US2351836A - Vaginal pack device - Google Patents

Description

. 1 June 20, 1 944.

o. PQPPE R VAGINAL PACK DEVICE Filed March 24, 1941 ZSheets-Sheet 1 Ill- JuneZO, 1944. A o, POPPER 2,351,836 I VAGINAL PACK DEVICE Filed March 24, 1941 Sheets-Sheet 2 171/1911 a I 14 9 fi pcr Patented June '20, 1944 UNITED 'TSTA'lES Z1Pieifil.N.T .ol s c VAGINAD PACK 'OttoPopper, Johannesburg,Transvaal, Union, of South Africa ApplieatiomMarch- 24, 1941;" Serial-No'."385;021 In.,the UnionofSouth AfricafOctbberFIS' 1938 .i.'I.his invention-relatesto vaginal pack devices, :zcomprising. an-absorbent pack and an applicator which serves thepurpose of facilitatinglthe introduction of :the pack into the. vagina and is .then withdrawn esaidapplicator comprising a 5 .j, is:.-an object ofthe invention-to providea pack" 1' device. .by which. the .pack .can .be .passed fully -:into :the. proximal endof. the vaginal cavity-with- :out, during such .m0vement,-.- contactingwith the vaginal walls, .-so that friction betweenvthecpack .andsaid walls. is avoided. ;A more. specificobject i is -to-enableithe entire operation of. so positioning thepack and. the subsequent withdrawal of.- the enclosureto be. effected by manipulationiexternal inf the. vagina, without the, devicebeing ofincon- -venient length.

:Another objectis. to form the proximal .endoof "the pack device of the applicator, that is itheend which .is passed vfirst into the vagina,. in .a particrularsmannertvvell.v adapted for. ease of introduction..into' the vaginaand avoidance. oflinjury -to ,the .body'tissues.

,-'Accordingj to .thisoinventioma vaginal .pack .de-

vice comprisesa .pack. of absorbenttmate'rialand of elongated; form and ..an externa11y .smooth.ap- .gplicatorltherefor whichashields the pack. against ..'contact-with the .walls. ofsthe vagina during-movement. of the. .applicatortand pack together, to .position the. pack in. the vupper. vaginal cavity; the applicator comprising aLh'ollow elongated casing ,of easilydiscardable .material .such was paper :iformed.-at.one.side with. alongitudinaligap' form- .fiing -.a path for a member which when. extended -.transversely through said. gap. from i the. exterior of the applicator is adapted to.. hold ttheipack .r stationary while .the-applicatoriis vbeirJgdrawn iback therefrom; .the applicator shell being .of

-:;suflici ent. .length to have, whenipositioned .with ,lits proximal .end in the upper vaginal cavity, a ;;;,-graspable portion of-it projecting from the vagina.

- .iPreferably ithe pack device ..comprises--a packs.

detaining memberwhi'ch' contacts with thefdistal endor the *pack andjprovides a digit contacting '=point space'ddistally-away from the pack; said "digit contacting point being -'-accessible" through ""the' longitudinal gap bfthe Shell "0r being DIO- videdflby "a portion ofthe pack-detaining memberpr'ojecting-through said gap. 1

Several" forms of the* invention are 5 illustrated 1 in the accompanying drawings in" which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view 6f'-an-.-assembled pack device, including an applicator casing "formedwitha longitudinal-gap,

Figure 2 is a plan'ofFigure'l. "Figure'3 is a 'sideele'vation: sectioned on -33 of"Fig1lre"'2. i

*Figure" 4 is" a cross section taken Ton 4 4' 'Figv.ure"3.

-"Figuref5"is a"'cross-sectiontaken on about 5 5 *Figure 3; but "showing partsrdisplaced.

- rFigure? 6-1isa "section *respectively 'a'. front ele- -vation-and a; longitudinal section similar. to Figure-3; butssh-owing- "the "applicator formed "with -a-bulbousvend.

