Device for exercising the pelvic floor muscles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12017113-B2
Application number	US-201917413589-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2019
Priority date	Dec 14, 2018
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for exercising the pelvic floor muscles in women, which comprises a main component (A), a secondary component (B) and a set of external weights (P).
Component (A) is directly related to pelvic floor muscle contraction exercise. Component (B) allows the evaluation and monitoring of contraction exercises by measuring the displacement of a rod on a graduated ruler. The set of weights (P), with different loads, allows it to impose resistance of different magnitudes on the muscle exercises to be performed, according to the user's needs and objectives.
Thus, this invention falls within the technical field of mechanical functioning devices, with application to the medical area, for the treatment and/or prevention of pathological situations related to the alteration of the muscular function of the pelvic floor region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for exercising the pelvic floor muscles, the device comprising: a main component (A) and a secondary component (B), wherein:
the main component (A) comprises a substantially cylindrical body (C), a vertical rod (H), two crosspieces ( 7 ) and two supports ( 9 );
the body (C) having a substantially cylindrical shape and consisting of an intravaginal portion with a rounded tip ( 1 ), an intermediate portion ( 2 ), an extravaginal portion ( 3 ) having a first hole ( 10 ), and two second holes ( 8 ), one on each side, configured for insertion of the crosspieces ( 7 );
the rod (H) having a lower region ( 4 ), an intermediate region ( 5 ), and an upper region ( 6 ), the rod (H) being inserted, through the lower region ( 4 ), in the first hole ( 10 ), to mechanically connect the rod (H) with the cylindrical body (C), the rod (H) forming an internal angle of about 100 degrees with the body (C), the lower region ( 4 ) forming an internal angle of about 100 degrees with the intermediate region ( 5 ), and the intermediate region ( 5 ) forming an internal angle of approximately 45 degrees with the upper region ( 6 ); the rod (H) having connection means for attaching external weights (P);
the two crosspieces ( 7 ) connecting body (C) to the two supports ( 9 ) by means of a 3D joint;
the two supports ( 9 ) having a curved, approximately rectangular shape with a concave side, the supports configured to be supported in the anteromedial region of the user's thigh; and

the secondary component (B) comprising two vertical beams ( 11 ), a horizontal beam ( 14 ), a graduated ruler ( 12 ) and two support bases ( 13 );
the two vertical beams ( 11 ) being rigid and adjustable in length;
the horizontal beam ( 14 ) being rigid, having a circular cross-section, and being adjustable in length and arranged at the upper ends of each vertical beam ( 11 ) so as to connect the vertical beams ( 11 );
the ruler ( 12 ) arranged vertically and perpendicularly to the horizontal beam ( 14 ), at a midpoint thereof, and graduated in mm or inches; and
the support base ( 13 ) is rigid and substantially rectangular in shape, being mounted on lower ends of each of the vertical beams ( 11 );
wherein a resistance force applied to the body (C) is in a perpendicular direction relative to the levator ani muscle and in a direction opposite to the contraction of the muscle.

2. The device according to claim 1 , comprising: a set of the external weights (P), the weights having variable loads from 5 g to 40 g, optionally in 5 g increments; the weights being connectable, individually or together, to the upper region ( 6 ) of the rod (H) of the main component (A).

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device is made wholly or partly of hard material, wherein the hard material comprises thermoplastic material or metal or combinations thereof.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the body (C) is made of rigid polymeric material.

5. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the body (C) is coated with a film of sterilizable material.

6. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors, selected from the group consisting of: pressure sensors, motion sensors, rotation sensors, slope sensors and acceleration sensors.

7. A method of using the device of claim 1 , comprising: performing at least one pelvic floor muscle exercise with the device.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device is configured for treatment and/or prevention of pathological situations related to the alteration of muscle function in the pelvic floor region.

Assignees

• Univ Do Porto

Inventors

• Da Costa Carvalhais Maria Alice
• Natal Jorge Manuel Renato

Classifications

• A61H21/00

  Massage devices for cavities of the body {, e.g. nose, ears and anus (for the genitals A61H19/00); Vibration or percussion related aspects A61H23/00} · CPC title

• A63B21/0608

  Eccentric weights put into orbital motion by nutating movement of the user · CPC title

• A63B21/065 Primary

  worn on user's body · CPC title

• A61H19/44

  Having substantially cylindrical shape, e.g. dildos · CPC title

• A63B2220/18

  Inclination, slope or curvature · CPC title