaces 77 extend from the beveled surfaces 78 along the rolling
elements to continue
unrolling the condom 25 onto the form 51 as the carriage 52 moves the rolling
elements
downward. It can be seen that the rolling surfaces 77 move along paths
generally parallel to
the axis of the form 51, with the carriage 52 supporting the rolling elements
58 in such a
manner that the rolling elements 58 are free to move toward and away from the
axis of the
form as the diameter of the condom ring 33 changes as it is being rolled or
unrolled.
Figure 6 shows the apparatus at the beginning of a cycle of operation, with
the rolling
elements 58 being in a first position at this point. The ends of the strips 26
are held by feed
or advance manifolds 82 attached to and carried by the rolling elements 58.
The feed
manifolds are hollow blocks which are provided with apertured faces 83 (Figure
11) which
face each other. By applying a negative air pressure to the hollow feed
manifolds 82, air will
' be drawn into the manifold to pull the ends of the strips 26 against the
apertured faces 83 and
hold them there. It can be seen that, as the rolling elements 58 are moved
downward to
unroll the condom onto the form 51, the strips will be pulled downward to
position them for
rolling into the condom.
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In this first position (Figure 6), a holding manifold 84 (shown in detail in
Figures 9
and 10) is positioned between the feed manifolds 82 carried by the rolling
elements 58. The
feed manifolds 82 hold the ends of the strips 26 during the first half of the
apparatus operating
cycle. The purpose of the holding manifold 84 is to hold the strips during the
second half of
the operating cycle after the strips have been severed and as the rolling
elements 58 are being
returned to the positions shown in Figure 6.
The holding manifold 84 is in the form of a hollow block (Figure 9) having on
opposite sides apertured walls 88 and 89 through which air can be passed into
or out of the
manifold. The holding manifold 84 is carried by a carriage 90 (Figure 13)
which is provided
with rollers 91 which roll on the guide rods 57. For clarity, the carriage 90
is not shown in
the starting position (Figure 6) but, in this position, the carriage 90 rests
on the carriage 52.
When the cycle begins and the carriage 52 begins to move downward, the
carriage 90 moves
downward with it until the carriage 90 engages and is stopped by a stop 94
(Figure 13)
mounted above the base 46. The carriage 52 continues downward to complete the
cycle. By
adjusting the position of the stop 94, the lengths of the strips applied to
each device can be
adjusted, as will be seen below.
The strips 26 are preferably cut from continuous strips, with the cutting
being done
at the holding manifold 84. The holding manifold 84 is provided with a pair of
spans 95 and
96 of resistance wire positioned on opposite sides of the manifold as shown in
Figures 9 and
10, the spans 95 and 96 being connected between conductive posts 100. Power
from a supply
101 is fed through a line 102 to the first post 100; then through the span 95
to the second post
100; then through a line 103 to the third post 100; then through the span 96
to the fourth post
100; and then through a line 107 back to the other side of the power supply
101. By
operating the spans 95 and 96 at a temperature somewhere below red hot, the
thermoplastic
strips will be instantly severed by cuts which are as sharp as cuts made by
scissors. Since
the strips 26 are cut at the holding manifold 84, it can be seen that
adjusting the position of
the stop 94 will adjust the lengths of the strips cut from continuous strips
fed to the machine.
The apparatus shown in Figures 9 and 10 severs the strips on the bias (the
cuts are not
perpendicular to the length of the strips) while the strips shown In Figure 8
are cut along lines
perpendicular to the length of the strips. Either way is acceptable but
cutting the strips on
the bias is preferred for the reason that if the rolling of the condom catches
the point formed
by the cut the strip cannot escape. By "bias cut" is meant a cut which is more
than 30o from
a cut perpendicular to the length of the strip.
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Figure 7 shows the apparatus at a point during the first half cycle of
operation. The
holding manifold 84 has been stopped by engagement with the stop 94 (Figure
13) and the
rolling elements 58 continue to move downward, unrolling the condom 25 onto
the form 51.
A negative air pressure applied to the feed manifolds 82 holds the ends of the
strips 26 so that
they are pulled downward with the rolling elements 58. A positive air pressure
applied to the
holding manifold 84 keeps the strips 26 away from the heated spans 95 and 96
during this
phase of operation.
