# US 10,245,190 B2 · Incontinence system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,190 B2 - Document ID: US10245190B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/495,736 - Filed: 2017-04-24 - Published: 2017-08-10 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-12 - Assignees: Zilm-RhoMax Products, LLC - Applicants: Zilm-RhoMax Products, LLC - Inventors: William M. Zilm - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245190B2 ## CPC - A61F 13/4702: {having a reinforcing member} - A61F 2/0009: {placed in or outside the body opening close to the surface of the body (plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ A61B17/0057)} - A61F 13/15617: {Making absorbent pads from fibres or pulverulent material with or without treatment of the fibres} - A61F 13/47: Sanitary towels, incontinence pads or napkins (A61F13/49 takes precedence) - A61F 13/471: specially adapted for male use - A61F 13/47218: {with a raised crotch region, e.g. hump} - A61F 13/47236: {characterised by an unusual contour} - A61F 13/47263: {with activating means, e.g. elastic, heat or chemical activatable means} - A61F 13/58: Adhesive tab fastener elements ({A61F13/5611, A61F13/5616}, A61F13/66 take precedence) - A61F 13/622: {Fabric strip fastener elements, e.g. hook and loop} - A61H 39/04: Devices for pressing such points, e.g. Shiatsu {or Acupressure}(Massage or pressure on general areas A61H9/00 - A61H23/00) - A61F 2013/15146: {for urine collection} - A61F 2013/8476: {with various devices or method} - A61F 2250/0018: differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility - A61F 2250/0059: temporary - A61H 2201/165: Wearable interfaces - A61H 2205/087: Genitals - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N) ## Abstract Particular embodiments of the inventive technology may provide an incontinence pad that includes projection, such as a raised ridge, or a short length projection, that extends from a pad base of and effects application of a force against the urethra of a user (the force, typically upward, that may result from sitting by the user and/or tight fitting shorts and/or pulling a cord attached to the projection); the projection may act to transfer a force from the projection to the urethra. This force may partially or entirely obstruct flow of urine through, or out of the urethra, that might occur otherwise (i.e., without the projection). Another example of the many independent aspects of the inventive technology relates to the provision, as part of an incontinence pad, of a cord that is attached to part of the pad, such as (in only certain embodiments) the aforementioned upward projection. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An improved incontinence apparatus comprising: base material forming a base that has an outer surface capable of being established proximate clothing of a user when said incontinence apparatus is worn by said user, with said base having a centerline; a raised ridge established above at least part of said base on at least a portion of said centerline, an inner surface capable of being established adjacent tissue of said user when said incontinence apparatus is worn by said user; and a cord have a manually graspable portion, and a remaining cord portion, wherein said raised ridge comprises base material that is folded around, and adhesively secured around, at least a portion of said remaining cord portion, and wherein said apparatus is configured so that, when said user grasps and upwardly pulls said manually graspable portion of said cord, an upward force on said cord is transferred to said raised ridge to: provide a targeted, localized pressure from a first portion of said raised ridge against a urethra of said user sufficient to substantially block urine flow through said urethra so as to mitigate incontinence, and secure a different, rearward portion of said raised ridge in an intergluteal cleft of said user to maintain said targeted, localized pressure, wherein said first portion of said raised ridge has a height, shape, and stiffness, and is small enough, in width in a coronal plane cross-section, to provide said targeted, localized pressure against said urethra when said incontinence apparatus is worn by said user upon application of said upward force on said cord by said user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An improved incontinence apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said user is a female user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An improved incontinence apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said user is a male user. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An improved incontinence apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said first portion of said raised ridge is higher above said base than is said different, rearward portion of said raised ridge. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An improved incontinence apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising an overflow absorbent portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An improved incontinence apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said raised ridge comprises base material that is folded around, and adhesively secured around, at least a portion of said remaining cord portion, so that surfaces of said base material are adhesively secured to each other.