US 9,022,919 B2Granted

Vaginal insert device having a support portion with plurality of struts

AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.

InventorsKimberly Louise Ellefson, Jason Robert Boon, Garry Roland Woltman, MaryAnn Zunker, Patricia Ann Samolinski, Walter George Bauer, Vivian Kate Barad, Nicole Sarah Kahn, Gina Lynn Romero, Elger Oberwelz, James Rolfe Yurchenco, Jonah Lawrence Houston, Tiffany Heather Card, Martin Schnitzer

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Abstract

A vaginal insert device including a support portion, a stabilizing portion, a removal device, and at least one fluid passageway extending though the support portion is disclosed. The vaginal insert relaxes in the vagina to deliver outward compression force against the bladder neck via the anterior vaginal wall to assist prevention of urinary stress incontinence. The substantially cylindrical support portion has a distal end, a proximal end, and a hollow interior section with a plurality of struts extending from the distal end to the proximal end. Desirably, the plurality of struts helically curve as the plurality of struts extend from the distal end to the proximal end. The largest circumference of the support portion has an insertion diameter when the plurality of struts are twisted together and an in-use diameter wherein the plurality of struts are extended outward into a convex position larger than the insertion diameter.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A vaginal insert device comprising:

a compliable resilient material;
a substantially cylindrical support portion having a distal end comprising the compliable resilient material, a proximal end comprising the compliable resilient material, and a plurality of struts comprising the compliable resilient material, each of the plurality of struts helically extending from the compliable resilient material at the distal end and terminating at the compliable resilient material at the proximal end, the support portion also having a hollow interior section wherein the hollow interior section is bounded at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material of the distal end of the support portion, at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material of the proximal end of the support portion and at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material of each of the plurality of struts helically extending from the distal end to the proximal end of the support portion, wherein a largest circumference of the support portion has an insertion diameter when the plurality of struts are twisted together into a nested configuration;
a stabilizing portion attached to the distal end of the support portion, the stabilizing portion comprising the compliable resilient material;
at least one fluid passageway extending between at least two adjacent struts of the plurality of struts into the hollow interior section, the fluid passageway defined by a closed border wherein the fluid passageway is bordered at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material at the distal end of the support portion, at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material at the proximal end of the support portion, and at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material of at least two adjacent struts of the plurality of struts helically extending from the distal end of the support portion to the proximal end of the support portion;
and
a removal member attached to the vaginal insert device.

3 more elements

A vaginal insert device comprising:

a compliable resilient material;
a substantially cylindrical support portion having a distal end comprising the compliable resilient material, a proximal end comprising the compliable resilient material a plurality of struts comprising the compliable resilient material, each of the plurality of struts extending helically from the compliable resilient material at the distal end and terminating at the compliable resilient material at the proximal end, the support portion also having a hollow interior section wherein the hollow interior section is bounded at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material of the distal end of the support portion, at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material of the proximal end of the support portion and at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material of each of the plurality of struts helically extending from the distal end to the proximal end of the support portion, the support portion having an insertion mode wherein a largest circumference of the support portion has an insertion diameter when the plurality of struts are twisted together into a nested configuration;
the support portion having an in-use mode wherein the largest circumference of the support portion has an in-use diameter larger than the insertion diameter, and the support portion having a removal mode;
a stabilizing portion attached to the distal end of the support portion, the stabilizing portion comprising the compliable resilient material;
at least one fluid passageway extending between at least two adjacent struts of the plurality of struts into the hollow interior section, the fluid passageway defined by a closed border wherein the fluid passageway is bordered at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material at the distal end of the support portion, at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material at the proximal end of the support portion, and at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material of at least two adjacent struts of the plurality of struts helically extending from the distal end of the support portion to the proximal end of the support portion;
and
and a removal member attached to the vaginal insert device.

4 more elements

A method of manufacturing a vaginal insert device comprising:

providing a vaginal insert device comprising a compliable resilient material;
a substantially cylindrical support portion having a distal end comprising the compliable resilient material, a proximal end having the compliable resilient material, and a plurality of struts comprising the compliable resilient material, each of the plurality of struts helically extending from the compliable resilient material at the distal end and terminating at the compliable resilient material at the proximal end, the support portion also having a hollow interior section wherein the hollow interior section is bounded at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material of the distal end of the support portion, at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material of the proximal end of the support portion and at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material of each of the plurality of struts helically extending from the distal end to the proximal end of the support portion, a stabilizing portion attached to the distal end of the support portion, the stabilizing portion comprising the compliable resilient material, at least one fluid passageway extending between at least two adjacent struts of the plurality of struts into the hollow interior section, the fluid passageway defined by a closed border wherein the fluid passageway is bordered at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material at the distal end of the support portion, at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material at the proximal end of the support portion, and at least in part by a portion of the compliable resilient material of at least two adjacent struts of the plurality of struts helically extending from the distal end of the support portion to the proximal end of the support portion;
and a removal member attached to the vaginal insert device;
twisting the plurality of struts together into a nested configuration wherein a largest circumference of the support portion has an insertion diameter;
and
storing the vaginal insert device within an applicator.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/977,547Filed 23 Dec 2010
Published: US 2012/0165601 A128 Jun 2012
Granted: 5 May 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

A61F 13/2034
Characterised by the shape: having grooves or ribs, having a main axis in the longitudinal direction
A61F 13/202
Characterised by the use: catamenial tampons
A61F 13/2022
Tampons, e.g. catamenial tampons; Accessories therefor: characterised by the shape
A61F 13/2025
Characterised by the shape: adapted to change of shape once expelled of the applicator