WO2013108244A2

WO2013108244A2 - Stimulating devices and systems and kits including same

Info

Publication number: WO2013108244A2
Application number: PCT/IL2013/000007
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yigal Ringart; Alexander Melamud; Uri Zer
Original assignee: W.O.P. Research & Development Israel Ltd
Priority date: 2012-01-21
Filing date: 2013-01-21
Publication date: 2013-07-25
Also published as: WO2013108244A3

Abstract

A stimulator including one or more vibrating units and a gripping mechanism for gripping a body part to be stimulated. The gripping mechanism includes at least one elastic element with a first arm and a second arm, at least one gripping member attached to the first arm and at least a second gripping member attached to the second arm. The gripping member or portion(s) or part(s) thereof are resilient. The gripping mechanism may be opened and closed by a separate applicator attachable to the stimulator. Different kits, with different combinations of stimulator consumables and parts are provided.

Description

STIMULATING DEVICES AND SYSTEMS AND KITS INCLUDING SAME

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to devices for providing sexual stimulation and more specifically relates to small vibrator type stimulators.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The cUtoris is a highly innervated organ that has one main biological function - to provide female sexual arousal. The clitoris plays a vital and most significant role in female sexual pleasure and its stimulation is an essential part of every sexual encounter. Direct contact and touch with the clitoral tissue is the main form of stimulus to the clitoris.

Sensory input from the clitoris (apart from physical reactions) is translated to feehngs of sexual excitement, heightened level of sexual arousal, enhances pleasure and is related to increased sense of intimacy with the partner.

Although accumulating data in recent years on the physiological and clinical studies of clitoral stimulation provide new insights, there are still many questions left unanswered.

Issues such as the stage of the sexual arousal in which the clitoris may or should be stimulated, in order to achieve better stimulatory response, the precise part(s) of the clitoris to which the stimuli should be applied, the forms of stimulus to be used and optimal stimulation levels are all being actively investigated. Nevertheless, it seems that females, during sexual activity, intuitively feel and know the answers to these simple questions.

The clitoris is composed of distinct anatomical sites including the proximal and the distal part of the clitoral body, the clitoral shaft and the clitoral glans. All these areas are highly sensitive to diverse types of tactile stimuli and the female body reacts accordingly in different phases of the sexual cycle and in different stages of sexual excitement. It is only the female herself that really knows when to touch the clitoris, when to stimulate it, what type of stimulus to use and at what intensity.

The most pleasuring sensation reported by females is during intercourse, when both intravaginal and clitoral stimuli conjoin. Self stimulation (with or without a partner) of the clitoris during sexual activity and specifically during intercourse, when the partners' penis is stimulating the intra-vaginal tissue and the G-spot, provides the most heightened pleasurable sensations. The use of clitoral stimulating devices allows the female to reach maximal sexual stimuli and maximal sexual pleasure.

When one searches the medical and scientific literature for the existing solutions for female orgasmic disorders, the main solution offered is clitoral stimulation. Unfortunately, the literature provides very limited information on clitoral stimulators or devices for intimate use by the couple, and not only by the female, as a means of solving orgasmic disorders. This is why there was need to turn to the sexology and sex-industry literature. Today the sex-industry supplies to its huge market different kinds of so-called sex-toys, designed, inter alia for clitoral stimulation. Referring to "Adam & Eve Catalog" (www.adamevetoys.com). one can find a number of clitoral dedicated items. Most of them are handheld or finger-held vibrators intended for self-simulation and are not adequate to be used during the act of sexual intercourse. Nevertheless, there are some types of toys, which may be operated in a hands-free manner.

While most vibrators are suitable for clitoral stimulation, there are a few distinct types of vibrators designed exclusively for this purpose. "Hands-free" vibrators are clitoral vibrators which may be used to stimulate the clitoris and labia. They are held in place by straps or a harness, freeing the hands of the female wearing the device during use. "Butterfly" shaped strap-ons, vibrating panties, and penile rings are all examples of hands- free clitoral vibrators. A "butterfly" strap-on is a small sex toy, usually made in the shape of a butterfly, flower or animal. Its' adjustable straps are worn on the woman's waist and hips. Vibrating panties are a piece of lingerie with an attached vibrating element intended for intense, localized vibration. They are usually remote controlled, and can be worn discreetly under normal clothing. Some penile rings feature a vibrating bullet, to stimulate the clitoris during intercourse.

It is clear from this brief review, that all presently available hands-free clitoral stimulator devices have the same shortcomings: all are based on straps, which cannot provide tight fixation on the chosen area and are inconvenient for using during intercourse with a sexual partner. They are relatively cumbersome and inconvenient to wear, are visible and exposed during intercourse which by itself may cause an inhibitory response from the part of the male partner, and they are protruding and bulgy which may cause pain or discomfort to both partners during intercourse.

Vibrating panties have an additional drawback since they cannot be used for simultaneous sexual intercourse of both partners, while penile rings cannot provide constant fixation of the stimulator on the desired clitoral region.

US Patent 6,056,705 (to Stigar-Brown) discloses a clitoral stimulation removable clip for providing a vibratory sensation to an erogenous zone, especially to the clitoris of a user to increase sexual stimulation. A fixation of this hands-free device is made by a clip, which has two pivotally crossing members, each member having a gripping potion and a clamping portion. The device also includes a spring element a vibrator motor and a power supply. This unit has some drawbacks: The device is quite bulky and inconvenient to the user. Another problem is that since the ends of the clamping portions of the device have a small contact area with the clitoral tissue, the device may actually slip or slide sideways along the length of the clitoris during use and may actually become completely dislodged from the clitoris, specifically if the clamped tissue becomes slippery due to secretions in the clitoral region when stimulated. Furthermore, in order to ensure the proper clamping distance between the clamping portions, the user must operate one or more screws to manually tighten them. This in turn necessitates the device to be quite large in order to make the screws of a sufficient size to be safely handled and operated by the user. Therefore, the device becomes bulky and must protrude out of the female genitalia in order to enable handling of the screws. Furthermore, positioning of the device and securing the locking screws of the device are cumbersome and require certain dexterity which may make the operation of the device difficult and even psychologically deterring to some users. This characteristic takes out any spontaneity of the sexual act and can potentially "kill" it before even starting it. Furthermore, because the ends of the clipping portions of the device have a rather small surface area and are tapering towards then- ends, if the clipping members are inadvertently brought together by an excessive movement of the gripping portion before operating the screws, the ends of the clamping portions may damage or injure the delicate female genital parts and in particular the clitoris and prepuce region and may cause injury or pain to the user. Another major disadvantage is in its non-adaptation to different kinds of user's tissue, skin and constitution: the only option available is to change the spring force and then fasten it by a screw which requires delicate manual manipulation, which may not be feasible before or during sexual intercourse. Another disadvantage of the device is that during use of the device, any control of the vibrator speed is performed manually by turning a knob disposed on the pivotal junction of the crossing members of the device. Not only is such manual vibrator speed cumbersome and inconvenient, it may also require the user to bend forward in order to locate the knob and rotate it. Furthermore, if the stimulated clitoral region becomes wet and slippery due to excessive body secretions, it may become very difficult to precisely turn the knob to control the vibrator speed during use of the device, thus, after the stimulator is attached to the clitoris, changing the stimulation parameter becomes at least difficult an distracting or simply impossible. Moreover, manual adjustment of the knob for controlling the motor speed may result in either displacement of the clamping portion of the device or even may result in complete dislodging of the clamping device and loss of contact with the clitoris.

US Patent 6,923,755 discloses a clitoris stimulator having a vibrating device with a clip assembly adapted to be attached to the vaginal labia of a user. This unit also has electrically driven vibrating means and two spring-biased arms for gripping the device between two opposite portions of user's labia. The device body is in contact with the user's chtoris. The major shortcomings of tins device are its fixation to the vaginal labia, which makes sexual intercourse uncomfortable or even impossible, since it covers and therefore hinders access to the vaginal opening.

