Intrauterine contraceptive device

Claim 2

An intrauterine contraceptive device made from material enabling flexing to conform to the uterine cavity comprising: a central body having a perimeter portion with nose, tail and side portions and encompassing an area which can be contained within a normal uterus and at least three spaced-apart short spurs on each of said side portions extending outwardly from said perimeter portion.

Claim 3

An intrauterine contraceptive device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said spurs and said perimeter portion are disposed in substantially coplanar arrangement.

Claim 4

An intrauterine device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said spurs are made with a cross section having a first dimension in a direction transverse to the coplanar arrangement of body and spurs greater than the cross section dimension in a direction transverse to said first dimension.

Claim 5

An intrauterine contraceptive device as defined in claim 1, wherein at least some of said spurs are of varying lengths.

Claim 6

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 1, which is molded of a plastic material, said device further comprising film means coating the surface of said plastic for preventing calcium deposits thereon.

Claim 7

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said film coating is a biologically inactive metal coating.

Claim 8

An intrauterine device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said central body comprises a ringlike unit with nose and tail portions and side portions joining said nose and tail portions; and said spurs include a multiplicity of short spurs integral with each side portion extending outwardly and having retrograde inclination.

Claim 9

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 7, wherein: the ring thickness in the direction perpendicular to the plane of said ring exceeds the ring thickness in the direction parallel to said plane at said opposite sides of said ring; and the ring thickness in the direction perpendicular to said plane is less than the ring thickness in the direction parallel to said plane at opposed nose and tail regions of said ring between said opposite sides thereof, whereby said ring buckles preferentially at said sides in response to hoop compression thereof.

Claim 10

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ring thickness at said tail region is less than at said nose region whereby said device is urged forward in response to hoop compression of said ring.

Claim 11

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the ring thickness is less at said opposite side portions thereof than is the ring thickness at least at said tail region between said opposite side portions.

Claim 12

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said spurs are all coplanar with said ring and slant toward said tail region for impeding tailward movement of said device to prevent expulsion thereof.

Claim 13

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a film including a biologically inactive metal coating the surface of said device for preventing calcium deposits thereon.

Claim 14

An intrauterine device as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least some of said spurs have a decreased length dimension as their positions on said side portions approach closer to said tail portion.

Claim 15

An intrauterine contraceptive device made from material enabling flexing to conform to the uterine cavity comprising: a ringlike perimeter portion having a nose portion and opposite therefrom a tail portion with side portions joining said nose and tail portions; and a plurality of spurlike retaining means extending outwardly from each said side portion.

Claim 16

An intrauterine contraceptive device made from material enabling flexing to conform to the uterine cavity comprising: a ringlike perimeter portion having a nose portion and opposite therefrom a tail portion with side portions joining said nose and tail portions; and a plurality of spurlike retaining means extending outwardly from each said side portion.

Claim 17

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 14, further including membrane means across at least a portion of the area encompassed by the iNner perimeter of said ringlike portion.

Claim 18

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said membrane is detached from said ringlike portion at two opposed locations.

Claim 19

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said two locations are adjacent said nose and tail portions.

Claim 20

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the flexibility of said membrane substantially exceeds that of said ringlike portion, whereby said membrane buckles out of the plane of said ringlike portion in response to hoop compression of said ringlike portion.

Claim 21

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said membrane has a plurality of pleats.

Claim 22

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least a part of which is a metallic element.

Claim 23

An intrauterine device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said plurality of spurlike retaining means are short spurs integral with each said side portion and extend outwardly and have retrograde inclination.

Claim 24

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 21, wherein: the ringlike perimeter thickness in the direction perpendicular to the plane of said ringlike portion, exceeds the perimeter thickness in the direction parallel to said plane at opposite said side portions; and said perimeter''s thickness in the direction perpendicular to said plane is less than said perimeter''s thickness in the direction parallel to said plane at opposed head and tail regions of said ringlike portion between said opposite said side portions, whereby said ringlike portion buckles preferentially at said sides in response to hoop compression thereof.

Claim 25

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the perimeter cross-sectional area is less at said opposite side portions than at said tail portion between said opposite side portions.

Claim 26

The intrauterine device as claimed in claim 21, wherein said spurs are all coplanar with said ringlike portion.

Claim 27

An intrauterine device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said spurlike retaining means decrease in length as their positions on said side portions approach closer to said tail portion.

Claim 28

An intrauterine contraceptive device comprising: a ring; a membrane attached to said ring along opposite sides thereof and extending therebetween, and wherein: the ring thickness in the direction perpendicular to the plane of said ring exceeds the ring thickness in the direction parallel to said plane at said opposite sides of said ring; and the ring thickness in the direction perpendicular to said plane is less than the ring thickness in the direction parallel to said plane at opposed head and tail regions of said ring between said opposite sides thereof, whereby said ring buckles preferentially at said sides in response to hoop compression thereof.

Claim 29

An intrauterine contraceptive device comprising: a ring; a membrane attached to said ring along opposite sides thereof and extending therebetween, and wherein: the ring thickness in the direction perpendicular to the plane of said ring exceeds the ring thickness in the direction parallel to said plane at said opposite sides of said ring; and the ring thickness in the direction perpendicular to said plane is less than the ring thickness in the direction parallel to said plane at opposed head and tail regions of said ring between said opposite sides thereof, whereby said ring buckles preferentially at said sides in response to hoop compression thereof.

Claim 30

An intrauterine contraceptive device comprising: a ring; a membrane attached to said ring along opposite sides thereof and extending therebetween, and wherein the ring thickness is less at said opposite sides thereof than at opposed head and tail regions of said ring between said opposite sides.

Claim 31

An intrauterine contraceptive device comprising: a ring; a membrane attached to said ring along opposite sides thereof and extending therebetween, and wherein the ring thickness is less at said opposite sides thereof than at opposed head and tail regions of said ring between said opposite sides.

Claim 32

The device as in claim 26, wherein the ring thickness at said tail region is less than at said head region whereby said device is urged forward in response to hoop compression of said ring.

Claim 33

The device of claim 28, further comprising a plurality of spurs extending outwardly from said ring on opposite sides thereof.

Claim 34

The device of claim 29, wherein said spurs are all coplanar with said ring and slant toward said tail region for impeding tailward movement of said device to prevent expulsion thereof.