Abstract:
A pump ( 102 ) comprising a chamber ( 108 ) adapted to receive a penis, a non-return valve ( 156 ), and pumping means ( 110 ) operable to pump fluid from the chamber ( 108 ), wherein the pump ( 102 ) is adapted for use under water.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present application is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT/GB2005/003416, filed in the United Kingdom on Sep. 2, 2005, which claims priority from United Kingdom Application No. GB 0419557.4, filed on Sep. 3, 2004. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   (i) Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a pump, particularly although not exclusively to a pump for causing or enhancing an erection of a penis particularly, a human penis. 
   (ii) Description of Related Art 
   Erection pumps have been known in the art for some years. The manner in which such pumps work is by placing a chamber over a flaccid penis and evacuating the chamber. The evacuation causes a pressure differential between the inside and outside of the chamber. The lower pressure within the chamber causes blood to flow into the penis and thus make the penis erect. 
   Many pumps known in the art comprise a chamber having a diaphragm at a lower end thereof and a tube attached at an upper end thereof. The tube is connected to a hand held pump device which is usually in the form of an inflatable bulb having a non-return valve therein. In use, a user places the penis through the diaphragm into the chamber and removes air from the chamber by use of the pump. 
   Problems with conventional pumps are that the erection produced using such pumps is not very long lived and not of adequate erectness. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY 
   It is one aim of embodiments of the present invention to address the above mentioned problems and provide a solution which induces a strong erection which is long lived. 
   According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a pump comprising a chamber adapted to receive a penis, a non-return valve, and pumping means operable to pump fluid from the chamber, wherein the pump is adapted for use under water. 
   Preferably, the chamber is adapted to receive a human penis. 
   Preferably, the chamber is substantially circular in section. Preferably, the chamber is transparent. 
   Preferably, the chamber comprises a neck section toward a second end thereof, which preferably comprises an outlet. 
   Preferably, the pump comprises a cap section within which is preferably accommodated the non-return valve. Preferably, the cap section is adapted to fit over the neck section and form a fluid tight seal therewith. 
   Preferably, the pump is a penis pump. By penis pump it is meant a pump adapted to cause or enhance an erection to a human penis. 
   By non-return valve it is meant a valve which allows fluid to travel through the valve in one direction, but not in the other. Preferably, the non return valve is adapted to allow the expulsion of fluid from the chamber, but not the ingress of fluid into the chamber. 
   Preferably, an exterior portion of the neck section is threaded. Preferably, an interior portion of the cap section is threaded. Preferably, the threaded portion of the neck section is adapted to threadedly engage with the threaded portion of the cap section. Preferably, sealing means are provided between the cap section and the neck section which sealing means is preferably an O-ring. 
   Preferably, the cap section is adapted to be screwed onto the neck section. 
   Preferably, the pumping means is situated toward a first end of the chamber. Preferably, the pumping means is manually actuated. Preferably, the pumping means extends from a first end of the chamber. Preferably, the pumping means is coaxial with the chamber. Preferably, the pumping means comprises a compressible gaiter. Preferably, the pumping means comprises a resilient bias operable to return the pumping means to an uncompressed configuration. 
   Preferably, the pump comprises sealing means operable to seal the pump onto the body of a user. Preferably, the sealing means is situated at the first end of the pump. Preferably, the sealing means comprises a sealing ring which is preferably made from closed cell rubber sponge or similar. 
   Preferably, the sealing means comprises a cutaway section on a face thereof which seals against the body of a user, when in use. Preferably, the sealing means comprises a ring having a cutaway section therefrom. 
   Preferably, the sealing means comprises a sealing ring having a chamfer along a section of an underside thereof. 
   Preferably, the pump comprises pressure release means which is preferably situated toward the neck section of the chamber. Preferably, the pressure release means comprises a plug which is accommodated in an aperture in a wall of the chamber. Preferably, the pressure release means is operable to be moved between a first position in which it does not allow fluid to flow between an interior and an exterior of the chamber and a second position in which it does allow fluid to flow between an interior and an exterior of the chamber, preferably by application of pressure by a user. 
