Intrauterine device and injection mechanism

Claim 2

A Y-shaped intrauterine device with an inert metal backbone, each resilient Y-arm member terminating in a promontory or loop at its apex and a base portion at the lower most portion or vertex between Y-arm members in the inert metal backbone, the inert metal backbone and said promontories being encapsulated in medical grade rubber or plastic material, said encapsulated promontories defining bead surfaces which may abut when said resilient coated Y-arm members are pressed into contact, the contoured outer face of each bead being substantially circular and the surface of each bead parallel to a plane passing through said resilient member being substantially flat; said device further having a flexible extension or tail member integrally connected with the bulbous coated base portion of the device, and a web member extending between the resilient, coated Y-arm members and joining the divergently extending Y-arm members at a vertex point defining the incipient bulbous coated base portion of the device, the web member joining each divergent coated Y-arm member, one to the other, at a substantially intermediate portion of each extending coated Y-arm member and continuously descendinG to the vertex between the coated Y-arm members.

Claim 3

The improved intrauterine device of claim 1 in which the beads engaging and encapsulating the promontories formed at the apexes of the inert metal backbone in the device have the following dimensions:

Claim 4

An injector for a Y-shaped intrauterine device, said injector including a tubular barrel having an insert end, a collar positioned below the insert end to limit the insertion of the barrel, a finger grip portion at the lower end of the barrel, and a piston member capable of telescoping into the barrel and expelling a Y-shaped device from the insert end of the barrel, a hollow piston member adapted to receive the flexible extension or tail member of the Y-shaped device integrally connected with the bulbous coated base portion of the device, and having an annular lip providing a circular seat for the circular recess formed in the bulbous coated base portion of the Y-shaped device and having slotted side walls extending downwardly from the annular lip which characteristically provide a leaf spring effect as the hollow piston member telescopes into and out of the tubular barrel.

Claim 5

An injector for a Y-shaped intrauterine device, said injector including a tubular barrel having an insert end, a collar positioned below the insert end to limit the insertion of the barrel, a finger grip portion at the lower end of the barrel, and a piston member capable of telescoping into the barrel and expelling a Y-shaped device from the insert end of the barrel, a hollow piston member adapted to receive the flexible extension or tail member of the Y-shaped device integrally connected with the bulbous coated base portion of the device, and having an annular lip providing a circular seat for the circular recess formed in the bulbous coated base portion of the Y-shaped device and having slotted side walls extending downwardly from the annular lip which characteristically provide a leaf spring effect as the hollow piston member telescopes into and out of the tubular barrel.

Claim 6

An intrauterine device comprising a resilient Y-shaped member, said resilient member having two arms gradually and continuously diverging upwardly and outwardly from the intersection thereof adjacent the base portion of said resilient member; each of said arms being, at the uppermost portion thereof, curved outwardly, downwardly, and inwardly to form a bent-back portion in the form of a partial loop terminating short of contacting the body of the adjacent arm; said resilient member being totally encased in a plastic or rubber material; the encasement about each of said partial loops being in the form of a bead having a flat surface parallel to a plane passing through said resilient member, and a curved outside face along said bent-back portion, said curved outside face adapted to contact the adjacent sidewall of the uterus when said intrauterine device is in position within the uterus, said contact being maintained during use by the resilient nature of said resilient member; said arms being sufficiently resilient so said arms can be urged together during positioning of said intrauterine device in an inserter for inserting said intrauterine device into the uterus whereby said flat surfaces on said beads will abut one another, and said curved outside faces will define a smooth leading-edge portion adapted to facilitate insertion of said intrauterine devices into the uterus.

Claim 7

An intrauterine device comprising a resilient Y-shaped member, said resilient member having two arms gradually and continuously diverging upwardly and outwardly from the intersection thereof adjacent the base portion of said resilient member; each of said arms being, at the uppermost portion thereof, curved outwardly, downwardly, and inwardly to form a bent-back portion in the form of a partial loop terminating short of contacting the body of the adjacent arm; said resilient member being totally encased in a plastic or rubber material; the encasement about each of said partial loops being in the form of a bead having a flat surface parallel to a plane passing through said resilient member, and a curved outside face along said bent-back portion, said curved outside face adapted to contact the adjacent sidewall of the uterus when said intrauterine device is in position within the uterus, said contact being maintained during use by the resilient nature of said resilient member; said arms being sufficiently resilient so said arms can be urged together during positioning of said intrauterine device in an inserter for inserting said intrauterine device into the uterus whereby said flat surfaces on said beads will abut one another, and said curved outside faces will define a smooth leading-edge portion adapted to facilitate insertion of said intrauterine devices into the uterus.