Figure '7-isa"-frontelevation "of-'the "device of --Figurer8 -is-afrontelevation of. a form ofthe packdevice vinwwhich the applicator gap is closed sby a strip 1 of easilyrupturablematerial.

*- Figure9 ,is a perspective "view of' a-.pack-"device, =in-whiclrthe applicator-comprises a "casing and a pack-detainingmember.

itherapplicator consistsonlyofthe pack-enclosing vmember, whichv this. caselis shaped as a ..hollow uelongatedashell 2 -which .materiallyencloses the pack 3.- 'l'hel-rshell rissformed with. a

1ongitudina1 .slot.4. -at one side. Theiunction of .Wsaid, slotlis to. admit? afingerathrough it: andi to .contact. with the...pack 3 as-indicated at 5 in .45.

Figures 3 ..,and-.'5iafter .the .device has vbeen .brought.-into.posi-tion within thevagina. The .normal .width .of the. slot 4 is .usually I made less thanithe wi'dthlofi the-finger so .that the .finger .widens ,the. slot .and, ..byv..there by.iexpanding the .shell,.l1frees v the latter ,to a.;considerable extent ...from,.the. pack and so, fac'ilit'ates its withdrawal .therefrom.

' The .shell, which-is intended .to be discarded .after :use, .is' made, oripaper, moulded cellulose 55-.pu1p, .or..1ike., inexpensive material which; isrstifi graspable portion 8 of it projecting from the vag- I inal canal. I Y

The proximal end 9 of the shell is left open sufficiently to enable the pack 3 to pass relatively out of the shell when the latter is withdrawn; but steps are taken to prevent or minimize con tact of the pack material with the vaginal wall since as pointed out above the pack material is fibrous and so apt to set up undesirable friction. For this purpose, the end surface ID of the pack 3 may be depressed below the adjacent terminal edge II of the shell; and thesurface of the pack immediatelywithin the slot 4 may be similarly depressed as shown at I2. The said edge II may be rounded as by doubling or rolling it over. as shown more particularly in Figures 3 and 4. The edges'of the shell at the sides of the slot 4 do not need rounding, at any rateto the same extent as the forward edge II; and they may be simply turned inward.

The distal end 8 of the shell which provides the above-mentioned graspable portion may be shaped as a tab, and is so shown.

The pack is retained in the shell principally by the frictional grip of the latter on it, but there may be provided, in addition, a mechanical stop to ensure the pack being kept properly positioned in the shell during the insertion of the device. For this purpose the shell material on one side of the slot 4 may be formed with a lateral extension which is bent inward to form a lug I3 positioned beneath the pack. The pack is provided in the usual way, with a cord I4 for withdrawing it from thevagina when it has served its purpose.

In order to facilitate the introduction of'the device into the vagina, it is preferred to terminate the proximal end of the shell 2 at a plane indicated by'I5-I5 Figure 3, inclined to the length of the shell. In this way so much-oi the length of said proximal end which is thereby slanted off, viz., the length 1:, becomes ahollow ungula in which the oblique terminal edge II' corresponds to the oblique face of the corresponding solid ungula. This ungual form possesses the advantages of a wedge in its capacity-for gently parting the oppositesides of the vaginal wallswhich'normally lie flat against one another; with the added advantage that its forward end is transversely tapered and curved towards its apex which further facilitates its entry and avoids the sharp corners of a true wedge.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 6 and '7 the proximal end of the device, whilst retaining the described ungual shape," is also given a bulbous form which further facilitates the introduction of. the device into the vagina. Such bulbous form provides at a short .distance from its apex I6, a bulged section ll of greater lateral extent than the general body portion of member 2. Said section I I by locally distending the vaginal cavity, avoids or minimizes contact of said general body portion with the vaginal walls and so'minimizes friction thereon. 'Also direction of penetrating movement, so facilitatin its easy movement over the vaginal wall.

