Condom and package

A condom package has a tactile means of identifying the orientation of the condom within the package. The tactile means is the shape or texture of the package. In another embodiment, the tactile means of identifying orientation is on the condom itself.

SPECIFICATION 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to condoms as used by humans during sexual 
activities. More particularly, this invention relates to a means for 
determining the orientation of a condom so as to ensure proper application 
of the condom. 
Typically, condoms are made of an elastic material, such as latex, and are 
packaged individually in a sealed plastic or foil pouch having an upper 
and a lower generally flat surface. When packaged, the condom is rolled in 
a manner such that it appears as a latex disk with a tubular edge. 
Use of the condom typically involves opening the package, removing the 
condom from the package, visually determining the correct inside/outside 
orientation of the condom, and donning the condom. Condoms are orientation 
specific with regard to the direction in which they will unroll. However, 
if one tries to unroll a condom from the incorrect orientation, i.e., 
inside out, it is usually not apparent from the outset that an error is 
being made and difficult application may ensue. 
Visual determination of orientation is often difficult and can be made more 
difficult by less than optimum ambient lighting conditions that may 
prevail at the time of use. This confusion increases the chances of 
accidently trying to apply the condom inside out. 
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an easy means of 
determining the proper orientation of a condom using only one's sense of 
touch. It is another object of the present invention to provide a means of 
determining the proper orientation of a condom using one's sense of sight. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, a condom's orientation is 
identified by tactile and visual means on either the condom package or the 
condom itself, or both.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
According to the present invention, when use of a condom in conditions not 
conducive to viewing the package or its contents is anticipated, the 
prospective user can become familiar with a tactile identification means 
on the outside of the unopened package prior to use. Written instructions 
on or accompanying the package can acquaint the prospective user ahead of 
time with the correlation between the orientation of the package and the 
orientation of the condom within. The prospective user can also make his 
own visual observation of the orientation of a condom after opening a 
package. The method of use of these tactile means includes feeling the 
tactile orientation identification on the package, removing the condom 
from the package, orienting the condom, and donning the condom. 
FIG. 1 shows a typical prior art condom in its package 5. One cannot 
determine the orientation of the condom, i.e., which side is the inside 
and which is the outside, merely by looking at or touching the unopened 
package. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention which 
includes a means of determining which side is which. In this embodiment, 
the means is the shape of the package which is generally square but has 
two clipped corners 10, 15, resulting in a six-sided package. By differing 
the size or shape of the clipped corners relative to one another, thereby 
rendering the package asymmetrical, the user can easily determine the 
orientation of the package either visually or by determining the contour 
of the package shape using only his sense of touch. Instructions on or 
accompanying the package will inform the prospective user that when the 
larger clipped corner 15 is in the upper right-hand position, for example, 
the inside of the condom is facing away from the prospective user. 
FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention in which one corner 20 is 
missing from a rectangular package, resulting in an asymmetrical 
five-sided package. Instructions on or accompanying this package will 
inform the prospective user that when the clipped corner 20 is in the 
upper right-hand position, for example, the inside of the condom is facing 
away from the prospective user. 
Another means of identifying the orientation of a condom within its 
package, other than by the shape of the package, is by texture. According 
to the present invention, one surface of a condom package is given a 
different texture than the other, for example, a corrugated texture. The 
textured surface will correspond to a particular side of the condom within 
the package, either the inside or the outside. This is shown in FIGS. 4A, 
4B and 4C, where FIG. 4A is a plan view of the textured surface 25 of the 
package, FIG. 4B is a plan view of the smooth surface 30 of the package 
and FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view of the package showing both the 
textured and smooth surfaces of the package as well as the condom 35 
within. 
Only one portion of one surface of the condom package need be of a 
different texture from the rest of the package. This is shown in FIGS. 5A 
and 5B, where FIG. 5A is a plan view of the surface which has a portion of 
a different texture 40 and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the 
package. Just as with the packaging-shape-dependent means of identifying 
orientation, the prospective user can become familiar with the 
significance of the texture-dependent means of identifying orientation 
prior to use by reading accompanying instructions or by observing the 
orientation of the condom within its package after opening the textured 
package. 
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the means of 
identifying the orientation of the condom is located on the condom itself. 
FIG. 6 shows the rolled condom 50 with the identifier 45 which is on the 
outside of the condom. Upon removing the condom 50 from its package, the 
user can determine where the identifier 45 is either by sight or by using 
one or more fingers. Once the determination is made, the user can apply 
the condom, secure in the knowledge that it is being applied properly. 
In a variation of the previous embodiment, the identifier can be of an 
orientation-specific shape to further ensure that the user has correctly 
determined the inside/outside orientation of the condom. As an example, 
FIG. 7 shows a plan view of a rolled condom 55 with a clockwise swirl 
identifier 60 on the outside. If the user touches the identifier 60 from 
the inside, he will be able to quickly determine that he is feeling the 
inside, and not the outside, by following the contour of the identifier 
60, which will be counterclockwise. Although slightly more intricate, use 
of the orientation-specific identifier 60 allows the identifier 60 to be 
of a smaller height than is necessary with the symmetrical identifier 45 
shown in FIG. 6, since the sole identifying property of identifier 45 is 
its height above the condom surface. 
According to the present invention, condom orientation may also be 
determined by printed means on a predetermined side of the condom package. 
FIGS. 8A and 8B depict an embodiment wherein the condom 65 is oriented 
with its inside adjacent to the package surface 70 which has the words 
"THIS SIDE TOWARD WEARER" printed thereon. Of course, any wording which 
conveys to the user the orientation of the condom within the package may 
be used. Thus, lighting conditions permitting, the user will then be able 
to quickly determine the proper orientation of the condom by merely 
glancing at the package. 
While the above is a description of the invention in its preferred 
embodiments, various modifications, alternate constructions and 
equivalents may be employed. Therefore, the above description and 
illustration should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention 
which is defined by the appended claims.