URINARY PUMPING DEVICE

Abstract

An urinary pumping device for generating a fluid flow through a urethra of a patient includes an activation arrangement configured to induce intermittent compression and release of the urethra, and a mounting structure to mount and unmount the activation arrangement to a body of the patient. The mounting structure is configured to position the activation arrangement on the body of the patient such that the urethra of the patient can be intermittently compressed and released by the activation arrangement.

Claims

1. A urinary pumping device for generating a fluid flow through an urethra of a patient, the urinary pumping device comprising: an activation arrangement configured to induce intermittent compression and release of the urethra, and a positioning unit, wherein the activation arrangement is mounted to the positioning unit, and the positioning unit is arranged to locate a body of the patient relative to the activation arrangement such that the urethra of the patient is accessible to the activation arrangement to intermittently compress and release the urethra by means of the activation arrangement.

2. The urinary pumping device of claim 1, wherein the positioning unit comprises a toilet or a toilet seat.

3. The urinary pumping device of claim 1, wherein the activation arrangement comprises a pushing member configured to press the body of the patient at an appropriate location to compress the urethra of the patient.

4. The urinary pumping device of claim 3, further comprising a drive coupled to the pushing member and configured to move the pushing member to compress the urethra of the patient.

5. The urinary pumping device of claim 1, wherein the activation arrangement comprises electrode elements configured to be arranged at the body of the patient, such that a urethral sphincter of the patient is stimulatable by an electric field generated by the electrode elements of the activation arrangement.

6. The urinary pumping device of claim 1, comprising a control unit configured to control the activation arrangement such that a periodic compression and release of the urethra is generatable by the activation arrangement at a predefined frequency and, optionally, a predefined amplitude, a predefined pressure, a predefined force and/or a predefined duty cycle.

7. The urinary pumping device of claim 6, wherein the predefined frequency is in a range of about 1 Hz to about 50 Hz.

8. The urinary pumping device of claim 1, further comprising a power supply unit configured to provide power to the activation arrangement.

9. The urinary pumping device of claim 1, further comprising a control unit configured to adjust the activation arrangement.

10. A urinary pumping device for generating a fluid flow through an urethra of a patient, the urinary pumping device comprising: an activation arrangement configured to induce intermittent compression and release of the urethra, and a mounting structure to mount and unmount the activation arrangement to a body of the patient, wherein the mounting structure is configured to position the activation arrangement on the body of the patient such that the urethra of the patient is intermittently compressible and releasable by means of the activation arrangement.

11. The urinary pumping device of claim 10, wherein the activation arrangement comprises a surrounding portion dimensioned to be arranged around a penis of the patient.

12. The urinary pumping device of claim 11, wherein the activation arrangement comprises a diameter adjuster configured to reduce a diameter of the surrounding portion when being arranged around the penis of the patient.

13. The urinary pumping device of claim 12, wherein the surrounding portion of the activation arrangement has a recess interrupting the surrounding portion in a circumference and the diameter adjuster of the activation arrangement is configured to change the circumferential extension of the recess.

14. The urinary pumping device of claim 13, wherein the diameter adjuster of the activation arrangement comprises a lever pivotably mounted to the surrounding portion at one side of the recess and connected to the other side of the recess.

15. The urinary pumping device of claim 14, wherein the diameter adjuster of the activation arrangement comprises a drive coupled to the lever and configured to pivot the lever.

16. The urinary pumping device of claim 11, wherein the surrounding portion comprises a ring portion.

17. The urinary pumping device of claim 11, wherein the surrounding portion of the activation arrangement comprises a dimension variable material that exhibits a change of a diameter of the surrounding portion when stimulated.

18. The urinary pumping device of claim 17, wherein the dimension variable material of the surrounding portion of the activation arrangement is a polymeric material.

19. The urinary pumping device of claim 11, wherein the activation arrangement comprises a pushing member mounted to the surrounding portion, wherein the pushing member is configured to press the penis of the patient.

20. The urinary pumping device of claim 19, comprising a drive coupled to the pushing member and configured to tilt the pushing member.

21. The urinary pumping device of claim 10, wherein the activation arrangement comprises a plug portion dimensioned to be arranged in a vagina of the patient.

22. The urinary pumping device of claim 21, wherein the activation portion comprises a plug adjuster configured to vary a diameter of the plug portion when being arranged in the vagina of the patient.

