When inserting suppositories into the rectum, it is important that the suppository is pushed beyond the anal sphincter.

This entails that the insertion device, for instance a finger, will come into contact with a part of the body that may contain faeces. Faeces may contain bacteria and viruses.

They can be transferred to other people through touch. For this and other reasons, many people, patients and any assistants, experience psychological distaste for touching said area.

The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus enabling a controlled insertion of suppositories into the rectum using one hand and without requiring the hand to be in contact with the skin or in proximity of the anus.

A further object of the invention is for the user to be able to decide whether the instrument should be reused several times or locked after use, so the apparatus may not be reused.

Prior art publications DE 3031408 and EP 252214 disclose apparatuses for insertion of suppositories in the rectum.

Common to these is that they consist of a separate piston being inserted into and displaced inside a tubular sleeve having openings in each end. The suppository is placed fully or partially within the tubular sleeve, and the piston may be pushed far enough into said tubular sleeve for it to touch the suppository and to push it out of the open end of the tubular sleeve at the opposite end of the insertion portion of the piston.

To prevent the apparatus from being pushed too far into the rectum, DE 3031408 and EP 252214 discloses flanges attached to the tubular sleeve.

To prevent the suppository from falling out of the apparatus, it is known from DE 3031408 to provide the portion of the apparatus in which the suppository leaves the apparatus, with a loose-fit tip formed with elastic tongues that expand when the suppository is pushed against and through said tip.

Several disadvantages are associated with the above-described prior art.

To some people it may be difficult to personally assemble the prior art suppository apparatuses often delivered unassembled to the consumer. Moreover, in practice two hands are required

to prepare the apparatus for reuse, as the piston is difficult to retract with one hand only.

Cleaning the apparatuses is particularly difficult for the apparatus in which the loose tip is attached to the tubular sleeve. This is due to the tip being designed, for safety reasons, in a way rendering difficult for it to be disassembled from the tubular sleeve.

As the suppository leaves the tip, the structure having the flexible tip with elastic tongues will contract, allowing the free space between the tongues to become smaller. This may cause injuries within or around the anus, which the tip of the apparatus is in contact with during insertion of the suppository.

The prior art does not disclose devices that enable securing of the apparatuses against unwanted reuse.

The object of this invention is to remedy the disadvantages of the prior art.

The object is achieved according to the invention by means of the features disclosed in the description below and in the following patent claims.

The present invention concerns an apparatus consisting of a piston having a form that may be circular, which piston may be displaced within a tubular sleeve. The piston and the tubular sleeve are manufactured in one piece and are permanently attached to each other by means of at least one elastic and resilient element placed on the. outside of, and

parallel with the longitudinal direction of, said piston.

This at least one elastic and resilient element provides several important functions; beyond preventing the piston from being physically separated from the tubular sleeve, which may be useful for some users, the resilient element produces a certain resistance when the end of the piston located outside the tubular sleeve, is provided with a driving force. Tests have shown that this results in a more controlled displacement of the piston inwards within the tubular sleeve, which is important to achieve a controlled insertion of suppositories in the rectum. When the applied driving force ceases, and due to the at least one elastic and resilient element, the piston will return and be pushed as far back as possible in the tubular sleeve. This results in the suppository applicator being ready for reuse, if desired.

To prevent the suppository applicator from being inserted into the rectum, the part of the tubular sleeve engaging the anus has integrated thereto a preferably circular disc or flange with no sharp transitions, thereby avoiding injuries within or around the anus, and simultaneously allowing for efficient cleansing to be carried out.

To attain a counter-force when a force is applied onto the piston end piece and is pushing it into the tubular sleeve, the latter is provided with at least one finger grip protruding from the tubular sleeve part being furthermost away from the anus when in position of use.

In one embodiment, the suppository is inserted into the tubular sleeve through a recess in its lateral surface. The recess is located between the active end surface of the idle

piston within the tubular sleeve, and the tubular sleeve opening facing the rectum when in position of use.

To prevent the suppository from falling out, a cover may be fitted around the cylinder. The cover is elastic and preferably formed like a sector of a cylinder, the inside diameter thereof being approximately equal to the outer diameter of the tubular body. A tongue, which is released from the cover at three sides, may be integrated into said cover. Relative to the longitudinal direction of the cover, said tongue is formed with a bend inwards toward the centre of the cylinder sector. At the cover mounted on the tubular portion and the tongue located above the said recess in the tubular sleeve, said tongue will push against the suppository and contribute to prevent the suppository from falling uncontrollably out of the suppository applicator opening facing the anus when in position of use.

In another embodiment, said piston is provided with a groove in the surface, thereby allowing the free portion of said tongue to engage with said groove and prevent said at least one elastic and resilient element from being able to retract the piston to its initial position. Thus the suppository applicator is physically locked from being reused. Such a feature may be particularly useful when the suppository applicator is being used in environments wherein prevention of contagion is important.

