URINATING AID FOR WOMEN

Abstract: Urinating aid for women, comprising an outer, substantially funnel-shaped first sleeve and an inner second sleeve fitting in the outer sleeve, the first sleeve having an entrance opening, determined by an upper edge of the first sleeve, and an exit opening determined by a lower edge of the first sleeve, the second sleeve being detachably accommodated in the first sleeve and extending at least as far as over the upper edge.

Description: Urinating aid for women The invention relates to a urinating aid for women. The invention particularly relates to such an aid which form a guidance for the urine from the vagina, from below the urethra of a woman to a place at a distance from it, without the clothing and/or the body of the woman being wetted. In patent literature many examples of such aids can be found. The International patent application WO-93/11691, the US patent specification 5.408.703, the International patent application O-95/07671 and the Dutch patent application 75.12545 can be mentioned. Furthermore the US patent specification 3.964.111, the British patent application 2.002.629, the European patent application 0.226.277, the British patent application 2.240.717 and the US patent specification 5.370.637 can be referred to. In the US patent specification 3.964.111 a urinating aid is shown, which consists of a funnel-shaped outer sleeve in which an inner lining or inner sleeve can be placed. At placing, the inner lining is entirely accommodated in the outer sleeve and can be removed after use, so that the outer sleeve can be folded and put away awaiting a next use, when a new inner lining is placed in the outer sleeve. The inner lining lies with the upper edge below the upper edge of the outer sleeve. In this way it will be difficult for the user to engage the inner lining and pull it out of the outer sleeve. Moreover it cannot be prevented that the upper edge of the outer sleeve will be soiled or wetted. Urine can end up between the outer sleeve and the inner lining, so that the outer sleeve will as yet have to be cleaned before it can be put away. It is an objective of the invention to improve on this, and to that end provides a urinating aid for women, comprising an outer, substantially funnel-shaped first sleeve and an inner second sleeve fitting in the outer sleeve, the first sleeve having an entrance opening, determined by an upper edge of the first sleeve, and an exit opening determined by a lower edge of the first sleeve, the second sleeve being detachably accommodated in the first sleeve and extending at least as far as over the upper edge . In this way the upper edge of the first sleeve is kept at a distance of or protected from the body of the user or fluid coming therefrom. Preferably the second sleeve is folded back over the upper edge. In this way a perfect protection of the upper edge of the first sleeve is obtained. Preferably the second sleeve is either a flexible or fold- away or fold-in sleeve, so that it can easily be stored with several specimen. Preferably the upper edge of the first sleeve is rolled or thickened, the upper edge preferably forming a circum- ferential groove opening downwards at the outside of the first sleeve. In this way the engagement between the first sleeve and the second sleeve at the location of the upper edge is improved. With the downwardly directed edge the groove forms a resistance against a downward sliding movement of the second sleeve through the first sleeve and moreover can possibly offer room for a means for tightening up which can be accommodated in the upper edge of the second sleeve, such as a piece of string or an elastic . Preferably the upper edge of the first sleeve is circum- ferential with one or several interruptions . These interruptions form a location for clamping or hooking in or on the second sleeve. According to a further development the second sleeve has an upper edge which has been thickened, and consists of downwardly folded back and fixed sleeve wall material. The thickened upper edge of the second sleeve in this way forms an engagement means when placing and removing the second sleeve. The thickened upper edge can in such cases be a means in itself for fixing the second sleeve to the first sleeve, because the thickened upper edge is stopped from upward displacement by the thickened upper edge of the first sleeve. Preferably the second sleeve extends beyond the lower edge of the first sleeve. If the second sleeve -as mentioned before- is flexible or something like that, then the user obtained in that way a broad freedom of direction for the flow of urine. Preferably the lower edge of the second sleeve has been made heavier or thickened, so that the second sleeve can be more easily inserted in the first sleeve . The weighted of thickened lower edge can also in the case of a second sleeve protruding below form an engagement or directing means for the hand of the user, so that the directing in the vertical and the horizontal plane can take place with more certainty. The place where the trickle comes down can in this way be actively directed itself. In a further development according to the invention the first sleeve is preferably provided with longitudinal folding lines. The location of the folding lines can coincide with the interruptions