Figure 8 shows the apparatus in a second position at the end of the first half
of the
operating cycle. At this point, the rolling elements 58 have stopped. Valves
(described
below) have been actuated to apply a negative air pressure to the holding
manifold 84 and a
positive air pressure to the feed manifolds 82. The negative air pressure
draws air into the
holding manifold 84 through the apertured walls 88 and 89 to pull the strips
26 into contact
with these walls to hold the strips. As the strips 26 move toward the
apertured walls 88 and
89 they touch the resistance wire spans 95 and 96 and are instantly severed.
The positive air pressure applied to the feed manifolds 82 causes air to flow
out of
these manifolds through the apertured faces 83 to flatten the ends of the
strips 26 against the
condom 25 as shown in Figure 8. When the preferred wider strips 26 (as
described above)
are used, it is critical that the ends of the strips be held in a flattened
contact with the
condom 25 on the form 51 as the rolling of the condom ,begins. By "flattened"
we do not
mean that the ends of the strips are held in a flat plane. Instead, we mean
that the leading
edges of the ends of the strips are in contact with the condom 25 as best
shown in Figure 8.
The term "leading edge" refers to an edge 97 (Figure 8) extending transversely
across the
strip and not to the two edges extending longitudinally along the length of
the strips on
opposite sides of the strip. By "generally flattened" contact we mean that,
when the leading
edge 97 is generally perpendicular to the length of the strip, at least one
half of the length of
the leading edge 97 of the strip is in contact with the condom. Preferably, at
least 75 % of
the leading edge 97 of each strip 26 will be touching the condom when rolling
of the condom
begins. If the strip is cut on the bias such that the strip ends in a point,
"generally flattened"
contact means that at least one third of the leading edge 97, including the
point, is in contact
with the condom. This flattened contact, which is maintained at least until
the ends of the
strips are caught by the rolling of the condom, insures that the ends of the
strips are not lost.
The preferred way of holding the strips 26 in flattened contact with the
condom 25 is
to use streams of air directed against the ends of the strips. In the
apparatus shown, this is
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accomplished by the streams of air flowing from the feed manifolds 82. An
alternate way of
holding the ends of the strips 26 in place is to use a surface tension fluid
or agent positioned
between the condom and the ends of the strips, with the surface tension of the
agent holding
the strips in place. Preferably, the surface tension agent is a lubricant
which is compatible
with the condom.
Figure 14 schematically shows the application of a surface tension agent to
the condom
for holding the strips 26 in place for rolling. The condom 25, positioned in
unrolled
condition on the form 51, is carried by the conveyor 47 past a station where a
pair of rotating
brushes 98 apply the surface tension agent 99 (Figure 14) to the condom. The
conveyor 47
then carries the condom past a second station where the strips are fed into
position on
opposite sides of the condom. When the ends of the strips 26 are brought into
contact with
the agent 99 the surface tension of the agent will hold the ends of the strips
in place as shown
in Figure 15. The condom and strips can then be rolled at a third station.
If a surface tension agent is used to hold the strips 26 in place it is
preferred that each
strip be held in place by a narrow strip of the surface tension agent
extending along the
condom to the closed end thereof to hold a major portion of the condom. Care
should be
taken to not apply too much lubricant to the condom, since this can make the
condom more
difficult to roll. It should be understood that the surface tension agent can
be applied to the
strips rather than the condom. In either case, the surface, tension agent
should be positioned
to contact both the condom and the strips, as shown in Figure 15. The surface
tension agent
may be a sticky liquid or have a surface tension which will hold the strips in
place. Water
can be used but it is preferred to use a lubricant which is compatible with
condoms. Such
lubricants are well known.
A second alternate way of holding the strips in place is to use an
electrostatic attraction
between the condom and the strips. This method is more difficult to control
but it has been
found that such an electrostatic attraction tenaciously holds the strips
against the condom.
Figure 16 schematically shows apparatus for electrostatically charging the
strips 26. As the
strips 26 are fed toward the location where the condom and strips are to be
assembled, they
pass over a device 106 of a known type which electrostatically charges the
strips so that they
will adhere to the condom by electrostatic attraction. If the device 106 is
electronic in nature
it can be turned on and off as the strips pass to charge only the ends of the
strips.
The carriage 52 is then moved upward toward the first position to carry out
the second
half of a cycle of operation. The rolling surfaces 77 in contact with the ring
33 of the
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condom 25 apply forces to the ring to roll the condom and the strips. When the
rolling
elements 58 reach the position shown in Figure 6 the condom 25 will be left
positioned on
the top of the form SI, with the strips 26 rolled into it on opposite sides.