In the use of the device, the shell with the pack positioned within it is passed into the upper vaginal cavity. A finger 5, Figures 3 and 5, is then inserted through the slot 4 and pressed against the underside of the pack, as shown. The insertion of the finger into the slot expands the shell as indicated in Figure 5 and so frees the pack to a considerable extent from the shell. While the pack is thus retained, the shell is grasped by its tab 8 and drawn past the pack and the finger; whereupon the latter is withdrawn, leaving the pack in position in the upper vaginal cavity.

Figure 8 shows the same shell as that of Figure 7 buthaving its slot 4 covered by smooth-surfaced thin sheet material l8 suitable to be split by pressure'of the finger against it. The commencement of the split is facilitated by providing a V- out I9 at the point where the finger first contacts with the sheet and lines of weakness 20 leading from said-V-cut. The proximal end of the shell may be left open, with the pack material sunk below it, as in the first described examples; or the end of the shell may be covered by an extension 2Iof the sheet material I8. Said extension 2I maybe formed with lines of weakness 22 at which it splits by pressure against the proximal end of the pack when the shell is withdrawn, so enabling the pack to emerge relatively to the shell.

7 Figures 9 to 11 show a form of the invention in which the applicator comprises a pack-enclosing member and a pack-detaining member.

The pack-enclosing member is a tube 23'which, like the tube 2 of Figures 1 to 8, presents a smooth external, surface adapted to make easy sliding contact with the vaginal walls; and has the pack ,3 arranged within its proximal end.- The tube stantially not less length than the length of the pack and, preferably, closed at both ends.

, The applicator further comprises the packdetaining member 24 which is relatively slidable within the tube 23 and comprises a portion 25 extending materially transversely of the tube and contacting with the distal end 26 of'the'p'ack for the purpose of maintaining the pack in its high position in the vagina when the .tube 23. is stripped back from it.

The member 24 is constructed to enable it to be digitally, retained against endwise movement. For thispurpose it is shown as being provided with a laterally directed lug 21' extending out of the slot 4 so that it may be grasped by the fingers. Said lug is connected to the transverse portion 25 by the. spacing strip 28 which spacesthe lug away from the pack and towardsthe distal end 8 ofv the tube 23. The strip 28 is wider than the slot 4 so as to be retained within the tube 23 while the lugilprojects through the slot. The

the edge I I near to the apex I6 is, by the bulbous.

formation, turned materially transversely to the distance betweenthe apex I6 and the lug 21 is made greater than the length of the normal vagina, for instance more than three and one-half inches, thus ensuring that the lugZI is external of' the vagina, when they pack is fully insertedtherein. i

The pack device is made use of with its parts in the relative positions shown in Figure 9, that is with the pack enclosed in the proximal end of the tube 23 and the member 24 positioned with its portion 25. in contactwiththe distal end 26 of the pack and with its lug "21 restnastiness xwsult His {achieved-ms ink the anther rexampleethat;the:pa'ck isztransportedfintoizitstproperz-posizztion in -the uppersvaginal cavitytwithout having contacted xwvithi':thexvaginalzz-walls. ":The sdistance .tha'ongh' which qtheapackiahas rto she. tthus z-trans- 5 sgpolgted.zisrzindicatefi'tin ithe:ndrawingswbymimenasionicmntl save-sages :.=th1:ee::and zone-half 1 -lnches aasrmentionedzxabove.

1 The :pack .ihavinglbeen thus apositione'd, :the

dznbe 22-3 .is:.withdrawn' from -it, z-assillustrated iins 310, .Eby .downward: traction applied; at its edis'talxenliii 8 .Whi'18 i-thezpackfiis rheldinxrpo'sition .rin ez-thezupperrvaginal :cavity,-tby means of the '..emember :24 :which. in :turn:. is" held: stationary; by

