Sanitary device

A sanitary device for insertion into a body cavity having a perforated casing in which a medicant is located within a distal portion of the casing and a semi-rigid absorbent material is located within a proximal portion of the casing. A plunger extends into the casing from the proximal portion and is movable to force the semi-rigid absorbent material into contact with the medicant which forces the medicant out of the distal portion of the casing. Unwanted body fluids can drain into the proximal portion and are absorbed by the semi-rigid absorbent material.A second embodiment of the invention includes an applicator for inserting a body insert into the body cavity. The body insert includes a semi-rigid absorbent material surrounded by a thin sheet of a lubricating material such as Telfa. The body insert may also include a medicant.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a vaginal or rectal tampon that serves the dual purpose of delivering a dose of a medicant or other material into a respective body cavity and also serves to accumulate body fluid that exits the cavity through human biological processes.

2. Description of Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,596 discloses a tampon for entry into a body cavity that includes a frangible reservoir containing medicant. In use the reservoir is ruptured by the user prior to or during insertion. The medicant is absorbed by the tampon body which when inserted into the body cavity contacts, for example, hemorrhoidal veins. The medicant which is absorbed by the tampon body is thus brought into contact with the area of the body to be treated.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,561,020 to Pond discloses a rectal tampon which includes a shell of gelatin or soluble material, a body of cotton or wool material and a body of medicated material. The outer shell of the tampon is designed to be dissolved.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention disclosed and claimed herein is directed to a dual purpose tampon that includes a first distal portion adapted to deliver a medicant or other material into a body cavity and also includes a second proximal portion which is adapted to absorb any unwanted fluid discharge from the cavity due to biological or natural processes.

The device includes an outer perforated casing which may be formed of a rigid, semi-rigid or flexible material. The casing provides support for a gel material which includes the medicant or other liquid and the casing also supports a semi-rigid body of absorbent material for absorbing any unwanted bodily fluid discharge.

The device further includes a plunger having a piston head located within the casing. The plunger is adapted to be moved by the user to force the gel material through openings provided in the distal portion of the casing. The proximal portion of the casing is also provided with a plurality of openings which allow for passage of bodily fluids into the lower portion of the casing. These fluids are absorbed by the absorbent material positioned or located within the proximal portion of the casing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the sanitary device10according to an embodiment of the invention includes a casing11, which includes a plurality of openings12in a proximal portion of the casing and a plurality of openings14located at a distal portion13of the casing. Casing11may be rigid, semi-rigid or flexible and may be consist of a plastic material.

A thin membrane15may be positioned within casing11to form a distal chamber17and a proximal chamber16. Material such as a gel18containing a medicant or other liquid is located within chamber17and an absorbent material19such as cotton or wool is located within chamber16.

Absorbent material19is formed as a semi-rigid mass so as to be capable of rupturing membrane15.

The lower portion of casing11as shown inFIG. 2has a inwardly curved portion22followed by an outwardly curved portion21which curves inwardly again at24. This forms a groove at27which is an adapted to receive the sphincter muscle37shown in phantom of the anus.

The sanitary device also includes a plunger member30having a stem portion31which extends outwardly from an opening36in the lower or proximal portion of casing11. Plunger31also includes a piston head33which is positioned within chamber16and engages the absorbent member19. A finger engaging portion32is located at an end of the plunger.

Piston member33may be releasably secured to the absorbent material by a weak adhesive bond. The diameter of piston33is slightly less than that of opening36so that it may be withdrawn from chamber16in a manner to be described below. A string35is secured to the device as is known in the art for easy removal of the device from the body cavity.

The distal portion13may be covered with a suitable seal to prevent contamination and the entire tampon can be packaged in a sterilized sealed wrapper.

In use, the tampon10is removed from its package and inserted into a body cavity. The user will depress plunger30which will cause absorbent member19to rupture membrane15and force gel material outwardly through apertures14. Thus the gel material with a medicant or other liquid will be positioned in close proximity to the walls of the cavity. Plunger30can then be within entirely from the device and discarded. Any unwanted discharge of bodily fluids from the cavity will be directed inwardly through opening12into the interior of chamber19. The fluids will be absorbed by absorbent member19.

After use, the user may remove the tampon from the body cavity by grasping string35.

A second embodiment of the invention will now be described with respect toFIGS. 3-5.

The embodiment ofFIGS. 3-5includes an application device including an outer, generally cylindrical casing having a first distal portion42and a second proximal portion45of a reduced diameter with respect to the diameter of portion42. The outer casing is formed of a relatively thin plastic material.

A plunger46having flared ends at54and56is positioned within the outer casing and is adapted to be slidably movable within the outer casing. The flared ends of plunger46prohibit the plunger from being withdrawn from the casing or pushed through the resilient flaps52at the top of the outer casing as discussed below. Flared end54of plunger46also engages semi-rigid absorbent mass44and pushes it out the top of distal portion42when plunger46is depressed.

The upper tip portion41of the outer casing is generally semi-spherical and includes a plurality of slits51as seen inFIG. 5. These slits form a plurality of flaps which will flex outwardly as a force is applied from within the casing. The general structure of the outer casing and plunger is commonly in use as an applicator for feminine hygiene products such as tampons.

FIG. 4illustrates the portion of the sanitary device that remains in the body cavity. It includes a semi-solid mass of an absorbent material such as cotton and may be formed of compressed cellulose material commonly used for tampons.

Absorbent body44is sufficiently rigid to maintain its shape during insertion. A thin plastic material48surrounds the absorbent body. Plastic material48includes a plurality of tiny perforations63which allows fluid to pass from the body cavity into the absorbent material44. Layer48is made from a thin plastic film that has lubricating characteristics so as to facilitate insertion and removal of the sanitary device into and out of the body cavity. An example of such a material is Telfa® which is made by the Kendall Company Ltd. It consists of polyethylene terephthalate.

The upper portion62of the body insert50may contain a suitable medicant for example Zylocaine gel 2% or Lidocaine 2% gel. A membrane49separates the medicant62from body44. A string47is securely attached to the absorbent mass44for removal of the body insert50after a given time period of use.

MODE OF OPERATION

The user may hold reduced diameter portion45of the outer casing with their forefingers and insert the outer housing into the body cavity a distance of about ¼″. Using a thumb of the user, plunger46is slowly depressed such that it engages the lower end of body insert50which in turn will exert a force on flaps52at the distal end of the outer casing.

This force will cause the flaps to expand outwardly thereby permitting the body insert50to exit the outer casing into the body cavity. Outer housing42and plunger46can now be removed from the body cavity leaving behind the body insert. The insert can be removed by grasping string47which remains outside the body cavity.

As stated above, the upper and lower ends of plunger46are flared. The flaring at54prevents removal of the plunger from the outer casing since it engages an internal shoulder61at the juncture of the outer casing sections. In like manner, flaring56will prevent plunger46from passing through lower casing portion45.