WO2004110320A1

WO2004110320A1 - Erection aid

Info

Publication number: WO2004110320A1
Application number: PCT/NO2004/000168
Authority: WO
Inventors: Birger Orten
Original assignee: Meditron Asa
Priority date: 2003-06-12
Filing date: 2004-05-10
Publication date: 2004-12-23
Also published as: NO20032673D0

Abstract

An erection aid adapted to be placed around at least a part of a penis, comprising a ring (10) of rubber material, possibly a condom. The ring/condom is equipped with piezo-material, preferably piezoelectric foil strips (3), and a power supply in the form of a battery (7) and a control circuit (4), for emitting mechanical vibrations. Additionally, windings of electrical wire or film conductors (9) are arranged on the ring/condom (10) for creating magnetic fields that will influence penis tissue further.

Description

ERECTION AID

The present invention relates to a mechanical/electromechanical erection aid. At the outset this means an aid to remedy a dysfunction, viz. lack of erection or an erection that declines too rapidly, but also an aid to provide an additional stimulus in connection with a normal erection situation.

Various remedies of chemical and mechanical type are previously known in connection with erectile dysfunction. Chemical agents can be administered by injection into or near penis, or they can be taken orally, compare the medicament "Viagra". However, chemical remedies are burdened with adverse effects, and injections will feel unpleasant for many persons. Among the commonly known mechanical erection aids are vacuum pumps for obtaining erection, and tightening devices e.g. round the root of the penis for maintaining an obtained erection. A device of the last mentioned type is previously known from German "Off enlegungssch rift" DE 22 07 169, but this device is equipped, in addition to the proper tightening device intended to prevent the reverse flow of blood from the penis, with further devices intended to stimulate the sexual partner, inter alia an electrical vibrator device. Hence, this vibrator device is only intended for the partner, and is arranged as a separate unit at a distance from the penis. The vibrator device itself is not specified further, and is powered from a battery situated somewhere else. .

. An annular amusement device and a condom-shaped amusement device are known from US 5,524,638 and US 5,163,447 respectively, both amusement devices producing mechanical vibrations in the form of sound, more particularly music. In both cases, the body contact between two sexual partners will trigger music playback from a unit which, also in this case, is situated close to the root of the penis, but outward from the penis. The unit may contain a vibration element, i.e. a sound emitter, which may be e.g. a piezoelectric miniature loudspeaker, further an electronic microchip, and a small battery for powering the loudspeaker and the microchip. However, these amusement devices are not manufactured, and not suitable, to remedy an erectile dysfunction.

Further, a so-called "vibrating condom" is known from US 5,377,692, which condom is intended to stimulate the genitals of the sexual partner during coitus. One embodiment of this condom utilizes an embedded sheet of "Nitinol", together with a battery. The Nitinol sheet has shape memory, and can be flexed by means of electricity. Using a pulsed current, the sheet is able to provide mechanical vibrations for stimulation of the genitals of the sexual partner. It does not appear from this patent what triggers the vibration function. Not even this last mentioned US patent aims at remedying or relieving the male dysfunction of lacking og diminishing erection, it is actually stated explicitly in the patent that this is not the intention.

In Norwegian patent no. 309,635, which belongs to the proprietor of the present invention, an erection aid is provided that comprises an elastic device to be placed around at least a part of a penis, in the form of a condom or a tightening ring. The elastic device is equipped with a unit of piezo-material, for instance a piezoelectric foil, for emission of stimulating vibrations. The device is self-supported, having a battery and an electronic miniature circuit for activating the piezo unit. This device is intended to be an effective mechanical aid to remedy erection dys- function, and is easy to use, and will not be perceived as uncomfortable or as a hindrance for the user.

The present invention aims at improving further the effect obtained by the last mentioned invention, and aims at providing a similar erection aid that is easy to slip on and that is perceived as comfortable also for the sexual partner, and which provides an enhanced effect.

The aim is obtained by providing an erection aid such as defined in the appended independent patent claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention appear from the dependent claims 2-9.

