US4450836A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Custom valved cervical cap with deformable margin
Assignee: Contracap Inc
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Filing: 1982-09-27
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Granted: 1984-05-29
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Expires: 2002-09-27
Abstract
Abstract A non-invasive birth control device in the form of a custom-formed, valved cervical cap is disclosed. The cervical cap comprises a cup-shaped elastomeric shell substantially complementary with contiguous surface of portio vaginalis cervicis when in contact therewith, having an aperture at the apex of the shell, and a depending skirt that is thinner than said shell and is provided with a plurality of spaced slits. The aperture is covered by an elastomeric web secured to the shell and defines, together with the shell, a one-way valve means having a discharge port offset from the aperture. The cervical cap can be fabricated from a specially designed blank of a thermoplastic elastomeric material using a replica of cervix uteri as a mold.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert A. Goepp
- 👤 Uwe E. Freese
- 👤 Marvin P. Loeb
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:46
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F6/00; A61F6/06; A61F6/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
A non-invasive birth control device which comprises a cup-shaped elastomeric shell having a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface that is substantially complementary with contiguous surface of portio vaginalis cervicis in its actual configuration when in contact therewith, said shell defining an aperture at the apex thereof and having a depth sufficient to receive a major portion of said portio, but the periphery of said shell terminating short of fornices vaginae; a skirt portion integral with said shell, depending from said shell at the periphery of said shell, and having a thickness that is less than the thickness of said shell; said skirt portion having a plurality of spaced slits extending from the peripheral edge of the skirt portion; and an elastomeric web over said aperture and secured to said outer surface about said aperture defining a passageway communicating with said aperture and providing a discharge port along said convex outer surface and offset from said aperture; said web conforming to and coacting with a contiguous portion of said convex outer surface to provide a one-way valve means for uterine discharge entering said aperture from within said shell.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
A non-invasive birth control device which comprises a cup-shaped elastomeric shell having a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface that is substantially complementary with contiguous surface of portio vaginalis cervicis in its actual configuration when in contact therewith, said shell defining an aperture at the apex thereof and having a depth sufficient to receive a major portion of said portio, but the periphery of said shell terminating short of fornices vaginae; a skirt portion integral with said shell, depending from said shell at the periphery of said shell, and having a thickness that is less than the thickness of said shell; said skirt portion having a plurality of spaced slits extending from the peripheral edge of the skirt portion; and an elastomeric web over said aperture and secured to said outer surface about said aperture defining a passageway communicating with said aperture and providing a discharge port along said convex outer surface and offset from said aperture; said web conforming to and coacting with a contiguous portion of said convex outer surface to provide a one-way valve means for uterine discharge entering said aperture from within said shell.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shell and said web are of the same elastomeric material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the elastomeric material is a styrene/elastomer block copolymer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shell has a Shore A durometer hardness value of about 35 to about 70.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shell has a Shore A durometer hardness value of about 45 to about 60.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least portion of said shell in contact with the contiguous surface of portio vaginalis cervicis defines a band of substantially uniform thickness.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the average thickness ratio of said shell to said web is about 5:1, respectively.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said elastomeric web has a fan-like configuration and is contiguous with said convex outer surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said one-way valve means is adapted to open at a fluid pressure of about 10 to about 15 millimeters of mercury.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shell is substantially transparent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shell is provided with a tactile marker near the apex of said shell.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said web is in tension.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shell has a thickness of about 1.5 millimeters.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said web has a thickness of about 0.3 millimeters.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said web is positioned over said aperture so that the web portion directly over the aperture protrudes therein.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein a peripheral band of said shell having a substantially uniform thickness constitutes a major portion of said shell.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said discharge port is situated at a distance of at least about an aperture diameter away from said aperture.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said discharge port is situated near the periphery of said shell.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 18 wherein said discharge port is substantially coincidental with the periphery of said shell.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the periphery of said shell is feathered.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said web has a protuberance extending into said aperture.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the shell region defining said aperture is beveled and provides an annular contact surface contiguous with said protuberance.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said web is thicker in the region of said aperture.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thickness of said skirt portion is no more than one-half the thickness of said shell.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said skirt portion is unitary with said shell.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said slits extend at least one-half of the width of the skirt portion.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said slits are spaced about 2 millimeters to about 10 millimeters apart.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said slits are spaced about 4 to about 6 millimeters apart.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said skirt portion is about 3 to about 7 millimeters wide.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
