HK1124753B - Sexual stimulation device - Google Patents

Description

Sexual stimulation device

The present invention relates to sexual stimulation devices.

Various sexual stimulation devices are known in the art. For example, a so-called electric condom ring comprises an elastic ring for fitting over the penis, with an electric vibrating device connected to the ring. A switch is provided to turn the vibrating device on and off.

GB2414938 discloses an electric condom ring in which the on/off switch comprises a push rod which, when pushed in, moves an insulating plate to effect an electrical connection between the battery and the motor. An eccentric mass is connected to the motor for generating vibrations when the motor is rotated. It is known that the push rod may be accidentally advanced during storage or transport of the product and once this occurs there is little opportunity for the push rod to be accidentally pulled outwardly to close the device. As a result, when the electric condom ring is ready for use, its battery is dead and the condom ring will therefore be discarded. Furthermore, the push rod is also rather small and therefore needs to be operated with high precision.

The present invention provides a sexual stimulation device comprising a sheath having a vibrator unit disposed therein; a vibrator unit including a housing in which a motor with a rotatably drivable eccentric mass is disposed, whereby operation of the motor generates vibrations; a battery disposed in the housing to provide energy to the motor; a switch connecting one pole of the battery to an electrical conductor of a first pole of the motor and the other pole of the battery to a second pole of the motor, wherein the switch comprises a bi-stable actuating means which is pushable in one direction to switch on the motor and in the same direction to switch off the motor, and the housing comprises a resiliently depressible sealing element mounted on top of the actuating means.

It is advantageous that the switch can be operated very simply, since the user may only need to press the actuating means to turn the device on and again to turn the device off. The actuating means may advantageously be positioned on the device so as to prevent accidental opening of the device. Since the vibrator unit is turned on and off by pressing the actuating means in the same direction, it is advantageously provided that if the device is accidentally turned on, it is more likely to accidentally turn off the device again than in the prior art devices.

By providing the vibrator unit in the casing, the vibrator unit is prevented from contacting the fluid, thereby helping to prevent short circuits from occurring in the vibrator unit, and therefore the device is also hygienic. Contact with fluid may be further prevented by a housing comprising a resiliently depressible sealing element mounted on top of the actuating means.

The sealing element may be formed of a relatively soft and compressible material compared to other components of the device. This advantageously allows the sheath abutting the outer edge of the sealing element to effectively drill into the sealing element and thereby form a particularly effective seal.

The vibrator unit comprises a housing which may be formed of a pair of half shells which may be sealed together to further provide water tightness of the device. In a preferred embodiment, the half shells may be sealed together using ultrasonic welding, which allows the shells to have particularly good sealing properties and allows for easy mode production.

In particular in comparison to european standard BS EN 60529: 1992 (degree of protection afforded by the encapsulant) Water resistance tests were performed on the examples of the present invention. The resistance of the device according to the invention and of the vibrator unit according to the invention against water ingress under forceful spraying conditions was tested with a first test (IP code IPX6), while the water resistance under temporary immersion conditions was tested with a second test (IP code IPX 7). Both the device and the vibrator unit passed the test.

Some prior art devices were also tested against these standards. In one type of such devices of the prior art, the on-off switch takes the form of a sliding switch, while in another type of device the device is opened by removing an irreplaceable small plastic strip. In this latter type of device, once opened, the device cannot be turned off and it vibrates until the battery runs out of energy. All of these devices of the prior art fail the above water resistance test.

As mentioned above, the fact that the device and the vibrator unit according to the invention have a good level of water resistance prevents the electronics located inside the vibrator unit from being protected from potentially harmful effects of fluids, such as short circuits and corrosion of metal components. The fluid emitted from the user is also prevented from penetrating the device and the vibrator unit, and thus the present invention is hygienic. If such fluids are allowed to remain in the device, bacteria can proliferate, making the device potentially harmful.

Advantageously, the actuating means of the switch is located towards a side of the vibrator unit which, in use, is remote from the penis, whereby the actuating means is unlikely to accidentally fail during use. This helps to prevent inadvertent opening or closing of the device during use.