in the thickened upper edge of the first sleeve. Preferably the longitudinal folding lines are arranged to be situated in a vertical plane during use. Usually the sleeve will be engaged such that the thumb is placed on top and the four other fingers below. With the arrangement mentioned of the longitudinal folding lines it becomes simple to alter the shape of the passage and the shape of the upper edge as desired by moving the thumb and the four fingers in relation to each other. A thickened or rolled upper edge and/or lower edge can cooperate here to tension the sleeve from a flat folded position to an open position and to tension it back from a position pressed-in to far by said fingers to a less pressed-in position. Preferably the first sleeve is provided with placement means for the fingers of the user's hand. In this way the manageability of the aid is improved and the user is guided in engaging and holding the sleeve. Preferably the placement means are similarly shaped to either side, so that it does not matter whether one is left handed or right handed. The placement means can be shaped as recesses or as surfaces of the sleeve wall bounded by elevations. Also deviatingly structured surface areas of the sleeve can be thought of. When for all fingers a placement means is present, the user is kept from extending her index finger to the fore, in which case it could be wetted. From another aspect the invention provides a urinating aid for women, comprising a substantially funnel-shaped sleeve with an entrance opening determined by an upper edge of the sleeve and an exit opening determined by a lower edge of the sleeve, the upper edge being provided with one or several elevations, which preferably are elongated and extend in the circumferential direction of the upper edge. In this way it is prevented, especially in case of an aid consisting of one sleeve, that the upper edge of the permanent sleeve portion of the aid would contact the user's body with such a large surface, that irritation or an allergic reaction arises. Because of the elevations that surface is decreased. The elevations can have various shapes. They can be integrally formed with the upper edge or separately attached there, in which case the user is free to make use of the elevations. In case of an outer sleeve and an inner lining the elevations or projections can form a point of engagement for the inner lining. Preferably the elevations run along elongatedly with the upper edge . They can be narrower than the upper edge . The intermediate distances between the elevations are preferably larger at the front than at the rear. From a next aspect the invention provides a urinating aid for women, comprising a substantially funnel-shaped sleeve with an entrance opening determined by an upper edge of the sleeve and an exit opening determined by a lower edge of the sleeve, the upper edge, in view from aside on the sleeve, having a concave portion and furthermore a convex portion at the front . This is not only in keeping with the anatomic shape of the user' s body, but also provides a pleasant and functional surface, that is to say the rear area of the upper edge, with which the body can by wiped after urinating. In case of an inner lining as second sleeve the upper edge of this inner lining naturally follows the upper edge of the outer sleeve. From a further aspect the invention provides a urinating aid for women, comprising a substantially funnel-shaped sleeve with an entrance opening determined by an upper edge of the sleeve and an exit opening determined by a lower edge of the sleeve, the sleeve being formed by a sheet or plate material, provided with two side edges situated opposite one another, which are provided with complementary connection means. Preferably the sheet or the plate material can be bent to two directions for making the connection means engage each other. In this way a urinating sleeve is provided, which takes up very little space at storage, namely with several in the shape of a flat stack, and can be folded to the one or the other side and can then be fixed to form a urinating sleeve. It does not matter here in which direction the sleeve is bent. From a further aspect the invention provides a urinating aid for women, comprising a substantially funnel-shaped sleeve with an entrance opening determined by an upper edge of the sleeve and an exit opening determined by a lower edge of the sleeve, the upper edge of the sleeve forming a thickening with respect to the wall of the sleeve and from there extends to the inside, and being provided with a number of interruptions in the thickening which are spaced apart in circumferential direction. Preferably the interruptions are formed by inwardly extending, substantially V-shaped notches, in which the sleeve can be folded in radial direction into a flat state. The sleeve can then be pressed open with the fingers, the boundaries of the V-shaped notches when abutting each other forming a limit for the extent to which the sleeve can be pressed open from the flat state. From a further aspect the invention provides a urinating aid for women, comprising a substantially funnel-shaped sleeve with an entrance opening determined by an upper edge of the sleeve and an exit opening determined by a lower edge of the sleeve, the sleeve having an upper and a lower portion, the lower portion being movable with respect to the upper portion. In this way the user can direct and place the trickle of urine leaving the sleeve as desired. In the case of an aid according to the invention without separate inner lining the sleeve can be articulated. In the case that an inner lining is present in an outer sleeve this inner lining, as already indicated above, can extend below out of the outer sleeve. Maximum freedom of direction is obtained when the inner lining is at least flexible with the portion extending out of the outer sleeve. In case there is an inner sleeve or second sleeve, this is preferably made of flexible, disposable, auto-biodegradable material. The outer sleeve or, if there is no inner sleeve, the sleeve can be made of plastic material, such as polymer, particularly expanded polystyrene. The sleeve, however, can also be made of cellulose material, such as paper or cardboard. The invention will now be elucidated on the basis of a number of exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings . Shown is in: Figure 1 a front view of a first embodiment of a urinating sleeve according to the invention; Figure 2 a side view on the sleeve of figure 1; Figure 3 a detail of the upper edge of the sleeve of figure 2; Figures 3A, 3B and 3C a number of ways in which the inner lining can be connected to an outer sleeve of a urinating sleeve according to the invention; Figure 4 a side view on a urinating sleeve according to the invention, consisting of an outer sleeve and an inner lining, which extends out of the outer sleeve; Figures 5A, 5B and 5C a urinating sleeve according to the invention, with a special shaped upper edge; Figures 6A, 6B and 6C some further particulars of the urinating sleeve according to the invention; Figure 7 a blank from which a urinating sleeve according to the invention can be formed; and Figure 8 a urinating sleeve according to the invention in the position of use. In figure 1 a sleeve 1 of plastic material such as expanded polystyrene or cardboard is shown, which in this example mainly keeps its shape during use. The sleeve 1 has an upper end 2 and a lower end 3 , which are in open connection with each other. The sleeve 1 is furthermore provided with a circumferential wall 10, which defines a passage tapering in downward direction. At the front the wall is provided with a moulded recess 5 for a thumb and at the rear provided with four moulded recesses 6 for the other fingers . The upper edge 4 of the sleeve 1, which runs about the upper opening 2, projects out of the outer surface of the circumferential wall 10, and is for instance thickened or folded back, in which latter case a downwardly opening groove 7 (see figure 2A and 2B) has been formed. The upper edge 4 can, as has been indicated in figure 2 and 3 be provided with an integrally formed or attached series of elongated elevations or hills, which are mutually spaced at distances that become larger to the front (seen in the drawing to the left) . The length of the elevations 15 can decrease in the same direction. The elevations 15 are furthermore somewhat narrower than the upper edge 4. As can be seen in the figures 2 and 3 and also in figure 8 in side view several portions can be discerned in the upper edges 4, 44 respectively. More to the front the upper edge portion 4a, 44a, which is concave, is situated. The upper edge portion 4a, 44a joins the upper edge portion 4b, 44b, which is convex, in rearward direction via a fluent bending point. The convex edge portion 4b, 44b, ends in side view (see figure 3) at an angle a with respect to the local generatrix of the circumferential wall 10, which can approach 90° to provide a practical help with wiping the body after urinating. In front view and in rear view, respectively, the upper edge portions which are situated on both sides of the plane of symmetry Z fluently merge into one another, with a horizontal tangent. The sleeve of figures 1-3 can be used several times, but has to be rinsed then after each use. The sleeve 1 can also be used in connection with an inner sleeve or inner lining 8, which is made of water impermeable material and is flexible. The material preferably is bio-degradable, such as for instance bio-degradable polyester foil. The inner lining 8 is, as can be seen in the figures 3A, 3B and 3C, provided with an edge portion 8a which is folded back to the outside, which can fall or reach over the upper edge 4. In the representation of the figures 3A and 4 the flanged upper edge 8a is continued in a pending skirt 9, which can be somewhat elastic to keep portion 8a taut on the upper edge 4. The edge portion 8a can alternatively, as shown in figure 2B, be provided with a hem 8b, in which a tightening piece of string 8c is accommodated. The hem 8b and the piece of string 8c can be accommodated in the groove 7 of the upper edge 4. In figure 3C a further alternative solution of the upper edge of the inner lining is shown, in which the inner lining 18 is provided at the top with a thickening 18a which has been formed by moulding or folding the upper edge of the inner lining 18 a number of times onto itself. The thickened portion 18a then engages over and under the upper edge 24 to keep the inner lining 18 in its place with respect to the outer sleeve 20 and