NOZZLE FOR AN ENEMA DEVICE, A PACKAGING INCLUDING THE NOZZLE, AND AN ENEMA DEVICE COMPRISING THE NOZZLE

Abstract

Provided is an enema device comprising a funnel-shaped enema nozzle and a plastic tube. The funnel-shaped enema nozzle comprises a flared conical proximal part that tapers at a transition into a tubular distal part having an outlet opening opposite the transition. The plastic tube is made as an integral part of the funnel-shaped nozzle by using multi-component injection molding and extends at the transition of the tubular distal part into the flared conical proximal part. At least a part of an exterior annular wall of the tubular distal part has a hydrophilic coating.

Claims

1. An enema device comprising a funnel-shaped enema nozzle, the funnel-shaped enema nozzle comprising a flared conical proximal part that tapers at a transition into a tubular distal part having an outlet opening opposite the transition, a plastic tube, which is made as an integral part of the funnel-shaped nozzle by using multi-component injection molding, the plastic tube extending at the transition of the tubular distal part into the flared conical proximal part, wherein at least a part of an exterior annular wall of the tubular distal part has a hydrophilic coating.

2. The enema device according to claim 1, wherein the plastic tube protrudes outside the flared conical proximal part and is surrounded by the flared conical proximal part.

3. The enema device according to claim 1, wherein the entire exterior wall of the tubular distal part has a hydrophilic coating.

4. The enema device according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of an exterior wall of the flared conical proximal part has a hydraulic coating.

5. The enema device according to claim 1, wherein an annular edge of the outlet opening of the tubular distal part is rounded.

6. The enema device according to claim 1, wherein an exterior diameter of the flared conical proximal part is about at least 50% larger than an exterior diameter of the tubular distal part at the outlet opening.

7. The enema device according to claim 1, wherein an axial length of the funnel-shaped enema nozzle is between 1.2 and 1.5 times larger than an exterior diameter of the flared conical proximal part.

8. The enema device according to claim 7, wherein the axial length of the funnel-shaped enema nozzle is between 45-95 mm.

9. The enema device according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic coating is a polyvinylpyrrolidone coating.

10. The enema device according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic coating is continuous, discontinuous or a combination thereof.

11. The enema device according to claim 1, wherein the funnel-shaped enema nozzle is manufactured of flexible elastomeric polymer, such as polyurethane, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, silicone, styrene ethylene butylene styrene, thermoplastic polyester elastomer, or thermoplastic styrenic elastomer.

12. The enema device according to claim 1, wherein the flared proximal part has a grasping flange.

13. The enema device according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of an exterior wall of the funnel-shaped enema nozzle is uneven.

14. The enema device according to claim 13, wherein the uneven part of the exterior wall of the funnel-shaped enema nozzle is an exterior wall of the flared conical proximal part of the funnel-shaped enema nozzle.

15. The enema device according to claim 13, wherein a surface roughness of the uneven part of the funnel-shaped enema nozzle is between 2.0-3.0 R.sub.a.

16. The enema device according to claim 13, wherein the funnel-shaped enema nozzle is manufactured by molding, where the surface of the mold cavity part corresponding to the uneven part of the funnel-shaped enema nozzle has been made uneven by abrasive blasting.

Description

[0045] The invention will now be described in further details by way of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing, in which

[0046] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nozzle seen from the flared proximal part,

[0047] FIG. 2 shows the same seen from the tubular distal part,

[0048] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2,

[0049] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the encircled area A of FIG. 3,

[0050] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a packaging in form of cup-shaped packaging with a separate lid, and

[0051] FIG. 6 shows, schematically seen from the side, a second embodiment of a packaging.

[0052] In the exemplary embodiment of a funnel-shaped nozzle shown in the drawing and described below the entire tubular distal part has a hydrophilic coating. This exemplary embodiment is not exhaustive for positioning the hydrophilic coating on the exterior face of the funnel-shaped nozzle. As already mentioned above more or less of the exterior face of the funnel-shaped nozzle can be covered with hydrophilic coating and this hydrophilic coating can be both continuous and discontinuous, such as a pattern of hydrophilic dots. Furthermore, also more or less of the exterior face of the flared proximal part of the funnel-shaped nozzle can have a hydrophilic coating. Below the funnel-shaped nozzle of the present invention is for simplicity referred to as “the nozzle”.

[0053] The nozzle 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a flared proximal part 2 that tapers into a tubular distal part 3. The flared proximal part 2 has a proximal annular wall 2a with an exterior proximal face 2a′ without a hydrophilic coating, and the tubular distal part 3 has a distal annular wall 3a with an exterior distal face 3a′ with a hydrophilic coating 4.

[0054] The tubular distal part 3 has an outlet opening 5 for enema liquid at a distal end 6 and an elastic tubular coupling piece 7 with an inlet opening 8 at a proximal opposite end 9. The elastic tubular coupling piece 7 is surrounded by the flared proximal part 2.