23. The urinary pumping device of claim 21, wherein the plug portion of the activation arrangement comprises a dimension variable material that exhibits a change of a diameter of the plug portion when stimulated.

24. The urinary pumping device of claim 23, wherein the dimension variable material of the plug portion of the activation arrangement is a polymeric material.

25. The urinary pumping device of claim 21, wherein the plug portion comprises a pushing section configured to press the vagina of the patient towards the urethra.

26. The urinary pumping device of claim 25, comprising a drive coupled to the pushing section of the plug portion and configured to tilt the pushing section.

27. The urinary pumping device of claim 10, wherein the activation arrangement comprises electrode elements configured to be arranged at the body of the patient such that a urethral sphincter of the patient is stimulatable by an electric field generated by the electrode elements of the activation arrangement.

28. The urinary pumping device of claim 21, wherein the plug portion of the activation arrangement embodies one of the electrode elements of the activation arrangement.

29. The urinary pumping device of claim 10, wherein the mounting structure comprises a penis accommodation section configured to accommodate a penis of the patient such that the urethra of the patient is intermittently compressible and releasable by means of the activation arrangement when the penis of the patient is accommodated on the penis accommodation section.

30. The urinary pumping device of claim 29, wherein the mounting structure comprises a finger accommodation section configured to accommodate at least one finger of the patient when another finger of the patient pushes the penis of the patient to the penis accommodation section.

31. The urinary pumping device of claim 29, wherein the activation arrangement comprises a pushing member configured to press the penis of the patient when the penis of the patient is accommodated on the penis accommodation section.

32. The urinary pumping device of claim 10, comprising a control unit configured to control the activation arrangement such that a periodic compression and release of the urethra is generated by the activation arrangement at a predefined frequency and, optionally, a predefined amplitude, a predefined pressure, a predefined force and/or a predefined duty cycle.

33. The urinary pumping device of claim 32, wherein the predefined frequency is in a range of about 1 Hz to about 50 Hz and.

34. The urinary pumping device of claim 10, comprising a power supply unit configured to provide power to the activation arrangement.

35. The urinary pumping device of claim 34, wherein the power supply unit is separate from the activation arrangement and the mounting structure such that it is positionable remote from the activation arrangement and the mounting structure.

36. The urinary pumping device of claim 10, comprising a control unit configured to adjust the activation arrangement.

37. A use of electrode elements to generate a fluid flow through an urethra, comprising attaching the electrode elements to a body of the patient such that a urethral sphincter of the patient is within an electric field generatable by the electrode elements; and intermittently activating the electrode elements such that the electric field is intermittently generated and the urethral sphincter is intermittently stimulated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] The urinary pumping device according to the disclosure is described in more detail herein below by way of exemplary embodiments and with reference to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of a urinary pumping device according to the disclosure for a male patient;

[0053] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a second embodiment of a urinary pumping device according to the disclosure for a male patient;

[0054] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a third embodiment of a urinary pumping device according to the disclosure for a female patient;

[0055] FIG. 4 shows a schematic detailed view on the urinary pumping device of FIG. 3;

[0056] FIG. 5 shows schematic view of a fourth embodiment of a urinary pumping device according to the disclosure;

[0057] FIG. 6 shows a schematic perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a urinary pumping device according to the disclosure;

[0058] FIG. 7 shows a schematic side view of the urinary pumping device of FIG. 6 in operation;

[0059] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a sixth embodiment of a urinary pumping device according to the disclosure;

[0060] FIG. 9 shows a schematic side view of a seventh embodiment of a urinary pumping device according to the disclosure; and

[0061] FIG. 10 shows a schematic side view of an eight embodiment of a urinary pumping device according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0062] In the following description certain terms are used for reasons of convenience and are not intended to limit the disclosure. The terms “right”, “left”, “up”, “down”, “under” and “above” refer to directions in the figures. The terminology comprises the explicitly mentioned terms as well as their derivations and terms with a similar meaning. Also, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper”, “proximal”, “distal”, and the like, may be used to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. These spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different positions and orientations of the devices in use or operation in addition to the position and orientation shown in the figures. For example, if a device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be “above” or “over” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both positions and orientations of above and below. The devices may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Likewise, descriptions of movement along and around various axes include various special device positions and orientations.

