Condom packaging

Abstract

To provide a package for a barrier type contraceptive, specifically, a condom, which reliably and stably holds the condom until it is fully rolled up. The condom package includes a cover having a retainer therein, the retainer being fitted with fasteners configured to hold the condom in a folded state, the fasteners being located on the inside and / or outside of the folded condom, and each fastener and / or at least one pair of fasteners, an inner fastener and an outer fastener, is provided with a variable size gap that in some positions allows the folded condom to be placed through the fasteners while in other positions the fully folded condom cannot be separated from the fasteners.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to barrier contraceptive devices, and more particularly to condom wrappers that securely and stably hold a condom until it is fully unrolled. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditional condom packages are reliable flexible sheet coverings designed to hermetically contain the condom. For convenient use, such packages are provided with a means for opening the covering, such as a weakened groove in the edge of the package or a tear tape with a loose end for rupturing the covering.

[0003] Traditional condom packaging has the disadvantage of lengthening and inconvenient the opening process, requiring the time-consuming task of finding a tool, such as a groove, in the packaging prior to use, followed by grasping both sides of the edge of the packaging and tearing the edge. Even a few seconds of time spent performing these actions can be significant for a person in a condom-using situation. A person in an agitated state may apply excessive force to tear the packaging, leading to a rushed, careless opening of the packaging and potentially damaging the condom. Additionally, the condom itself is inevitably touched by fingers during the intended use of the condom, resulting in undesirable hygiene. These disadvantages of traditional condom packaging can discourage people from using condoms.

[0004] EP 1377242 B1 (Patent Document 1), published May 24, 2006, discloses a condom package comprising a cover with a condom inside and two flat side handles joined to the cover and to each other. The cover has a tear line at its central transverse border, parallel to the side handles, which can be opened to separate the cover into two equal parts. The cover has four hook-shaped holders at its corners for securing the condom inside. This known package is opened by pressing the side handles with fingers, causing the package to tear at the tear line. Pulling the handles apart separates the package into two equal parts, still containing the condom. The condom is then removed from the package by grasping the side handles with the fingers, placing the condom on an erect penis, and removing the condom from the hook-shaped holders.

[0005] RU 2515852 (Patent Document 2), published May 20, 2014, discloses a condom package comprising a cover with a condom inside, two flat lateral grippers connected to the cover, and a hook-shaped holder positioned inside the cover to secure the condom inside the cover. The cover has a tear line at its central transverse border, which separates the cover into two sections when opened. The surface of the cover is provided with at least two reinforcing ribs parallel to and symmetrically positioned with respect to the tear line, which function as pressure concentrators when the cover is opened by tearing. One end of each lateral gripper is connected to at least one of the hook-shaped holders inside the cover, and the opposite end protruding from the cover is provided with a rest for fixing the position of the fingers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] European Patent No. 1377242 [Patent Document 2] Russian Patent No. 2515852 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] These known technical solutions using hook-like retainers inside the cover have the disadvantage that when the cover is opened, the condom can fall out of the retainer before it is unrolled, and they do not provide a reliable retention of the condom in its folded state inside the cover.

[0008] The technical objectives are to provide a reliable and stable retention of the condom by the retainer to prevent premature release during transport, storage, or opening of the cover, to ensure uniform unrolling of the condom, and to ensure that the condom can be quickly separated from the retainer of the package without being touched by the fingers after it has been at least partially unrolled. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] This technical objective is achieved by a condom package comprising a cover with a retainer therein, the retainer being fitted with fasteners configured to hold the condom in a folded state, the fasteners being located on the inside and / or outside of the folded condom, and a variable size gap being formed between each fastener and / or between at least one pair of fasteners consisting of an inner fastener and an outer fastener.

[0010] The main technical solutions are developed as follows: an embodiment in which the cover is provided with a tear line; an embodiment in which the retainer comprises at least two sections, each section having a catch; an embodiment in which the holder is provided with side grips located on two opposite sides of the holder and configured to be grasped by fingers when opening the package; an embodiment in which the fastener is formed in a hook shape; an embodiment in which the fastener is configured to relax the bend to allow the folded condom ring to enter and then assume its initial shape; and an embodiment in which the clasp is configured to open to insert the ring of the folded condom and then close to an initial position; is possible.

[0011] Thus, by combining these basic components, the variable size of the gap allows the holder to hold the condom reliably and stably, and the condom is uniformly unrolled and can be reliably and quickly separated from the holder without touching it with fingers after it has been at least partially unrolled until the condom ring is equal to or smaller than the size of the gap, and the required orientation can be set without visual inspection during actual use, improving the convenience of the package and ensuring convenient and quick condom removal while maintaining hygiene.

[0012] Specific examples of embodiments of the claimed invention and its utility are disclosed herein with reference to the following description and drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing how a condom package is opened. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a side view of a condom holder with an inner fastener. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a side view of a condom holder with an inner clasp, with a condom placed inside. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram (side view) showing a condom retainer having an inner fastener and an outer fastener. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a side view of a condom holder having an inner and outer fastener with a condom placed inside. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The condom package (FIGS. 1 to 5) consists of a cover 1 with a holder 2 for a folded condom 3 inside.

[0015] The cover 1 is made of a highly tactile material and has a tear line 4 (Fig. 1) which is a weakened point in the material compared to other places. Other known means for opening the cover 1 may be provided on the cover, such as a groove, tear tape, etc.

[0016] The holder 2 may consist of at least two parts, which are joined together by a temporary fastening (for example, adhesive or a jumper connection) that breaks when the package is pulled in different directions, or they are connected via the condom 3 located inside so that they separate from each other in the process of removing the condom 3. Each part of the holder 2 is held relative to each other by a cover 1 or the like.

[0017] The central portion of the holder 2 has a hole (not shown) along the edge into which the ring of condom 3 is placed so that the condom 3 can be easily accessed as designed.

[0018] The holder 2 may be provided with side grips 5 located on two opposite sides of the holder 2 and configured to be gripped with fingers when opening the cover 1. The side grips 5 may be provided with finger placement portions 6 (i.e., protruding portions) to prevent the fingers from slipping off when opening the cover 1. The side grips 5 may also be formed in a curved shape (not shown) to increase the arm of force required when opening the cover 1.

[0019] The holder 2 may be made by casting / molding or three-dimensional shaping of a flexible or rigid material, such as a polymer material.

[0020] The holder 2 may be located entirely inside the cover 1. It is also possible for the side grips 5 to protrude at least partially from the cover 1. In this case, the cover is glued or welded in a leak-tight manner over the edges of the side grips 5.

[0021] The retainer 2 is provided with at least four fasteners for placing the condom 3 inside in a rolled or folded state. The fasteners may be positioned so that the part where the retainer 2 is connected to the base is inside the ring of the condom 3, i.e., inner fasteners 7 (Figs. 2 and 3), or they may be positioned so that the part where the retainer 2 is connected to the base is outside the ring of the condom 3, i.e., outer fasteners 8 (Figs. 4 and 5). The minimum number of fasteners required is four inner fasteners.

[0022] The fasteners 7 and 8 are curved (hook-shaped) to stably hold the ring of the condom 3. The bending diameter of the fasteners 7 and 8 can be the same as or slightly larger than the thickness of the ring of the rolled condom 3. However, they cannot be much smaller than the thickness of the ring of the rolled condom 3 because they may damage the condom 3.

[0023] The fasteners 7, 8 may be evenly spaced around the edge of the ring of the condom 3. For example, four inner fasteners 7 may be evenly spaced in a circle on the inside of the ring of the condom 3. The outer fasteners 8 may be evenly spaced from the outside of the ring of the condom 3. In this case, the outer fasteners 8 may be positioned in accordance with (for example, opposite or offset from) the inner fasteners 7.

[0024] A variable size gap 9 is formed in each fastener 7, 8 and / or between at least one pair of fasteners, consisting of an inner fastener 7 and an outer fastener 8 (FIGS. 2 and 4). Such gaps allow the folded condom 3 to be placed onto the fastener through the gap in some positions, while preventing the fully folded condom 3 from being separated from the fastener in other positions. In other words, after the folded condom 3 is placed, the gap 9 is reduced to prevent the fully folded condom 9 from slipping out of the holder 2.

[0025] The fasteners 7, 8 are configured to accommodate the ring of the folded condom 3 upon relaxation and then return to their initial shape, thereby allowing for a variable size gap 9. For this purpose, the fasteners 7, 8 may be made of a flexible material. The fasteners 7, 8 may further be provided with means 10 for reducing the gap 9 (e.g., a cover plate, a protrusion, etc.).

[0026] If the fasteners 7, 8 are hooks extending from the base of the retainer 2, the gap 9 may measure from the base of the fasteners 7, 8 to their top, or from the base of the retainer 2 to the top of the fasteners. In another embodiment of the fasteners 7, 8, where the fasteners 7, 8 are open rings (or other suitable shapes, such as ovals, for holding the ring of the rolled condom 3 therein), the gap 9 measures the size of the interruption in the contour of this shape.

[0027] The variable size gap 9 can also be provided when the fasteners 7, 8 are configured to be opened to insert the ring of the folded condom 3 and then closed to the initial position. The opening of the fasteners 7, 8 can be ensured by the flexibility of the manufacturing material of the fasteners 7, 8 as a whole or where they are connected to the base of the holder 2, or by the presence of a hinge at the attachment point of the fasteners 7, 8 to the base of the holder 2 that takes on each defined position (open position / closed position).

[0028] A gap 9 may also be formed between the inner fastener 7 and the outer fastener 8 .

[0029] The outer fasteners 8 can be fixed in the closed position by stoppers 11 located on the edges of the holder 2 (FIGS. 4 and 5). For example, the presence of the stoppers 11 allows the bendable fasteners 8 to be engaged with the stoppers 11 and fixed in the closed position, thereby reducing the gap 9 between the corresponding inner fasteners 7 to a required size. The number of stoppers 11 matches the number of outer fasteners 8. The fasteners 8 can be engaged by being made of a flexible material and the stoppers 11 of a highly rigid material, or by being made of a highly rigid material and the stoppers 11 of a flexible material. Furthermore, the fasteners 8 may be formed with grips (temporary only) for engagement with the stoppers 11.

[0030] In particular, it is possible to combine rigid fasteners with flexible or bendable fasteners in pairs, for example by making the inner fastener 7 more rigid and positioning the outer fastener 8 accordingly to open / close, so that a variable gap 9 is formed between the pair of fasteners 7, 8.

[0031] The size of the gap 9 can be adjusted depending on the target ring thickness of the rolled condom 3. In some options, the condom 3 can be separated from the holder 2 only when it is completely unrolled, or in other options, when it is at least partially unrolled. In either option, the fasteners 7, 8 ensure that the condom 3 is held stably in the holder 2 until use.

[0032] To use the condom 3 as intended, the condom's packaging must be opened. This requires using both hands to grasp the side grippers 5 (if present) or the edges of the retainer 2 and pull them up and down (in a vertical plane) to break the cover 1 at the tear line 4. Next, the side grippers 5 (if present) or the edges of the retainer 2 must be pulled together (in a horizontal plane) to completely separate the cover 1 into two sections. Because the condom 3 is secured by fasteners 7 and 8, this stretches the diameter of the condom 3's ring. This provides an opportunity to quickly and easily apply the condom 3 to an erect penis (not shown) in the correct orientation without touching it with fingers. At least partially unrolling the condom 3's ring reduces its thickness, allowing the condom 3 to slide through the gap 9 between the fasteners 7 and 8 and be easily separated from the retainer 2. The present invention includes the following embodiments. [Aspect 1] A condom package comprising a cover with a retainer therein, the holder is provided with a fastener configured to hold the condom in a folded state; The fastener is located on the inside and / or outside of the folded condom, A condom package in which a gap of variable size is formed in each fastener and / or between at least one pair of fasteners consisting of an inner fastener and an outer fastener. [Aspect 2] The condom packaging according to aspect 1, characterized in that the cover has a tear line. Aspect 3 2. The condom package of claim 1, wherein the retainer comprises at least two sections, each section having a fastener. Aspect 4 The condom package according to aspect 1, wherein the retainer is provided with side grips located on two opposite sides of the retainer and configured to be grasped with the fingers of a hand when opening the package. Aspect 5 The condom package according to aspect 1, wherein the fastener is formed in a hook shape. Aspect 6 A condom package according to aspect 5, characterized in that the fastener is configured to allow the folded condom ring to be inserted therein by relaxing the bend and then to return to its original shape. Aspect 7 The condom package according to aspect 1, characterized in that the fastener is configured to open to insert the folded condom ring inside and then close to return to its initial position.

Claims

1. A condom package comprising a cover with a retainer therein, the holder is provided with a fastener configured to hold the condom in a folded state; The fasteners are located on the inside and outside of the folded condom, A condom package in which the fasteners are configured to allow the folded condom ring to enter therein by relaxing the bend and then return to their initial shape, thereby forming a gap of variable size in each fastener and between at least one pair of fasteners consisting of an inner fastener and an outer fastener.

2. 2. The condom package according to claim 1, wherein the cover is provided with a tear line.

3. 2. The condom package of claim 1, wherein the retainer comprises at least two sections, each section having a fastener.

4. 2. The condom package according to claim 1, wherein the retainer is provided with side grips located on two opposite sides of the retainer and configured to be grasped with the fingers of a hand when opening the package.

5. 2. The condom package according to claim 1, wherein the fastener is formed in the shape of a hook.

6. 2. The condom package according to claim 1, wherein the fastener is configured to be opened to insert the folded condom ring therein and then closed to assume an initial position.

Images