to prevent sliding away. The inner lining 8 preferably extends beyond the lower opening 3 of the sleeve 1 (figure 4) and at the lower end preferably is provided with a weight, for instance in the form of a ring 22. The ring 22 can be relatively rigid to be more easily and securely engagable by the user at directing the projecting part 21 of the inner lining 8. In figure 5A an alternative urinating sleeve 50 is shown in front view and in figure 5B in oblique rear view. The sleeve 50 is provided with a recess 55 surrounded by an elevated edge 55a at the front and at the rear with four recesses 56 surrounded by elevated edges 56a for the fingers. The upper edge 54 is formed with thickenings 57 reaching inside with flat upper sides. The thickenings are separated from one another by - in the situation of figure 5A - V-shaped notches 58 which as it were form hinges in the edge. The sleeve 50 is made of bendable and foldable or collapsible material. To that end the sleeve 50 has four folding lines 59. The situation shown in figure 5A is the storage state . When the user wants to use the sleeve 50, she engages it with the fingers on the recesses 55 and 56 and exerts a slight pressure. Because of the notches 58 the upper edge can deform along until the boundaries of the notches abut one another, and the situation shown in figure 5C is reached. In this way it is prevented that the sleeve is pressed open too far and as a result of that actually pressing the sleeve closed again is prevented. The notches 58 can moreover have a function in clamping a thin inner lining between their boundaries, when such a lining would be used. In figures 6A and 6B similar provisions are schematically shown. In figure 6A the front side, which is upwardly directed during use, is shown with a folding line 26 and a rough surface area 27 for the thumb. In figure 6B the folding line 29 is shown and four roughened areas 28 for the four other fingers. The sleeves 1 shown in figures 6A and 6B can easily be stacked into one another, but as a result of the folding lines 26 and 29 can also be offered flat, for instance in a vending machine. For folding flat it is provided that the thickened or enlarged upper edge 24 is provided with a notch 25 at the location of the upper end of the folding line 29. A same notch can also be provided in the upper edge 24 at the location of the upper end of the folding line 26. As can be seen in the detail of figure 6C the interruption in the upper edge 24 forms a means behind which a foil of the inner lining can be hooked or between which it can be clamped. In particular in case of a moulded upper edge it can also be alternatively provided with a little knob, on which the inner lining can be held. In figure 8 it is schematically shown what the position of the urine sleeve according to the invention during use can be. The urine sleeve 40 has a thickened upper edge 44, over which an upper portion of an inner lining which is not shown has been folded, so that it hangs down with cover flaps 41. The inner lining could possibly, when ready-for-use sleeves are offered, be adhered to the upper edge. This adhesion can be facilitated because the broad or thickened upper edge 44 offers a larger engagement surface . The user P holds the sleeve 40 with one hand, so that the upper edge 44 with the concave portion 44a and the convex portion 44b smoothly abut the surroundings of the vagina. The urine is then released from the urethra 45, so that it can flow downwards, through the sleeve 40, and can flow out of the sleeve 40 in the direction S, so that it seems as if the user urinates like a man, with all the advantages of directing and placing possibilities. The water repellent or waterproof inner lining screens the hands from being wetted by means of the flaps 41. The flaps 41 can possibly run entirely around the sleeve, or just at the front and the rear. In figure 7 an embodiment of the urine sleeve according to the invention is shown, which can be offered to the user in flat state. It consists of a plate 30 of easily deformable material, which has an upper edge 34 with a concave portion 34a and a convex portion 34b and a concave lower edge 38. Furthermore there is a straight side edge 31 and a straight side edge 32, to which latter edge connects an adhesive strip 33a. The adhesive strip 33a is connected to the rest of the plate 30 via folding line 37. The radius Rl of the convex edge portion 34b is 25 mm in this example. The radius R2 of the concave edge portion 34a is about 113 mm in this example. The radius R3 of the concave lower edge 38 is 133 mm in this example. The distance between the highest point of the lower edge 38 and the highest point of the upper edge 34 is 185 mm in this example, whereas the largest width is about 144 mm, all depending on the user's age. When assembling the sleeve from the plate 30 the edge 32 is brought to the edge 31 and by moistening or pulling away a protective sheet the adhesive strip 33a is activated to adhere to the surface near the edge 31. Preferably an adhesive strip 33a is provided on both surfaces, to permit folding to both directions at the forming of the sleeve. After assembling the lines 36 and 37 form folding lines, which can be engaged by the fingers and thumb respectively, to influence the form of the passage in the sleeve .