Claim 8

The intrauterine device of claim 4 including a flexible tail extending downwardly from said intersection and adapted to extend outwardly from the uterus through the cervix when said intrauterine device is in position within the uterus.

Claim 9

The intrauterine device of claim 4 further including a unitary web member extending between said encased arms, all of said web member being between said intersection and an imaginary line passing through said beads but covering less than the entire area between said intersection and said imaginary line.

Claim 10

The intrauterine device of claim 6 wherein said web member continuously descends, without opening or separation, from the upper edge thereof to said intersection.

Claim 11

The intrauterine device of claim 4 wherein said resilient member comprises stainless steel wire.

Claim 12

The intrauterine device of claim 4 wherein said plastic or rubber material comprises medical grade silicone rubber.

Claim 13

An intrauterine device comprising a resilient Y-shaped member, said resilient member having two arms gradually and continuously diverging upwardly and outwardly from the intersection thereof adjacent the base portion of said resilient member; each of said arms being, at the uppermost portion thereof, curved outwardly, downwardly and inwardly to form a bent-back portion in the form of a partial loop terminating short of contacting the body of the adjacent arm; said resilient member being totally encased in a plastic or rubber materIal; the encasement about each of said partial loops being in the form of a bead having two flat surfaces parallel to each other and parallel to a plane passing through said resilient member, and a curved outside face along said bent-back portion, said curved outside face adapted to contact the adjacent sidewall of the uterus when said intrauterine device is in position with the uterus, said contact being maintained during use in the uterus by the resilient nature of said resilient member; said arms being sufficiently resilient so said arms can be urged together during positioning of said intrauterine device in an inserter for insertion of said intrauterine device into the uterus whereby adjacent flat surfaces on said beads will abut one another, and said curved outside faces will define a smooth leading-edge portion adapted to facilitate insertion of said intrauterine device into the uterus; a unitary web member extending between said encased arms, all of said web member being between said intersection and a line passing through said beads, said web member continuously descending, without opening or separation, from the upper edge thereof to said intersection; and a flexible tail portion extending downwardly from said intersection and adapted to extend outwardly from the uterus through the cervix when said intrauterine device is in position within the uterus.

Claim 14

An intrauterine device comprising a resilient Y-shaped member, said resilient member having two arms gradually and continuously diverging upwardly and outwardly from the intersection thereof adjacent the base portion of said resilient member; each of said arms being, at the uppermost portion thereof, curved outwardly, downwardly and inwardly to form a bent-back portion in the form of a partial loop terminating short of contacting the body of the adjacent arm; said resilient member being totally encased in a plastic or rubber materIal; the encasement about each of said partial loops being in the form of a bead having two flat surfaces parallel to each other and parallel to a plane passing through said resilient member, and a curved outside face along said bent-back portion, said curved outside face adapted to contact the adjacent sidewall of the uterus when said intrauterine device is in position with the uterus, said contact being maintained during use in the uterus by the resilient nature of said resilient member; said arms being sufficiently resilient so said arms can be urged together during positioning of said intrauterine device in an inserter for insertion of said intrauterine device into the uterus whereby adjacent flat surfaces on said beads will abut one another, and said curved outside faces will define a smooth leading-edge portion adapted to facilitate insertion of said intrauterine device into the uterus; a unitary web member extending between said encased arms, all of said web member being between said intersection and a line passing through said beads, said web member continuously descending, without opening or separation, from the upper edge thereof to said intersection; and a flexible tail portion extending downwardly from said intersection and adapted to extend outwardly from the uterus through the cervix when said intrauterine device is in position within the uterus.

Claim 15

The intrauterine device of claim 10 wherein said resilient member comprises medical grade stainless steel wire and said medical grade plastic or rubber material comprises silicone rubber.