US2057190A - Reenforced gland massage device - Google Patents

Description

Oct.13, 1936. .1. J. HAYNOS I REENFORCED GLAND MASSAGE DEVICE Filed Dec. 7, 1935 vez'zar J J 1 /9770 Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention is a prostate gland massage device.

It is well known that material benefit is obtained in numerous gland cases by the gentle massage of the gland and as a consequence there is today a considerable demand in the medical profession and among prostate gland sufferers for an effective, non-irritating and painless means for the facile treatment of these internal glands.

Prior to my development in this art' there was not available on the market any simple, practical device which could be safely and practically employed for prostate gland treatment or massage. Because of peculiar anatomical disposition of these glands and the danger of inflammation a device for effective and unharmful treatment must have incorporated in it certain properties, capacities and safety features. It must have sufficient flexibility to quite easily bend in conformance with the body channel leading to the gland to be treated and yet it must have enough stiffness not to fold back and to be pressible onward until its tip is juxtaposed at the gland. It must have sufiicient firmness to afford the desired resistance pressure at the tip to produce the requisite massage pressure. And, importantly, it must be possessed of a high degree of safety against mechanical break-down.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a device, for the treatment of the specified gland, which embodies factors of construction for the satisfactory accomplishment of the treatment with the stated desired mechanical safety.

The invention consists in certain advancements in this art as set forth in the ensuing disclosure and having, with the above, additional objects and advantages as hereinafter developed, and whose construction, combination and details of means, and the manner of operation will be made manifest in the description of the herewith illustrative embodiment; it being understood that modifications, variations and adaptations may be resorted to within the scope, principle and spirit of the invention as it is more directly claimed hereinafter.

Figure 1 illustrates the invention in sectional, side elevation, and

Figure 2 is a cross-section on line 22, Fig. 1.

This embodiment incorporates a handle 2 of suitable length and of a diameter providing for its substantial or firm grip in the closed adult hand. At its inner end the handle joins integrally with a discal guard 3 beyond which extends axially a shank 4, also integral with the handle guard 3.

The outer end of the shank 4 is provided with a distinctly elongated, cylindrical head 5. This head is made of rubber as, also, is the shank and. its associated guard and handle. It is a feature of the invention that the head 5 is materially softer than the shank so as to painlessly adapt its shape to the gland body being treated, the elongation of the head 5 providing for a length of area for massage stroke without such irritation as the ridge irritation which would be due to a change of size from shank to head incidental to movement of the head at the locale of the gland.

The shank 4 must be of rubber of such quality and stability that it can be entered into the channel and press the head toward the gland and then to be stiff enough to apply a desired degree of pressure of the head on the gland, but at the same time it must be sufficiently bendable as to painlessly adapt itself to the curvature of the channel. Further, attention must be had for the possibility of break-down of the rubber shank with the consequence that the head of the instrument might be left in the canal. Therefore, in producing a device with these requisites the purer the quality of rubber used the greater will be the flexibility and less the danger of break-down, either in the development of small cracks or entire separation of broken parts. It is therefore necessary toreenforce the shank 4 of such soft rubber so as tosecure the necessary bending reaction to apply the head to the contiguous gland, after the device is inserted, with a massaging pressure.

This reenforcement is here acquired by means of a helical metal spring 6 whose several coils are spaced apart enough to permit the rubber mass of the shank to solidly fill within and between the coils as the rubber is cast thereabout. Thus the spring builds up the shank to the desired stiffness and yet provides plenty of flexibility, and provides for a high degree of safety of retraction in the event that the shank should break into sections. And still no metal parts or other hard portions are presented to cause undesired irritation of the tender membranes encountered.

For economy the guard 3 and the handle 2 are made of the same rubber stock as the shank, but the increased diameter of the handle over the shank gives to it the needful stiffness to effectually operate the instrument.

Suitable fiuid ducts are shown cored in the handle and the shank to provide for circulation of fluid to the head 5 as may be desired, these ducts being encircled by and isolated from the spring 6.

The greater diameter of the handle gives to it a greater, desired degree of firmness than the flexible shank, though of the same stock of rubber, for economy of manufacture, and, as above stated, the coiled spring device embedded in the shank and anchoring in the handle provides a safety factor for the Withdrawal of parts of the shank in event of its segmentation axially.

Attention is directed to U. S. application for patent, Ser. No. 20,958, filed May 11, 1935, over which the device of the instant invention is an improvement in the structural details above set forth, especially as to the important reenforcing feature.

What is claimed is:

l. A prostate gland massage implement including a handle having an axially extended, headed shank of flexible rubber which is reenforced by a coaxial, embedded, helical spring whose coils are spaced in the embedding rubber mass, whereby to stiffen the shank and provide a safe retractive' connection of parts of the shank in event of its breaking into separable axial sections the shank having fluid ducts encircled by and isolated from the spring.

2. A gland massage device including a shank and a firm, integral coaxial handle on one end thereof, both being of the same quality of rubber and the handle being of materially greater diameter than the shank to achieve a greater degree of stiffness than the latter, and an enlarged, elongated cylindrical massage head on the opposite end of the shank and of softer rubber than the shank, and ducts extending from said head to the handle for fluid circulation, and a reenforcing spring embedded in the shank and handle andsurrounding and isolated from the ducts.

JOHN J. HAYNOS.

Images