The present invention also provides a vibrator unit for a sexual stimulation apparatus comprising a housing in which is disposed an electric motor with a rotationally drivable eccentric mass, whereby operation of the electric motor produces vibrations; a battery disposed in the housing to provide energy to the motor; a switch connecting one pole of the battery to an electrical conductor of a first pole of the motor and the other pole of the battery to a second pole of the motor, wherein the switch comprises a bi-stable actuating means which is pushable in one direction to switch on the motor and in the same direction to switch off the motor, and the housing comprises a resiliently depressible sealing element mounted on top of the actuating means. The vibrator unit thus has the advantage of being opened and closed in a simple manner, and the vibrator unit can be used in a number of different devices with the necessary minimum degree of adaptability of the device and the vibrator unit. Further, as described above, the vibrator unit has a good level of water tightness.

Embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a sexual stimulation apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the FIG. 1 device;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the FIG. 1 device;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the FIG. 1 device;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a vibrator unit for use in the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 shows the contents of the vibrator unit with the switch closed;

FIG. 7 shows the contents of the vibrator unit with the switch open;

fig. 8 is a simplified schematic circuit diagram showing a vibrator unit; and

fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a switch used in the vibrator unit;

fig. 10 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of a vibrator unit suitable for use in the apparatus of fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the vibrator unit shown in fig. 10 in an assembled form.

The sexual stimulation apparatus 1 shown in figures 1 to 4 comprises a sheath 2 made of a compliant rubber material and defining an elastic sheath. The vibrator unit is positioned within the casing 2. At the top of the sheath, directly opposite the side of the sheath that in use faces the penis, is an on/off button 3. The button 3 is diamond shaped and comprises a resiliently compressible sealing element which may optionally seal to the vibrator unit within the casing 2 and is thus water resistant. Alternatively, the seal is water resistant. The casing 2 defines an aperture through which the button 3 projects, although not necessarily all the way through. Thus, the outer jacket covers all the vibrator units except the buttons 3 of the vibrator units. During manufacture, the vibrator unit is inserted into the casing through the hole. Alternatively, the sheath 2 and the button 3 may be integral, whereby water tightness can be ensured. This may require a different method of arranging the vibrator unit in the casing 2, for example moulding the casing around the vibrator unit. The vibrator unit 40 is inserted into the casing as a pre-assembled unit and, due to its easy-to-operate switching system, it can be used in several different types of devices with the necessary minimum adaptation of the device or vibrator unit. The primary consideration in this respect is that the device is arranged to allow the button 3 to be depressed and to have sufficient space to accommodate the vibrator unit.

The sheath has two closed end regions 4, each of which has a truncated dome shape with a substantially flat circular end face. On the front of the sheath there is provided a protuberance for stimulating the clitoris, in particular a raised nodule 9, which nodule 9 may be cuboidal in shape. On each side of the nodule 9 there is provided a pair of raised ridges 10 which serve the same purpose.

Connected to and preferably integral with the sheath 2 is a connection means 5 for attaching the device to the penis. Arranged on the front face of the connecting means 5 are a number of protrusions 7, 8 which may further serve to stimulate the vagina. The attachment means 5 defines an elastic ring or loop, which may be made of any suitable elastic rubber material, and comprises at least one weakening point, which in the shown embodiment comprises a pair of constrictions in the material of the elastic loop 5. The purpose of the weakening points 6 is to allow easy and quick removal of the device (by breaking the elastic ring), which should be necessary.

As best shown in fig. 2, which shows the rear of the device, the connecting means 5 comprises a region 22 close to the casing 2, which is wider in cross-section than a region 23 of the connecting means remote from the casing. In other words, the connecting means 5 tapers away from the sheath. This provides a strong connection between the casing 2 and the connection means 5 while allowing other areas of the connection means 5 to be easily stretched. A series of small protrusions or ridges 21 are provided on the inner surface of the attachment means 5 which assist in maintaining the device in position on the penis. In particular, the small protrusions 21 are located near the jacket 2.

As can be seen in fig. 2, the diameter of the elastic ring 5 is approximately the same as the length of the jacket 2. Furthermore, the end face 4 of the sheath 2 is continuous with the elastic ring, again providing a strong connection between the elastic ring 5 and the sheath 2 and an aesthetically pleasing design. The preferred sheath 2 and attachment means 5 are a unitary assembly, particularly moulded as a unitary piece, but they may also be formed separately and then attached together. The vibrator unit 40 is oriented generally tangentially in the casing 2 relative to the resilient ring 5.