US Patent 6,464,653 discloses therapeutic devices and methods causing clitoral engorgement to assist in the treatment of female dysfunction. The device creates vacuum over the chtoris, or applies suction to the chtoris. The purpose of this device is to increase the flow of blood reaching the chtoris with the aim of improving oxygenation of the clitoral tissues with the theoretical expectation that this manipulation by engorging the clitoris will improve clitoral function. The device is not designed nor intended for providing any sensory stimulation to the clitoris, but rather to try and "cure" a poorly functioning one. There is therefore a long felt need to provide a stimulator for clitoral stimulation and for stimulating other body parts which overcomes the problems described above and is easy and simple to operate in a convenient, safe and efficient way.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is therefore provided, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulators and stimulator systems of the present application, a stimulator including a gripping mechanism configured for gripping a body part to be stimulated and for being detached from the organ, the gripping mechanism includes at least one elastic element having a first arm and a second arm, at least a first gripping member attached to the first arm and at least a second gripping member attached to the second arm, the gripping mechanism is configured to be opened and closed by an applicator detachably attachable to the gripping mechanism, such that the applicator is detachable from the stimulator after the organ or body part has been gripped between the opposing gripping members of the gripping mechanism and the applicator is attachable to the gripping mechanism for removing the stimulator from the body part, and at least one controllable vibrating unit mechanically coupled to the gripping mechanism for providing mechanical vibrations to the gripping mechanism.

There is also provided , in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator systems of the present application, a stimulator system including a gripping mechanism configured for gripping a body part to be stimulated and for being detached from the part, the gripping mechanism includes at least one elastic element having a first arm and a second arm, at least a first gripping member attached to the first arm and at least a second gripping member attached to the second arm, the gripping mechanism is configured to be opened and closed by an applicator detachably attachable to the gripping mechanism, such that the applicator is detachable from the stimulator after the organ or body part has been gripped between the opposing gripping members of the gripping mechanism and the applicator is attachable to the gripping mechanism for removing the stimulator from the body part, at least one controllable vibrating unit mechanically coupled to the gripping mechanism for providing mechanical vibrations to the gripping mechanism, and an applicator detachably attachable to the gripping mechanism and configured for opening and closing the gripping mechanism, such that the applicator is detachable from the stimulator after the organ or body part has been gripped between the opposing gripping members of the gripping mechanism and the applicator is configured to be re-attachable to the gripping mechanism for removing the stimulator from the body part.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the system of the present application, the applicator comprises an elastic portion, a first and a second engaging portions extending from the elastic portion, and a first and a second holding member extending from the elastic portion, wherein the first and second engaging portions of the applicator are adapted to engage with a first and a second side of the gripping mechanism, respectively, such that when the first and the second holding portions are moved towards each other, the first and second engaging parts move apart from each other to open the gripping mechanism and when the first and second holding portions are released the first and second engaging parts move towards each other to close the gripping mechanism.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the applicator of the present application, each of the first and the second engaging portions of the applicator are configured for engaging with one or more parts of the gripping mechanism selected from the group consisting of, the one or more gripping member or a portion thereof, the one or more arm or a portion thereof, and both the one or more gripping member and one or more arm or portions thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the at least first arm and the at least second arm of the gripping mechanism are arranged in a non-crossing configuration.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the at least one controllable vibrating unit and the gripping members are attached to the ends of the at least first arm and the at least second arm which are disposed adjacent to the body part being stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the at least one controllable vibrating unit comprises a first vibrating unit attached to the end of the at least first arm which is adjacent to the body part being stimulated and a second vibrating unit attached to the end of the at least second arm which is adjacent to the body part being stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the first vibrating unit is attached to the at least first arm at any position therealong and the second vibrating unit attached to the at least second arm at any position therealong.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the at least one controllable vibrating unit comprises a first vibrating unit attached to the at least first gripping member and a second vibrating unit attached to the at least second gripping member.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the at least one controllable vibrating unit is attached to the end of the elastic element at which the first and second arms are joined, and wherein the gripping members are attached to the ends of the at least first arm and the at least second arm that are adjacent to the body part being stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the at least one elastic element is selected from the group consisting of, at least one spring, at least one leaf spring, at least one helical spring having two arms, at least one leaf spring having two arms, at least two rigid arms movably joined to a spring at their meeting point, at least one shape memory alloy member, and any combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the body part is a clitoris.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the length of the gripping members is in the range of 5-60 millimeter.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the length of the gripping members is in the range of 10 -100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the length of the gripping members is in the range of 10-35 rnillimeter. Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the length of the gripping members is in the range of 50%-100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the at least one first gripping member comprises two or more first gripping members attached to the first arm of the gripping mechanism and the at least one second member comprises one or more second gripping members attached to the second arm and wherein the total length spanned by the one or more first gripping members and by the one or more second gripping members the length of the gripping members is in the range of 5 -60 millimeters .

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the gripping mechanism comprises a first gripping member and a second gripping member and wherein the length of each of the gripping members is in the range of 10%- 100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the gripping mechanism comprises a first gripping member and a second gripping member and wherein the length of each of the gripping members is in the range of 50 -100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the at least one first gripping member comprises two or more first gripping members attached to the first arm of the gripping mechanism and the at least one second gripping member comprises one or more second gripping members attached to the second arm and wherein the total length spanned by the one or more first gripping members and by the one or more second gripping members is in the range of 10%-100<¾ of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the at least one first gripping member comprises two or more first gripping members attached to the first arm of the gripping mechanism and the at least one second gripping member comprises one or more second gripping members attached to the second arm and wherein the total length spanned by the one or more first gripping members and by the one or more second gripping members is in the range of 50%-100 of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the gripping members have at least one textured surface for increasing the friction with the gripped body part.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the at least one textured surface is configured to increase the surface area of the gripping member that is in contact with the body part to increase the friction between the gripped body part and the gripping member.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the gripping pressure P_g applied by the gripping members to the surface of the gripped body part is in the range of P_g = 0.0366-0.016 kg/mm².

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the textured surface is selected from the group consisting of, a finned surface, a knobbed surface, a surface having a plurality protrusions, a surface having suction-cup shaped protrusions, a dimpled surface, a nubbed surface, a serrated surface, a microstructured surface, and any combination thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, each gripping member of the at least first gripping member and the at least second gripping member comprises a resilient gripping member made from at least one resilient material.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, each gripping member of the at least first gripping member and the at least second gripping member comprises a gripper base and at least one resilient pad attached to the gripper base for gripping the body part.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the at least one resilient pad is selected from the group consisting of, one or more resilient pads, one or more elongated resilient pads one or more textured resilient pads, one or more resilient pads having a cavity therein, one or more resilient pads having a cavity fluidically connected to the outside surface of the pad, a gripping pad shaped like a hollow resilient sock having an open cavity therein for accepting at least a portion of the gripper base within the cavity, an resilient pad having at least one flat surface for attaching the pad to the gripper base or to a recess formed in the gripper base, and any combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the at least one resilient pad is selected from the group consisting of, an resilient pad permanently attached to the gripper base, a replaceable resilient pad removably attached to the gripper base, and a disposable resilient pad removably attached to the gripper base.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the at least one resilient gripping pad has at least one textured surface for increasing the friction with the gripped body part.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the gripper base is made of one or more rigid materials and the resilient gripping pad is made of a one or more resilient materials.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, at least one of the gripping members has a hollow cavity therein for accepting a material to be delivered to the stimulated body part.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the material to be delivered is selected from a liquid material, a solid material, a meltable solid material, a suppository, a paste, a cream, a solution, an emulsion, a gel, a cream, an ointment, a powder, and combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the material to be dehvered is selected from, a flavoring agent, a volatile chemical, a scenting agent, a luminescent agent, a coloring agent, an anesthetic agent, an alcohol, ethanol, a hormone, a bio-identical hormone, a synthetic hormone, a bio-identical hormone, a sex hormone, a sexual stimulant, a herbal medicine, a homeopathic formulation, a pheromone, an aphrodisiac, a tissue irritant, a spicy chemical, a spicy composition, a medical composition, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, a drug, a stimulant, a biocompatible lubricant, an aphrodisiac, an antifungal agent, an antimicrobial agent, a drug vehicle, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, an anti- osteoporosis agent, an anti-anginal agent, an immune system activator, an immune system modulator, an antihypertensive agent, a muco-adhesive agent, a drug delivery enhancing agent, a cardioactive agent and any combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, each gripping member of the at least first gripping member and the at least second gripping member comprises a rigid gripper base and at least one resilient pad attached to the gripper base for gripping the body part, and wherein said hollow cavity is selected from the group consisting of a hollow cavity formed in the gripper base, a hollow cavity formed in the resilient pad, and a hollow cavity defined between the gripper base and the resilient pad .

