No slip condom catheter

Abstract

A urinary catheter device is disclosed that uses a condom that is placed over the penis and connects to a tube that leads to a collection bag or container. To maintain the condom on the penis, the device includes a hinged sleeve that is placed over the condom on the shaft of the penis and prevents slipping. The sleeve is held in place by an elastic band, and the dry frictional contact between the condom, the sleeve, and the patient has been found to prevent the catheter device from slipping off the patient.

Claims

1. A urinary catheter, comprising: a condom configured to fit over a male penis, the condom including an annular coupling element; a conduit attached at a receiving end to the annular coupling element; a urine collection container attached at an exiting end of the conduit; and a hinged sleeve sized to fit over the condom, the hinged sleeve including a recess extending longitudinally along an entire length of an outer surface; and an elastic band to close the sleeve over the condom once the sleeve is in place.

2. The urinary catheter of claim 1, wherein the hinged sleeve bears against a rolled up portion at a base of the condom.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is an elevated, perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is an enlarged, exploded view of the sleeve and sleeve of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 is another exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 1; and

(4) FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the embodiment; and

(5) FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) In a first preferred embodiment, the invention uses a latex or similar material condom to cover a male penis. Condoms are devices to protect the user from disease and to prevent procreation. The object is to protect the user from disease or stop the flow of ejaculation. Condoms are not designed to hold a tube or bag. The present invention solves this problem with a sleeve that creates a frictional stop by utilizing the dry skin, the dry condom, and the sleeve to frictionally hold the condom in place, but does not apply enough pressure to restrict blood flow or cause discomfort to the patient.

(7) Urinary incontinence is embarrassing and unhealthy but can be prevented with the present invention which is reusable, easy, painless, and a reliable means of addressing this problem. The invention uses a condom with a tube attached to the end that connects to a container of some kind. The head of the penis being larger than the shaft causes a loose connection and the condom does not fit snuggly around the shaft of the penis. This loose fit causes slipping, leaking, and other problems. If the condom is small enough to fit the shaft snuggly it is difficult to get over the head. This could be addressed by using adhesives, tape, squeezing, pressure, etc. to prevent the condom catheter from leaking or slipping off the penis. However, adhesive and tapes are painful and squeezing or pressure are sometimes uncomfortable or dangerous.

(8) FIGS. 1-5 depict a system for controlling incontinence that can be worn by a patient to prevent leakage of urine that might occur during sleep or during a period of incontinence. The patient 10 wears a secured urinary catheter that is formed using a common latex condom 12 that is worn on the patient's penis 14. Attached to the condom 12 at the reservoir tip is an annular coupling 16 including a collar 18 that is sized to receive a catheter tube 20 for conveying urine away from the sleeve or condom 12. The catheter tube 20 leads to a collection receptacle 22 such as a bag, jar, or bed pan.

(9) If the patient should release urine while asleep or otherwise unable to make it to a toilet, the urine transfers from the condom 12 through the annular coupling 16 and flows gravitationally through the catheter tube 20 into the container 22 such that the urine does not leak, soak the bedding, or soil the patient's other clothing. To keep the condom 12 on the penis 14, a hinged sleeve 24 is placed over the condom between the head and the base of the penis. As shown in FIG. 2, the sleeve 24 is cylindrical and plastic and pivots about a hinge portion 30, with a bias so that the respective free edges form a gap 28 and the hinge has a resiliency such that the sleeve flexes open and closed. With the condom on the patient, the sleeve 24 is opened and placed on the shaft of the penis, and then closed using an elastic band 26 or other closure mechanism. The combination of the condom and the hinged sleeve provides sufficient friction to prevent the condom from slipping off the user, and can easily be removed by taking off the elastic band and opening the sleeve 24. As shown in FIG. 3, the unused portion 32 of the condom helps to position the sleeve 24 on the penis. The invention greatly reduces trips to the bathroom, which occur often and are inconvenient, sometimes difficult, or even dangerous to the patient. The non-slip catheter provides the patient with an uninterrupted night's sleep.

(10) While the inventor's preferred embodiments have been disclosed and described herein, the invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown in the Figures or described herein. Rather, the spirit and scope of the invention is intended to include all such modifications and substitutions as would be readily apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of this disclosure. Accordingly, unless expressly stated herein, nothing in this disclosure should be treated as limiting, and the scope of the invention is properly measured by the words of the appended claims using their customary and ordinary meanings.