Claims: Claims 1. Urinating aid for women, comprising an outer, substantially funnel-shaped first sleeve and an inner second sleeve fitting in the outer sleeve, the first sleeve having an entrance opening, determined by an upper edge of the first sleeve, and an exit opening determined by a lower edge of the first sleeve, the second sleeve being detachably accommodated in the first sleeve and extending at least as far as over the upper edge . 2. Aid according to claim 1, the second sleeve being folded back over the upper edge . 3. Aid according to claim 1 or 2 , the second sleeve being either a flexible or fold-away or fold-in sleeve. 4. Aid according to claim 1, 2 or 3, the upper edge being rolled or thickened, and the upper edge preferably forming a circumferential groove opening downwards at the outside of the first sleeve. 5. Aid according to claim 3 or 4 , the upper edge of the first sleeve being circumferential with one or several interruptions . 6. Aid according to claim 5, the interruptions forming a location for hooking in or on the second sleeve. 7. Aid according to claim 5, the second sleeve having an upper edge shape with a contour corresponding to that of the upper edge of the first sleeve. 8. Aid according to any one of the preceding claims, the upper edge of the second sleeve having an outer collar, in which preferably a means for tightening up, such as a piece of string or an elastic, has been accommodated. 9. Aid according to claim 8, the upper edge of the second sleeve being thickened and preferably consisting of sleeve wall material that has been downwardly folded back. 10. Aid according to any one of the preceding claims, the second sleeve extending beyond the lower edge. 11. Aid according to any one of the preceding claims, the second sleeve having a lower edge which has been made heavier or thickened. 12. Aid according to claim 10 and 11, the lower edge which has been made heavier or thickened forming a holding or controlling means for the hand of a user. 13. Aid according to any one of the preceding claims, the first sleeve being provided with longitudinal folding lines . 14. Aid according to claim 13, the longitudinal folding lines being arranged to be situated in a vertical plane during use . 15. Aid according to any one of the preceding claims, the first sleeve being provided with placement means for the fingers of the user's hand. 16. Aid according to claim 15, the placement means being similarly shaped to either side. 17. Aid according to claim 15 or 16, the placement means being formed on the sides which during use are on top and below. 18. Urinating aid for women, comprising a substantially funnel-shaped sleeve with an entrance opening determined by an upper edge of the sleeve and an exit opening determined by a lower edge of the sleeve, the upper edge being provided with one or several elevations, which preferably are elongated and extend in the circumferential direction of the upper edge . 19. Aid according to claim 18, the elevations being spaced from one another, which at the front of the upper edge is larger than at the rear. 20. Aid according to claim 19, in which the elevations at the front of the upper edge are shorter than at the rear. 21. Aid according to claim 18, 19 or 20, the elevations being narrower than the upper edge. 22. Aid according to any one of the claims 18-21, the elevations being attached to the upper edge. 23. Aid according to any one of the preceding claims, the upper edge, in view from aside on the sleeve, having a concave portion and furthermore a convex portion at the front. 24. Aid according to claim 23, the convex portion being situated at the rear in the situation of use. 25. Aid according to claim 24, the concave portion and the convex portion of the upper edge merging fluently and preferably determining a sinusoidal line. 26. Urinating aid for women, comprising a substantially funnel-shaped sleeve with an entrance opening determined by an upper edge of the sleeve and an exit opening determined by a lower edge of the sleeve, the upper edge, in view from aside on the sleeve, having a concave portion and furthermore a convex portion at the front . 