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the gripping member also includes one or more open passages connected to the hollow cavity for allowing the material contained in the cavity to be delivered to the body part being gripped by the stimulator.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the vibrating unit includes a housing, a vibrator disposed in the housing for delivering mechanical vibrations to the housing and a power source coupled to the vibrator for energizing the vibrator.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the power source is a mechanical power source and wherein the vibrator is a mechanical vibrator mechanically coupled to the mechanical power source and to the housing.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the vibrating unit also includes a controller unit connected to the power source and to the vibrator for controlling the energizing and operation of the vibrator.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the power source is selected from the group consisting of, a power source disposed within the housing, a power source disposed outside the housing, a direct current power source, an alternating current power source, a battery, a primary electrochemical cell, a rechargeable electrochemical cell, a mechanical power source, and any combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the controller unit is selected from the group consisting of an external controller unit disposed outside the vibrating unit and electrically connected to the vibrating unit by electrically conducting wires connected to the vibrator, an external controller unit disposed within a manually operated controller electrically coupled to the vibrating unit by electrically conducting wires, an internal controller unit disposed within the housing of the vibrating unit and electrically coupled to the vibrator and the power source, and a remotely operated controller unit disposed within the housing and operably connected to a wireless receiver disposed within the hosing.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, wherem the vibrating unit also includes a wireless receiver for wirelessly receiving control signals from an external wireless remote control unit.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the vibrating unit also includes a wireless transmitter for wirelessly transmitting signals to an external wireless remote control unit.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the vibrating unit also includes a wireless transceiver for wirelessly receiving control signals from an external wireless remote control unit and for wirelessly transmitting signals to the external wireless remote control unit.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the vibrator is selected from the group consisting of a mechanical vibrator, an electrical vibrator, an electromechanical vibrator, a vibrating electrical motor an electrical motor having a rotatable shaft coupled to an eccentric weight, and an electrical motor having a rotatable shaft coupled to a mechanical vibrating element, and a piezoelectric vibrator.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the stimulator is wirelessly controlled by a controlling device selected from the list consisting of, a remote control unit using electromagnetic waves, a radio frequency (RF) operated remote control unit, an RF transmitter, an RF transceiver, a cellular telephone, a 3G cellular telephone, a smartphone, an ultrasonic transmitter, an ultrasonic transceiver, an infrared (IR) transmitter, an infrared transceiver, a Bluetooth® communication device, an iPod®, an iPAD®, an android tablet, a laptop computer, a computer with wireless communication capability and any combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the vibrating unit is an electrically operated vibrating unit including an electrical motor and wherein the cellular telephone wirelessly controls one or more stimulation parameters of the stimulator selected from the group consisting of, turning the stimulator on, turning the stimulator off, controlling the electrical signal applied to the motor, controlling the timing, amplitude and duration of electrical signals applied to the motor, controlling the frequency of vibrations produced by the motor and any combination thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the stimulator also includes an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit for providing one or more additional stimuli to a user.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is selected from the group consisting of, a self powered auxiliary stimulus delivering unit insertable into the stimulator or into a part thereof, a self powered auxiliary stimulus delivering unit attachable into the stimulator or to a part thereof, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit integrated into the stimulator and powered by the power source of the stimulator, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit attachable to the stimulator and powered by the power source of the stimulator, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit insertable into the stimulator or into a part thereof and powered by the power source of the stimulator.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is selected from the group consisting of, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a light source, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a sound generating unit, and an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a light source and a sound generating unit. Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit includes a sealed housing and at least one stimulus delivering unit disposed within the housing and selected from the group consisting of, a light source, a sound generating unit, and a combination thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a power source disposed within housing for providing power to the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a controller unit disposed within housing for controlling the operation of the at least one stimulus dehvering unit.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is connectable to the power source of the stimulator for providing power to the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is connectable to the power source of the stimulator for providing power to and is also connectable to the controller unit of the stimulator for controlling the operation of the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the stimulator also includes at least one thermal unit adapted for controlling the temperature of the stimulator or of any part thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the stimulator also includes one or more sensors.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulator of the present application, the one or more sensors are selected from the group consisting of, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, an electrical impedance sensor, a strain-gage sensor, a pulse-oxymetry sensor, an optical sensor, an accelerometer, a blood pressure sensor, a pulse sensing sensor, a sensor for sensing a physiological parameter of the human body or of a part of the human body, a sensor for sensing the state of any component of the stimulator, an acoustic sensor, a microphone, and any combinations thereof. There is also provided, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, a stimulating kit including at least two stimulators, wherein each stimulator of the at least two stimulators has different gripping members.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the gripping members of the at least two stimulators are replaceable gripping members detachably attachable to the stimulator, and wherein at least one gripping member of the gripping members of the at least two stimulators has a cavity therein for containing a material to be delivered to the body part to be stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the material to be delivered is selected from, a flavoring agent, a volatile chemical, a scenting agent, a luminescent agent, a coloring agent, an anesthetic agent, an alcohol, ethanol, a hormone, a bio-identical hormone, a synthetic hormone, a bio-identical hormone, a sex hormone, a sexual stimulant, a herbal medicine, a homeopathic formulation, a pheromone, an aphrodisiac, a tissue irritant, a spicy chemical, a spicy composition, a medical composition, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, a drug, a stimulant, a biocompatible lubricant, an aphrodisiac, an antifungal agent, an antimicrobial agent, a drug vehicle, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, an anti- osteoporosis agent, an anti-anginal agent, an immune system activator, an immune system modulator, an antihypertensive agent, a muco-adhesive agent, a drug delivery enhancing agent, a cardio-active agent and any combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, at least two gripping members of the gripping members of the at least two stimulators include different materials disposed within the cavity.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the gripping members of the at least two stimulators include a gripper base and a replaceable elastic pad removably attachable to the gripper base, and wherein the kit also includes at least two additional resilient pads.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the at least two additional resilient pads differ from each other.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the at least two additional resilient pads differ from each other in at least one property of the pad the property is selected from the material(s) from which the pad is made, the degree of elasticity of the pad, the external dimensions of the pad, at least one surface property of the pad, the number of gripping fins formed on the pad, the dimensions of gripping fins formed on the pad the surface texture of the pad or of a part of the pad, the presence or absence of a cavity formed within the pad for inserting a material to be delivered to the body part being stimulated, and any combinations thereof, the presence or absence within the pad of a pre-inserted material to be delivered to the stimulated body part, the type of the material pre-inserted into the pad for delivery to the body part being stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the property of the pad is the presence within the pad of a pre-inserted material to be delivered to the stimulated body part and the pre-inserted material is selected from, a flavoring agent, a volatile chemical, a scenting agent, a luminescent agent, a coloring agent, an anesthetic agent, an alcohol, ethanol, a hormone, a bio-identical hormone, a synthetic hormone, a sex hormone, a sexual stimulant, a herbal medicine, a homeopathic formulation, a pheromone, an aphrodisiac, a tissue irritant, a spicy chemical, a spicy composition, a medical composition, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, a drug, a stimulant, a biocompatible lubricant, an aphrodisiac, an antifungal agent, an antimicrobial agent, a drug vehicle, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, an anti- osteoporosis agent, an anti-anginal agent, an immune system activator, an immune system modulator, an antihypertensive agent, a muco-adhesive agent, a drug delivery enhancing agent, a cardio-active agent and any combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the at least two different stimulators differ from each other in the gripping force applied to the body part when the stimulator is in a closed state.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the at least two different stimulators differ from each other by having a different gripping mechanism.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the at least two different stimulators differ from each by having a different length of the arms of the gripping mechanism. Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the kit also includes one or more applicators configured for being detachably attachable to each of the at least two stimulators and for opening and closing each of the at least two stimulators.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the ts of the present application, the kit also includes printed instructions for using the kit.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the kit also includes an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit for providing one or more additional stimuli to a user.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is selected from the group consisting of, a self powered auxiliary stimulus delivering unit insertable into the stimulator or into a part thereof, a self powered auxiliary stimulus delivering unit attachable into the stimulator or to a part thereof, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit integrated into the stimulator and powered by the power source of the stimulator, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit attachable to the stimulator and powered by the power source of the stimulator, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit insertable into the stimulator or into a part thereof and powered by the power source of the stimulator.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is selected from the group consisting of, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a light source, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a sound generating unit, and an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a light source and a sound generating unit.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit includes a sealed housing and at least one stimulus delivering unit disposed within the housing and selected from the group consisting of, a light source, a sound generating unit, and a combination thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a power source disposed within housing for providing power to the at least one stimulus delivering unit. Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a controller unit disposed within housing for controlling the operation of the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is connectable to the power source of the stimulator for providing power to the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is connectable to the power source of the stimulator for providing power to and is also connectable to the controller unit of the stimulator for controlling the operation of the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

There is also provided, in accordance with another embodiment of the kits of the present application, a stimulating kit including a first stimulator, wherein the gripping members of the stimulator each include a gripper base and an resilient pad removably attachable to the gripper base, and at least one additional part selected from the group consisting of, one or more applicators, at least one additional stimulators the at least one additional stimulator being identical to or different than the first stimulator, at least one additional replaceable gripping member, at least one additional resilient pad, at least one auxiliary stimulus delivering unit for providing one or more additional stimuli to a user, printed instructions for using the kit, and any combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, wherein the at least one additional resilient pads differ from each other.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the at least one additional resilient pad differs from the resilient pads of the first stimulator in at least one property of the pad, wherein the property is selected from the material(s) from which the pad is made, the degree of elasticity of the pad, the external dimensions of the pad, at least one surface property of the pad, the number of gripping fins formed on the pad, the dimensions of gripping fins formed on the pad the surface texture of the pad or of a part of the pad, the presence or absence of a cavity formed within the pad for inserting a material to be delivered to the body part being stimulated, and any combinations thereof, the presence or absence within the pad of a pre-inserted material to be delivered to the stimulated body part, the type of the material pre-inserted into the pad for delivery to the body part being stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the at least one replaceable gripping member differs from the gripping members of the first stimulator in at least one property of the gripping member, wherein the property is selected from the materials) from which the gripping member is made, the degree of resiliency of the gripping member or of an resilient part thereof, the external dimensions of the gripping member, at least one surface property of the gripping member, the number of gripping fins formed on the gripping member or on a part thereof, the dimensions of gripping fins formed on the gripping member or on a part thereof, the surface texture of the gripping member or of a part thereof, the presence or absence of a cavity formed within the gripping member or within a part thereof for inserting a material to be delivered to the body part being stimulated, the presence or absence within the gripping member or within a part thereof of a pre-inserted material to be delivered to the stimulated body part, the type of a material pre-inserted into the gripping member or into a part thereof for delivery to the body part being stimulated, and any combinations thereof. Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the property of the at least one additional gripping member is the presence within the gripping member or within a part thereof of a pre-inserted material to be delivered to the stimulated body part, wherein the pre-inserted material is selected from, a flavoring agent, a volatile chemical, a scenting agent, a luminescent agent, a coloring agent, an anesthetic agent, an alcohol, ethanol, a hormone, a bio-identical hormone, a synthetic hormone, a sex hormone, a sexual stimulant, a herbal medicine, a homeopathic formulation, a pheromone, an aphrodisiac, a tissue irritant, a spicy chemical, a spicy composition, a medical composition, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, a drug, a stimulant, a biocompatible lubricant, an aphrodisiac, an antifungal agent, an antimicrobial agent, a drug vehicle, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, an anti-osteoporosis agent, an antianginal agent, an immune system activator, an immune system modulator, an antihypertensive agent, a muco-adhesive agent, a drug delivery enhancing agent, a cardio-active agent and any combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the one or more additional stimulators differ from the first stimulator in the gripping force applied to the body part when the stimulator is in a closed state.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the one or more additional stimulators differ from the first stimulator by having a different gripping mechanism.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the one or more additional stimulators differ from the first stimulator by having a different length of the arms of the gripping mechanism.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the kit includes at least one resilient pad having a cavity therein for inserting a suppository into the pad and the kit also includes one or more suppositories for inserting into the cavity of the at least one resilient pad.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit includes a sealed housing, and at least one stimulus delivering unit disposed within the housing and selected from the group consisting of, a light source, a sound generating unit, and a combination thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a power source disposed within housing for providing power to the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

Furthermore, in accordance with an embodiment of the kits of the present application, the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a controller unit disposed within housing for controlling the operation of the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

There is also provided in accordance with an embodiment of the gripping members of the present application, a replaceable gripping member for use with a stimulator, wherein the gripping member comprises an elongated member having at least one resilient portion, the gripping member is detachably attachable to the stimulator and configured to grip a body part along at least part of the length of the body part.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the body part is a clitoris.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the length of the gripping member is in the range of 5-60 millimeters.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the length of the gripping member is in the range of 10% -100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the length of the gripping member is in the range of 10-35 millimeters.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the length of the gripping member is in the range of 50%-100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the gripping member has at least one textured surface for increasing the friction with the body part.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the at least one textured surface is configured to increase the surface area of the gripping member that is in contact with the body part to increase the friction between the gripped body part and the gripping member.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the textured surface is selected from the group consisting of, a finned surface, a knobbed surface, a surface having a plurality protrusions, a surface having suction-cup shaped protrusions, a dimpled surface, a nubbed surface, a serrated surface, a surface having a microfiber array, a biomimetic adhesive surface, a surface having high friction properties, and any combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the gripping member comprises an elongated resilient gripping member made from at least one resilient material and having at least one textured surface. Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the gripping member comprises an elongated gripper base detachably attachable to the stimulator and at least one resilient pad attached to the gripper base.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the at least one resilient pad is selected from the group consisting of, one or more resilient pads, one or more elongated resilient pads, one or more textured resilient pads, one or more resilient pads having a cavity therein, one or more resilient pads having a cavity fluidically connected to the outside surface of the pad, a gripping pad shaped like a hollow resilient sock having an open cavity therein for accepting at least a portion of the gripper base within the cavity, an resilient pad having at least one flat surface for attaching the pad to the gripper base or to a recess formed in the gripper base and any combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the at least one resilient pad is selected from the group consisting of, an resilient pad permanently attached to the gripper base, a replaceable resilient pad removably attached to the gripper base, and a disposable resilient pad removably attached to the gripper base.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the at least one resilient pad has at least one textured surface for increasing the friction with the gripped body part.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the textured surface is selected from the group consisting of, a finned surface, a knobbed surface, a surface having a plurality protrusions, a surface having suction-cup shaped protrusions, a dimpled surface, a nubbed surface, a serrated surface, a micro - structured surface a surface having a microfiber array, a biomimetic adhesive surface, a surface having high friction properties, and any combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the gripper base is made of one or more rigid materials and the resilient pad is made of one or more resilient materials. Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, wherein the gripping member has a hollow cavity therein for accepting a material to be delivered to the body part.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the material to me delivered is selected from a liquid material, a solid material, a meltable solid material, a suppository, a paste, a cream, a solution, an emulsion, a gel, a cream, an ointment, a powder, and combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the material to be delivered to the body part is selected from, a flavoring agent, a volatile chemical, a scenting agent, a luminescent agent, a coloring agent, an anesthetic agent, an alcohol, ethanol, a hormone, a bio -identical hormone, a synthetic hormone, a sex hormone, a sexual stimulant, a herbal medicine, a homeopathic formulation, a pheromone, an aphrodisiac, a tissue irritant, a spicy chemical, a spicy composition, a medical composition, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, a drug, a stimulant, a biocompatible lubricant, an aphrodisiac, an antifungal agent, an antimicrobial agent, a drug vehicle, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, an anti- osteoporosis agent, an anti-anginal agent, an immune system activator, an immune system modulator, an antihypertensive agent, a muco-adhesive agent, a drug delivery enhancing agent, a cardio-active agent and any combinations thereof.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the gripping member comprises a rigid gripper base and at least one resilient pad attached to the gripper base for gripping the clitoris and wherein the hollow cavity is selected from the group consisting of, a hollow cavity formed in the gripper base, a hollow cavity formed in the resilient pad, and a hollow cavity defined between the gripper base and the resilient pad.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the gripping member also includes one or more open passages fhiidicaUy connected to the hollow cavity for allowing the material contained in the cavity to be delivered to the body part being gripped by the gripping member.

