Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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VAGINAL CLEANING DEVICE
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a personal vaginal cleaning and hygiene
device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The vagina is a relatively long hollow, tube like structure that extends from
the cervix at the outer end of the uterus down to the labia minora. The
interior of
the vagina is composed of a mucous membrane and an outer, smooth muscle
closely attached to it. While glands are present in the vaginal lining itself,
vaginal
secretions can arise frrom the glands in the cervical canal of the uterus such
as
Bartholin's and Skene's glands. Normally such secretions are clean, but
occasionally debris in the form of blood or deposition of seminal fluid can
accumulate. Accordingly, it is desirable at times to be able to have a
convenient
disposable applicator to dean and refresh the vaginal canal to add to or treat
the
vaginal canal with medications, germicides, or deodorants.
US Patent No. 5,045,058 by Demetrakopoulos cleanses the vagina by
providing an apparatus that delivers lather to the vaginal canal. Vaginal
cleaning
devices have been addressed in the prior art in terms of a swabbing
applicator,
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as may be seen in U.S. Patent No. 3,724,463 to Vail. Also, other vaginal
cleaning devices that have been addressed in the prior art include a syringe
apparatus a s m ay b e s een i n U.S. P atent No. 4,772, 274 t o L ukacs a nd
U.S.
Patent No. 5,401,240 to Yang. However, these devices do not satisfactorily
consider all issues of size, convenience, portability, simplicity of
construction, and
effectiveness that are addressed herein.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a vaginal cleaning
device. The vaginal cleaning device comprises an applicator comprising an
axial
support post, a head with a rear surface connected to the front end of the
axial
support post, and a circular disk disposed around the rear end of the axial
support post; and a tubular applicator body having a central opening, disposed
around the axial support post between the head and the circular disk; an
applicator extension with the front end thereof integrally dependent from the
rear
end of the axial support post; and handle means connected to the rear end of
the
applicator extension. The tubular applicator body is made of a flexible
absorbent
material.
In a further embodiment, the vaginal cleaning device comprises an
applicator comprising a hollow axial support post having a head with a rear
surface connected to the front end of the axial support post, and a circular
disk
disposed around the rear end of the axial support post; the hollow axial
support
post having a plurality of apertures disposed around thereof; and a tubular
applicator body having a central opening, disposed around the axial support
post
between the head and the circular disk; a hollow applicator extension having
the
front end thereof integrally dependent from the rear end of the hollow axial
support post, with the hollow applicator extension in fluid communication with
the
hollow axial support post; and a fluid supply means attached to the rear end
of
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the hollow applicator extension. A fluid supply means can be a squeezable
liquid
container for supplying a fluid to the tubular applicator body, and it also
functions
as a handle.
The plurality of apertures can be slots aligned along the longitudinal axis,
or aligned with an angle to the longitudinal axis, of the hollow axial support
post.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vaginal cleaning device
having functions of cleaning, deodorizing, and medicating the vaginal canal.
Another o bject i s t o p rovide a p ortable, e fficient a nd e ffective m
eans t o
cleanse the vaginal canal prior to or after sexual intercourse.
It is a yet further object to provide a vaginal cleaning device that is more
effective than prior art solutions of lathering or scrubbing, and more
convenient to
use then syringe-like devices.
The above and yet other objects and advantages of the present invention
become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Brief Description of the
Dravuings,
Detailed Description of the Invention, and Claims appended herewith.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the vaginal cleaning
device of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective, exploded view of the vaginal cleaning device of
Fig.1.
Fig. 3 is a side view of part of the vaginal cleaning device of Fig.1.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the retention means of the axial support post
of the device shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a top view of the vaginal cleaning device of Fig. 1, without the
cap.
Fig. 6 is a top view of the device Fig. 5 without the tubular applicator body,
Fig. 7 i s a p erspective v iew o f t he v aginal cleaning d evice o f a
second
embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 8 is a perspective, exploded view of the vaginal cleaning device of
Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 is a perspective, exploded view of a variation of the second
embodiment shown in Figs. 7 and 8, defining a variation of the second
embodiment of the present invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the first embodiment, the present invention provides a vaginal cleaning
device, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The vaginal cleaning device 100 comprises
an applicator 101, an applicator extension 102 and a handle 120.
The applicator 101 comprises an axial support post 114 and a tubular
applicator body 108. The axial support post 114 has a front end 104 and an
opposing rear end 105; a head 110 with a rear surface connected to the front
end
104; and a circular disk 116 disposed around the rear end 105. The applicator
extension 102 has a front end 102a and a rear end 102b, with the front end
102a
integrally dependent from the rear end 105 of the axial support post 114. The
handle means 120 is connected to the rear end 102b of the applicator extension
102. Preferably, the handle means 120 is an integral part of the applicator
extension 102.
The tubular applicator body 108 has a central opening 109, and is
disposed around axial support post 114 between the head 110 and the circular
disk 116. The tubular applicator body 108 is removable from the axial support
post 114 by sliding over the head 110. It is made of a porous flexible
absorbent
material, such as a sponge material, and ribbed cotton as shown in Fig. 1.
Preferably, an FDA approved material, such as a sponge materiai made of
hydrophilic polyurethane foam, is used. The porous surface of the sponge helps
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gently scrubbing the interior of the vagina, and enhances the effectiveness of
cleaning. The tubular applicator body 108 is disposable, which can be
discarded
after one time use. A new tubular applicator body 108 can be installed onto
the
axial support post 114 by simply sliding over the head 110 though the central
opening 109 thereof.