The assembly of
the condom and strips is now complete. While the reservoir 34 of the condom.25
is shown
in a non-inverted configuration in Figures 6-8 it is preferred that the form S
1 have a recess
(not shown) and that a negative air pressure be applied to this recess at some
point in the
assembly of the condom and strips to invert the reservoir. The ribs 38 and 39
serve to
maintain the reservoir in this inverted configuration during the remainder of
the processing
and packaging.
The preferred configuration for the rolling elements is shown in Figure 17,
where
rolling elements 120 are semi-cylindrical in configuration. This configuration
provides for
a greater contact between the rolling elements and the condom ring 33 for
better rolling of
the condom. Another embodiment is shown in Figure 18 where the rolling
elements are
combined into a single tube 122 with a resilient liner 124. Preferably, the
rolling elements
120 and 122/124 form tapered bores which have a diameter at any point equal to
the diameter
of the condom ring 33 at that point.
The Control System
Figure 19 is a schematic view of a system for controlling the apparatus
described
above, showing the air supply and control system. A supply 108 of air at a
positive pressure
(above atmospheric pressure) is connected by a line 109 to a valve 110 of a
known type while
a supply 111 of air at a negative pressure (below atmospheric pressure) is
connected by a line
114 to the valve 110. The valve 110 is connected to the holding manifold 84
and the feed
manifolds 82 by lines 115 and 116, respectively.
The valve 110 is such that air.at a negative, pressure is applied to the feed
manifolds
82 at the same time that air at a positive pressure is applied to the holding
manifold 84 and
vice versa. Except for the instantaneous change from one pressure to the
other, air at a
negative pressure will always by supplied to either the feed manifolds 82 or
the holding
manifold 84 and air at a positive pressure to the other. Thus, the ends of the
strips 26 are
always held (except for the instantaneous change from one pressure to the
other) by either the
feed manifolds 82 or the holding manifold 84, so that the ends of the strips
are always under
control.
The valve 110 also controls the flow of a fluid (air or hydraulic fluid) from
a source
117 to the fluid cylinder 76 mounted on the base 46 (Figure 19) and having the
piston rod 69
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connected to the bracket 67 (Figures 12 and 19) secured to the carriage 52
such that operation
of the cylinder 76 raises or lowers the carriage to carry the rolling elements
58 up and down.
The valve 110 is actuated by a controller 123 of a known type. For example,
the
valve 110 may be a bank of valves and the controller 123 may be a motor which
drives cams
(not shown) to actuate the valves. Or, the controller may sense the position
of the carriage
52 and actuate the valve 110 (or bank of valves) in response to the position
of the carriage
52. The primary purpose of the control system shown in Figure 19 is to operate
the various
parts of the apparatus in timed sequence.
Packaging The Device
Packaging this device presents problems that do not exist in the packaging of
conventional condoms. One of the problems results from the necessity of
providing slack in
the strips 26 as packaged so that the condom can be pulled out of the package
as shown in
Figure 2 without premature unrolling. If the condom prematurely unrolls even a
slight
amount it can easily become tangled to the point where it must be discarded.
This problem
is solved by providing slack in the strips as described below.
A preferred way of providing slack in the strips 26 is to place the condom 25
on the
bottom packaging sheet 27 with the strips 26 extending away from the condom in
opposite
directions. A pair of fingers 127 (refer to Figures 21-23) are then moved
toward each other
by an actuating mechanism 128 (Figure 22). The fingers 127 are each provided
with a
projecting portion 129 positioned to engage the intermediate portions 44 of
the strips 26 and
move them inward past the condom ring 33 as best shown in Figure 21. The
actuating
mechanism 128 may be a small cylinder (not shown).
In moving inward toward each other, the projecting portions 129 carry the
intermediate
portions 44 of the strips toward each other and into contact with a layer of
lubricant 133 or
a surface tension agent (Figure 23) on the condom 25. As the fingers 127 are
moved toward
each other, surfaces 134 (Figure 21 and 22) engage the ring of the condom 25
to hold the
condom in a centered position. After the fingers 127 are moved to the
positions shown in
Figures 21 and 23, the actuating mechanism 128 then withdraws the fingers 127.
The surface
tension of the lubricant 133 holds the intermediate portions 44 of the strips
in the positions
shown in Figure 21 as the fingers 127 are withdrawn.
The lubricant can be placed at other locations to retain the strips in the
positions shown
in Figure 21 as the fingers 127 are withdrawn. For example, the lubricant may
be placed on
either the strips or that packaging sheet 27 which will contact the strips
when the sheets 27
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are moved into contact with the device so that it will be in contact with both
the strip 26 and
the sheet 27. Reference numeral 136 in Figure 23 indicates a lubricant or
surface tension
agent so positioned.