Furthermore, in accordance with the replaceable gripping members of the present application, the one or more open passages are selected from, one or more open passages formed in the gripper base for allowing the material within the cavity to be delivered to the body part, one or more open passages formed in the resilient pad for allowing the material within the cavity to be delivered to the clitoris, and one or more open passages formed in the gripper base and in the resilient pad for allowing the material within the cavity to be delivered to the body part.

Finally, one or more of the gripping members and/or one or more of the resilient pads of the stimulators and/or stimulating kits, and/or stimulating systems of the present application may be magnetic, and may have different degrees of magnetization.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like components are designated by like reference numerals, wherein:

Fig.l is an anatomic schematic drawing of the vulva region (female external genitalia) illustrating two preferred sites for attachment of a clitoris stimulator, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulation methods disclosed in the present application;

Fig. 2A is a schematic isometric view illustrating a stimulator part of a stimulating system including a stimulator and an apphcator, in accordance with an embodiment of the system of the present application;

Fig. 2B is a schematic isometric view illustrating an applicator part of a stimulating system including a stimulator and an applicator, the apphcator is used for attaching the stimulator to an organ or body part and to detach the stimulator from the organ or body part, in accordance with an embodiment of the system of the present application;

Fig. 3 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating the stimulator of Fig. 2A in a closed state;

Fig. 4 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating the stimulator of Fig. 2A in an opened state;

Fig. 5 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating the stimulator of Fig. 2A and the apphcator and of Fig. 2B attached to each other and in the closed state;

Fig. 6 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating the stimulator of Fig. 2A and the apphcator and of Fig. 2B attached to each other and in the open state;

Fig. 7 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating the stimulator of Fig. 2A attached to a clitoris;

Fig. 8 is a schematic isometric part cutaway view of the vibrating unit of the stimulator of Fig. 2A with the gripping mechanism removed;

Fig. 9 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the main components of a stimulator system which includes remote control circuitry, in accordance with another embodiment of the systems of the present application; Fig. 10 is a schematic isometric drawing illustrating in detail one of the gripping members of Fig. 2A;

Fig. 11 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram, illustrating a detail of the gripping members of the stimulator 230 being attached to the clitoris region of a user;

Fig. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram illustrating a magnetic gripping member;

Figs. 13-14 are schematic cross-sectional diagrams illustrating two different embodiments of gripping members suitable for use in the stimulators of the present application;

Fig. 15 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram of a stimulator having partially finned rounded gripping members, in accordance with another embodiment of the gripping device of the present application;

Fig. 16 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram of a stimulator having gripping members with nubs, in accordance with another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application;

Figs.17- 18 are a schematic part cross-sectional diagram of stimulators having nub-less gripping members having increased friction, in accordance with another embodiment of the stimulators of the present application;

Fig.19 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating a stimulator having a gripping member with a finned bottom and a finned side, in accordance with another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application;

Figs. 20A-20F are isometric views of textured resilient pad members which are useful as parts of a stimulator gripping member, in accordance with additional embodiments of the stimulators of the present application;

Fig. 21 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating part of a clitoris stimulator including a bulb attachment for enhancing sexual pleasure;

Fig. 22 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating part of a clitoris stimulator including a bent attachment for enhancing sexual pleasure;

Fig. 23 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating part of a stimulator having a knobbed bulb attachment for enhancing sexual pleasure; Fig. 24 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating part of a stimulator having a "tentacle" bearing attachment for enhancing sexual pleasure;

Figs. 25-28 are schematic isometric views illustrating details of different forms of a part of a finned textured member usable in the gripping members of the stimulators of the present application;

Fig. 29 is a schematic isometric view of a textured (finned) member with typical dimensions useful in implementing the gripping members of the stimulators of the present application;

Fig. 30 is a schematic isometric view of part of a system including a stimulator and an applicator, in accordance with another embodiment of the systems of the present application;

Fig. 31 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the details of part of the system of Fig. 30;

Figs. 32 and 33 are photographs illustrating two different embodiments of a wired stimulator, in accordance with two different additional embodiments of the stimulator of the present application;

Fig. 34 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the stimulator illustrated in the photograph of Fig. 32;

Fig. 35 is a schematic cross sectional view of a stimulator having four gripping members, in accordance with an additional embodiment of the stimulators of the present application;

Fig. 36 is a schematic isometric view of a stimulator having four gripping members in accordance with yet another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application.

Fig. 37 is a schematic isometric exploded view illustrating parts of a gripping member usable in a stimulator, in accordance with an embodiment of the gripping members of the present application;

Fig. 38 is a schematic isometric exploded view illustrating parts of a gripping member usable in a stimulator, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the gripping members of the present application;

Fig. 39 is a schematic isometric exploded view illustrating parts of a gripping member usable in a stimulator, in accordance with another embodiment of the gripping members of the present application having a gripper base and a sock-like resilient pad having an open cavity therein;

Fig. 40 is schematic bottom view of the gripping member of Fig. 39 with the sock-like resilient pad attached to the gripper base;

Fig. 41 is a cross section of the gripping member of Fig. 40 taken along the lines

XXXXI - XXXXI;

Fig. 42 is a schematic isometric exploded view illustrating parts of a gripping member usable in a stimulator, having a gripper base and a sock-like resilient pad and a cavity formed in the gripper member for accepting a suppository, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the gripping members of the present application;

Fig. 43 is a schematic front view of the gripping member of Fig. 42;

Fig 44 is a schematic cross sectional view of the gripping member of Fig. 43 taken along the lines XXXXIV - XXXXIV;

Fig. 45 is a schematic front view illustrating an resilient pad having a first cavity to accept a gripper base and a second cavity for accepting a suppository therein, in accordance with another embodiment of the gripping members of the present application;

Fig. 46 is a schematic cross sectional view of the resilient pad of Fig. 45, taken along the lines XXXXVI - XXXXVI;

Fig. 47 is a schematic front view illustrating a gripping member having a finned surface, in accordance with another embodiment of the gripping members of the present application;

Fig. 48 is a schematic cross sectional view of the gripping member of Fig. 47, taken along the lines XXXXVIII - XXXXVIII;

Fig. 49 is a schematic isometric view illustrating a stimulator having two vibrating units attached to a gripping mechanism having two rigid arms movably joined together to form a meeting joint and attached to a spring disposed in the meeting joint, in accordance with another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application;

Fig. 50 is a schematic isometric view illustrating a stimulator having a gripping mechanism including two rigid arms movably joined together to form a hollow meeting joint containing a vibrating unit, a spring disposed in the hollow meeting joint and elastically attached to the arms, in accordance with another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application;

Fig. 51 is a schematic isometric view illustrating a stimulator having a gripping mechanism including a single spring with two arms and a coiled part, a vibrating unit disposed in the coiled part of the spring and two gripping members attached to the arms, in accordance with another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application;

Fig. 52 is a schematic isometric view illustrating a stimulator having a gripping mechanism including a leaf spring with two arms and a center portion, a vibrating unit attached to the center portion of the leaf spring and two gripping members attached to the end of the arms of the leaf spring, in accordance with another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application;

Fig. 53 is a schematic partially broken isometric view illustrating an auxilliary stimulus delivery unit which may be optionally used with the stimulators and systems of the present application;

Fig. 54 is a schematic isometric view illustrating an resilient pad having a cavity therein with the auxiliary stimulus delivery unit inserted into the cavity of the pad; and

Fig. 55 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a stimulating system with an integrated (optional) auxiliary audio-visual stimulus delivery unit, sensor unit(s) and a (optional) thermal unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Notation Used Throughout

The following notation is used throughout this document.