:rmeans-bf :the'lug 1-21. iFI'he slot l-allows the tube -;23 L120 rhave xthe -ifreedom ef "movement rela- .itivelyr to sthe'memberZNtnecessary forsuch'withidrawingsmovement of lithe-tube; :that "is :to say "said sslotiis:eabout asilong asfthe zpa'ck. mes ':soonrasizthe proximal end of itube 23 been-idrawn away fromi theidistal end ifi toftthe FigureaIO) ,:the izlatter -is held z-fin position by its .scontact swith 1.the xuaginal walls and the function of :the 'aapplicator is :zcompleted. 'Ihe digital :holdzzonilug can them-be; relinquished :30

sandiithe applicator sparts it 2-3 21 are Withdrawn together by continued traction on the {distal .:.end.:8 :ofitube :23 .the proximal end 29 of the JSIO-t ZtDOSSIbIY zcontacting with thedlug 21 'to en- -sure.-J;he:'withdrawa1 of -thevmember 24.

:In order cthat :ithe above edescribed. steps of -;;insertionz and withdrawal may be. efiected wholly jayniigital: operation externalrof the: vagina' it is :necessa'ry'. that :i the length :o'fl zthel tube 23 .t-shan aibe TSOJmUCh greater than the: above mentioned dim'ensionsm, ithatrwwhen :said tube is ;-ful1y- 'in- :serted :as :described, venough Lot its distal end 8 remains projecting from the vagina jto enable-titxto'zberfiectivelygrasped.

aHowerergsuch :length of itubeizziszthe ma-ximum wlength sthe whole device sned have, si nce al- ---ithough-iithe= lug L 21 'mustralso be external to the izaginazwhen tthe pack: is f ullyi'inserted' in order ':.-'.tha;t.:it:'.also :may gbe externally manipulatedja'the.

' i 50 2thenpackwszith it.

.jifactioflsaid dugubeing exposed' through the 'slot 4which is within lithe a lengt'h or 1 23-eenables the .zxcombined length of ithe pa'ck 3 and the member 2224 :a to l be no greater than the "length azofzthettubeifi.

izThenproximal end of 'ithe tube'3 23 may -be:of aun'gual ashape asiillustrated in IFigure :1,-or "of .zAccording toea' furtherfeature of the invention, the member 24 is extended' bey'on'd its .packecontacting aielement :25 -=an-d :beyond #the iproximal $.30 ;0f *the tube 23, and -is -there wholly in iitself ors-in :conjunction with the z-proxim-al :endiitfl oft-the tube, the aforesaid un-"' iggual .zor: ungual sand :bulbous .f formations which facilitategthe insertion :of 'the pack device. In :;the specificform :shown; the member d l 1 is con- .rtinuedfrom J 25 rand: in ither direction -=of the i proximalzend zo'fwtthe applicator as .a. 1. portion 32 has 1125 Lin order that the? head .:may be. of {maximum csize consistent I with "free :release of the 'pack .a'therefrom, :its greatest :cross-sebtionpviz, :at i the .tbase riitzfwhere itjoins ctheaitube, is :prefer'ably :35 mnadeiiofwthe rcircularsextentiofqz about.,1=80. .lThe

mention-13 -zalso' rmade arcuate :to-a merge 1? into izthe'irheadu and .rthiszform' also 1 gives it :stifiness "and fioccupies zthe --minimum :space between the .zpackiand-.theutube. Y 7

.I'herhollow: .ungualae'nd formations already del scribedgisuin the present instance formed partly --in&rthe2 head attend-partly infithe proximal end of thestube', owing :to -sthe :limiteda'circularaex- -tent1xof the head. That ungual face is --representdrin part'by ;the::edge n34;-o'fithe.z'head ,iandthe .extension""35/ of. it. on .z thertube which .:-is -;necessary :to: :complete 'ithe eel'lipse' v Toxassist'in 1freein'g'%the pack, .;the :crossesec- 220 ff-fioniiflf T the: member 24 r at the "base 33 :ofiathe zhead 1.: maybe origina11y made of greatzerradius -than the :tube 23,; so -:that: the wings j38=;at the bases: of "the? head rare :pressed "towards one zan- .:-other: when :thermemberrfl sis within the tube, but-spring?aapartpwhen;:released' from "the tube, :sufliciently to :ensurethat .,theyrdo-:not gripi-the hack. 1