[0063] To avoid repetition in the figures and the descriptions of the various aspects and illustrative embodiments, it should be understood that many features are common to many aspects and embodiments. Omission of an aspect from a description or figure does not imply that the aspect is missing from embodiments that incorporate that aspect. Instead, the aspect may have been omitted for clarity and to avoid prolix description. In this context, the following applies to the rest of this description: If, in order to clarify the drawings, a figure contains reference signs which are not explained in the directly associated part of the description, then it is referred to previous or following description sections. Further, for reason of lucidity, if in a drawing not all features of a part are provided with reference signs it is referred to other drawings showing the same part. Like numbers in two or more figures represent the same or similar elements.

[0064] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a urinary pumping device 1 applied to a male patient 2. The male patient 2 is schematically depicted such that some portions of inside his body are visible. In particular, a rectum 25, a bladder 23, a penis 21, an urethra 22 extending from the bladder 23 to an outlet of the penis 21, and a prostate 24 of the patient 2 are visible.

[0065] The urinary pumping device 1 comprises a cuff 11 wrapped around the penis 21 of the patient 2 as mounting structure and as surrounding portion of an activation arrangement, and a control unit 12 connected to the cuff 11 via a wire. Alternatively, the control unit 12 and the cuff 11 can also be equipped with adapters for wireless communication. I.e. the control unit 12 can be equipped with a sender and the cuff 11 with a corresponding receiver. The cuff 11 can conveniently be wrapped around and unwrapped from the penis 21 by the patient himself. The control unit 12 is equipped with a battery 13 as power supply unit. The cuff 11 is made of a dimension variable material which can be stimulated. Like this, the control unit 12 can exhibit a change of a diameter of the cuff 11 by stimulation.

[0066] The control unit 12 is configured to control the cuff 11 such that a periodic compression and release of the urethra 22 is generated by the cuff 11. More specifically, the control unit 12 induces the periodic compression and release of the urethra at a frequency in a range of about 5 Hz to about 20 Hz, at a predefined amplitude, a predefined duty cycle, a predefined force and a predefined pressure. These parameters can be adjusted by the patient 2 via the control unit 12. In this way, an impedance pump is implemented in the urethra 22 such that a flow of urine is induced from the bladder 23 to outside the patient's 2 body. In this way, the bladder 23 can be more or less completely emptied such that quasi no urine resides in the bladder 23.

[0067] In FIG. 2 a second embodiment of a urinary pumping device 17 is shown. It comprises a control unit 127 with a battery 137 as power supply unit, and a ring portion 117 as mounting structure and as surrounding portion of an activation arrangement. The ring portion 117 is connected to the control unit 127 via a wire. It can conveniently be positioned on and removed from the penis of a patient. A recess 127 interrupts the ring portion 117 in its circumference such that it does not form a closed but an open ring. At one side of the recess 127 the ring portion houses a drive coupled to a lever 147. In particular, the lever 147 is coupled to the drive and mounted to the ring portion 117 at one of its longitudinal ends such that it can be pivoted or tilted by the drive. The other longitudinal end of the lever 147 is connected to the ring portion 117 at the other side of the recess 127 by means of a cable 157. The cable 157, the lever 147 and the drive are comprised by a diameter adjuster 167 of an activation arrangement.

[0068] The diameter adjuster 167 is configured to change the circumferential extension of the recess 127. More specifically, by tilting the lever 147 from a horizontal position about 90° to a vertical position, the cable 157 pulls the other side of the ring portion 117. The ring portion 117 is made of an elastic material which allows an elastic deformation. In the end, the vertical lever 147′ pulls the ring portion 117′ at the other side of the recess 127 via the cable 157′ such that the circumferential extension of the recess 127 and, thereby, a diameter of the ring portion 117′ are reduced. Thus, by pivoting or tilting the lever 147 back and forth the diameter of the ring portion 117 can be periodically reduced and enlarged.

[0069] In use, the ring portion 117 is arranged around a penis of a male patient and the urinary pumping device 17 is similarly operated as the urinary pumping device 1 described above in connection with FIG. 1. In particular, by periodically changing the diameter of the ring portion 117 when arranged around the penis, a periodic compression and release of a urethra of the patient is generated. Like this, urine can be pumped out of a bladder of the patient by way of impedance pumping.