Term Definition

cm Centimeter

g Gram

kg Kilogram

mm Millimeter

N Newton

TPE Thermoplastic Elastomer

SMA Shape memory alloy

IC Integrated circuit

RF Radio frequency

ABS Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the exemplary system only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be a useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice and how to make and use the embodiments.

For brevity, some explicit combinations of various features are not explicitly illustrated in the figures and/or described. It is now disclosed that any combination of the device features disclosed herein can be combined in any manner - including any combination of features - any combination of features can be included in any embodiment and/or omitted from any embodiments.

Definitions

For convenience, in the context of the description herein, various terms are presented here. To the extent that definitions are provided, explicitly or implicitly, here or elsewhere in this application, such definitions are understood to be consistent with the usage of the defined terms by those of skill in the pertinent art(s). Furthermore, such definitions are to be construed in the broadest possible sense consistent with such usage.

In the description and claims of the present application, each of the verbs, "comprise" "include" and "have", and conjugates thereof, are used to indicate that the object or objects of the verb are not necessarily a complete listing of members, components, elements or parts of the subject or subjects of the verb.

All references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Citation of a reference does not constitute an admission that the reference is prior art.

The articles "a" and "an" are used herein to refer to one or to more than one (i.e., to at least one) of the grammatical object of the article. By way of example, "an element" means one element or more than one element.

The term "including" is used herein to mean, and is used interchangeably with, the phrase "including but not limited" to. The term "or" is used herein to mean, and is used interchangeably with, the term "and/or," unless context clearly indicates otherwise. The term "such as" is used herein to mean, and is used interchangeably, with the phrase "such as but not limited to".

The term clitoris as used in the present application means any combination of the following clitoral anatomical parts taken alone or in combination: the clitoral shaft, the clitoral prepuce, the clitoral hood, the clitoral glans. For example, when it is stated that the gripping members are gripping the clitoris, this means that the gripping members grip any one of the clitoral anatomical structures indicated above or any specific combination of these parts, depending on the precise placement of the gripping members along the clitoris. For example, while the clitoral shaft and prepuce may be gripped together, the clitoral glans may or may not be gripped. Thus, the term "clitoris" as used in the specification and claims should be interpreted as "the clitoris or one or more parts thereof. Furthermore, when the clitoris is gripped, the clitoral shaft and possibly the clitoral glans may be gripped even though only the clitoral prepuce or a part thereof may be in direct contact with the gripping members of the stimulator.

However, when the term "length of the clitoris" is being used herein it is to be interpreted as the length of the clitoral body including the clitoral glans.

The terms "resilient pad", "resilient gripper pad" and "pad", in their single and plural forms are interchangeably used throughout the specification and claims of the present application.

The terms "arm" and "gripping member holding portion" are interchangeably used throughout in their single and plural forms the specification and claims of the present application.

It is noted that with respect to the applicator disclosed herein, the terms "handle-like member" and "holding part" are interchangeably used in their single and plural forms throughout the present application. It is also noted that, with respect to the applicator, the terms "engaging part" and "opening member" are interchangeably used in their single and plural forms throughout the present application.

The term "electrical signal" as used throughout the specification and the claims is to be broadly interpreted to include any electrical signal such as a voltage signal or a current signal with any type of shape, frequency, frequency content, duration and may also include a train of discrete electrical signals and/or modulated signals.

The present invention has been described using detailed descriptions of embodiments thereof that are provided by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The described embodiments comprise different features, not all of which are required in all embodiments of the invention. Some embodiments of the present invention utilize only some of the features or possible combinations of the features. Variations of embodiments of the present invention that are described and embodiments of the present invention comprising different combinations of features noted in the described embodiments will occur to persons of the art.

The present application discloses devices, systems and methods for clitoral stimulation and for stimulation of other body parts. The system may include a stimulator and an applicator for positioning and/or placing and/or setting the stimulator. The stimulator may be activated after successful placement on the most relevant clitoral region by using the applicator. The system and delivery methods described hereinafter permit attaching, and/or repositioning of the stimulator to any preferred anatomical site, allowing the user to reach the optimal positioning or setting or placing of the stimulator resulting in improved stimulus efficacy and assisting the achieving of increased sexual sensory input.

It is noted that although the embodiments of the systems and devices disclosed and illustrated hereinafter are adapted for use in clitoral stimulation, the systems, methods and devices disclosed in the present application are by no means intended to be limited to clitoral stimulation and may be adapted for stimulation of other different body parts including, but not limited to, any parts of the female and/or male genitalia, ear lobes, breasts, nipples, lips, navel, anus or any other desired body parts or erogenous zones.

The present application discloses, inter alia, a small, clip-on, attachable and detachable clitoris stimulator having a gripping mechanism for attaching the stimulator to the region in need of stimulation for enhancing sexual pleasure and enjoyment, while leaving the vaginal introital space exposed, allowing simultaneous normal and natural sexual intercourse. The gripping mechanism attaches the stimulator to the clitoris (or to another organ to be stimulated) and also transmits the vibratory stimuli to the stimulated region.

Due to the design of the gripping mechanism of the stimulator, the vibratory sensory stimuli may be transferred not only to the glans of the clitoris but to the clitoral body and to the sensitive tissue surrounding the clitoris as well. This provides a more intense sexual stimulus using reduced local force or pressure or without the need for use of additional local force or pressure, which is another advantageous property of the stimulator device described herein.

It is noted that all the drawing Figures are schematic and the drawings are not drawn to scale. The drawings should be referred to as schematic diagrams of the embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the patent or invention.

Reference is now made to Fig.l which is an anatomic schematic drawing of the vulva region (female external genitalia) illustrating two preferred sites for attachment of a clitoris stimulator, in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulation methods disclosed in the present application. The main elements of the vulva region are the major lip (Labia Major a) 30, the clitoral glans 34, the minor lips (Labia Minora) 38, the urinary meatus (opening) 40, the clitoral prepuce of foreskin ("hood¹) 32 and the vagina ( opening (introitus) 42. There are two preferred sites for attaching the clitoris stimulator. The first preferred stimulator attachment site is designated by the ellipse 10. The stimulator (not shown in Fig. 1) is attached to the lateral walls of the clitoral shaft (not shown) which is covered by the clitoral prepuce 32. The second preferred stimulator attachment site is designated by the ellipse 20. The stimulator (not shown in Fig. 1) is attached to the lateral walls of the most upper (ventral) part of the major lips 30.

Reference is now made to Figs. 2A, 2B and 3-6. Fig. 2A is a schematic isometric view illustrating a stimulator part of a stimulating system including a stimulator and an applicator, in accordance with an embodiment of the system of the present application. Fig. 2B is a schematic isometric view illustrating an applicator part of a stimulating system including a stimulator and an applicator, the applicator is used for attaching the stimulator to an organ or body part and to detach the stimulator from the organ or body part, in accordance with an embodiment of the system of the present application. Fig. 3 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating the stimulator of Fig. 2A in a closed state. Fig. 4 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating the stimulator of Fig. 2A in an opened state. Fig. 5 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating the stimulator of Fig. 2A and the applicator and of Fig. 2B attached to each other and in the closed state. Fig. 6 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating the stimulator of Fig. 2A and the applicator and of Fig. 2B attached to each other and in an open state.

The system 110 includes a stimulator 200 and an applicator 210. It is noted that in Figs. 2A-2B, the stimulator 200 and the applicator 210 are shown separately, before being attached to each other for positioning and attaching the stimulator 200 to the desired region or organ or body part to be stimulated as is disclosed in detail hereinafter. The stimulator 200 includes a vibrating unit 300, a gripping mechanism 117 having two gripping members 230A and 230B and an elastic element 240. The elastic element 240 is attached to the gripping members 230 A and 230B and to the vibrating unit 300.