:EThe =head :moreovertis -:pr efe-rab1y :o'f bulbous "IOI'mTOIITthEGSidG opposite: the edgefl34; and .this ':bu1b.ous% form mayrbe well developed by; bulging $43116 ::-base 33 1 -;ofthe head :beyond ;the periphery :.'of".:the tube. v I

:.%-A :preferrednrkind cof :pack "to use "with athe applicator just described "is ShOWlIjm01T8"C18aI -.-i=i---ly., in Figure- 12. :It consists er :a lengthgof ab- 1 sorptive .-material 5 such as v:cotton =-wool, laterally "compressed r tor give' tit: a degree :of 5 stiffnesseand then: bentat ."3'lft0; form twolegs -3a, 3b- .which, owing :to the elasticity rofy'the vcompressed-:ma-

MOrteriaLvtendto separate. "When -such a packthas been brought intoits "position :in.-the-;vagina i by: means a of i the applicator in "the" manner derscribed and therrtube 123 :is withdrawn to free the; pack,- a the .free rends of the legs move; apart s -thus tending totpropelthe packassawhole .';-1at rerally out of-the concavity ofitheqmemberz 24rand with one .leg'i in anchoring engagement withathe :vaginal wallso i that .:the subsequent withdrawal rof the member'a 24 has "little atendencyyto r-scarry I-claim: .:1. A l-vaginal pack applicator vcomprising a smooth 'surfacedzpack enclosing member adapted uto :contain: a :pack at its :proximal end 1 and also adapted to be stripped from the packibydigital -traction exerted 1 on itsWdistal end, and a :packrdetainingrmember:rcomprising a portion adaptived sto;smake contact with-the distal end of the cpackand thereby retain the pack while the 1pack:-.enclosing: member isz-stripped from it 'and comprising also a. digit-contacting portion and "awspacing portion extending in the direction of the lengthl'of the applicator:- and connecting: said first mentionedt two. portions while spacing: them,

as portion .=extending -beyond the proximal end of' the pack-enclosing member and being thereformed as a head shaped =to facilitate insertion of the applicator into the vagina.

52. A .yaginal .pack applicator comprising a :smooth-su'rface'ctpack-enclosing member adapted 1 to contain a pack at its proximal end an'cl ialso -adapted to be stripped. from .the pack by digital' .traction exerted on" its. distal end; and a pack-detaining member comprising a portion to esay," the :islope'd 65 said pack-detaining member further: comprising adapted w makei contact with the distal end of the pack and-thereby retain theQpack: while the pack-enclosing member is strippedc-from' it,

and comprising 'also a digit-contacting portion and a spacing-portion extending 'in'the'direction a smooth-surfaced pack-enclosing :memberadapted to contain an absorbent pack at its proximal-end andalso adapted to be stripped from the'pack by digital traction 1 exerted on its distal':end,:saidpack-enclosing -member being longitudinally slotted at one side; and a pack-detaining member comprising a portion 'adapted to'make contact with the distal endofia pack contained in the proxima1 end of the 'pack-enclosing .mem-,'

ber, together with a tab extending throu'ghthe slot and a spacing portion extending in the direction of the length of the applicator. and connecting said tab to' aid pack contacting portion and spacing it therefrom towards the "distal end: of the applicator, said pack-detaining member further comprising a portion extending beyond the proximal end ofthe pack-encloslngmember and being there formed as'a headtapering forwardly and of 'hollow=arcuatefi section transversely to the length of the applicator.