In the following, the invention shall be illuminated further by discussing ex- emplary embodiments, and it is at the same time referred to the appended drawings, in which fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the previously known erection aid in the form of a condom, figs. 2, 3 and 4 show an embodiment of the previously known erection aid in the form of a tightening ring, fig. 5 shows a sketch of an embodiment of a tightening ring in accordance with the present invention, and fig. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of a tightening ring in accordance with the invention. Fig. 1 depicts, in a schematic manner, a condom 1 which constitutes a first embodiment of the applicant's previous invention. The condom 1 appears broken at a midsection 8 along its length, from drawing reasons. The condom 1 is made from an ordinary material 2, i.e. from a suitable rubber type, for instance latex rub- ber.

In the shown embodiment, the previously known condom 1 is equipped with an electronic miniature circuit 4 near the condom opening. The condom 1 has an ordinary collar 5 at the opening. The collar 5 may have a tightening function. Thin electrical conductors 9 extend from the circuit 4 to areas having a piezoelectric foil 3 embedded in the rubber 2, for instance with equal thicknesses of rubber outside on both sides. The proximal foil parts 3 extend in a circumferential direction, but further on from these parts there are foil strips 3 extending mainly in a direction along the condom 1. These foil strips are shown in a zig-zag arrangement, but may equally well extend in straight line fashion, in a spiral shape or in some other manner. However, it is an advantage of the zig-zag shape that the foil 3 then easily can take part in a change of shape of the condom. A piezoelectric section also appears near the penis head part, with a view to special boost in this area.

The thin conductors 9 can be substituted by thin sections of the piezoelectric material itself. . Polyvinylidene fluoride is utilized as the preferred piezoelectric foil material, however other types of foil to be found on the market can also be used.

An alternative embodiment 6 is shown by means of a dotted line, wherein the opening collar 5 of the condom has been made wider in order to accommodate the electronic circuit 4 and battery 7. The battery 7 does not appear in this draw- ing, but may for instance be situated on the diametrically opposite side, like in the embodiment appearing in fig. 2, or the battery 7 and the circuit 4 may be arranged close to each other on the circumference, or even together.

The miniature circuit 4 may be a so-called hybrid circuit and ASIC circuit or it may be consist of separate components, possibly arranged on a small circuit board. The circuit board may also be of a soft type.

The miniature circuit 4 can be provided with a special switch arranged to trigger activation when a condom sales package is opened, and the circuit will then be activated continuously until the battery is empty. Or possibly there may be arranged a special switch for manual start of circuit activity, e.g. a touch sensitive switch.

The miniature circuit delivers voltage pulses, or for instance sinusoidal oscillations, to the piezoelectric foil 3, which foil thereby goes into a state with mechani- cal vibrations which are felt in penis areas, and additionally, even the electrical potential can be sensed. In this manner, penis can be stimulated to a prolonged erection and increased erection. (When the condom embodiment is used, it is presupposed that a preliminary erection has been obtained, because if not, the practical application of a condom is not a simple matter.) The miniature circuit 4 is arranged to oscillate with a certain frequency, or with several superposed frequencies. Possibly, several separate circuits can be used, each oscillating with its respective frequency. The frequencies involved may be low "massage" frequencies in a low frequency audio range or a sub-audio range, or high frequencies (ultrasound frequency range) may be used. With a certain type of miniature battery, e.g. a flat battery with limited capacity, one may also insert several such batteries, for instance in an extended collar 6. Purpose-built batteries can also be used, particularly with regard to shape. A larger battery may also work as a "backing mass" for a foil, i.e. a battery mass of for instance 10 g will, relative to a foil mass of for instance 0.1 g, act as a backing mass so that the vibration is concentrated in the foil. (One may also include a special weight member for this purpose.)

The piezoelectric foil 3 can be arranged quite close to the inside of the condom, i.e. only covered by a super-thin rubber layer, in order that the vibrations shall be felt more strongly. The opposite opportunity is also possible, and one may even prepare embodiments in which the piezoelectric foil is put on the outside, for lowered sensitivity, and fully on the inside, for maximum effect. What is perceived as pleasant or unpleasant may vary from person to person. .

Another variant is also possible, using two foil layers with rubber therebetween, and with outer super-thin rubber layers. The piezoelectric foil 3 may also cover much larger, connected areas of the penis than what is shown in fig. 1 , i.e. with a foil having a shape more like a sheet, or preferably as a wicker work or trellis. A wicker shape will follow elastic shape changes more easily. A piezoelectric foil can be made very thin, for instance a thickness of 28 μm is a standard product.