The vibrator unit 40, shown in exploded form in fig. 5, comprises a housing assembled from first and second generally semi-cylindrical, mold-manufacturable half shells 41 and 42. At least one of the housing halves 41 and 42 includes an internal rib 53 which serves to hold the contents of the housing in place. The half-shells 41, 42 include respective threaded portions 51, 52 provided at the ends thereof, such that when the half-shells 41, 42 are brought together, the threaded portions 51, 52 define a threaded tubular connector to which an end cap, such as a nut 45, is connected and can serve to hold the half-shells 41, 42 together. Alternatively or additionally, the housing halves 41, 42 may snap together. The operating button 3 is positioned on top of the first half-shell 41.

The components housed inside the housings 41, 42 are an electric motor 43, a switch 54 and one or more batteries 44 (in this embodiment, two batteries), as well as various electrical contacts. The motor has an eccentric mass 55 connected to its output drive shaft, whereby the operation of the motor produces vibrations. An electrical conductor 50 comprising an elongated metal sheet connects a first pole of the motor constituting the metal casing side of the motor 43 to a battery pole formed close to the metal sheath side of the battery. Positioned within the cavity defined between the motor and the battery is a switch 54 for turning the motor 43 on and off. The switch may be partially located within the cavity or may be entirely located within the cavity. The switch 54 comprises a bi-stable actuating means 47 constituted by a push button 47 which is depressed by the user to operate the switch to switch on the motor 43. To turn off the motor 43, the user depresses the button 47 again. In practice, of course, the user depresses the resilient rubber button 3 on the vibrator unit housing, which is located just adjacent the button 47. On each side of the switch 54 there are provided first and second contact means 48, 49 constituting first and second metal contact plates. The first metal sheet 48 forms an electrical connection between the motor pole 56 located on the longitudinal end face of the motor and the first terminal 61 of the switch (see fig. 5), whereas the second metal contact sheet 49 forms an electrical connection between the pole of the battery 44 defined by the end face of the battery 44 and the second terminal 62 of the switch 54. The main purpose of the metal sheets 48, 49 is to adapt the switch 54, which is a standardized component, to the specific application that is currently available. The metal sheets 48, 49 may include contact portions that are resiliently biased into contact with the components to provide a good electrical connection through the other contacts. An O-ring 46 is provided around the threaded tubular connector formed by the two housing halves 41, 42, serving to seal the connection between the housing and the nut 45. An annular groove extends around the housing adjacent the end opposite the cap 45 and may receive a rib moulded on the inside of the casing to facilitate location of the vibrator unit within the outer casing.

The internal working components of the vibrator unit assembled together are shown in figures 6 and 7, with switch 54 being in the "off" state in figure 6 and switch 54 being in the "on" state in figure 7. The actuating button 47 of the switch 54 is connected by a spring 65 to an electrically conductive switch plate 66 which is movable to a position spanning the gap between the two contact terminals 61 and 62 shown in fig. 7, thereby completing the circuit described above for turning on the motor. Inside the switch is a latching device to make the actuation button 47 bi-stable so that the switch remains in this state until the actuation button is depressed again so that the switch contact pad 66 returns to the "off" position of fig. 6. The electrical conductor 50 has a first curved portion for contacting the side of the motor 43 and a second curved portion 64 for contacting the side of the battery 44.

Fig. 8 is a simplified circuit diagram schematically illustrating the electrical connections between the switch 54, the battery 44 and the motor 43. In this embodiment, the two batteries 54 are connected in series, but it is also possible to connect the batteries in parallel with each other to generate lower power vibrations. In this respect, the internal components of the vibrator unit may be arranged to allow the user to select either series or parallel connection of the batteries, for example by depressing the button 3.

Fig. 9 shows a detail of the switch 54, including the first and second contact pads 48, 49 (in a slightly different configuration than that shown in fig. 5), the electrical terminals 61, 62 and the actuation means 47. The housing 91 of the switch is made of plastic material, while the contact pads 48, 49 and the terminals are metallic.