4. A vaginal pack applicator comprising a smooth-surfacedpack-enclosing member adapted to contain a pack at its proximal end and also adapted to be stripped from the pack by digital traction exerted on its distal end, and a packdetaining member comprising a portion adapted to make contact with the distal end of the-pack and thereby retain thepack while the'pack-enclosing memberis' stripped from it,"and com-. prising also a digit-contacting portion and a spacing portion extendingin the direction of the length of the applicator and connecting said first mentioned two portions while spacing-them, said pack-detaining member further comprising "a portion extending beyond the proximal end of the pack-enclosing member and being" there "formed 'as a headsof "hollow 'arcuate transverse section and of bulbous-form larger in diameter than the pack-enclosing member.

5. A vaginal applicator comprising .a tube longitudinally slottedtowards its distal 'end,'the tube slot being substantiallyflof not'less length than the length of 'the unslotted proximal end of .the

tube, and a detainingmember-the longitudinal dimension of whichextends within the length of the tube, said'member being slidable within the tube and providingv a finger contacting point rendered accessible -by.the tube slotting .and also providing a packcontacting. point 1 spaced from.1;,

said finger contacting point in the direction towards the proximal end, of the tube-by adistance approximating the length of a pack.

6. A vaginal applicator comprising'atube made immersed in water, said tube being longitudinally slotted towards its distal end, the tube slot being substantially of not less length than the length detaining member, the longitudinal dimension of which extends within the length of the tube, said .-member being slidable-within the tube and providinga pack detainingportionand a'finger contacting point spaced from said portion by a distance'approximating' the length ofua-pack and rendered: accessiblei by the tuber-slotting; said finger contacting. pointrbeing provided by a-lug which extends outward through said slotting; a r '7. 1A vaginal packdevice'comprising a smoothsurfaced tubular-pack-Jenclosing member, a pack having the characteristic of being elastically laterally expansible enclosed inthe'proximal end. of the pack-enclosing member and "thereby restrained against latera1 expansion, said pack-enclosing member being; adapted to be stripped from the pack bydigital traction exerted on its distal end, and-a. pack-detaining-lmember comprising a portion adapted to make contact with the distal end ofthe;pack and'thereby retain, the pack while the pack-enclosing member is stripped from it,and comprising also a digit-contacting portion and a spacing portion extendingin the direction of the lengthof the applicator and connecting said first mentioned :two portions while spacing them, said pack detaining member further comprising a'portion extendingzwithin the pack-enof theunslotted proximalend of the tube, and a closing member alongside the-packand terminating beyond the proximal; end of the pack-enclosing member andbeing-there formed as a head shaped to facilitate:insertionofpthe applicator intothe vagina.-

,' 8. For a .vaginal'pack device, a pack-detaining member comprising a head of hollow arcuate transverse section and of bulbousfform, anextension piece integral with the head and carrying :said' head at its one end, and bent at its otherend, to providea portionmaterially transverse tothe longitudinal axis of the head, a tab materially parallel with the aforesaid transverse portion, and a spacing strip'spacing said tab from said transverse portion and'co'nne'cting said tabtoit. 1

9. For a vaginal packdevice, a'pack-detaining member-comprising astrip formed at itsone end with a headand being bent at a point distant from the head to provide a portion which is materially transverse to theimain extension of said strip, a tabmaterially paralle1 to said'transverse portion and a strip spacing and connecting said transverse portion and said tab.-

.10. For a;vaginal pack device, a pack-detaining. memberconsisting of a strip formed at its one end with a head and bent three times alon'g'its length to provide, at a point distant from said head, a portion materially transverse to the iongitudinal axis of thehead, and to provide'also a tab substantially parallel to said transverse'portion, and a strip spacing said'tab from said transverse portion.- I ;11.=A vaginal applicator comprising a tube longitudinally slottedtowards its distal end; the tube slot being closed at both ends and substantially of not less length than the length of the un- "slotted proximal end of the tube,'a detaining member the longitudinal dimension of which extends within the length of the-tube; a tab on said detaining-member projecting through said of material which softens and losesits form when" slot, said member being slidable within the tube and providing a pack contacting point spaced from said tab in the direction towards the proximal end of the tube bya distanceapproximating thelen-gth ofapack v l I J OTTO POBPER.

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