The previous invention comprises also the embodiment in which the piezoelectric material does not appear in a foil shape, but is thicker, compare bimorph or ceramic elements shaped as strips, rectangles or thin circular disks, with electric conductors thereto from circuit 4. For the condom embodiment, this will then first and foremost apply to an extended collar 6 which can accommodate such other types of piezoelectric material, like polyvinylidene fluoride, bimorph or ceramic elements. Possibly/several layers of foil can be used. Other electromechani- cal or piezo-type function than piezoelectricity can also be used, for instance shape memory effect with rapid motion, piezo-magnetism, electrically driven ther- mophone effect, etc. Possibly, special condoms, for example equipped with ribs, may also accommodate such variants.

Furthermore, the condom variant is also intended to comprise a quasi-con- dom with a forward opening, that is for the case in which the transfer of semen, or conception, is desirable. Such a quasi-condom is also a useful solution in the previously mentioned case with a problematic preliminary erection, since such a quasi-condom can be applied to a non-erect limb without experiencing problems after obtaining an erection. In the case without an enlarged collar, it is important that especially the battery 7 and the electronic circuit 4 do not feel uncomfortable for either one of the partners, and therefore, it is particuiarly important with flat designs of these units, while also maintaining small dimensions laterally. With an extended collar 6, the shape of these units are somewhat less important. An added effect to be achieved in addition to the main effect that regards erectile dysfunction, is of course an effect of increased stimulance for the penis, even for a person having a normal erection, that is without dysfunction. Hence, the erection aid in accordance with the invention may also be of interest for persons having a normal erection, in fact also for persons in a sexual situation without a partner.

It is also an additional effect that a sexual partner may feel the vibrations emitted, and there should be no problem providing embodiments that will also show special consideration for a partner, by providing for instance piezofoil 3 in condom areas selected with particular regard to certain anatomic parts of the partner, for example particular positions in and near the vaginal entrance. In particular the embodiment with a foil 3 arranged on the outside will provide vibrations which are quite noticeable for the partner, but also the inside foil arrangement will provide_. an effect that will be noticed by the partner. In figs. 2, 3 and 4 appears a different, and possibly more important, embodiment of the erection aid in accordance with the previous invention. This embodiment is based on a classical tightening ring 10, and is preferably of rubber, but quite a lot thicker than condom rubber, that is more like for instance the previously mentioned "extended collar", or even somewhat thicker. In this case it is only a matter of producing stimulating pulses in an annular area, preferably at the root of the penis, or around some other area further out on the penis. This variant will be able to deal with the problem of a lacking preliminary erection, and will then possibly also be useful in cooperation with a condom variant, that is, the ring 10 first in order to obtain an erection, and thereafter mounting of the condom 1 to provide further effect (and of course to provide the normal condom function).

For the rest, the ring 10 will work in a corresponding manner as the previously mentioned condom 1 , or in particular in the same manner as the mentioned "enlarged collar" 6. Battery/batteries 7, miniature circuit/circuits 4 are accommo- dated inside the ring 10, piezo-foil 3 may be arranged on the inside thereof, or embedded in the bulk of the rubber. The ring 10 will also accommodate piezoelectric material of another type than the thin foil, such as previously mentioned. The ring can be manufactured in various widths, for instance in the range 0,5-5 cm. Figs. 3 and 4 show two external designs of the tightening ring 10, one design with two edge collars 5 and thinner rubber therebetween in fig. 3, and one design in fig. 4 with a smooth rounding. It appears also that the battery 7 and the circuit 4 are provided at diametrically opposite sides, but this is no necessity. With regard to the embodiment of fig. 3, it is also possible to remove one of the collars, . to provide a variant towards the previously mentioned "quasi-condom".

In fig. 5, which is a simple sketch, appears an embodiment of a tightening ring 10 exhibiting a new feature that constitutes the basis of the present invention, while it is still referred to figs. 2, 3 and 4 concerning other features of the actual tightening ring. Fig. 5 shows a feature with a current-conducting wire or filament wound to create a magnetic field that will provide a further stimulating or therapeutical effect for the penis. It is quite feasible with a separate circuit for providing this effect, i.e. a wire winding independent of the piezo-material itself, but in the preferred embodiments, considerably lengthened supply wires from micro-circuit 4 to the piezo-material 3 are used. In the embodiment shown, the piezo-material 3 is a piezo-electric foil/film.

