Magnetic cap for medical appliance to be retained in human body

This invention makes it easy to operate for a medical appliance to be retained in a human body. The magnetic cap (10) includes an annular magnet (2) secured to an upper face of a connecting plug body (1); a disk like magnet (4) secured to an upper face of a lid body which is detachably coupled to the connecting body (1) through a flexible band (6); and a strap (5) attached to an end of the lid body (3). The magnets (2) and (4) are set to be 5 to 15 mm in diameter, 0.5 to 5.0 mm in thickness, and 1500 to 2000 gauss in magnetic flux density. Magnetic poles on contact faces of the magnets (2) and (4) are directed in opposition to each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
(1) Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a magnetic cap which serves as an external switch 
valve for a medical appliance to be retained in a human body (for example, 
a urethra catheter and the like). 
(2) Statement of the Prior Art 
Heretofore, there are the following examples of medical appliances which 
are retained in a human body. 
Various diseases involving incontinence affect women. Medical therapy 
including ubrechide, .alpha.-blocker and the like may be applied and an 
intermittent self-withdrawing method are now also widely effected. Also, a 
medical therapy (anticholine agent, imipramine, ephedrine hydrochloride, 
.alpha. actuation agent or the like), a balloon catheter retaining method, 
pelvis lower muscle training method, intermittent self-withdrawing method, 
urination method using a urine collector or various kinds of napkins, and 
the like are also employed in cases of incontinence. These methods have 
provided substantial benefits. 
On the other hand, in the case of damage to cerebral blood vessels on the 
spinal cord, medication may be slow and people thus afflicted may have 
difficulty using a catheter, consequently the above method, are not often 
applied to these persons. In particular, women suffering paralysis having 
diseases worse than a middle degree and upper spinal cord (higher than 
seventh cervical vertebrae) damaged women are treated only by a selectable 
urination control method such as utilization of urinary bladder bags or 
napkins. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is provide a magnetic cap for a medical 
appliance to be retained in a human body, which can be readily handled for 
charging and discharge urine even by, for example, women who retain urine 
in their bladders find it difficult to discharge the urine also for women 
who are unable to use urinary bladder bags or napkins. 
A magnetic cap for a medical appliance to be retained in a human body in 
accordance with the present invention, comprises: an annular magnet 
secured to an upper face of a connecting plug body; a disk like magnet 
secured to an upper face of a lid body which is detachably coupled to the 
connecting body through a flexible band; and a strap attached to an end of 
the lid body. The annular and disk like magnets are set to be 5 to 15 mm 
in diameter, 0.5 to 5.0 mm in thickness, and 1500 to 2000 gauss in 
magnetic flux density. Magnetic poles on contact faces of the annular and 
disk like magnets are directed in opposition to each other. 
In the magnetic cap for a medical appliance to be retained in a human body 
in accordance with the present invention, when a disabled patient hooks 
the strap to their palm or finger to bring the two magnets together, the 
magnets become attached under their magnetic forces. 
Since both magnets are set to be 1500 to 2000 gauss in magnetic flux 
density, a mutual attraction force of the magnets becomes stronger and the 
cap is not disconnected from the connecting plug body in use. However, in 
the case that the patient wants to disconnect the cap, the patient can 
easily detach the cap from the plug body only be pulling the strap using 
their palm or finger. 
Since it is possible to detachably connect the connecting plug body to a 
port of the medical appliance to be retained in the human body, the 
magnetic cap can be applied to the same or different kind of appliance. 
Since both magnets are set to be 5 to 15 mm in diameter and 0.5 to 5.0 mm 
in thickness, the magnetic cap becomes relatively small size and does not 
impart any discomfort to the patient.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 3A and 3B, a magnetic cap 10 for a medical 
appliance to be retained in a human body in accordance with the present 
invention will be explained below. 
The magnetic cap 10 for a medical appliance to be retained in a human body, 
comprises: an annular magnet 2 secured to an upper face of a connecting 
plug body 1; a disk like magnet 4 secured to an upper face of a lid body 
which is detachably coupled to the connecting body 1 through a flexible 
band 6; and a strap 5 attached to an end of the lid body 3. 
The magnets 2 and 4 are set to be 5 to 15 mm in diameter, 0.5 to 5.0 mm in 
thickness, and 1500 to 2000 gauss in magnetic flux density. Magnetic poles 
on contact faces of the magnets 2 and 4 are directed in opposition to each 
other. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper and lower faces of the 
annular magnet 2 are set to be an S-pole and an N-pole while the upper and 
lower faces of the disk like magnet 4 are set to be an N-pole and an 
S-pole. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the magnetic cap 10 is in an open position 
the annular magnet 2 releases a passage 11 in the connecting plug body 1 
while the disk like magnet 4 is spaced away from the body 1. 
As shown in FIG. 3A, when the magnetic cap is in a closed position, both 
magnets 2 and 4 contact with each other and attracts each other by their 
magnetic forces. As shown in FIG. 3B, both magnets are aligned with the 
same center axis by their attraction forces immediately before the magnets 
contact with each other. 
In the case that one of the magnets 2 and 4 is made of an iron material, 
they immediately contact with each other when they approach each other and 
thus they cannot adjust misalignment of their center axes automatically. 
When the magnetic cap 10 is in the closed position as shown in FIG. 3A, the 
disk like magnet 4 closes the passage 11 in the connecting plug body 1. 
The magnetic cap 10 may be used as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. FIG. 4A shows 
an example in which the magnetic cap 10 is attached to an external drain 
port of an usual urethra catheter 20. FIG. 4B shows another example in 
which the magnetic cap 10 is attached to an external drain port of an 
usual MALECOT catheter 30. 
Although the connecting plug body shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is coupled to an 
inside of a port of a mating appliance, a connecting plug body la with a 
magnetic cap 10a shown in FIG. 5 is coupled to the outside of the port. 
A medical appliance, in particular, a MALECOT catheter to which the 
magnetic cap of the present invention can be applied is limited to the 
following diseases of patients: 
1. It is preferable that the patient has a desire to urinate. It is not 
suitable for use in cases of dementia. 
2. The patient can bring one's finger to the vulva. 
3. A capacity of the urinary bladder must be more than 150 ml. 
4. The patient can take a balance upon opening the legs and setting on the 
legs. 
5. It is not suitable for the patient who has an external port of the 
urethra in one's inner part or has pronounced vagina atrophy. 
6. It is not suitable for a patient who feels that a balloon catheter 
retained in the body is an obstacle. 
7. The patient may take a bath. 
8. It is applicable for a patient who has difficulty in moving ones 
fingers, has urination diseases or urine storage diseases. 
9. The patient can urinate at a toilet under a condition similar to natural 
urination. 
The magnetic cap of this invention can be utilized to a medical appliance 
to be retained in a human body over a wide scope, is simple in operation, 
and is superior in a closing function. Further, the cap has a simple 
construction and can be made at a low production cost.