US3537445A - Intrauterine device - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent Michael S. Burnhill Brooklyn, New York March 6, 1968 Nov. 3, 1970 By mesne assignment to American Caduceus Industries, Inc., New York, New York a corporation of Delaware.

lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee INTRAUTERINE DEVICE 7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl

Int. Cl .1

Field of Search [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 662,716 11/1900 Gaedeke 128/130 533,120 1/1895 Ferguson 128/130 3,253,590 5/1966 Birnberg et a1. 128/130 3,291,125 12/1966 Robinson 128/130 3,397,690 8/1968 Majzlin 128/130 3,407,806 10/1968 l-lulka et a1. 128/130 Primary Examiner-Adele M. Eager Attorney-Amster and Rothstein ABSTRACT: An intrauterine device having a pair of highly flexible front legs which are telescopically positioned relative to each other.

INTRAUTERINE DEVICE DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to an improved intrauterine device and more particularly to an improved device which is adapted to be inserted within the uterus and which will remain there until removed.

Presently, a number of intrauterine devices have been designed. However, one of the drawbacks of these devices is that insertion of the device is difficult. Another hazard of present devices is that perforation of the uterine walls may occur. One reason for this is that existing devices are not easily compressible so that they sometimes damage the uterine walls. Another problem of present intrauterine devices is that they have been unable to accommodate for variations in uterine sizes.

The present invention avoids these drawbacks and has for one of its objects the provision of an improved intrauterine device which reduces the danger of perforation.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved intrauterine device which facilitates insertion thereof.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved intrauterine device which can accommodate for varying uterus sizes.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an improved intrauterine device made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the manner of inserting.

the device into a uterus;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the uterus showing the device in position;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the device in position; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view with another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the intrauterine device I of the present invention is preferably made ofa resilient and flexible plastic material. The device has front and rear arms 2 and 3, respectively, extending in opposite directions from and on opposite sides of an intersection point or body 4. Each rear arm 3 has leg 6'extending inwardly therefrom to form a corner 8. Each leg 6 has a free end which terminates in eyelet 9. The rear legs 6 are telescopically positioned relative to each other so that they overlap each other when the device is compressed. They are provided with complementary notches 11 to facilitate this telescoping action.

Extending from each forward arm 2 is a front leg 5 which form corners 7 therewith. Each leg has a free end and one of the front legs 5 terminates in a head which is curved, smooth and slightly flattened. The forward legs 5 are made of thin, flat material which is thinner then the arms 2 and 3. The front legs 5 are highly flexible and resilient so that they can bend easily whenever pressure is applied thereto. The front legs 5 are adapted to telescopically overlap each other so that any side pressure on the corners 7 will tend to close the device by causing the front arms 5 to move relative to each other in telescopic fashion.

The device may be inserted in a uterine cavity by an inserting mechanism 21. The head 10 mounted at the end ofone of the flexible front legs 5 is first inserted into the uterus. If any obstruction is encountered by the head 10 the flexible front legs 5 will easily bend so that there is no damage to the uterine walls. The head 10 is adapted to guide the device into position and since the head is smooth and round it will not damage the uterus or any part thereof which it may strike.

Once the device is within the uterine walls, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the front and rear legs 5 and 6 tend to overlap each other and the corners 7 and 8 bear against the uterine walls to hold the device in place. Any side pressure by the uterus, or any variation in size in the uterus, will tend to compress legs 5 and 6 of the device so that they will move telescopically toward each other. This 'will prevent the legs 5 and 6 or the corners of the intrauterine device from digging into the uterine walls and causing damage thereto.

The rear and front legs 6 and 5 will resist any tendency of the uterus to expel the device since the legs strike the uterine walls to prevent expulsion.

The eyelets 9 at the ends of the rear legs 6 may be provided with a tail (not shown) in order to permit the device to be removed and to give visual evidence that the device has not been ejected.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 comprises a pair of front arms 30 extending from a main body 31 and provided with highly flexible legs 32 extending inwardly therefrom and forming corners 33 therewith. A head 34 is also provided at the end of one of the front legs 3. The other end of the body 31 is provided with a pair of laterally extending thin legs 35 and terminates in a rear end 36 having an opening 37. The embodiment shown in this FIG. operates in a manner similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides an improved intrauterine device which reduces the danger of perforation, insertion thereof and which can be accommodated in uterine cavities of different sizes.

As various changes may be made .in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

lclaim:

I. An intrauterine device for insertion to the uterus comprising a main body having front and rear ends, a pair of front arms extending generally outwardly and upwardly from said main body front end, said front arms terminating in front arm ends, a pair of front legs integrally connected in a curved intersection to said front arm ends, respectively, said pair of front legs extending generally inwardly and upwardly from said front arms ends to a free end termination, only one of said front legs terminating in a curved head to provide a guiding and leading front edge for the device during insertion and said front legs being telescopically positioned relative to each other.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said device further includes a pair of curved rear legs extending generally outwardly and upwardly from said main body rear end to a free end termination.

3. The invention according to claim I wherein said main body is an elongated main body.

4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said device further includes means proximate the rear end of said elongated main body for facilitating removal of said device from the uterus.

5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said device further comprises a pair of rear arms extending generally outwardly and downwardly from said main body rear end, said rear arms terminating in rear arm ends, a pair of rear legs integrally connected in a curved intersection to said rear arm ends, respectively, said pair of rear legs extending generally inwardly and downwardly from said rear arm ends to a free end termination.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said rear legs are telescopically positioned relative to each other.

7. The invention according to claim 5 wherein at least one of said rear legs defines a device removal eyelet therein.

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