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The Creator of the Tug Ahoy
James A. Haughey, M.S., M.D.
graduated from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He then practiced medicine in a private medical practice, as a Board Certified Family Practioner in West Los Angeles for 15 years. He had hospital staff admitting privileges at St. John's and Santa Monica Hospitals. He quit the active practice of
medicine January, 1995, although he has maintained his active California Medical
License, number G-14949. Check out his license at the California Medical
Board website by clicking here., and
clicking "Check Your Doctor Online."
Biomedical Engineer
But to tell the truth, when I first actually tried the appropriate hardware (very much like the present-day Tug Ahoy), I, too, was startled that it worked as well as it does. "Yet, coming up with a workable concept and a functional prototype was only half the battle. From my work in Biomedical Engineering, I knew that designing and making molds for injection molding of the parts would cost around $15,000. With the expected low volume of sales, the selling price would have to be prohibitively high in order to re-coup that investment. So I took an alternative course: I figured out a way to modify readily-available starting materials to achieve the desired end product. Although this course of action eliminates the need for a large initial investment, it does require a good deal of hand work on each device, so the price ends up being higher than it would be with a large-volume mass-produced item." In addition to the inner and outer shells, which are the heart of the Tug Ahoy, another important part of the device is the wire strut extending out from the inner shell. This strut is rigid enough to greatly facilitate application of the device to the penis by providing a means for counter-traction to hold down the inner shell while the skin is pulled up over it. Yet, it is also malleable, so that it can easily be bent out of the way during use to make it inconspicuous. The two straps complete the device. The short (4") strap attached to the strut has two small "D" rings tightly sewn in. The D rings provide an elegantly simple and easy way to adjust the elastic strap, while being virtually invisible under clothing. The yard-long elastic strap has an easy-to-use suspender clip at its end. The straps are so well made that they generally remain intact even after three years of use.
In order to make the Tug Ahoy a viable product, it was necessary to find a way to begin with readily-available starting materials, and modify them so as to produce the various parts of the final device. The Tug Ahoy can be considered to have three separate components: 1) The inner shell, 2) The outer shell, and 3) The strap set. How each component is made is described below. Although the inner shell is the most time-consuming component to make, and hence the most expensive, it begins as the cheapest of all the components. It begins as the pointed half of a plastic toy Easter egg shell, which is made of the ideal extremely tough, practically unbreakable plastic, polypropylene. (Many plastic Easter eggs are made of the inferior, brittle plastic polystyrene, but these are not used in the Tug Ahoy.) With a drill press, a small hole is drilled in the tip of the shell. Then the shell's entire inner and outer surfaces are thoroughly sanded with very coarse sandpaper to create a very rough surface. Since doing this by hand would be impossibly time consuming, we have custom made arbors or mandrels which are mounted in the drill press and used for sanding these surfaces. One of the arbors holds the shell for sanding the inside, and the other holds it for sanding the outside. The purpose of this time-consuming sanding step is to create a surface which will tightly bind the rubberized coating which is later applied. As of this writing, in May 2003, we have been doing this extra step for about two years. Prior to adding this step, the rubberized coating would sometimes delaminate, in a few cases in as little as six months or a year. Since adding this step, delamination has no longer been a problem, even after two years. The wire extension, or strut, from the inner shell is a unique feature of the Tug Ahoy, which is covered in the Patent. It is much more than just a place to hook the elastic strap onto. When used properly, the wire strut makes the difference of night and day in the ease of application of the Tug Ahoy. It has just the right length so that its tip rests at the base of the fingers of the right hand while the TA is being applied. While the fingers of the left hand pull up skin over the inner shell, the right hand performs the simultaneous functions of both providing counter traction through the strut, while at the same time, with the fingers, tucking the skin under the outer shell. Without a wire strut (which is protected by the Patent), applying any tapeless device is very difficult, or may be impossible when there is a limited amount of skin. Although the strut needs to be rigid enough to perform its counter traction function, it also needs to be easily malleable so that it is inconspicuous under clothing. It also must be impervious to water, and rustproof. An ideal material for the strut is found in ordinary household electrical wire. The wire is cut to proper length, then straightened out and doubled over accurately and sharply, so as to fit through the smallest possible hole in the inner shell. The doubled wire is then held in a vise, while very small loops are bent in both tips. We are careful to make these loops small and at the correct angle so that, when they are anchored in the next step, there will still be plenty of room for the glans to fit inside the inner shell. Next, the wires are placed in the shells, and are bonded to the shells in a way that makes them