27. Aid according to claim 26, the convex portion being situated at the rear in the situation of use. 28. Aid according to claim 27, the concave portion and the convex portion of the upper edge merging fluently and preferably determining a sinusoidal line, the portions of the upper edge on both sides of the plane of symmetry of the sleeve preferably merging fluently. 29. Aid according to any one of the claims 26-28, the upper edge being rolled or thickened. 30. Aid according to claim 29, the upper edge forming a circumferential groove opening downwards at the outside of the first sleeve. 31. Aid according claim 29 or 30, the upper edge being circumferential with one or several interruptions. 32. Urinating aid for women, comprising a substantially funnel-shaped sleeve with an entrance opening determined by an upper edge of the sleeve and an exit opening determined by a lower edge of the sleeve, the sleeve being provided with longitudinal folding lines. 33. Aid according to claim 32, the longitudinal folding lines being arranged to be situated in a vertical plane during use . 34. Aid according to claim 33, the upper edge forming a thickening or seaming edge, which has been interrupted at the location of a longitudinal folding line. 35. Urinating aid for women, comprising a substantially funnel-shaped sleeve with an entrance opening determined by an upper edge of the sleeve and an exit opening determined by a lower edge of the sleeve, the sleeve being provided with placement means for the fingers of the hand of the user, such as for instance roughened surfaces, recesses or recesses limited by elevations. 36. Aid according to claim 35, the placement means being similarly shaped to either side. 37. Aid according claim 35 or 36, the placement means being formed on the sides which during use are on top and below. 38. Aid according to any one of the preceding claims, the sleeve, at least the first sleeve, being made of plastic material . 39. Aid according to any one of the preceding claims, the sleeve, at least the first sleeve, being made of cellulose material . 40. Urinating aid for women, comprising a substantially funnel-shaped sleeve with an entrance opening determined by an upper edge of the sleeve and an exit opening determined by a lower edge of the sleeve, the sleeve being formed by a sheet or plate material, which has been provided with two opposite side edges, provided with complementary connection means. 41. Aid according to claim 40, in which the sheet or the plate material can be bent to two directions for making the connection means engage each other. 42. Urinating aid for women, comprising a substantially funnel-shaped sleeve with an entrance opening determined by an upper edge of the sleeve and an exit opening deter- mined by a lower edge of the sleeve, the upper edge of the sleeve forming a thickening with respect to the wall of the sleeve and from there extends to the inside, and being provided with a number of interruptions in the thickening which are spaced apart in circumferential direction. 43. Aid according to claim 42, the interruptions being formed by inwardly extending, substantially V-shaped notches, in which the sleeve can be folded into a flat state in radial direction. 44. Urinating aid for women, comprising a substantially funnel-shaped sleeve with an entrance opening determined by an upper edge of the sleeve and an exit opening deter- mined by a lower edge of the sleeve, the sleeve having an upper and a lower portion, the lower portion being movable with respect to the upper portion. 45. Aid according to claim 44, comprising a relatively rigid outer sleeve and an inner sleeve which with a flexible portion extends below out of the outer sleeve.

Inventors: DANTUMA-VAN DORP CATHARINA CHR, DANTUMA-VAN DORP, CATHARINA, CHRISTIANA, MARIA
Applicants: DANTUMA VAN DORP CATHARINA CHR, DANTUMA-VAN DORP, CATHARINA, CHRISTIANA, MARIA
Application year: 1998
Main classification: A61F5
IPC codes: A61F5