[0070] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of a urinary pumping device 18 applied to a female patient 28. The female patient 2 is again schematically depicted such that some portions of inside her body are visible. In particular, a rectum 258, a bladder 238, a vagina 218, an urethra 228 extending from the bladder 238 to an outlet and a pubic bone 248 of the patient 28 are visible.

[0071] The urinary pumping device 18 comprises a plug portion 118 as mounting structure introduced into the vagina 218 of the patient 28. The patient can conveniently introduce and remove the plug portion 118 to and from the vagina 218. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the urinary pumping device 18 has an activation portion with a plug adjuster 128 configured to vary a diameter or thickness of the plug portion 118 arranged in the vagina 218 of the patient 28. In particular, the plug adjuster 128 has an egg-shaped lever 138 pivotably or rotatably mounted to the plug portion 118. When being in a horizontal orientation while being rotated, the lever 138 forms a pushing section which presses the vagina 218 of the patient 28 towards her urethra 228. Thereby, the urethra 228 is compressed between the lever 138 and the pubic bone 248.

[0072] The urinary pumping device further comprises a drive coupled to the lever 138. The lever 138 is rotated at a speed such that a periodic compression and release of the urethra 228 is generated. Like this, an impedance pump is implemented in the urethra 228 such that a flow of urine is induced from the bladder 238 to outside the patient's 28 body.

[0073] In FIG. 5 a fourth embodiment of a urinary pumping device 19 according to the disclosure is shown. The urinary pumping device 19 has an activation arrangement with electrode elements 119. The electrode elements 119 are provided with a mounting structure, such as an adhesive, to hold and arrange the electrode elements at the body of a male patient 29. The mounting structure allows the patient 29 to conveniently arrange and remove the electrode elements at and from the body of the patient 29. The male patient 29 is schematically depicted in FIG. 5 such that some portions of inside his body are visible. In particular, a rectum 259, a bladder 239, a penis 219, an urethra 229 extending from the bladder 239 to an outlet of the penis 219, and a prostate 249 of the patient 29 are visible.

[0074] The electrode elements 119 are connected via a wire to a control unit 129 which is equipped with a battery 139 as power supply unit. The control unit 129 is configured to operate the electrode elements 119 to generate an electric field. Thereby, the electrode elements 119 are positioned at the body such that an urethral sphincter of the patient 29 is stimulatable by the electric field generated by the electrode elements 119. More specifically, stimulation of the urethral sphincter causes a contraction of the urethral sphincter such that the urethra 229 is compressed. Like this, the control unit 129 can indirectly induce a periodic compression and release of the urethra 229 via the urethral sphincter. Thereby, a flow of urine is induced from the bladder 239 to outside the patient's 29 body.

[0075] FIG. 6 shows a fifth embodiment of a urinary pumping device 16 according to the disclosure involving a toilet 36. The urinary pumping device 16 comprises an activation arrangement 116 and a positioning unit which has a strap 136 and a toilet seat 126. The activation arrangement 116 is mounted to the toilet 36 by means of the strap 136 which is fixed to the toilet seat 126. Thereby, the toilet seat 126 is conventionally mounted to a toilet bowl of the toilet 36.

[0076] As can be seen in FIG. 7, the toilet seat 126 and the strap 136 are arranged such that a body of a patient 26 is located in an appropriate position relative to the activation arrangement 116 when sitting on the toilet 36. In FIG. 7, an anus 256, a penis 216 and an urethra 226 of the patient are 26 exemplarily depicted. In the mentioned appropriate position, the urethra 226 of the patient 26 is accessible to the activation arrangement 116 such that a pushing member 146 of the activation arrangement 116 intermittently compresses and releases the urethra 226 when being operated.

[0077] For achieving such compression, the activation arrangement 116 is equipped with a pincher 146. In operation of the activation arrangement 116, the pincher 146 moves up and down such that the body of the patient 26 is pushed and released.