virtually an integral part of the shell. The method of bonding has required a great deal of trial and error, and requires skill in its application. Two or three years ago, before these present methods were perfected, some wires worked their way loose after six to twelve months. But this problem has been virtually eliminated with the present methods. Now the inner shells are ready for what sounds very easy, but is actually the hardest part of the entire manufacturing process. In a step which requires great dexterity, practice, and care, the shells are dipped in a special rubberized (non-latex) coating material. Maintaining the coating material at the right consistency and free of bubbles is difficult. After dipping, any bubbles are popped, to avoid a defect in the final product. After drying for a day, a second coat is applied. In the case of small shells, a third coat is applied on the third day. A great deal of touch up, often requiring two more days, is usually necessary. An additional step, added to Tug Ahoys mailed after June 8, 2003, is one more layer of coating. This new, different layer has a much higher coefficient of friction than the previous coating, so the device stays on better with it. After drying, a tiny vent hole is placed in the side of the shell. This completes the inner shell. The strap set includes an elastic strap to provide tension, having a very-easy-to-use suspender clip for attachment, usually to a sock. The elastic strap is attached to a second, short strap by means of two "D" rings, which provide an elegantly simple means of adjustment, while being virtually invisible under clothing. The short strap is in turn attached to the wire strut of the inner shell. There is also a "safety strap" connected to the wire strut. It consists of a long rubber band with an alligator clip at the end for attachment to a pocket or underwear, so that if the Tug Ahoy should ever come loose, it can't fall out down the pants leg. The straps are very carefully and thoroughly sewn, so that most of them last two to three years. The outer shell completes the Tug Ahoy. Its
shape and function are well-described elsewhere, such as the Home Page and under
"Details". Its method of manufacture won't be discussed.
This is fairly obvious and self-evident. All aspects of this website were designed and written by James A. Haughey, with the exception of direct quotes, the diagrams, and some of the "Foreskin Photos". The software used was Microsoft FrontPage.
Although the Patent Application is over 40 pages long, a portion of it is reprinted below to give an idea of what is involved. Figures referred to can be seen on the following pages: Home, Why Restore?, Applying the TA, and Details. SUMMARY
In accordance with the present invention, a skin gripping device, consisting of an inner and an outer gripping member, for applying tension to the skin of the shaft of a circumcised penis. The space formed between these two gripping members is approximately uniform and approximately the thickness of the double layer of skin which they grip when they are pressed together. In response to the stimulus provided by skin tension, new skin grows, and the result is a new foreskin which approximates the original in structure and function. Objects and Advantages Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are: a)
Extreme ease and speed of attaching (10 seconds) and
removing (2 seconds) the device from the penis. b) No tape or anything else remains on the skin, which allows showers in semi-public areas, as well as spontaneous sex. c) In contrast to T-tape, no need to get an erection before applying the device. d) Much more comfortable than other methods because the gripping force is distributed over a larger area. e) No taste. f) Can be worn day and/or night. g) Inconspicuous with ordinary loose-fitting clothing. h) The inner gripping member provides an occlusive covering for the glans, thereby creating a moist environment which encourages the transformation of the cornified epithelium back to its natural state of being a mucous membrane with a thin, sensitive epithelium. i) The gripping force automatically changes with need, being stronger with greater tension, and weaker with less tension, and virtually zero when no tension is applied. j) Because the outer gripping member undergoes very little expansion when tension is applied to the inner member, quite high tensions (up to fifteen pounds for short periods) can easily be achieved, without having the inner member pull out through the hole in the outer member. k) More rapid foreskin expansion is possible because greater tension is both feasible and comfortable. l) By applying counter tension to the strut, the gripping pressure is automatically reduced. This can even be done through one’s clothing to relieve any discomfort or to remove the device quickly. m) Due to the attached wings, it is easy to push or pull on the end of the strut, either directly or through one’s pants. Pushing on the strut reduces clamping pressure, to ease removal or relieve discomfort. By intermittently pulling strongly on the wings, one can achieve high skin tension, which has recently been shown to greatly accelerate skin expansion. THE FIGURES In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetic suffixes. FIG.1 shows a
perspective view of a circumcised penis and the preferred embodiment. FIG. 2 shows
the device in use, applied to the penis, with a double layer of foreskin clamped
between the inner and outer gripping members. Figs. 3A and 3B show what happens when tension is applied
to the inner member 11 via the wire
strut 16. In
FIG. 3A, the inner member 11 has been placed upon the glans 13 , the
double foreskin layer is pulled up against the inner member , and the outer
member is placed lightly upon the skin. Index
marks show the position of the inner and outer foreskin layers.
In FIG. 3B, tension has been
applied to the wire strut and inner member This
causes the inner layer of foreskin 15 to
be drawn to the left and to become more everted, while the outer layer of
foreskin remains stationary against the outer member
This causes the inner member and foreskin to be pulled tightly into the
outer member, thereby producing a clamping pressure upon the foreskin.
Figs. 4A to 4D show in detail how the device is applied
and operated. In
FIG. 4A, the inner member 11 has been placed upon the glans.
In FIG. 4B, skin from the
shaft 14 has been pulled up and laid upon the inner member 11.
In FIG. 4C, the outer member
12 has been placed upon the skin. In
FIG. 4D, tension has been applied to the wire strut, and the skin has
been pulled to the right, beyond the glans. FIG. 5A shows the alternative embodiment of hemispheric
inner and outer members. FIG. 5B
shows the alternative embodiment of conical inner and outer members. FIGS. 6A through 6C show the alternative embodiments of
solid and partially solid inner members. FIGS. 7A and 7B show the alternative embodiments of
narrower outer members. FIG. 8 shows the alternative embodiment of a thicker
outer shell. FIG. 9A shows roughened gripping surfaces (the outer
surface of the inner member and the inner surface of the outer member). FIG. 9B shows ribbed gripping surfaces (the outer surface
of the inner member and the inner surface of the outer member). FIGS. 10A through 10C show compound shapes consisting,
respectively, of a truncated cone and paraboloid, a hemisphere and cylinder, and
a paraboloid and cone. FIG. 11 shows wings, 20,
attached to the free end of the strut. Detailed Description and Use of Preferred Embodiment, with Reference to
Figures In FIGS. 1 through 4D are shown the inner gripping member 11 and outer gripping member 12 of the device. The inner member 11 has approximately the size and shape of one half of the shell of a very small hen's egg and is relatively rigid. At or near the tip of this inner “shell” is attached a rigid or semirigid rod or strut 16. At the end of the strut can be attached a cord or band as a means of applying tension to the inner shell . The device in actual use is shown in FIGS. 2 through 4D. The open end of this half shell 11 is placed over the glans penis 13 , Fig. 4A, so as to partially or fully cover it. The skin 14,15 of the penile shaft just below the glans is then pulled part way up against the outer surface of the shell, FIG. 4B and held in place with the fingers. The second, outer gripping member 12 is also approximately the shape of half an egg shell, but is flexible, minimally stretchable, and a little larger so that it will fit snugly over the skin which has just been pulled up to cover the lower portion of the inner shell. This outer shell has an opening (from approximately one-fifth to three-quarters inch in diameter) at its small end, through which the wire strut can move freely. When in use, the space between the two gripping
members is, at least in part, approximately uniform and equal to the
thickness of the double layer of foreskin between them.
The result is a nearly uniform pressure over a relatively large area.
This reduces the chance of pressure points and increases comfort.