' To insure that the strips 26 and the condom 25 remain in the position shown
in Figure
21 as the fingers are withdrawn, the fingers 127 may be provided with a
passageway 135
through which air from a supply 139 (Figure 21) can impinge on the strips and
the condom.
The withdrawal of the fingers 127 positions the ends of the strips 26 to
extend away from
each other as shown in Figure 21. The top packaging sheet 27 is then placed
over the
condom and the packaging sheets are sealed to each other as described below.
Preferably, the packaging sheets 27 are each made up of two layers of material
laminated together. Figure 20 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary view showing
the two layers
making up each sheet 27. Each sheet is made up of an inner layer 140 and an
outer layer
141, with the inner layers 140 being in contact with each other in the final
package. The
outer layer 141 may be a layer of a material such as paper, foil, cellophane,
polyethylene
terephthalate, etc. The inner layer 140 is preferably a sheet of polyethylene.
The sheets are
secured together to form the package by placing the inner layers in contact
with each other
and then applying heat and pressure to the zone 32 to be sealed (Figure 25).
Since heat and pressure will be applied to the zone 32 during the package
sealing step,
care must be taken to insure that the strips 26 are not severed or seriously
weakened by
melting at the inner edge of the zone 32. By "seriously weakened" we mean a
weakening
of the strips to the point where one will occasionally break when tension is
applied to pull the
condom 25 out of the package or onto the user's penis. If either of the strips
breaks, the
device is rendered inoperative for its intended purpose.
The heat to seal the package is applied by a pair of heated dies 144 between
which the
sheets 27 are sandwiched (Figures 24 and 25), with the configuration of the
dies conforming
to the shape of the zone 32 to be sealed. The amount of heat input to the
sheets 27 will be
determined by the temperature of the dies, the pressure applied to the sheets
27 by the dies
144 and the length of time that the dies are in contact with the sheets. By
controlling these
' factors the package can be completely sealed without seriously weakening the
strips 26.
Preferably, a differential heating will be applied to inner and outer portions
of the zone
32 at the locations of the strips 26. This is accomplished by providing dies
which have the
cross sectional configuration shown in Figure 25, where the die is divided
into subzones A
and B. This view shows the intersection of the die faces with a plane
longitudinal to the
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strips and perpendicular to the die faces. From this it can be seen that in
the subzone A these
intersections are parallel lines. In the subzone B the intersections are a
pair of lines which
extend inwardly (toward the center of the package) and are divergent.
Preferably, the die
faces in the subzone B have a configuration such that the intersection lines
are arcuate and
are so positioned that the parallel intersection lines in the subzone A are
each tangent to one
of the arcuate lines as shown in Figure 25.
In the subzone A the dies apply the maximum pressure to the sheets 27 and in
the
subzone B the surfaces of the dies recede from the sheets 27, as shown in
Figure 25. In the
subzone A the amount of heat input to the sheets preferably exceeds the melt
heat input
requirements of both the strip 26 and the inner layers 140 to melt them and
thoroughly seal
that part of the zone 32. At some point in the subzone B, because the surfaces
of the dies
recede from the sheets 27, the amount of heat input to the strips 26 will be
less than the melt
heat input requirement of the strips 26 while the amount of heat applied to
the inner layers
will be above the melt heat input requirement of the inner layers 140 to
firmly adhere the
inner layers 140 to the strips 26 without melting the strips. It can readily
be seen that heat
applied to the strips 26 must pass through the inner layers 140.
By "melt heat input requirement" is meant the amount of heat which must be
input to
the material to melt it. The melt heat input requirement of a material will be
determined by
the melting point (temperature) of the material and, for. a given area of the
material, the
thickness of the material. For example, a one square centimeter of film 0.088
mm thick will
have a melt heat input requirement approximately six times that of a film of
the same material
only 0.013 mm thick.
More preferably, the dies will be provided with projections 145 as shown in
Figures
24 and 25 to insure that the inner layers 140 are securely attached to the
strip 26 without
damage to that part of the strip. While flat dies are shown, it should be
understood that the
same principles would apply to rotating dies where the peripheries of the dies
apply heat and
pressure to the zone 32. In this case, the inner surfaces of the dies in
subzone B would
recede from the sheets 27 as shown in Figure 25 to apply a differential
heating to the zone
32.
By sealing the package in this manner it is assured that the package is
hermetically
sealed without the risk of severing or severely weakening the strips 26 at the
inner edge of
the sealed zone 32.
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