Prophylactic device having pathogen resistant barrier

Claim 1

A prophylactic device having an improved barrier to resist the transmission of sexually transmitted virus, including those causing AIDS and HERPES comprising: a hollow article having a continuous thin elastic membrane wall that is preshaped to anatomically conform to portions of the body and provide a physical barrier resisting the transmission of pathogens, said thin elastic membrane wall being capable of cyclical elastic stretching and relaxing without normally experiencing a permanent set or fracturing or tearing of the membrane wall, said membrane wall being characterized as comprising a matrix having submicroscopically small pores formed therein during manufacture, with said pores tending to enlarge during stretching of the membrane and to contract during relaxation of the membrane from its stretched condition, a thin layer of ductile metal on an outer surface of the membrane wall for sealing the pores therein, said ductile metal layer having an undulating surface when the membrane wall is in a relaxed state, said metal layer's undulating surface being extended and progressively smoothed as the membrane is elastically expanded, without breaking or fracturing of the metal layer, said metal layer improving the barrier resistance of the prophylactic member to the passage of pathogens therethrough, despite cyclically repeated elastic stretching and relaxing of the membrane.