Method and apparatus for artificial insemination

Claim 2

In a fluid-dispensing device for use in animals of the type having a tubular reproductive tract including an ovary, a fluid container adapted to be inserted in the tract and anchoring means carried by the container for engaging and anchoring said container within the track to prevent expulsion for an extended period of time and including yieldable means comprising a plurality of spaced-apart resilient strands mounted to project outwardly from and circumferentially about said container to form a generally annular shape, said container including means for continuously dispensing fluid from said container over an extended period of time, said yieldable means frictionally engaging the tract so that the device can be readily inserted and removed without injury to the animal.

Claim 3

A device as in claim 1 in which said means for dispensing fluid includes means for gradually forcing the fluid from said container for a period of time in excess of one hour.

Claim 4

A device as in claim 1 wherein said means for continuously dispensing fluid includes an expandable material and means for causing expansion of said material.

Claim 5

A device as in claim 1 together with means carried by said container for preserving said fluid for a substantial period of time.

Claim 6

A device as in claim 4 in which said means for preserving includes refrigation means for maintaining said fluid in a reduced temperature state for a substantial period of time.

Claim 7

A device as in claim 1 together with time delay means operatively associated with said fluid dispensing means for preventing actuation of said fluid dispensing means until after a time selected to allow at least some fluid flow into the tract during ovulation.

Claim 8

A device as in claim 6 in which said means for dispensing fluid includes a material in the container capable of expansion upon the absorbance of a predetermined quantity of heat.

Claim 9

A device as in claim 1 in which said anchoring means includes means for causing said anchoring means to assume a collapsed position.

Claim 10

A device as in claim 1 in which said anchoring means includes self-collapsing means for compressing the yieldable strands to permit expulsion of the device by the animal.

Claim 11

A device as in claim 1 of a length no greater than the distance between the animal''s cervix and vulva and so is adapted to be completely disposed in the vagina for long term retention.

Claim 12

In a method for dispensing a fluid into the reproductive tract of an animal, utilizing a fluid container including an anchor formed of a plurality of spaced-apart yieldable strands mounted circumferentially of the container to project outwardly from the container, the steps of inserting the fluid container into the tract so that the strands are urged against the tract wall under sufficient pressure for retention within the tract over an extended period of time, and dispensing fluid froM said fluid container into the reproductive tract.

Claim 13

In a method for dispensing a fluid into the reproductive tract of an animal, utilizing a fluid container including an anchor formed of a plurality of spaced-apart yieldable strands mounted circumferentially of the container to project outwardly from the container, the steps of inserting the fluid container into the tract so that the strands are urged against the tract wall under sufficient pressure for retention within the tract over an extended period of time, and dispensing fluid froM said fluid container into the reproductive tract.

Claim 14

A method as in claim 11 in which said fluid container is inserted into the vagina of an animal of the type having a defined sphincter muscle to position said anchor to the anterior side of the sphincter muscle.

Claim 15

A method as in claim 11 wherein said dispensing step includes dispensing fluid a predetermined time subsequent to insertion of the device.

Claim 16

A method as in claim 11 in which said fluid dispensing includes the steps of gradually dispensing the fluid over a prolonged period of time in excess of one hour after container insertion.

Claim 17

A method as in claim 11 in which said fluid dispensing includes the step of gradually dispensing the fluid over a prolonged period of time in excess of three days after insertion.

Claim 18

In a method for dispensing a fluid into the reproductive tract of an animal, utilizing a fluid container including an anchor formed of a plurality of spaced-apart yieldable strands mounted circumferentially of the container to project outwardly from the container, the steps of inserting the fluid container into the tract so that the strands are urged against the tract wall under sufficient pressure for retention within the tract over an extended period of time, and dispensing fluid from said fluid container into the reproductive tract.

Claim 19

In a method for dispensing a fluid into the reproductive tract of an animal, utilizing a fluid container including an anchor formed of a plurality of spaced-apart yieldable strands mounted circumferentially of the container to project outwardly from the container, the steps of inserting the fluid container into the tract so that the strands are urged against the tract wall under sufficient pressure for retention within the tract over an extended period of time, and dispensing fluid from said fluid container into the reproductive tract.

Claim 20

A method as in claim 16 in which said fluid container is inserted into the vagina of an animal of the type having a defined sphincter muscle to position said anchor to the anterior side of the spincter muscle.

Claim 21

In a fluid dispensing device for use in the reproductive tract of an animal in which the reproductive tract is characterized in that it is defined by a fold-containing wall forming an elongate sheath-like tubular passage with its anterior end leading from the cervix of the uterus and with its posterior end terminating in a normally closed vulva and which has an annular sphincter muscle between the anterior and posterior ends, said device comprising mounting means, said mounting means including an annular surface, yieldable means carried by said mounting means and extending circumferentially about said mounting means, said yieldable means being deformable from a normal outwardly extending condition into a compressed condition, said mounting means including fluid containing means, means forming a passage from said fluid-containing means adapted to be disposed adjacent to said cervix, and means carried by the mounting means coupled to said means containing fluid for causing fluid to be dispensed from said fluid containing means through said means forming a passage over an extended period of time, said device when said yieldable means is in said compressed condition being of a size so that it is adapted to be inserted through the vulva into the passage of the animal, said device being of a length so that it is adapted to be disposed between the cervix and the sphincter muscle, said device when disposed between the cervix and the sphincter muscle being adapted to expand into engagement with the fold-containing wall to expand the wall from its normal state so as to inhibit expulsion of the device by the animal, said yieldable means frictionally engaging the fold-like wall so that the device can be readily inserted and removed without injury to the animal.