Fig. 10 shows an alternative preferred embodiment of a vibrator unit 68, which is generally similar to the vibrator unit shown in fig. 5, and in which like reference numerals are used to denote like components. The main difference is that the first and second generally semi-cylindrical half shells 70, 71 are sealed or otherwise non-mechanically connected to one another. This results in a good water resistance of the vibrator unit, which may exceed the level of water resistance provided when the half shells are mechanically connected together. Advantageously, a continuous effective seal can be made around the perimeter of the half-shells 70, 71, along which the half-shells are joined to one another, and in particular around the entire perimeter. Various sealing methods may be used, including the use of, for example, welding (e.g., ultrasonic welding and/or radio frequency welding), or chemical sealing and adhesives. The seal thus obtained is permanent, so that the separation of the half-shells 70, 71 breaks the seal. The currently preferred sealing method is ultrasonic welding. In the embodiment of the vibrator unit shown in fig. 5, end caps 45 are provided to close the housing and help hold the housings 41, 42 together. End cap 45 is removed allowing battery 44 to be replaced. In the embodiment of fig. 10, it is not possible for the user to separate the half shells 70, 71 from one another and then reattach them, and thus the vibrator unit 68 is expected to be discarded when the battery 44 is exhausted. This disposability results in improved hygiene because it is not possible to reuse the device for a period of time that exceeds the life of the battery. One of the half shells 71 includes a flange 75 extending around its periphery and a corresponding rebate provided along the periphery of the other half shell 70 for accommodating the above-mentioned flange. This configuration provides a greater surface area between the half shells than would otherwise be present, thus facilitating the sealing process to firmly fuse the two half shells 70, 71 together.

In the embodiment of the vibrator unit of fig. 5 and 10, the push button 3 is made of an elastic material which is soft and compressible compared to the material from which the housing 40, 41, 70, 71 is made. One unique method of producing the two-material shell is to use a two-shot molding process in which a first material is injected into a mold to form one portion of the shell and then a second shell is injected to form the other portion of the shell. This also allows different colors to be used for the parts of the housing. It is of course also possible to prepare the parts separately and then connect them together.

The vibrator unit 68 includes a pair of annular grooves 74, 77, the grooves 74, 77 being distinguished from a single groove provided on the housing of the first embodiment of the vibrator unit. Additional ribs may be moulded onto the interior of the casing corresponding to the additional grooves and this helps to ensure that the vibrator unit is correctly positioned in the casing when it is inserted during manufacture.

A small indent 76 is provided in one of the half shells 70, 71 which serves to assist in aligning the vibrator unit when it is inserted into the casing. A mark or crack may optionally be used in place of the indentation 76.

The metal contact pads 48, 49 adjacent the switch 54 as shown in fig. 5 are omitted in the embodiment shown in fig. 10, and the switch 54 as shown in fig. 9 includes contact pads 48, 49 smaller than those in fig. 5. The resulting structure is simple and therefore the unit 68 is easy to manufacture.

The nominal life of the battery 44 is selected to be about 20 minutes. The reason for this is that there is a risk of damaging the penis if the device is used or worn for too long. A limit of 30 minutes per use is recommended. In the illustrated embodiment, two G3-A1.5V cells with 35mAh were used. This provides a current of approximately 100mA and a nominal battery life of 21 minutes. The total energy provided by the cell is 3V times 35mAh or 105 mWh. The above representation has an increase in total energy over some existing vibrator units, which may have a longer life than current devices but produce significantly lower power vibrations. In a comparative test of the vibrator unit, an accelerometer is used to measure the intensity of the generated vibrations relative to the existing device. The vibrator unit disclosed herein produces accelerations of up to 6g (where g is the acceleration due to gravity), which are significantly higher than the accelerations that can be produced by prior vibrator units.

Although fig. 5 and 10 show that the vibrator unit comprises longitudinal half shells, i.e. the shells define a connection plane along the length of the unit, other configurations are possible. For example, the vibrator unit may comprise a cylinder having an end cap at one or both ends that may be screwed or sealed thereto. Alternatively, the half shells may define a connection plane perpendicular to the length of the vibrator unit and which may divide the vibrator unit into two sections. Oblique angles of the connection plane are also possible.

