WO1999000077A1

WO1999000077A1 - Apparatus for men suffering from urinary incontinence

Info

Publication number: WO1999000077A1
Application number: PCT/IT1998/000138
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francesco Lisi
Original assignee: Meditec S.R.L.
Priority date: 1997-06-30
Filing date: 1998-05-27
Publication date: 1999-01-07
Also published as: ITPR970013U1; IT242913Y1; ITPR970013V0

Abstract

The invention falls within the sector of apparatus for men suffering from urinary incontinence and envisages a sheath (6) for containing the penis, provided with means for removable fastening to underpants (1) provided with an opening (2).

Description

APPARATUS FOR MEN SUFFERING FROM URINARY INCONTINENCE

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for men suffering from urinary incontinence.

Men suffering from urinary incontinence have hitherto made use of incontinence underpants for adults or internal or external catheters with pipes for discharging the urine, which lead into bags fastened to a leg by means of straps. Special underpants are also known, said underpants being provided with a hole to which a sort of sheath containing the penis, essentially in the form of a condom, is fixed integrally thereto. Said retaining sheath has an outlet hole for the urine, which is engaged directly with the pipe leading to the storage bag.

It is obvious, however, that these underpants are somewhat costly and moreover may pose problems from a hygienic point of view when they have to be reused.

Sheaths are also known, again in the form of a condom, which are separate from the underpants, can be fitted directly onto the penis and are made to adhere to the latter using an elastic ring which is inserted at the base of the penis so as to compress it elastically and hold the sheath in position. Another type of sheath has a double adhesive strip which is placed between the penis and sheath. These latter types of sheaths are intended to be used with normal underpants, i.e. with underpants which are not open at the front or have a side opening.

It is therefore difficult to pass the penis through this side opening without the risk of the penis slipping out of the sheath. The object of the present invention is to overcome the abovementioned drawbacks and provide a device for men suffering from urinary incontinence, which is disposable and hence very hygienic, can be easily applied to the underpants and is not costly.

Another object is to provide special underpants which are intended to be combined with the device, being formed such that they can be reused several times, although the device per se is of the disposable type.

Said objects are fully achieved by the apparatus which forms the subject of the present invention and which is characterized by the contents of the claims below and in particular in that it comprises means for removably fastening a sheath containing the penis to the underpants or to a garment worn by the user.

Said means preferably consist of an essentially annular element which surrounds the entrance of the sheath and is provided with fastening elements which are intended to cooperate with corresponding fastening elements positioned on the underpants or on garments worn by the user.

The fastening elements may consist of velcro both associated with the annular element and positioned around an opening provided in the underpants or the garment worn by the user.

These and other characteristic features will emerge more clearly from the following description of a preferred embodiment illustrated, purely by way of a non-limiting example, in the accompanying illustrative plate, in which:

- Figure 1 shows the apparatus connected to the underpants;

- Figure 2 shows the apparatus and the underpants separated from one another.

With reference to the figures, 1 denotes underpants provided at the front with an opening 2 in a central position through which the penis is able to emerge.

The opening 2 on the outer side is surrounded by a layer 3 of velcro arranged annularly around the opening and intended to be combined with a corresponding layer 4 of velcro associated with an apparatus for urinary incontinent men, denoted in its entirety by 5. The apparatus 5 comprises a sheath 6 for containing the penis, essentially in the form of a condom and made of latex. The sheath 6 is provided with an outlet for discharging the urine into a pipe 7 which leads into a storage bag or container 8 of an essentially known type.

The layer 4 of velcro associated with the sheath 6 is applied on a spongy annular element

9 which surrounds the bottom of said sheath. Said annular element 9 is not of the elastic type and thus no compression is exerted on the base of the penis which therefore remains completely free inside the sheath.

This undoubtedly represents an advantage from the point of view of circulation of the blood in the penis and nevertheless allows the penis to be kept correctly positioned inside the sheath without it slipping out, since the particular position in which the opening 2 is formed in the underpants allows the penis to remain perfectly positioned inside the sheath, in a natural position.

According to a variation of embodiment not shown, it is envisaged that the apparatus may be applied, instead of to an opening 2 in the underpants, to another similar opening provided in any other garment worn by the user. For example it could be a fairly long vest provided at the front with a central opening at the height of the penis.

According to a further variation of embodiment it is envisaged that the layer of velcro 3 and the layer of velcro 4 may be replaced by other similar means for fastening the apparatus 5 to the underpants or the garment worn by the user. In particular the possible use of automatic buttons is envisaged. The layers of velcro 3 and 4 form the fastening elements intended to co-operate with one another in order to allow fixing of the apparatus to the underpants. Said fastening elements together with the annular element 9 form means for fastening the sheath to the underpants or to a garment worn by the user. As a result of the present invention, which has an extremely simple and economical design, it is also possible to combine the use of an apparatus for incontinent men of the disposable type with a type of underpants or garment which can be reused several times.

Claims

1. Apparatus for men suffering from urinary incontinence, of the type comprising:

- a sheath containing the penis, provided with an outlet for discharging the urine;

- a pipe which connects the outlet of the sheath to a receptacle for collecting the urine which is normally provided with means for fastening it to the body or to the bed of the user, characterized in that it comprises means for removably fastening the sheath to the underpants or to a garment worn by the user.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, in which said means for removably fastening the sheath comprise a substantially annular element which surrounds the entrance of the sheath and is provided with fastening elements intended to co-operate with corresponding fastening elements positioned on underpants or garments worn by the user.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, in which said fastening elements consist of velcro, both associated with the annular element and positioned around an opening provided in the underpants or the garment worn by the user.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 2, in which said fastening elements consist of automatic buttons consisting of a male element and a female element and are applied both to the annular element and around an opening provided in the underpants or the garment worn by the user, so that the sheath can be fixed to the underpants or to said garment.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 1, in which said fastening means are substantially non- elastic.

6. Underpants for men, characterized in that it has a central opening in the front zone, through which the penis is able to emerge, said central opening being provided with means for fastening an apparatus for incontinent men in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

7. Underpants according to Claim 6, in which said opening is a circular opening.