In the following, a non-limited example of preferred embodiments is described and illustrated on the attached drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective of the suppository applicator while in the initial position, but without the suppository placed in the applicator; Figure 2 shows a perspective of the suppository applicator with a cover placed over the recess into which the suppository is placed in the tubular sleeve; Figure 3a shows the cover in perspective; Figure 3b shows a front view of the cover; Figure 3c shows a section I-I of the cover according to figure 3b; Figure 3d shows the cover in perspective in an embodiment with barbs; Figure 3e shows a horizontal section II-II of the cover according to figure 3d in an embodiment with barbs; Figure 4 shows the suppository applicator in perspective with the piston inserted as far as possible into the tubular sleeve, and the suppository released from the tubular sleeve; Figure 5a shows a front view of the suppository applicator in an idle state; Figure 5b shows a vertical section III-III of the suppository applicator according to figure 5a;

Figure 5c shows a horizontal section IV-IV of the piston in the suppository applicator according to figure 5a; Figure 6a shows a front view of the suppository applicator with the piston inserted as far as possible into the tubular sleeve, and the suppository pushed out of the tubular sleeve; Figure 6b shows a vertical section V-V of the suppository applicator according to figure 6a; Figure 6c shows a horizontal section VI-VI of the suppository applicator according to figure 6a; Figure 7a shows a front view of the suppository applicator with the piston locked against retraction; Figure 7b shows a vertical section VII-VII of the suppository applicator according to figure 7a; and Figure 7c shows a horizontal section VIII-VIII of the suppository applicator according to figure 7a.

On the drawings, the reference number 1 denotes a suppository applicator consisting of a piston 2 displaceable within a tubular sleeve 3. The piston 2 and the tubular sleeve 3 are manufactured in one piece and are permanently attached to each other by means of two elastic and resilient parts 4.

To prevent the suppository applicator 1 from being inserted into the rectum when used, the part of the tubular sleeve 3 touching the anus when in position of use, is provided with a

preferably circular disc 5 formed without any sharp transitions that may injure the patient.

The piston 2 is displaced within the tubular sleeve 3 by means of a force, preferably from a thumb, is applied onto an end surface 7 of the piston, and said force is opposed by at least one other finger being placed on the side of the finger grip 6 facing the anus when in position of use.

When said force and counter-force are applied onto the end piece 7 of the piston and the finger grip 6, respectively, the piston 2 will be displaced within the tubular sleeve 3, and the elastic and resilient parts 4 will be exposed to a driving force, this resulting in the elastic and resilient parts 4 being pushed out from the piston 2 between the fastening points on the end piece 7 of the piston and the location at which the finger grip 6 merges into the tubular sleeve 3. When the force against the end piece 7 of the piston ceases, the currently stored energy in the elastic and resilient parts 4 will straighten the elastic and resilient parts 4, whereby the piston 2 will return to its initial position.

In one embodiment, the suppository 8 is inserted into the tubular sleeve 3 through a recess 9 formed in said tubular sleeve 3. When force is applied to the piston 2 as described above, the suppository 8 will be pushed out of the tubular sleeve 3 through the suppository exit 10 and, in when in position of use, into the rectum. To ensure that the suppository 8 passes the anal sphincter, a front portion of the piston 2 will protrude outside of the suppository exit 10

when a piston displacement stopper 11 engages the end surface of the tubular sleeve 3.

To ensure that the suppository 8 does not fall out through the recess 9 in the tubular sleeve 3 when used, a separate elastic cover 12 may be placed over the cylindrical part of the tubular sleeve 3. Said elastic cover 12 is formed like a sector of a cylinder, the opening of the sector preferably resembling the recess 9 in the tubular sleeve 3. The cover 12 may be provided with preferably one elastic and resilient tongue 13 protruding partly out of the cover 12. The elastic and resilient tongue 13 is deflected inwards toward the centre of the cylinder sector of said cover 12. Having placed said cover 12 over the cylindrical part of the tubular sleeve 3, and having rotated it to enable the elastic and resilient tongue 13 inside the cover 12 to be placed over the recess 9, said tongue 13 will engage, when rotating the cover 12, one of the lateral surfaces of the recess 9 and produce a resistance towards further rotation, rendering more difficult for the open part of the cylinder sector in the cover 12 to be placed over the recess 9, thus enabling the suppository to fall out through said recess 9.

In an alternative embodiment, the cover 12 is provided with preferably two barbs 15 placed on the inside of the cover 12 and parallel with the longitudinal direction of the cover 12.

When the elastic and resilient tongue 13 is centred over the recess 9, the barbs 15 will slide into said recess 9. When the cover 12 then is rotated, one of the barbs 15 will engage one of the lateral surfaces in said recess 9, and the cover 12 will be prevented from further rotation so that the suppository 8 cannot fall out through the recess 9.

When placed over the recess 9, the elastic and resilient tongue 13 will exert pressure against the suppository 8 in such a way that the suppository 8 cannot fall out through the suppository exit 10 before the suppository applicator is placed in its position of use, and the suppository 8 is pushed out of the tubular sleeve 3 by the piston 2 when this is displaced within the tubular sleeve 3.

In a further embodiment, the piston 2 is provided with a groove 14 in the lateral surface so that the elastic and resilient tongue 13, when said tongue 13 is placed over the recess 9, will engage with said groove 14 when the piston 2 is pushed far enough into the piston displacement stopper 11 engages the end surface of the tubular sleeve 3. The groove 14 is formed in a manner not allowing the elastic and resilient tongue 13 to slide out of said groove 14 without disassembling the cover 12 from the tubular sleeve 3. Thus securing is provided against unwanted reuse of the suppository applicator 1.