The birth control device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said slits are substantially uniformly spaced from one another.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
133 words
In a method for fabricating a valved cervical cap that includes an elastomeric shell by applying a physiologically tolerable, hardenable paste to cervix interi in normal configuration and forming an impression of said cervix, replicating said cervix as a rigid mold, positioning a thermoplastic elastomeric material blank for a valved cervical cap over said rigid mold, applying heat to said blank in an amount sufficient to soften said material, pressing the softened material against said rigid mold to produce a formed article, cooling the formed article, removing the cooled, formed article from said rigid mold, and trimming excess material from the formed article to produce said valved cervical cap, the improvement which comprises affixing to said valved cervical cap at the shell periphery thereof a flexible skirt portion that depends from said cap.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
133 words
In a method for fabricating a valved cervical cap that includes an elastomeric shell by applying a physiologically tolerable, hardenable paste to cervix interi in normal configuration and forming an impression of said cervix, replicating said cervix as a rigid mold, positioning a thermoplastic elastomeric material blank for a valved cervical cap over said rigid mold, applying heat to said blank in an amount sufficient to soften said material, pressing the softened material against said rigid mold to produce a formed article, cooling the formed article, removing the cooled, formed article from said rigid mold, and trimming excess material from the formed article to produce said valved cervical cap, the improvement which comprises affixing to said valved cervical cap at the shell periphery thereof a flexible skirt portion that depends from said cap.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
36 words
The improvement in accordance with claim 31 wherein said flexible skirt portion is affixed by bonding to the shell periphery a band of elastomeric material having a thickness not exceeding one-half the thickness of said shell.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
37 words
The improvement in accordance with claim 32 wherein said band is about 3 to 7 millimeters wide and is provided at the distal edge thereof with a plurality of spaced slits at least about 1.5 millimeters long.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
36 words
The improvement in accordance with claim 31 wherein said flexible skirt portion is affixed by bonding to the shell periphery a band of elastomeric material and wherein spaced marginal slits are cut into the affixed band.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
170 words
A cervical cap having a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface that is substantially complementary with contiguous surface of portio vaginalis cervicis in its actual configuration when in contact therewith which comprises a shell portion defining said concave inner surface and an aperture at the apex thereof, and having a depth sufficient to receive a major portion of said portio, but the periphery of the shell portion terminating short of fornices vaginae; an elastomeric web portion positioned over said aperture, secured to said shell portion, and defining at least a portion of said convex outer surface and further defining in conjunction with said shell portion a one-way valve means and a passageway communicating with said aperture and a discharge port offset from said aperture; and an integral skirt portion at the periphery of said shell portion and having a thickness that is less than the thickness of the shell portion; said skirt portion having a plurality of spaced slits extending from the peripheral edge of the skirt portion.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
170 words
A cervical cap having a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface that is substantially complementary with contiguous surface of portio vaginalis cervicis in its actual configuration when in contact therewith which comprises a shell portion defining said concave inner surface and an aperture at the apex thereof, and having a depth sufficient to receive a major portion of said portio, but the periphery of the shell portion terminating short of fornices vaginae; an elastomeric web portion positioned over said aperture, secured to said shell portion, and defining at least a portion of said convex outer surface and further defining in conjunction with said shell portion a one-way valve means and a passageway communicating with said aperture and a discharge port offset from said aperture; and an integral skirt portion at the periphery of said shell portion and having a thickness that is less than the thickness of the shell portion; said skirt portion having a plurality of spaced slits extending from the peripheral edge of the skirt portion.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
16 words
The cervical cap in accordance with claim 35 wherein said spaced slits have an inverted-V configuration.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
15 words
The cervical cap in accordance with claim 35 wherein said spaced slits are linear cuts.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
20 words
The cervical cap in accordance with claim 35 wherein said elastomeric web portion is intermittently secured to said shell portion.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
22 words
The cervical cap in accordance with claim 35 wherein said elastomeric web portion defines the entire convex outer surface of the cap.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
15 words
The cervical cap in accordance with claim 35 wherein said elastomeric web is in tension.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
27 words
The cervical cap in accordance with claim 35 wherein said one-way valve means opens at a fluid pressure of about 10 to about 15 millimeters of mercury.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
22 words
The cervical cap in accordance with claim 35 wherein said elastomeric web is provided with a protuberance that extends into said aperture.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
26 words
The cervical cap in accordance with claim 42 wherein said aperture is defined by a beveled edge providing an annular contact surface contiguous with said protuberance.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
23 words
The cervical cap in accordance with claim 35 wherein said cap is provided with a tactile marker on the convex outer surface thereof.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
18 words
The cervical cap in accordance with claim 35 wherein said skirt portion is unitary with said web portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-05-29 | 1987-11-28 | 1988-05-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-05-29 | 1991-11-28 | 1992-05-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-05-29 | 1995-11-28 | 1996-05-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |