Abstract:
A device to lubricate a penis or medical instrument before insertion into the human body or orifice is disclosed. The device can be made from a ring that is covered with one or more membranes and contains lubricating material within the interior volume defined by the ring and the membrane(s). Alternatively, the device can be made from a ring that surrounds foam that is saturated with lubricant. In either embodiment, the membrane(s) or foam contain a penetration zone defined by any number of intersecting slits. A method of using the same to lubricate a penis or a medical instrument, such as an endoscope.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to devices that are used to lubricate a penis or medical apparatus, such as laparoscopy instruments, which include cameras and lights, and endoscopy instruments, which include endoscopes, before insertion into a human body. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The device of the present invention includes a device that a user can use to lubricate a penis or medical apparatus. In one embodiment, the structural support of the device is a cylindrical ring or a relatively short tube. A thin and flexible material covers the top and bottom of the ring or relatively short tube. This material on the top and bottom of the structural support of the device creates a volume within the device. That volume contains a lubricating gel or other lubrication material. The material covering the top and bottom of the structural support of the device has a penetration zone defined by slits, such as a cruciform (two intersecting slits), three intersecting slits, four intersecting slits, and so on, within the material. The slits permit entry of the object to be lubricated but prevent leakage of the lubrication material contained within the device. The device can be constructed of inexpensive materials so as to permit the user to economically dispose of the device after using the device only once. 
         [0003]    In another embodiment disclosed herein, the structural support of the device is again a cylindrical ring or a relatively short tube. A thin and flexible material covers only the bottom of the ring or relatively short tube. The inside of the structural support of the device and the bottom cover material creates a volume within the device (without a top cover). That volume contains a lubricating gel or other lubrication material. The material covering the bottom of the structural support of the device has a penetration zone defined by slits, such as a cruciform (two intersecting slits), three intersecting slits, four intersecting slits, and so on, within the material. The slits permit entry of the object to be lubricated but prevent leakage of the lubrication material contained within the device. The device can be constructed of inexpensive materials so as to permit the user to economically dispose of the device after using the device only once. 
         [0004]    In yet another embodiment disclosed herein, the structural support of the device is again a cylindrical ring or a relatively short tube. The structural support surrounds a foam or sponge material that is saturated with lubricant. The sponge or foam material contains a penetration zone defined by slits, such as a cruciform slit, three intersecting slits, four intersecting slits, and so on, to permit access of the object to be lubricated. Again, the device can be constructed of inexpensive materials so as to permit the user to economically dispose of the device after using the device only once. 
         [0005]    As the reader can appreciate from the above summary of the several embodiments disclosed herein are easy to use, easy to manufacture, not prone to breaking because of the non-incorporation of moveable parts, prevent leakage of the lubrication material yet permit lubrication of the object intended to be lubricated, and is economically disposable after a single use. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The accompanying drawings illustrate several embodiments in accordance with the present invention: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a first embodiment of the lubrication device; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a top elevational view of the first embodiment of the lubrication device; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional perspective view of the first embodiment of the lubrication device; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the first embodiment of the lubrication device; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the lubrication device; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of a second embodiment of the lubrication device; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a top elevational view of the second embodiment of the lubrication device; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional perspective view of the second embodiment of the lubrication device; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of the second embodiment of the lubrication device; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is an exploded view of the second embodiment of the lubrication device; 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of a third embodiment of the lubrication device, this time utilizing only one covering material; 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  is a top perspective view of the first embodiment of the lubrication device, where the penetration zone is defined by four intersecting slits rather than a cruciform slit; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 13  is a top perspective view of a second embodiment of the lubrication device, where the penetration zone is defined by four intersecting slits rather than a cruciform slit. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the structural support for the lubrication device  10  is provided in part by a ring  12 . The ring  12  can be formed from any polymer material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or PE (polyethylene). The ring  12  could be made to whatever size that would suit the application, such as a ring  12  that has an inside diameter of 2 to 2.5 inches. The ring  12  has an outside perimeter surface  14 , an inside perimeter surface  16 , a top surface  18 , and a bottom surface  20 . The thickness of the ring  12 , as defined as the distance from the top surface  18  to the bottom surface  20 , is between approximately 0.25 and 0.38 inches. The inside diameter range and thickness range for the ring  12  must be suitable to lubricate a penis (the average penis has a diameter of 1.6 inches) and be suitable to evenly lubricate a laparoscopy tube. 
         [0021]    A top membrane  22  is fixably attached to the top surface  18  of the ring  12 . A bottom membrane  24  is fixably attached to the bottom surface  20  of the ring  12 . The top membrane  22  has a top penetration zone defined by a top cruciform slit  26 . The bottom membrane  24  contains a bottom penetration zone defined by a bottom cruciform slit  28 . The top penetration zone and bottom penetration zone are not limited to cruciform slits; any number of slits in the top membrane  22  or bottom membrane  24 , such as the top four intersecting slits  40  and bottom four intersecting slits  42  (as shown in  FIG. 12 ). The reader should understand that any number of intersecting slits can make a penetration zone in the top membrane  22  or bottom membrane  24 . 
         [0022]    The top membrane  22  and the bottom membrane  24  can be made from polymer materials, such as polyethylene, or from plastic wraps, such as polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC) and low density polyethylene (LDPE). In that regard, Saran wrap is an acceptable membrane material. The top membrane  22  and the bottom membrane  24  can be attached to the ring  12  by the use of an adhesive, by ultrasonic welding, or by thermal bonding. The inventor has placed the cruciform slits into the membranes by perforating the membranes with a razor blade. Alternatively, a steel rule die could be used as well to cut the cruciform pattern slits into the membranes. Likewise, thermal means could insert the cruciform slits into the membranes. 
         [0023]    The volume defined by the inside perimeter surface  16 , the top membrane  22 , and the bottom membrane  24  contains a lubricant  30 . The lubricant could be a water based lubricant, such as the K-Y® Brand Jelly. 
         [0024]    The user of the lubrication device  10  inserts the object to be lubricated, such as a penis or a medical apparatus, through the top cruciform slit  26  of the top membrane  22 , on through the lubricant  30 , and on through the bottom cruciform slit  28  of the bottom membrane  24 . By so doing, the lubricant  30  is transferred from the lubrication device  10  onto the inserted object. The user then removes the object from the lubrication device  10 . The object is left lubricated. 
         [0025]    A variation of the first embodiment is depicted at  FIG. 11 . In that variation, the lubrication device  10  does not use a bottom membrane. Rather, there is only a top membrane  22 . In that variation, the lubricant  30  is sufficiently viscous or solid so as to not require a bottom membrane to prevent the lubricant  30  from substantially escaping the volume defined by the top membrane  22  and the insider perimeter surface  16 . The user of the lubrication device  10  inserts the object to be lubricated, such as a penis or a medical apparatus, through the top cruciform slit  26  of the top membrane  22  and on through the lubricant  30  (or vice-versa). By so doing, the lubricant  30  is transferred from the lubrication device  10  onto the inserted object. The user then removes the object from the lubrication device  10 . The object is left lubricated. As explained above, the top penetration zone of the top membrane  22  need not be a cruciform slit but could be defined by any number of intersecting slits. 
         [0026]    A second embodiment of the present invention is displayed in  FIGS. 6 through 10 . The structural support for the lubrication device  10  again is substantially provided by a ring  12 . The ring  12 , as in the first embodiment, has an outside perimeter surface  14 , an inside perimeter surface  16 , a top surface  18 , and a bottom surface  20 . The inside perimeter surface  16  of the ring  12  surrounds a sponge  32 . The outside surface  36  of the sponge  32  is permanently attached to the inside perimeter surface  16  of the ring  12 . The sponge  32  can be polyurethane foam. 
         [0027]    The sponge  32  is saturated with a lubricant. The lubricant can be a water based lubricant, such as the K-Y® Brand Jelly. The sponge  32  can become saturated with a lubricant by compressing the sponge, placing the sponge into lubricant, and decompressing the sponge while lubricant surrounds the sponge. The act of decompressing allows the sponge to draw lubricant into the sponge&#39;s interior. Alternatively, the sponge can become lubricated by forcing lubricant into the sponge under pressure. 
         [0028]    The sponge  32  has a penetration zone defined by a cruciform slit  34 . The cruciform slit  34  extends entirely through the thickness  38  of the sponge  32 . Instead of a cruciform slit  34 , the penetration zone of the sponge  32  could be defined by any number of intersecting slits through the thickness  38  of the sponge  32 , such as the four intersecting slits  44  depicted at  FIG. 13 . The sponge  32  can have a thickness  36  of between 0.25 to 0.32 inches, but a thickness  38  as small as 0.125 inches may be feasible. The user lubricates the object to be lubricated by inserting the object through the cruciform slit  34  of the sponge  32 . By doing so, the lubricant from the sponge  32  is deposited onto the object. The user then retracts the object from the sponge. The object is left lubricated. 
         [0029]    Any of the embodiments of the lubrication device could be sold as a kit, wherein the lubrication device is sealed inside a wrapper, similar to a condom wrapper. The user of the kit could then open the wrapper, remove the lubrication device, and then use the lubrication device for a suitable application such as penis lubrication or to lubricate a medical device. Such medical devices include laparoscopy instruments, which include cameras and lights, and endoscopy instruments, which include endoscopes, before insertion into a human body. 
         [0030]    The solutions offered by the invention herein have thus been attained in an economical, practical, and facile manner. While preferred embodiments and example configurations have been shown and described, it is to be understood that various further modifications and additional configurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is intended that the specific embodiments and configurations disclosed are illustrative of the preferred and best modes for practicing the invention, and should not be interpreted as limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and it is to be appreciated that various changes, rearrangements and modifications may be made therein, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.