In the specific embodiment of the stimulator 200 illustrated in Fig. 2, the elastic element 240 is implemented as a partly spring-like elastic member having two coiled portions 240A and 240F attached to the vibrating unit 300 and four holding portions 240B, 240C, 240D and 240E (note that only two of the four holding portions 240B are shown in Fig. 2). The holding portions 240B and 240C are connected by a stabilizing member 116 A and the holding portions 240D and 240E are connected by a stabilizing member 116B. The holding portions 240B and 240C together with the stabilizing member 116A together form a first arm of the gripping mechanism 117. The first arm is attached at one end thereof to the gripping member 230B. The holding portions 240D and 240E together with the stabilizing member 116B together form a second arm of the gripping mechanism 117. The second is attached at one end thereof to the gripping member 230B (it is noted that 240E is not seen in the isometric view of Fig. 2A).

The elastic element 240 and any of its components may be made from any suitable elastic material including but not limited to stainless steel or other suitable metal(s), any suitable elastic polymer based or plastic, and the like. While the specific non-limiting design of the gripping mechanism 117 illustrated in Figs 2A, 2B and 3-5 uses a coiled elastic stainless steel wire having helical coil portions 240A and 240F and four gripping member holding portions 240B, 240C, 240D and 240E, this implementation is but one specific example, and many other designs are possible and included within the scope of the gripping mechanism 117. Thus, non-helical springs or coils may also be used, including but not limited to leaf-springs (see, for example the stimulator 1600 of Fig 52) or any other type of spring or force exerting mechanism known in the art (see, for additional non-limiting examples, the gripping mechanisms illustrated in Figs. 30, and 49- 51 ). In another example, the force exerting mechanism may include a ribbon-like elastic material (not shown) or any other spring-like mechanism or non-spring based mechanism known in the art (see, for example, the magnetic gripping member illustrated in Fig, 12 herein below).

Each of the gripping members 230A and 230B is attached to a pair of holding portions of the arms of the gripping mechanism 117. Gripping member 230A is attached to the holding portions 240B and 240C and gripping member 230B is attached to the holding portions 240D and 240E as is illustrated in Fig. 2A. When the gripping mechanism 117 is in a closed state, the two gripping members 230A and 230B may be disposed close to each other (but not necessarily in contact with each other) as is illustrated in Fig 3. Alternatively, in accordance with another embodiment of the gripping member, when the gripping mechanism 117 is in the closed state, the two gripping members 230A and 230B are in contact with each other (not shown in Fig. 3) due to the spring force exerted by the elastic element 240 which pushes the gripping members 230A and 230B towards each other such that they are in contact with each other. While the "normally closed" embodiment in which the gripping members 230A and 230B are in contact with each other when the applicator is not attached to the stimulator is preferred, this is not obligatory, and in other embodiments of the stimulator the gripping members 230A and 230B may be slightly spaced apart from each other or may be substantially spaced apart from each other.

The removable applicator 210 of the system 110 is used for applying the stimulator 200 to a desired area of the clitoris or to any other body part to be stimulated and may also be used for positioning, repositioning and removal of the stimulator at any desired time. Thus, the system 110 enables precise placement or positioning of the stimulator 200 by allowing any number of positioning and or repositioning attempts by the user, as well as the removing of the stimulator 200 after use.

Turning back to Fig. 2B, the applicator 210 includes two holding portions 31 OA and 310B and two engaging portions 312A and 312B. The applicator 210 also has a middle portion 310D from which the holding portions 310A and 310B and the two engaging portions 312A and 312B extend in opposite directions. The middle portion 310D of the applicator 210 has an semi-circular shape and is an elastic leaf-spring like portion, which allows the two engaging portions 312A and 312B to move further apart from each other when the holding portions 310A and 310B are made to move towards each other. In operation, when the applicator holding portions 310A and 310B are made to move towards each other (by the user holding and pressing them together), the holding portions 312A and 312B move away from each other (in a way similar to the operation of a spring loaded cloth pin, as is known in the art). To attach and/or position the stimulator 200 to the clitoris, the user inserts the applicator 210 into the (closed) gripping mechanism 117 such that the engaging portions 312A and 312B engage the stabilizing members 116A and 116B, respectively (see Fig. 5). The user then presses the holding portions 310A and 310B together (towards each other) by exerting force on the holding portions 310A and 31 OB in the direction represented by the arrows labeled 320A and 320B, respectively (in Fig. 6).

The application of feree to the holding portions 310A and 310B of the applicator 210 causes the gripping mechanism 117 to open, moving the gripping members 230A and 230B away from each other as illustrated in Fig. 6. In this opened position the gripping mechanism 117 may be placed in a suitable position to grip the clitoris. The gripping of the clitoris is performed by positioning the open gripping mechanism 117 over the clitoris and/or the prepuce, firmly gripping the tissue of the prepuce and/or clitoris between the gripping members 230A and 230B by relaxing the force applied to the holding portions 310A and 310B and disengaging the applicator 210 from the stimulator 200 by lifting and removing the applicator 210. The relaxing of the user applied force on the holding portions 310A and 310B allows the force of the spring-like coiled portions 240A and 240F of the stimulator 200 to decrease the distance between the gripping members 230A and 230B such that in the resulting closed state of the stimulator 200, the gripping members 230A and 230B are firmly attached to the clitoral prepuce 32 (as illustrated in Fig. 7 hereinafter).

If the user is satisfied with the chosen stimulator placement, the user may remove the applicator 210 from the stimulator 200, leaving the stimulator 200 attached to the clitoris at the selected clitoral region by means of the gripping members 230A and 230B. If the attachment or the selected anatomical place is not satisfactory, the gripping mechanism 117 may be re-opened by again exerting force on the handle like member 310 A and 310B, the entire system 110 including the applicator 210 engaged to the stimulator 200 may be moved to another region and the above described attachment may be repeated any desired number of times until a satisfactory attachment is achieved.

Reference is now made to Fig. 7 which is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating the clitoris stimulator of Fig. 2A attached to a clitoris. The clitoris 32 is firmly gripped between the gripping members 230A and 230B, which are positioned on opposite sides of the clitoris 32. Mechanical stimuli generated by the vibrator 115 (see Fig. 8) of the stimulator 200 are transferred to the clitoral tissues (including the clitoral prepuce, the clitoral shaft sheathed within the prepuce, and the clitoral glans) through the gripping mechanism 117 (see Fig. 2A). Part or all of the stimulator 200 may be positioned between the major lips 30 (depending, inter aha, on the exact position of attachment of the stimulator 200, the size of the stimulator 200, and the specific anatomy and dimensions of the user of the stimulator).

Also illustrated in Fig. 7 is an (optional) covering member 60. The covering member 60 is a cap-like member that may be made from an elastic or resilient substance, such as but not limited to soft elastic plastic or polymer based material, rubber, latex and the like. The covering member 60 may be (optionally, but not obligatorily) used for covering the region of attachment of the stimulator 200 after the stimulator 200 is placed within the female genitalia and grips the clitoris. The covering of the region of attachment of the stimulator 200 may advantageously further protect the stimulator from being displaced or moved during intercourse and may contribute to the user's c»rnfort during intercourse performed while the stimulator attached to the clitoris or to the clitoral region. The covering member 60 may also include (optionally but not obligatorily) an adhesive layer (not shown in detail) attached on at least a part of the surface 60A of the covering member 60 which part of it is put in contact with the user's genitalia during use. The use of such adhesive layer may assist in the adhering and attachment of the covering member to the user's body and preventing the dislodgment of the covering member during intercourse.

The stimulator device(s) disclosed in the present application take into consideration the mechanical properties of the stimulated tissue, to which the stimulator is attached. The shape and material used in forming the gripping mechanism 117 of the stimulator 200, are selected to have sufficient friction force for strong fixation of the stimulator to the selected stimulator attachment region (such as, but not limited to the clitoris, clitoral prepuce, or any other body part to be stimulated) yet the force exerted by the gripping mechanism 117 on the organ or body part being gripped by the gripping mechanism 117 must be small (or weak) enough to be painless and free of any user discomfort.

