Abstract:
An external urinary catheter includes a housing, an annular base, and a cap which are assembled to form a container which is placed over the penis to receive urine passing from the urethra. A fitting in the side of the container permits one to connect the container to a remote receptacle. A stretchable condom-like sleeve secured around the base prevents liquid leakage between the base and the penis.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application 60/359,905, filed Feb. 28, 2002. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to the field of medicine, and more particularly to external urinary catheters for men. 
   Loss of continence may be embarrassing and is inconvenient. Prior inventors have proposed a variety of solutions to this problem. To collect urine from people who have diminished or no bladder control, a variety of absorbent pads and catheters have been developed. Pads are uncomfortable when wet, and may leak. Internal catheters also cause discomfort and may reduce the patient&#39;s mobility. 
   Some external urine collection devices have been designed for men. Typically, with such devices, the penis is placed in a urine receptacle leading to a remote disposal container. We refer to such devices as “external urinary catheters”. 
   This invention provides an improved solution to the incontinence problem for men. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings, 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an external male catheter embodying the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the device, assembled, taken on a bisecting longitudinal plane; 
       FIG. 3  is a view like  FIG. 1  of a second embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the device, assembled, taken on a bisecting longitudinal plane; 
       FIG. 5  is a view like  FIG. 1  of a third embodiment of the invention; and 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the device, assembled, taken on a bisecting longitudinal plane. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , an external urinary catheter embodying the invention includes a housing  10 , a removable cap  12 , and a base  14 . These parts are preferably machined from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW); however, other materials, and other methods of manufacture, such as injection molding, may prove satisfactory. 
   The housing  10  has a substantially uniform inner diameter sized to fit over the penis. Its outer surface has a reduced-diameter upper rim  22 , a main portion  24 , and a lower circumferential flange or brim  26 . A hollow tubing fitting  28  is installed in a hole extending through the wall of the main portion. The fitting directs liquid which collects within the device to tubing (not shown) which leads to a bag or other receptacle at a lower elevation. The bag may be worn by the patient, for example, on the leg. For stationary patients, the bag may be attached to a suitable fixture. 
   A groove for an upper O-ring  32  is formed in the surface of the upper rim. 
   The cap  12  is a simple piece of uniform thickness, having a cylindrical skirt  34  whose inner diameter is a slip fit over the upper rim of the housing. The upper O-ring  32  presses outwardly against the skirt when the cap is installed, retaining the cap in place and providing a fluid seal. 
   The base  14  is a ring-shaped element having three external grooves  36 ,  38 ,  40 . The upper groove  40  is designed to receive the base of a first elastic, flaccid sleeve  50  having a relaxed diameter less than that of the penis, and substantially less than the inside diameter of the base. Removing the distal end from a condom produces a particularly suitable sleeve. The rolled proximal end  52  of the condom is stretched over the shoulder. An additional retainer (not shown) may be provided if desired. A second elastic, flexible sleeve  54  is seated in the middle groove  38 . This sleeve is shorter than the first, and is designed to seal around the base of the penis, whereas the first sleeve is designed to seal near the head of the penis. The dual-sleeve arrangement provides particularly reliable leak protection. 
   O-ring  58  is seated in the bottom groove  36 . It is sized to provide a slight interference fit against the counterbore  56  at the bottom of the housing, to keep the parts assembled i.e. defines a means for retaining the base within the lower end of the main portion of the housing. 
   When the base (with the flaccid sleeve installed) is inserted from below into the housing, the lower O-ring provides a fluid seal against the housing, and also frictionally engages the inner diameter of the housing to hold the parts together. With the cap also in place, the assembly is placed over the penis, over which the sleeve stretches, forming a liquid-tight seal against it. The O-rings prevent leakage between the elements  10 ,  12  and  14 , so that the fitting  28  is the only avenue of escape for urine which enters the housing through the urethra. 
   The device may be held in place simply by briefs worn over it. Additional retainers may be added as necessary. If desired, an absorbent pad or piece of material may be placed beneath the rim of the device, against the skin, to intercept any leakage when the device is removed, and to prevent chafing against the scrotum. 
     FIGS. 3–6  show two alternative forms of the invention, which in principle are the same. 
   The device shown  FIGS. 3 and 4  has a longer housing  10 ′, terminating at a fitting  28 ′ which extends along the longitudinal axis of the device. The rolled end of an elastic sleeve  50 ′ may be installed in the external groove at the bottom end of the housing  10 ′. Preferably, the sleeve is passed down under the bottom end of the housing, then up into it. The base  14 ′ is then pressed onto the housing from above, securing the rolled end of the sleeve in the groove. Friction maintains the assembly. 
   In the alternative form of the invention shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , an elastic sleeve  50 ″ again is passed under the bottom of the base  14 ″, which snaps into the housing  10 ″, gripping the rolled bottom of the sleeve. A cap  12 ″ is inserted into a hole at the top of the housing. The slots  60  shown in  FIG. 5  are intended to receive elastic retaining straps which may be used to secure the device to the person. Such retainers may, of course, be used with the other embodiments.