The head 110 has a semi-spherical front surface for comfortable delivery
of the applicator 101 into the vagina of a user. The rear surface of the head
110
is substantially planar. Figs. 5 and 6 show top views of the applicator 101
with,
and without the tubular applicator body 108. The head 110 has an outer
diameter larger than the outer d iameter of the axial support p ost 114 a nd
the
inner diameter of the opening 109 of the tubular applicator body 108, thereby
retaining the tubular applicator body 108 behind the head 110. Preferably, the
outer diameter of the axial support post 114 is in a range from about 3/8 to
about
1/2 inch. The outer diameter of the head is preferably from about 3/8 to about
5/8 inches. Preferably, the lengths of the axial support post 114 and the
tubular
applicator body 108 are from about 2.0 to about 3.0 inches.
Preferably, the axial support post 114 further comprises retention means
112. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the retention means 112 are a plurality of
protruding short rims arranged in a shape of a cross. However, it should be
understood that other shapes and geometries can also be used for the retention
means. The retention means 112 are disposed around the surface of the axial
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support post 114, which assists to hold the tubular applicator body 108 in
place
during use. The combination of the head 110, the circular disk 116 and the
retention m eans 112 maintains t he position o f t he tubular a pplicator body
108
and prevents dislocation of the tubular applicator body 108 during use.
Optionally, the front end 104 of the axial support post 114 can be tapered in
the
direction toward the head 110, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.
The axial support post, head and retention means can be made of a low
density polyethylene, preferably, FDA approved material such as USP Class
6B1-1S010993. Moreover, the axial support post, head, and retention means
can also be made of other FDA approved moldable plastic materials.
The vaginal cleaning device 100 can further comprise an applicator cap
140. In one embodiment, the applicator cap 140 is proportioned for press- or
snap-fittable enclosure of the tubular applicator body 108.
When in use, the user removes the applicator cap 140, inserts the
applicator 101 into the vagina, then tums or moves the applicator 101 forward
and backward to clean the vagina. Furthermore, the user can also wet the
tubular applicator body with a fluid supply source, such as tap water, and
then
use the vagina cleaning device 100 as described above.
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In a second embodiment, the present invention provides a vaginal
cleaning device 200 as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The vaginal cleaning device 200
comprises an applicator 201, a hollow applicator extension 202 and a fluid
supply
means 220.
The applicator 201 comprises a hollow axial support post 214 and a
tubular applicator body 208. The hollow axial support post 214 has a front end
204 and an opposing rear end 205; a head 210 with a rear surface connected to
the front end 204; and a circular disk 216 disposed around the rear end 205.
The
hollow axial support post 214 has a plurality of apertures 226 disposed around
the body of the hollow axial support post 214, for dispensing a fluid. As
shown in
Fig. 8, the apertures 226 are slots aligned along the longitudinal axis of the
hollow axial support post 214. It should be understood that the apertures 226
can also have other shapes and arrangement.
The hollow applicator extension 202 has a front end 202a and a rear end
202b, with the front end 202a integrally dependent from the rear end 205 of
the
hollow a xial s upport p ost 21 4. T he h ollow a pplicator e xtension 2 02 i
s i n f luid
communication with the hollow axial support post 214.
The tubular applicator body 208 has a central opening 209, and is
disposed around the hollow axial support post 214 between the head 210 and
the circular disk 216. The structure, material and property of the tubular
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applicator body 208 are the same as those of tubular applicator body 108
described previously.
Similariy, the structure, material and function of the head 210, circular disk
216 and retention means 212 are the same as those described previously in the
first embodiment, for the head 110, circular disk 116 and retention means 112.
The fluid supply means 220 can be a liquid container, such as a
squeezable bottle, or a squeezable b ag as s hown in Fig. 8. T he f luid
supply
means 220 is connected to the rear end 202b of the hollow applicator extension
202 by a connection means. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, the squeezable
bag is connected to the hollow applicator extension 202 by a thread
connection.
As shown, the rear end 202b of the hollow applicator extension 202 has
external
threads 224, and the squeezable bag has complementary intemal threads for
mutual connection. It should be understood that other suitable connection
means with a fluid-tight seal can also be used for connecting the fluid supply
means 220 to the hollow applicator extension 202. In use, the fluid supply
means 220 also functions as a handle for holding the vagina cleaning device
200.
When in use, the user inserts the applicator 201 into the vagina, then
squeezes the fluid supply means 220 to force the fluid contained inside to the
hollow axial support post 214 through the applicator extension 202. The fluid
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dispensed through the apertures 226 into the tubular applicator body 208. Then
the user can tum or move the applicator 201 forward and backward to clean the
vagina.
Fig. 9 shows a variation of the vaginal cleaning device 200. As shown,
apertures 226 are slots aligned with an angle to the longitudinal axis of the
hollow
axial support post 214. In this embodiment, the rear end 202b of the hollow
applicator extension 202 has an enlarged interface portion for engaging with
the
liquid bottle 220. The fluid contained in the fluid supply means 220, such as
that
t0 shown in Fig. 9 as fluid 236, can be water, or a pharmaceutically
acceptable
cleaning agent, or deodorant. Optionally, the fluid can also contain one or
more
medicines for treatment use.
While there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of
the instant invention it is to be appreciated that the invention may be
embodied
otherwise than is herein specifically shown and described and that, within
said
embodiment, certain changes may be made in the form without departing from
the underlying ideas or principles of this invention as set forth In the
Claims
appended herewith.
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