   Preferably, the pressure release means is situated at a position on the chamber which is generally radially opposite the cutaway section of the sealing means but, preferably, longitudinally displaced therefrom. 
   Preferably, the pumping means further comprises a gas filled chamber which is preferably annular in shape. Preferably, the gas filled chamber is attached to an inner face of the sealing ring. Preferably, the gas filled chamber is operable to be compressed by the application of pressure by a user. Preferably, a spring return force of the gas filled chamber is greater than the resilient bias of the gaiter. 
   Preferably, between the gaiter and the hollow chamber is a fixing ring. Preferably, the fixing ring is formed of polycarbonate. Preferably, the fixing ring is adapted to provide lateral and reciprocal support. 
   According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of causing or enhancing an erection of a human penis comprising immersing a pump as defined by the first aspect in water, placing a flaccid penis into a chamber of the pump and using pumping means to pump water from the chamber through a non-return valve. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     All of the above aspects may be combined with any feature described herein and in any combination. 
     For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  shows a sectional view of a pump in an uncompressed configuration; 
       FIG. 2  shows a sectional view of the pump in a semi-compressed configuration; 
       FIG. 3  shows a sectional view of the pump in a fully compressed configuration; 
       FIG. 4  shows an exploded view of a head section of the pump; 
       FIG. 5  shows an enlarged sectional view of the head section of the pump; 
       FIG. 6  shows an enlarged sectional view of a base section of the pump; 
       FIG. 7  shows a sectional view of a second embodiment of the pump; and 
       FIG. 8  shows an enlarged view of a head section of the pump of the second embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  there is shown a pump  102  having a cylindrical chamber  108  which is generally hollow, a base section  104  at a first end thereof and a head section  106  at a second end thereof. 
   The base section  104  is shown enlarged in  FIG. 6  and has a rubber gaiter  110  which connects at an upper end thereof to an exterior face  116  of a fixing ring  114  which is formed of polycarbonate. The fixing ring  114  is attached onto the first end of the hollow chamber  108  by its interior face  116 . The exterior face  116  of the fixing ring  114  has a recess section  120  toward an upper edge thereof and an overhanging rim  122  toward a lower edge thereof. The rim  122  is laterally spaced from the hollow chamber  108  and thus forms a circumferential aperture  124  between the rim  122  and the hollow chamber  108 . 
   The upper edge of the gaiter  110  is shaped to correspond with the exterior face  116  of the fixing ring  114 . Thus the gaiter  110  has a protrusion  126  around its upper edge which is accepted within the recess section  120  of the fixing ring  114 . Furthermore, the gaiter  110  also has a lip  128  which is accepted into the circumferential aperture  124  between the rim  122  and the hollow chamber  108 . In this manner the gaiter  110  is offered greater lateral support with regard to the hollow chamber  108 . 
   At a lower end of the rubber gaiter  110  there is attached a sealing ring  112  which is formed from closed cell rubber sponge. Within the sealing ring  112 , is a circumferential chamber  130 . The chamber  130  is hollow and is filled with a gas, such as, for example air. 
   In use, the gaiter may be compressed in a concertina type action, thus decreasing the volume inside the pump. The gaiter  110  has spring properties which restore its compressed state back to its uncompressed state. A further decrease in volume within the pump can be achieved by compression of the gas filled chamber  130 . 
   The head section  106  is shown enlarged in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The hollow chamber  108  narrows toward a second end thereof to a neck section  134 . The neck section  134  is circular in cross section and has an external threaded portion  135  around its circumference. The neck section  134  is substantially concentric with the hollow chamber  108  and has a two stage outlet centrally disposed therein. The first stage of the outlet  136 , which is circular in cross section, extends from a lower end to approximately half way up the neck section  134  to a shoulder section  132 . The second stage of the outlet  138  extends from the shoulder section  132  to an upper edge of the neck section  134 . The outlet radially expands at the shoulder section  132  such that the second, upper, stage of the outlet  138  is circular in cross section, concentric with the first, lower, stage  136 , but radially larger. 
   The upper face  140  of the neck section is annular and has a circumferential groove  142  thereon. When the head section is fully assembled as shown in  FIG. 5 , a rubber O-ring  144  is located within the groove  142 . 
   The head section  106  further comprises a cap section  146  which has an internal thread  148  which is of an appropriate size to engage with the external thread  135  of the neck section  134 . In a similar manner to the two stage neck outlet, the cap section  146  has a further two stage outlet. The first stage  150  of the cap outlet extends from a lower region of the cap to a valve seat  152 . The second stage  154  of the cap outlet extends from the valve seat to an upper end of the cap section  146 . Both stages of the cap outlet  150 ,  154  are substantially concentric with the hollow chamber  108  and circular in cross section. However, the second stage  154  of the cap outlet is radially larger than the first stage  150 . 
   The cap section  146  further comprises a valve  156  having a disc section  158  and a shaft section  160  extending perpendicularly away from the radial centre of a lower face of the disc section  158 . On an upper face of the disc section  158  there is a centrally disposed dome shaped protrusion  159 . The lower face of the disc section  158  has an annular lip  160  toward an outer edge thereof to improve the seal offered by the valve  156 . When the head section is assembled, the shaft section  160  of the valve  156  extends into the first stage  150  of the cap outlet while the annular lip  160  of the lower face of the disc section  158  abuts the valve seat  152 . 
   The cap section  146  further comprises a plug  162  which has a lower outlet region  164  and a number of small upper outlet regions  166 . The lower outlet region  164  is circular in cross section and concentric with the hollow chamber  108 . The upper outlet regions  166 , of which there are five, are circular in cross section and are arranged roughly in a pentagon around a central point which is concentric with the hollow chamber  108 . When the cap section  146  is assembled, the plug  162  sits in the second stage  154  of the cap outlet. A chamber is formed between the second stage outlet  154  of the cap and the first stage outlet  164  of the plug in which the valve  156  is housed. 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 , the head section is assembled by screwing the cap section  146  onto the neck section  134 , the lower stage  150  of the cap outlet being accommodated within the upper stage  138  of the neck outlet. When assembled, the head section  106  forms a non-return valve between the interior and exterior of the hollow chamber  108 . When fluid pressures between the inside and outside of the pump are different, this pressure may not be equalized by flowing over the side of the neck section  134  and down the threaded section (or vice versa) because of the seal between the neck section  134  and the cap section  146  caused by the O-ring  144 . 
   Therefore, in order for fluid to escape from the hollow chamber  108 , the fluid must pass through the lower stage  136  of the neck outlet, through the lower stage  150  of the cap outlet, displace the valve  156  upward from the valve seat  152  (note that the valve cannot be displaced so as to abut the underside of the upper outlet regions  166  of the plug  162  because of the centrally disposed dome shaped protrusion  159  on an upper face of the disc section  158  of the valve  156 ). The fluid then passes through the second stage of the cap outlet and finally through the outlet regions of the plug  162 . Fluid is prevented from flowing back into the hollow chamber  108  through the valve because pressure from outside the chamber  108  forces the disc section  158  of the valve to abut the valve seat  152  more firmly, thus not allowing fluid to enter. 
   In order to equalize the pressure between the inside and outside of the pump  102 , the cap section  146  must be unscrewed from the neck section  134  so as to release the seal caused by the O-ring  144  so that fluid may flow over the threaded section, through the neck outlet and into the chamber  108 . 
