Sex Patents in India (Land of Kamasutra) – Sex Patents III

This is the third post in the series of Sex Patents. Some refer to India as the Land of Kamasutra, the country where the popular treatise of love and love making was written. Not surprisingly, several patents have been filed in India with respect to sex, love making and related aspects. In this post, we have picked a couple of interesting patents on sexual aids, published on the website of Indian Patent Office.

Title: ELECTRO-MECHANICAL SEXUAL STIMULATION DEVICE

Application Number: 4668/DELNP/2007

Abstract: A device for use by a female for sexual stimulation comprising an inner arm dimensioned for insertion into a vagina, to contact the wall of the vagina at or near the G-spot, an outer arm dimensioned to contact the clitoris, and a resilient U-shaped member connecting the inner and outer arms.

This patent entered India through the PCT route. It discloses a device that can be used for sexual pleasure.

The first claim reads as follows:

A device for use by a female for sexual stimulation or Kegal exercises comprising an inner arm dimensioned for insertion into a vagina, to contact the wall of the vagina at or near the G-spot, an outer arm dimensioned to contact the clitoris, and a resilient U-shaped member connecting the inner and outer arms.

Excerpts of First Examination Report from IPO:

  • The subject matter claimed in the instant application relates to “sexual stimulating vibrator” and its intended use or commercial exploitation could be contrary to “public order” or “morality” and falls under section 3(b) of the Patents Act (as amended) and is not allowable.
  • Subject matter of claims 1-3, 5, 7-11 and 17-18 lack Novelty u/s 2(1)(j) of the Act, and the subject matter of claims 4, and 12-15 lack an Inventive step u/s 2(1)(j) of the Act; in light of the prior art references cited below:

D1:EP1477149Al
D2:US2004/186344Al
D3:US6183426B1
D4:US5690603A
D5: Anonymous: “Natural contours (Ultime, Superbe, Magnifique)”,                                      URL: https://web.archive.org/web/20020328181216/http://www.natural-contours.com/
D6: US4574791 A

We are not sure what makes IPO think that this invention is contrary to “public order” or “morality”. It’s high time IPO start releasing speaking orders, instead of one-liners like this. As per data given in the IPO website, the application is still under examination. However, the stats also indicate that the First Examination Report was issued 19 months ago, and the response is not available in the IPO website. In that case, it is possible that the application has been abandoned.

Another patent for a sexual aid has been filed in 2009.

Title: Sexual aid device and method

Application Number: 4705/DELNP/2009

Abstract: A sexual aid device and method for inserting and occupying space within a human female’s vagina to provide a sensation of increased fullness to the female and a sensation of increased tightness and friction to a penis of a human male during sexual intercourse, thereby enhancing sexual arousal of both the female and the male. The sexual aid can be a member having a bulbous end for insertion and a tapered end for externally grasping and manipulating the member.

The member may contain one or more vibrating devices. The member may further include a generally planar surface featuring a trough and can include two arced terminuses oriented in opposing directions. An internal pellet-rotating device may be installed within the tapered end of the member to produce mechanical friction in and around the vagina.

The first independent claim reads as follows:

What is claimed is:

  1. A method comprising the steps of:
    (a) inserting a member into a vagina of a human female to occupy space within the vagina; and
    (b) maintaining the member inserted within the vagina while the vagina is penetrated by a human penis during sexual intercourse.

As per data given in the IPO website, this application is awaiting examination. As mentioned earlier, several patents have been filed on aids and compositions for sex.

The next post will talk about patent infringement suits on this subject.

Disclaimer: The post merely provides information, and patents provided in these posts may not be worked without exercising due care. Also, we do not endorse any of the patented methods.

Contributed by IP Consulting and Strategy Group of BananaIP, Top IP Firm in India
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