The outer shell is actually detached from other parts of the device;
however, it functions in a rather surprising manner when it is placed snugly
over the skin which was pulled up over the inner shell and tension is applied to
the wire strut. By applying
increasing tension to the strut, the outer shell of the clamp is actually drawn
ever more tightly against the skin, so that as the tension increases, so too
does the clamping pressure. This rather unexpected result can be explained as follows. First of all, both of these two clamping surfaces 11, 12 which hold the skin 14, 15 between them (the outer surface of the inner shell and the inner surface of the outer shell) have surfaces which do not allow easy sliding of the skin over them (they may be rough, FIG. 9A, covered with rubber, or ribbed, FIG. 9B, for example). Now, let us suppose that the inner shell has been placed over the glans, FIG. 4A , the double layer of skin has been pulled up over it, FIG. 4B, and the outer shell placed snugly over the skin, FIGS. 3A and 4C . Now consider what happens when the wire strut (attached only to the inner
shell) is pulled, FIG. 3B.
[The crucial point here is what happens along the distal edge 18
of the skin lying on the inner shell, where the skin is folded back.]
The way in which the skin moves can be seen by observing the index marks
on the two layers of skin in FIGS. 3A and 3B.The outer layer of skin 14
on the upper surface of the penis extends back to the abdominal wall,
where it is firmly attached 19 . Due
to this attachment, this outer layer of skin, along with its covering outer
shell, does not move significantly
when the wire strut is pulled; yet, at the same time, the inner shell, along
with its covering inner layer of skin 15, does move distally, away from the
body. This causes the index mark on
the inner skin layer 15 to move distally relative to the outer skin layer 14 . This progressive eversion allows the inner shell to move distally into the
stationary outer shell, so that the outer shell forms a sort of stationary
socket into which the inner shell, along with its covering skin, is pulled by
tension on the strut. And, because
of the tapered shape of the two shells, this results in an increased clamping
pressure. In other words, the harder
one pulls on the strut, the more strongly the clamp grips the skin. The reason that a shape for the shells which approximates half an egg
shell is preferred is seen in practice because it stays in place well, even if
there are wide variations in the amount of tension on the strut.
The strut attached to the inner shell serves the following purposes.
The primary purpose of the strut is to provide a means for applying
counter traction to the inner shell when the device is in use.
This causes an immediate relaxation of the gripping pressure upon the
skin, to facilitate removal of the device or to
relieve discomfort resulting from too much tension.
The strut also facilitates application of the device to the skin by
stabilizing the inner shell so that the skin can more easily be pulled up over
it. In addition, by bending a strut
made of stiff wire, one can relieve pressure points which can occur on the skin
between the strut and the outer shell. Alternative EmbodimentsInstead of being simply the shape of a paraboloid, cone or hemisphere, the outer, clamping surface of the inner member could be some combination of these, as well as being partially cylindrical. Since there are an infinite number of possible variations resulting from such combinations, only a few representative examples will be shown, and these only in outline, FIGS. 10A to 10C. FIG. 10A shows a compound shape consisting of a truncated cone plus a paraboloid. FIG. 10B is a hemisphere plus a cylinder, and FIG. 10C is a paraboloid plus a truncated cone. Rather than being a thin shell, the inner clamping member could be either solid or partially hollowed out, FIGS. 6A to 6C. It could be rigid or semirigid. The outer member could be thicker than that described for the preferred
embodiment. It could, for example,
consist of a flexible foam cap having an opening of the proper shape to fit over
the skin which has been laid upon the inner shell, FIG. 8. The strut attached to the inner element could be provided with an attached
protuberance at its free end to facilitate pushing or pulling on the strut,
which could even be done through one’s clothing.
Pushing on the strut allows one to both relieve discomfort resulting from
too much tension and to remove the device more easily.
Pulling on the strut allows one to temporarily apply increased tension in
order to speed skin expansion. The
protuberance attached to the end of the strut could take on the form of small
wings, FIG. 11. which would lie flat against the underlying skin during use.
The strut could be made of various materials other than insulated
electrical wire. It could, for
example, be an uninsulated metallic wire or rod, or made of plastic or wood.
Alternatively, the wire strut could be eliminated entirely, and a cord or
band could be attached directly to the inner shell.
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