Stiffener cylinder for an inflatable penile erection device

Claim 2

A stiffener cylinder for a penile erection device, comprising: an elongated flexible pendulous portion having a wall with an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior, said pendulous portion having an erect state when said interior is at a first pressure and having a flaccid state when said interior is at a second pressure lower than said first pressure; and elongation means defining a portion of the wall of said pendulous portion, including portions of the inner and outer surfaces of the wall, for increasing the length of said pendulous portion when in said erect state and for decreasing the length of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state, said elongation means being capable of elongation to increase the length of said pendulous portion without being placed in any significant tension.

Claim 3

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 1, wherein said elongation means comprises a bellows.

Claim 4

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 2, wherein said bellows is located at a base of the pendulous portion.

Claim 5

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 2, wherein said bellows has one to three convolutions.

Claim 6

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 2, wherein the depth of the bellows is on the order of 0.3 cm.

Claim 7

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 2, wherein the depth of the bellows is on the order of 0.6 cm.

Claim 8

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 1, wherein the pressure within the cylinder interior is developed by a fluid.

Claim 9

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 1, wherein said elongation means lengthens the pendulous portion by at least 3%.

Claim 10

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 1, and further comprising a root portion attached to said pendulous portion at a base portion thereof.

Claim 11

A stiffener cylinder for a penile erection device, comprising: an elongated flexible pendulous portion having a wall defining an interior, said pendulous portion having an erect state when said interior is at a first pressure and having a flaccid state when said interior is at a second pressure lower than said first pressure; and stress relief means in said pendulous portion for preventing buckling of localized areas of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state, said stress relief means being capable of contraction in a lower portion of said pendulous portion and expansion in an upper portion of said pendulous portion, when said pendulous portion is moved into said flaccid state, and said stress relief means also serving to lengthen said pendulous portion.

Claim 12

A stiffener cylinder for a penile erection device, comprising: an elongated flexible pendulous portion having a wall defining an interior, said pendulous portion having an erect state when said interior is at a first pressure and having a flaccid state when said interior is at a second pressure lower than said first pressure; and stress relief means in said pendulous portion for preventing buckling of localized areas of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state, said stress relief means being capable of contraction in a lower portion of said pendulous portion and expansion in an upper portion of said pendulous portion, when said pendulous portion is moved into said flaccid state, and said stress relief means also serving to lengthen said pendulous portion.

Claim 13

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 10, wherein said stress relief means comprises a bellows.

Claim 14

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 11, wherein said bellows is located at a base of the pendulous portion.

Claim 15

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 11, wherein said bellows has one to three convolutions.

Claim 16

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 11, wherein the depth of the bellows is on the order of 0.3 cm.

Claim 17

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 11, wherein the depth of the bellows is on the order of 0.6 cm.

Claim 18

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 10, wherein the pressure within the cylinder interior is developed by a fluid.

Claim 19

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 10, and further comprising a root portion attached to said pendulous portion at a base portion thereof.

Claim 20

A stiffener cylinder for a penile erection device, comprising: an elongated flexible pendulous portion having a wall defining an interior, said pendulous portion having an erect state when said interior is at a first pressure and having a flaccid state when said interior is at a second pressure lower than said first pressure; elongation means in said pendulous portion for increasing the length of said pendulous portion when in said erect state and for decreasing the length of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state, said elongation means being capable of elongation to increase the length of said pendulous portion without being placed in any significant tension; and stress relief means in said pendulous portion for preventing buckling of localized areas of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state, said stress relief means being capable of contraction in a lower portion of said pendulous portion and expansion in an upper portion of said pendulous portion, when said pendulous portion is moved into said flaccid state.

Claim 21

A stiffener cylinder for a penile erection device, comprising: an elongated flexible pendulous portion having a wall defining an interior, said pendulous portion having an erect state when said interior is at a first pressure and having a flaccid state when said interior is at a second pressure lower than said first pressure; elongation means in said pendulous portion for increasing the length of said pendulous portion when in said erect state and for decreasing the length of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state, said elongation means being capable of elongation to increase the length of said pendulous portion without being placed in any significant tension; and stress relief means in said pendulous portion for preventing buckling of localized areas of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state, said stress relief means being capable of contraction in a lower portion of said pendulous portion and expansion in an upper portion of said pendulous portion, when said pendulous portion is moved into said flaccid state.

Claim 22

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 18, wherein the pressure within the cylinder interior is developed by a fluid.

Claim 23

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 18, wherein said elongation means lengthens the pendulous portion by at least 3%.

Claim 24

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 18, and further comprising a root portion attached to said pendulous portion at a base portion thereof.

Claim 25

A stiffener cylinder for a penile erection device, of a type to be mounted in the corpora cavernosa of a penis in side-by-side relationship with a stiffener cylinder of the same construction, comprising: an elongated flexible pendulous portion having a wall defining an interior, said pendulous portion having an erect state when said interior is at a first pressure and having a flaccid state when said interior is at a second and lower pressure; said wall having extendable side portions and extendable top and bottom portions, the side portions and the top and bottom portions being essentially symmetrical in cross-section about perpendicular axes of the pendulous portion; and said wall extending more in one direction corresponding to one of the perpendicular axes of said pendulous portion than in a second direction corresponding to a second one of the perpendicular axes of said pendulous portion, when said pendulous portion goes from said flaccid state to said erect state, such that said pendulous portion has an elliptical configuration in said eret state.