Claim 22

In a fluid dispensing device for use in the reproductive tract of an animal in which the reproductive tract is characterized in that it is defined by a fold-containing wall forming an elongate sheath-like tubular passage with its anterior end leading from the cervix of the uterus and with its posterior end terminating in a normally closed vulva and which has an annular sphincter muscle between the anterior and posterior ends, said device comprising mounting means, said mounting means including an annular surface, yieldable means carried by said mounting means and extending circumferentially about said mounting means, said yieldable means being deformable from a normal outwardly extending condition into a compressed condition, said mounting means including fluid containing means, means forming a passage from said fluid-containing means adapted to be disposed adjacent to said cervix, and means carried by the mounting means coupled to said means containing fluid for causing fluid to be dispensed from said fluid containing means through said means forming a passage over an extended period of time, said device when said yieldable means is in said compressed condition being of a size so that it is adapted to be inserted through the vulva into the passage of the animal, said device being of a length so that it is adapted to be disposed between the cervix and the sphincter muscle, said device when disposed between the cervix and the sphincter muscle being adapted to expand into engagement with the fold-containing wall to expand the wall from its normal state so as to inhibit expulsion of the device by the animal, said yieldable means frictionally engaging the fold-like wall so that the device can be readily inserted and removed without injury to the animal.

Claim 23

In a method for placing a device for long-term retention in the reproductive tract of an animal in which the reproductive tract is characterized in that it is defined by a fold-containing wall forming an elongate sheath-like tubular passage with its anterior end leading from the cervix of the uterus and its posterior end terminating in a normally closed vulva and having an annular sphincter muscule between the anterior and posterior ends and in which the device is characterized in that it has mounting means with said mounting means including an annular surface, yieldable means carried by said mounting means and extending circumferentially about said mounting means, said yieldable mEans being deformable from a normal outwardly extending condition into a compressed condition, said device when said yieldable means is in a depressed condition being of a size so that it is insertable into the passage of the animal with the frontal portion in engagement with the cervix, said device being of a length so that it is adapted to be disposed between the cervix and the sphincter muscle so that the vulva can remain in its normally closed condition when the device is in place in the passage, said mounting means including fluid containing means, means forming a passage from said fluid containing means to said cervix and being in the vicinity of said cervix and being readily removable therefrom, and means carried by the mounting means coupled to said means containing fluid for causing fluid to be dispensed from said fluid-containing means through said means forming a passage to said cervix over an extended period of time, the method comprising the steps of compressing the yieldable means of the device and inserting the device into the passage while the yieldable means is compressed until the frontal portion is in the vicinity of the cervix with the yieldable means and extending between the cervix and the sphincter muscle and the rearwardly extending portion being forward of the vulva so that the vulva can assume its normally closed position, permitting the yieldable means to expand into engagement with the fold-containing wall to expand the fold-containing wall beyond its normal condition so as to inhibit expulsion of the device from the passage by the animal and introducing fluid from said fluid-containing means into said cervix over an extended period of time.

Claim 24

In a method for placing a device for long-term retention in the reproductive tract of an animal in which the reproductive tract is characterized in that it is defined by a fold-containing wall forming an elongate sheath-like tubular passage with its anterior end leading from the cervix of the uterus and its posterior end terminating in a normally closed vulva and having an annular sphincter muscule between the anterior and posterior ends and in which the device is characterized in that it has mounting means with said mounting means including an annular surface, yieldable means carried by said mounting means and extending circumferentially about said mounting means, said yieldable mEans being deformable from a normal outwardly extending condition into a compressed condition, said device when said yieldable means is in a depressed condition being of a size so that it is insertable into the passage of the animal with the frontal portion in engagement with the cervix, said device being of a length so that it is adapted to be disposed between the cervix and the sphincter muscle so that the vulva can remain in its normally closed condition when the device is in place in the passage, said mounting means including fluid containing means, means forming a passage from said fluid containing means to said cervix and being in the vicinity of said cervix and being readily removable therefrom, and means carried by the mounting means coupled to said means containing fluid for causing fluid to be dispensed from said fluid-containing means through said means forming a passage to said cervix over an extended period of time, the method comprising the steps of compressing the yieldable means of the device and inserting the device into the passage while the yieldable means is compressed until the frontal portion is in the vicinity of the cervix with the yieldable means and extending between the cervix and the sphincter muscle and the rearwardly extending portion being forward of the vulva so that the vulva can assume its normally closed position, permitting the yieldable means to expand into engagement with the fold-containing wall to expand the fold-containing wall beyond its normal condition so as to inhibit expulsion of the device from the passage by the animal and introducing fluid from said fluid-containing means into said cervix over an extended period of time.