In the shown embodiment, an insulated thin copper wire 9 is wound around the very piezo-foil 3 and hence constitutes a flat "coil" that curves around the tightening ring 10 together with the foil, i.e. in this case like a torus around the penis. Then, a strong magnetic field is obtained inside the piezo-foil itself, but at the same time also a field of a certain strength penetrating into the penis inside the torus.

Since wire windings will result in an increased inductance for the circuit, this embodiment will be best suited for pulses/oscillations of relatively low frequency, i.e. preferably in the range DC-200 Hz, but also somewhat higher than this.

In addition to the vibrations from the piezo-material 3, penis areas are thus exposed also to a pulse/oscillating magnetic field that provides further stimulation. Experiments show that such magnetic fields provide an effect in the form of increased flow of blood. Fig. 6 shows another embodiment of thte central inventive feature with filament windings, in which a more powerful magnetic field can be obtained in the penis tissue. In fig. 6, the winding of thin copper wire 9 is arranged only outside the piezo-material 3, so that a coil shape is formed with axis concurrent with the penis axis. In this case, penis will experience a strong magnetic field that varies at the same rate as the mechanical vibrations from the piezo-material 3, when the winding filament is the supply wire for excitation of the piezo-foil.

It should also be noted that it is possible to have a separate coil 9 of copper wire that can be controlled independently of the control of the piezo-material vibrations. There is a possibility of optimising the effect by using intermittent pulsing/vib- ration for the two excitation types, or simultaneous operation using different frequencies, for instance multiples of each other. Certain favourable locations, for instance with the piezo-material at the root of the penis and with magnetic excitation using filament windings closer to the penis head, are also of interest. Copper wire windings have been mentioned above, but it is also possible to use other conductor materials, also in the shape of film or similar, as long as a magnetic field can be generated. The strength of the magnetic field is determined inter alia by the number of turns in a winding, and hence the strength can be varied.

As regards the elasticity of the device, it should be noted that neither copper wire nor piezo-material are particularly elastic in themselves, but as previously mentioned, the shape of the piezo-material can be formed in such a manner that shape change becomes possible (zig-zag shape, trellis/wicker shape), and the copper filament should preferably be laid in such a manner as to follow the piezo- material. Alternatively, S-shape or zig-zag shape can be used separately for the windings, so as to achieve good flexibility.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1. An erection aid adapted to be placed around at least a part of a penis, comprising a device (10) of elastic material, preferably rubber, said device (10) being s equipped with at least one unit (3) of piezo-matθrial and with an actϊvable power supply (4, 7) for the unit(s) (3), said unit(s) (3) of piezo-material being adapted to give off mechanical and possibly electrical pulses or vibrations to the penis or parts thereof upon activation, characterised in that windings of thin electrical conductors (9) are ar- o ranged on said device (10) to provide a magnetic field for influencing penis tissue further.

2. The erection aid of claim 1, characterised in that the conductors (9) are thin insulated metal wires, 5 preferably of copper.

3. The erection aid of claim 2, characterised in that the windings are wound on the unit(s) (3) of piezo- material, 0

4. The erection aid of claim 3, characterised in that the windings are arranged only on the outside of said unit(s) (3) of pϊezo-material so as to be windings around the device (10) of elastic material and around the penis. 5

5. The erection aid of claim 3, characterised in that a winding is arranged around a unit (3) of piezo- material, i.e, with only said unit (3) as a "core", so as to arrange the winding as a flat torus around the penis. 0

6. The erection aid of claim 1, characterised in that the device (10) of elastic material is a penis ring made of rubber material.

7. The erection aid of claim 1, characterised in that the windings are provided with separate control and power from the power supply (4, 7).

8. The erection aid of claim 1 , characterised in that the windings are arranged as supply conductors to the unit(s) (3) of piezo-material from the power supply (4, 7).

9. The erection aid of claim 1 , characterised in that the windings are arranged separately, i.e. at at a distance from the unit(s) (3) of piezo-material.