Claims (41)

1. A sexual stimulation device comprising a sheath having a vibrator unit disposed therein; a vibrator unit including a housing in which a motor with a rotatably drivable eccentric mass is disposed, whereby operation of the motor generates vibrations; a battery disposed in the housing to provide energy to the motor; a switch connecting one pole of the battery to an electrical conductor of a first pole of the motor and connecting the other pole of the battery to a second pole of the motor, wherein the switch is positioned within a cavity defined between the motor and the battery and comprises a bi-stable actuating means which is pushable in one direction to switch on the motor and in the same direction to switch off the motor, and the housing comprises a resiliently depressible sealing element mounted on top of the actuating means.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein a first contact means and a second contact means are provided on each side of the switch, the first contact means connecting the switch to the other pole of the battery.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the second contact means connects the switch to the second pole of the motor.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the first contact means comprises a metal sheet.

5. A device according to claim 3, wherein the second contact means comprises a metal sheet.

6. The device according to claim 1, comprising connection means for connecting the device to the penis.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the attachment means is attached to the sheath and preferably forms an integral part of the sheath.

8. A device according to claim 6, wherein the attachment means comprises an elastic loop so as to extend around the penis.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the cross-section of the coupling loop is larger in a region proximal to the sheath than in a region distal to the sheath.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the connecting loop has a diameter substantially equal to a length of the sheath.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein an end of the sheath is joined to the elastic ring.

12. A device according to claim 7, wherein the attachment means comprises a predetermined point of weakness.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprises one or more forward-facing protrusions.

14. A device according to claim 1, wherein the actuating means of the switch is located towards a side of the vibrator unit which, in use, is remote from the penis.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the casing comprises an elastic casing into which the vibrator unit is inserted.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the end of the casing is closed, whereby the casing encloses the end of the vibrator unit.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the casing encloses the entire vibrator unit except for an operating button of the vibrator unit.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the sheath includes a protuberance for stimulating the clitoris.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the protuberance comprises a centrally located raised nodule.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the nodule is cuboidal.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein at least one raised ridge is provided laterally offset from the raised nodule.

22. A device according to claim 21 wherein a pair of raised ridges are provided on each side of the raised nodule.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein the vibrator unit is inserted into the casing as a pre-assembled unit.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein the sheath defines an aperture adjacent the actuation device.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the vibrator unit is inserted into the casing through the hole.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing of the vibrator unit comprises a pair of generally semi-cylindrical half shells.

27. A device according to claim 26, wherein the half shells are sealed together.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the half shells are sealed together by ultrasonic welding.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an end cap.

30. The device of claim 1, wherein the sealing element is made of a rubber material.

31. The device of claim 1, wherein an electrical conductor connecting a pole of the battery to a first pole of the motor extends along an interior side of the housing, the battery and motor being positioned adjacent opposing ends of the sheath.

32. A device according to claim 1, wherein the actuating means is arranged to be pushed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vibrator unit in order to operate the switch.

33. The device of claim 1, wherein a number of batteries are disposed in the housing and connected in series or parallel with respect to each other.

34. A vibrator unit for a sexual stimulation apparatus comprising a housing in which is disposed an electric motor with a rotationally drivable eccentric mass, whereby operation of the electric motor produces vibrations; a battery disposed in the housing to provide energy to the motor; a switch connecting one pole of the battery to an electrical conductor of a first pole of the motor and connecting the other pole of the battery to a second pole of the motor, wherein the switch is positioned within a cavity defined between the motor and the battery and comprises a bi-stable actuating means which is pushable in one direction to switch on the motor and in the same direction to switch off the motor, and the housing comprises a resiliently depressible sealing element mounted on top of the actuating means.

35. A vibrator unit according to claim 34, wherein the bi-stable actuating means is resiliently biased away from the switch.

36. A vibrator unit according to claim 34, wherein latching means are provided in the switch to make the actuating means bistable.

37. The vibrator unit according to claim 34, wherein the housing comprises a pair of generally semi-cylindrical half shells.

38. A vibrator unit according to claim 37, wherein the half shells are sealed together.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein the half shells are sealed together by ultrasonic welding.

40. A vibrator unit according to claim 34, wherein the recess extends around the casing at an end region thereof.

41. A vibrator unit according to claim 40, wherein recesses are provided at both end regions of the casing.