[0078] FIG. 8 shows a sixth embodiment of a urinary pumping device 10 according to the disclosure. The urinary pumping device 10 comprises a diameter adjuster and a ring portion 1170 as mounting structure and as surrounding portion of an activation arrangement. The ring portion 1170 is configured as a toothed belt which is pushed inside a ratchet 120 of the diameter adjuster. The ring portion 1170 can conveniently be positioned on and removed from a penis of a patient. The urinary pumping device 10 further comprises a shaft 140 and an electric motor 130, such as a linear motor, mounted internally of the urinary pumping device 10 as its drive. The electric motor 130 controls the motion of the shaft 140. A tip 150 of the diameter adjuster is mounted on the terminal part of the shaft 140 such that, when the shaft 140 is activated, the tip 150 compresses or releases the penis/urethra. Furthermore, a counter-tip 160 is mounted on the ring portion 1170, in the opposite position of the tip 150 to reach maximum compressing force in two points of the penis when the shaft 140 moves. The electric motor 130 is activated by the patient using a button 170 provided at a proximal end of the urinary pumping device 10. The button 170 can also be used to adjust the frequency, speed and force of the shaft 140.

[0079] In FIG. 9 a seventh embodiment of a urinary pumping device 101 according to is shown. The urinary pumping device 101 comprises an activation arrangement 1101 and a positioning unit comprising a pair of underpants 1201. The activation arrangement 1101 is mounted to the underpants 1201 such that a body of a patient 201 is located in an appropriate position relative to the activation arrangement 1101 when wearing the underpants 201. The underpants 201 is equipped with a closable opening through which a penis 2101 of the patient 201 may be positioned when required for urinating. In the mentioned appropriate position, a urethra of the patient 201 is accessible to the an activation arrangement 116 such that a pushing member 1401 of the activation arrangement 116 intermittently compresses and releases the urethra 226 when being operated.

[0080] FIG. 10 shows an eight embodiment of a urinary pumping device according to the disclosure realized as handheld apparatus 102. The handheld apparatus 102 comprises an elongated body, an activation arrangement 1102 and a positioning unit. The positioning unit is formed by a penis accommodating section 1202 at an upper side of the elongated body and a finger accommodating section 1302 at a lower side of the elongated body. The activation arrangement 1102 comprises a drive 1502 and a hemispherical pushing member 1402. The drive 1502 is arranged inside the body and the pushing member 1402 extends out of the body at the penis accommodation section 1202. The pushing member 1402 is coupled to the drive 1502 via a pole such that the drive 1402 can move the pushing member 1402 vertically up and down.

[0081] In use of the handheld apparatus 102, a patient 202 arranges his penis 2102 onto the penis accommodation section 1202 such that penile portion of a urethra 2202 is located adjacent to the pushing member 1402. The body of the handheld apparatus 102 is held in a hand of the patient 202 such that a thumb 2302 of one hand of the patient 202 is positioned on the penis 2102 and fingers 2402 of the same hand are positioned at the finger accommodating section 1302 of the body of the handheld apparatus 102. Like this, the handheld apparatus 102 is held and at the same time the penis is securely mounted at an appropriate location of the handheld apparatus 102. By the drive 1502 moving the pushing member 1402, the activation arrangement 1102 intermittently compresses and releases the urethra 2202 when being activated.

[0082] This description and the accompanying drawings that illustrate aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure should not be taken as limiting-the claims defining the protected disclosure. In other words, while the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. Various mechanical, compositional, structural, electrical, and operational changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this description and the claims. In some instances, well-known circuits, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the disclosure. Thus, it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill within the scope and spirit of the following claims. In particular, the present disclosure covers further embodiments with any combination of features from different embodiments described above and below.

[0083] The disclosure also covers all further features shown in the Figs. individually although they may not have been described in the afore or following description. Also, single alternatives of the embodiments described in the figures and the description and single alternatives of features thereof can be disclaimed from the subject matter of the disclosure or from disclosed subject matter. The disclosure comprises subject matter comprising the features defined in the claims or the exemplary embodiments as well as subject matter comprising said features.

[0084] Furthermore, in the claims the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single unit or step may fulfil the functions of several features recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. The terms “essentially”, “about”, “approximately” and the like in connection with an attribute or a value particularly also define exactly the attribute or exactly the value, respectively. The term “about” in the context of a given numerate value or range refers to a value or range that is, e.g., within 20%, within 10%, within 5%, or within 2% of the given value or range. Components described as coupled or connected may be electrically or mechanically directly coupled, or they may be indirectly coupled via one or more intermediate components. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.