[0055] In the present embodiment of a nozzle 1 the flared proximal part 2 has a circumferential radial protrusion 10, that serve as a grasping flange 11 to facilitate insertion and withdrawal of the nozzle 1. Thus the grasping flange 11, although not mandatory, facilitates convenient operation of the nozzle 1.

[0056] The longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 3 illustrates that for the present embodiment the tubular coupling piece 7 does not protrude outside the flared proximal part 3. Longer tubular coupling pieces are however also possible within the scope of the present invention.

[0057] For the present exemplary embodiment the exterior diameter D of the flared proximal part 2 at the grasping flange 11 is smaller than both the total length L1 of the nozzle 1 and smaller than the length L2 between the inlet opening 8 and the outlet opening 5. The exterior diameter d of tubular distal part 3 at the inlet opening 8 is substantially smaller than the exterior diameter D of the flared proximal part 2 of the flared proximal part 2. The exterior diameter d1 of the tubular coupling piece 7 at the transition of the tubular distal part 3 into the flared proximal part 2 is larger than the exterior diameter d2 of the tubular coupling piece 7 at the inlet opening 8.

[0058] As can be seen in the enlarged scale view of FIG. 4 of the detail A of FIG. 3 the circumferential wall of the tubular distal part 3 at the outlet opening 5 has a rounded end 12 to avoid injuring the intestinal wall during insert ion and withdrawal of the nozzle 1.

[0059] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a packaging in form of cup-shaped packaging 13 with a separate lid 14. Both the cup-shaped packaging 13 and the lid 14 are for illustrative purposes shown to be transparent.

[0060] The cup-shaped packaging 13 has a cup part 15 for accommodating both the funnel-shaped nozzle 1 and a liquid 16 in contact with the hydrophilic coating 4 inside the cup part 15 to make said coating 4 swells and be friction-reducing. The cup part 15 is tapered, thus substantial conical, similarly to the funnel-shaped nozzle 1, and has a tapered protective part 17, which is closed at the bottom 18 and serves for protecting the swelled hydrophilic coating 4 at the tubular distal part 2. Opposite the bottom 18 the tapered protective part 17 widens into a conical part 19 with an insertion opening 20 for the funnel-shaped nozzle 1. This cup-shaped packaging design prevents the user from touching the ready to use funnel-shaped nozzle 1 when it is taken out of the packaging 13. The insertion opening 20 is covered with a gas-impermeable removable cover 21, e.g. a metal foil cover similarly to the lid of a dairy product cup.

[0061] The cover 21 can e.g. be heat-sealed to a sealing flange 23 along the perimeter 24 of the insertion opening 20 of the cup-shaped packaging 13, and the lid 14 be used to cover and close around the insertion opening 20 afterwards when the removable cover 21 has been taken off. The removable cover 21 has a grasping flap 22 to facilitate easy removal.

[0062] The lid 14 has a coupling flange 25 configured to snap below the sealing flange 23 to intimately close the insertion opening 20, preferably to close the cup-shaped packaging 13 with the contaminated funnel-shaped nozzle 1 in a gas-impermeable, liquid-tight, bacteria-tight and/or odor free condition.

[0063] FIG. 6 shows schematically, seen from the side, a second embodiment of a transparent packaging 26 without liquid content. Thus the funnel-shaped nozzle 1 is not immediate ready for use, but needs wetting prior to use. The packaging 26 is made of opposite sheets 27a,27b of one or more layers or films of e.g. plastic materials, metal enforced plastic material, or simply paper, or combination of layers of the aforesaid materials, which sheets 27a,27b are glued or heat-welded together along an exterior outline 28 leaving opposite flaps 29a,29b of each of the opposite sheets 27a,27b free of mutual attachment to serve to easy separate the opposite sheets 27a,27b to open the second embodiment of a packaging 26 in order to take the funnel-shaped nozzle 1 out of the packaging 26.

[0064] Transparency of the packaging is not mandatory and less preferred for embodiments where the packaging is also used for disposal of the nozzle after use. Thus emphasis is made that since both the above examples of designs of packaging can be used as a receptacle for disposal of the funnel-shaped nozzle after use, a more aesthetic packaging may not be transparent, or just partly transparent.

[0065] The funnel-shaped nozzle 1 of the present invention may be disposable or reusable as desired. In particular, for some inexpensive embodiments the hydrophilic coating 4 may loose adherence to the nozzle and detach when retracted after use, in which case the funnel-shaped nozzle 1 cannot be used again. However in other embodiments the hydrophilic coating 4 of the funnel-shaped nozzle 1 can be washed and store wet, or be dried and rewetted anew, in which cases the funnel-shaped nozzle 1 is for reuse, at least a couple of times.