Claim 26

A stiffener cylinder for a penile erection device, of a type to be mounted in the corpora cavernosa of a penis in side-by-side relationship with a stiffener cylinder of the same construction, comprising: an elongated flexible pendulous portion having a wall defining an interior, said pendulous portion having an erect state when said interior is at a first pressure and having a flaccid state when said interior is at a second and lower pressure; said wall having extendable side portions and extendable top and bottom portions, the side portions and the top and bottom portions being essentially symmetrical in cross-section about perpendicular axes of the pendulous portion; and said wall extending more in one direction corresponding to one of the perpendicular axes of said pendulous portion than in a second direction corresponding to a second one of the perpendicular axes of said pendulous portion, when said pendulous portion goes from said flaccid state to said erect state, such that said pendulous portion has an elliptical configuration in said eret state.

Claim 27

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 22, wherein said top and bottom portions are thicker than said side portions.

Claim 28

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 22, wherein said top and bottom portions are shorter than said side portions.

Claim 29

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 22, and further comprising elongation means in said pendulous portion for increasing the length of said pendulous portion when in said erect state and for decreasing the length of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state.

Claim 30

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 25, and further including stress relief means in said pendulous portion for preventing buckling of localized areas of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state.

Claim 31

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 22, and further including stress relief means in said pendulous portion for preventing buckling of localized areas of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state.

Claim 32

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 22, and further comprising a root portion attached to said pendulous portion at a base portion thereof.

Claim 33

A stiffener cylinder for a penile erection device, comprising: an elongated flexible pendulous portion having a wall defining an interior, said pendulous portion having an erect state when said interior is at a first pressure and having a flaccid state when said interior is at a second and lower pressure; said wall having extenable side portions and extendable top and bottom portions, the side portions and the top and bottom portions being esentially symmerical in cross section about perpendicular axes of the pendulous portion; said wall extending more in one direction corresponding to one of the perpendicular axes of said pendulous portion than in a second direction corresponding to a second one of the perpendicular axes of said pendulous portion, when said pendulous portion goes from said flaccid state to said erect state, such that said pendulous portion has an elliptical configuration in said erect state; and said top, bottom and side portions being of essentially uniform thickness, and a planar septum joining said side portions to limit outward expansion of the side portions in the plane of the septum.

Claim 34

A stiffener cylinder for a penile erection device, comprising: an elongated flexible pendulous portion having a wall defining an interior, said pendulous portion having an erect state when said interior is at a first pressure and having a flaccid state when said interior is at a second and lower pressure; said wall having extenable side portions and extendable top and bottom portions, the side portions and the top and bottom portions being esentially symmerical in cross section about perpendicular axes of the pendulous portion; said wall extending more in one direction corresponding to one of the perpendicular axes of said pendulous portion than in a second direction corresponding to a second one of the perpendicular axes of said pendulous portion, when said pendulous portion goes from said flaccid state to said erect state, such that said pendulous portion has an elliptical configuration in said erect state; and said top, bottom and side portions being of essentially uniform thickness, and a planar septum joining said side portions to limit outward expansion of the side portions in the plane of the septum.

Claim 35

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 29, wherein the planar septum defines fluid-receiving chambers in the stiffener cylinder on opposite sides of the septum.

Claim 36

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 30, wherein the fluid-receiving chambers are in fluid communication with one another through at least one opening defined by said septum.

Claim 37

A stiffener cylinder for a penile erection device, comprising: an elongated flexible pendulous portion having a wall defining an interior, said pendulous portion having an erect state when said interior is at a first pressure and having a flaccid state when said interior is at a second pressure lower than said first pressure; elongation means in said pendulous portion for increasing the length of said pendulous portion when in said erect state and for decreasing the length of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state; and stress relief means in said pendulous portion for preventing buckling of localized areas of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state, said elongation means and said stress relief means comprising a single structure including a bellows.

Claim 38

A stiffener cylinder for a penile erection device, comprising: an elongated flexible pendulous portion having a wall defining an interior, said pendulous portion having an erect state when said interior is at a first pressure and having a flaccid state when said interior is at a second pressure lower than said first pressure; elongation means in said pendulous portion for increasing the length of said pendulous portion when in said erect state and for decreasing the length of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state; and stress relief means in said pendulous portion for preventing buckling of localized areas of said pendulous portion when in said flaccid state, said elongation means and said stress relief means comprising a single structure including a bellows.

Claim 39

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 32, wherein said bellows is located at a base of the pendulous portion.

Claim 40

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 32, wherein said bellows has one to three convolutions.

Claim 41

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 32, wherein the depth of the bellows is on the order of 0.3 cm.

Claim 42

The stiffener cylinder as in claim 32, wherein the depth of the bellows is on the order of 0.6 cm.