   In order to use the pump to produce an erection to a human penis, the pump  102  and a user should be immersed in liquid, such as in a bath, hot tub or jacuzzi. The flaccid or semi erect penis is then placed into the hollow chamber  108  via the base section  104 . The sealing ring  112  is pulled down so that it abuts the user&#39;s pubic area and forms a seal. The cap section  146  is firmly screwed onto the neck section  134  such that a seal is formed by the O-ring  144  as described above. The user then pulls the pump toward the body thus causing the gaiter  110  to compress as shown in  FIG. 2 . Fluid within the chamber is thereby expelled through the non-return valve of the head section  106 , because the volume of the chamber  108  is decreased. The spring return force of the gaiter  110  attempts to restore the pump to its original internal volume and thereby reduces the pressure inside the chamber  108 . The gaiter  110  is once more compressed to expel more liquid through the non-return valve of the head section  106 . Now, because the liquid within the chamber is substantially inexpandable, the spring return force of the gaiter  110  is unable to return the gaiter  110  to its uncompressed state. The penis is now forced to expand (by the ingress of blood) in order to return the gaiter  110  to its uncompressed state. 
   When the gaiter  110  is fully compressed, the pump may be pulled into the body further thus compressing the gas filled chamber  130  and slightly reducing further the volume within the pump  102  as shown in  FIG. 3 . In this manner a second stage pump, ejecting tiny volumes of fluid from the chamber  108  may be used. The spring return force of the hollow chamber  130  is greater than that of the gaiter  110 . Therefore, as the penis expands, the gas filled chamber  130  will return to its uncompressed state first, before the gaiter  110  starts to uncompress. 
   In use, a user may use the second stage pump by compressing the gas filled chamber  130  and when it returns to its uncompressed state (because of an increase in size of the penis) recompress the gas filled chamber  130 . 
   When the penis is fully erect (after perhaps 20 minutes) the pressure on the penis may be released be unscrewing the cap section  146  from the neck section  134  thereby breaking the seal of the O-ring  144 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 7  there is shown a second embodiment of the pump  202  having a chamber  208 , a base section  204  and a head section  206  which generally correspond to the chamber  108 , the base section  104  and the head section  106  of the first embodiment of the pump  102 . 
   The differences between the second embodiment of the pump  202  and the first embodiment  102  are as follows. The sealing ring  212  of the pump  202  has a wedge shaped cut away section  213  to allow it to fit more comfortably on the body of a user. Particularly, the wedge shaped cut away section  213  is positioned over the testicles of a user thus preventing excess pressure being applied thereto in order to obtain a seal between the pump  202  and the body of a user. 
   A further difference is the addition of a pressure release button  215  which comprises a plug  217  which extends into an aperture  219  in a wall of the chamber  208 . The plug  217  extends from an underside of a collar  221  which is situated around a neck  234  of the head section  206 . The collar  221  extends radially further than the walls of the chamber  208  and thus has a ledge  223  on its underside which (referring now also to  FIG. 8 ) may be urged upward (as shown by arrow “X”) by a user, thus removing the plug  217  from the aperture  219 . 
   The plug  217  and aperture  219  are situated at a position toward the head section  206  and generally opposite the wedge shaped cut away section  213 . In this manner, in use, the plug  217  and aperture  219  should face a user&#39;s torso. This relative positioning of the plug  217  and aperture to the cut away section  213  serves to position the pump  202  correctly for use. 
   In use, a user may release the pressure within the chamber by manually operating the pressure release button  215  thus removing the plug  217  from the aperture  219 . This serves as an added safety feature of the pump  202 . 
   Otherwise, the pump  202  works in the same way and contains the same advantages on the pump  102 . 
   A pump made in accordance with the present invention has the advantage that the fluid within the chamber (being liquid) cannot expand, thus the penis is forced to expand due to the spring return force of the gaiter  110  and the gas filled chamber  130 . If the chamber  108  were gas filled, then the air could simply expand thus encouraging the penis to expand, but not forcing it. 
   A further advantage is the provision of a second stage pump to regulate the ejection of tiny amount of fluid from the chamber  108  thus allowing the user to fine tune the pressure applied to the penis. 
   The reader&#39;s attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. 
   All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. 
   Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. 
   The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.