Additionally, the stimulator 200 is of size and dimensions that are small enough to provide user comfort during sexual intercourse, while mamtaining desirable device mechanical parameters (such as but not limited to the vibration force, the useful lifetime of the battery or other power source used, and the like). Reference is now made to Figs 8 and 9. Fig. 8 is a schematic isometric part cutaway view of the vibrating unit 300 of the stimulator 200 with the gripping mechanism 117 removed. Fig. 9 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the main components of an embodiment of a stimulator which includes remote control circuitry.

The stimulator 200 includes a housing 220 which may be made from a metal, a plastic material, a polymer based material and the like. A vibrator 115 is disposed within the housing 220. The vibrator 115 may be any desired type of vibrator known in the art.

For example, the vibrator 115 may be or may include an electrical motor with a shaft and an eccentric weight attached to the shaft (see Fig. 34 hereinafter). The vibrator 115 may also include an electrical motor mechanically coupled to a vibrating mechanism, such as, for example, a reciprocating mechanism (not shown) attached to a reciprocating weight as is known in the art. The vibrator 115 may also be a piezoelectric vibrator including a piezoelectric element as is known in the art. However, the stimulator device of the present invention may be adapted to include and use any type of vibrator known in the art as a source of vibrations. It is also noted that while the stimulator 200 of Fig. 8 is shown as including a single vibrator 115, other embodiments of the stimulators of the present application may include more than one vibrator. For example, in another embodiment of the vibrating unit 300, the vibrating unit may include two or more vibrators (not shown) suitably electrically coupled to the power source 125. This multivibrator embodiment may be used in the stimulator irrespective of the stimulator part and irrespective of the power source type. However, wired stimulators in which the power source is an external power source (not included in the stimulator) electrically connected to the vibrating unit by suitable electrically conducting wires, are well suited to power more than one vibrator as they may be well suited for energizing several motors (nevertheless, stimulators including a rechargeable power source, such as but not limited to a lithium battery or any other type of rechargeable or primary electrochemical cell with a high power density may be well suited for including more than one motor).

It is noted that, while an electrical power source and an electrical motor with an eccentric weight attached to the motor shaft are preferred implementations of the power source, and the vibrator of the stimulator, other non- electrical embodiments may also be used. For example, the power source 125 may be a strong spirally wound spring that may be wound to store and release energy (using a winding key, or the like as is known in the art, and the vibrator may be a mechanical vibration mechanism suitably coupled to the mechanical power source as is known in the art). In such a case the controller 127 may not be included in the vibrating unit and the vibrating action may be stopped and initiated using a mechanical switch or lever. Alternatively, such a mechanical vibrating unit may also include a mechanical controlling unit which may control the speed of rotation or the frequency of vibrating of the vibrator thereof (such as, for example by a suitable gearbox or any other mechanical vibration regulating mechanism known in the art.

The vibrator 115 is suitably connected to a power source 125. The power source 125 may be any type of power source known in the art. Preferably (but not obligatorily), the vibrator 115 is an electromechanical vibrator and the power source 125 is a battery and/or an electrochemical cell. However, the power source 125 may also be any combination of batteries and/or electrochemical cells, a rechargeable battery or electrochemical cell, a primary electrochemical cell, a fuel cell or any other type of electrical power source known in the art. Moreover, the power source 125 may be any type of magnetic device and/or electromagnetic device which may wirelessly receive power from outside sources (such as electromagnetic wave sources, or the like) placed outside of the housing 220.

The housing 220 may also include a control unit 127 suitably connected to the power source 125 and to the vibrator 115 for controlling the operation of the vibrator 115 and/or for controlling the energizing of the vibrator 115 by the power source 125. The vibrator 115 may be attached to the housing 220 or suitably mechanically coupled thereto in any suitable way known in the art for transferring mechanical vibrations from the vibrator 115 to the housing 220 of the vibrating unit 300. It is noted that the gripping mechanism 117 of the stimulator 200 is not shown in Fig. 8 (for the sake of clarity of illustration).

While the embodiment of the vibrating unit 300 illustrated in Fig. 8 may be activated by any suitable on/off switch (not shown in Fig. 8) suitably connected to the control unit 127 and attached to the housing 220 or to suitable thin electrically insulated conducting wires (not shown in Fig. 8 for the sake of clarity of illustration), preferably (but not obligatorily), the activation and operation of the vibrating unit 300 may be performed by a suitable remote control unit.

The control unit 127 may control the operation of the vibrating unit 300 such that the vibrator 115 may vibrate in a continuous manner or in a pulsed manner. Any desired combination of vibration sequences may be pre-programmed or implemented in hardware or firmware, such as, but not limited to continuous vibration, pulsed vibrations, vibratory pulse trains, vibratory chirped pulses (pulses of vibrations with increasing and/or decreasing vibration frequency and/or vibration amplitude) and any desired combinations thereof. However, the control unit 127 may activate and/or operate the vibrator 115 to provide any other type of vibratory stimuli or stimuli combinations known in the art and may be user programmed or factory preprogrammed (by wire or wirelessly) to deliver any type of vibratory stimuli and to control any of the vibration parameters including but not limited to the vibration duration, frequency, amplitude, waveform, pulse duration, pulse frequency, inter pulse interval, and the like.

Turning to Fig. 9, the wireless system 311 includes the stimulator 200 a remote controlled vibrating unit 300 and a wireless remote control unit 119. It is noted that the gripping mechanism 117 of the stimulator 200 is not shown in the schematic block diagram of Fig. 9 for the sake of clarity of illustration, but is included in the stimulator 200 and may be mechanically coupled to the vibrator 115 through the housing 220 as shown in Fig. 2A, or may be directly coupled to any part of the gripping mechanisms disclosed in the present application, such as, for example in the manner shown in Figs. 30, 32, 33, 49, 50, 51 and 52). The vibrating unit 300 includes the power source 125 connected to the control unit 127 which is connected to the vibrator 115 as disclosed hereinabove with respect to Fig. 8. The vibrating unit 300 also includes a receiver unit 130 suitably connected to the control unit 127. The remote control unit 119 may wirelessly communicate with the receiver unit 130 as is known in the art. For example, the remote control unit 119 may be a remote control using any type of electromagnetic waves, a radio frequency (RF) operated remote control unit (such as an RF transmitter or an RF transceiver), a cellular telephone, a 3G cellular telephone, a smart-phone, an ultrasonic transmitter or transceiver, an infrared (IR) transmitter or receiver, a Bluetooth® communication device, an iPod®, an iPAD®, an android tablet, a laptop computer, any computer with a wireless communication capability, or any other type of wireless remote control unit or wireless communication device known in the art. Any such (optional) remote control unit may be operated by the user to activate and/or deactivate and/or operate and/or control the vibrating unit 300 by controlling the vibratory stimuli parameters as described in detail hereinabove.

In a non-limiting example, if a cellular phone unit is used as the remote control unit 119, the telephone may be programmed such that pressing a button on the phone (such as one of the numeral buttons of the phone) will activate the vibrator 115 to deliver a specific form of vibratory stimuli (for example - a continuous vibration having a fixed amplitude and fixed frequency), pressing a second different button will activate the vibrator 115 to deliver another different specific form of vibratory stimuli (for example, a pulsed vibration having a fixed ampUtude and fixed frequency), and the like. Thus, many such different stimuli paradigms may be activated and/or terminated by pressing suitable button or dial controls of such a cellular phone. Similarly, the user may control the vibratory stimulus parameters by pressing any buttons or controls on such a telephone or any other implemented control pad or other communication device. For example, a certain selected button may gradually and in a controlled manner modify (increase or decrease) the vibration amplitude and/or frequency and/or pulse frequency and/or may control any selected parameter or parameter combination of the delivered stimuli.

It is noted that, in accordance with one embodiment of the remote controlled stimulator, the stimulator may be controlled by auditory or other acoustic stimuli. For example, the stimulator 300 may include a microphone or any the type of acoustic sensor (sensor not shown) disposed within the housing 220. The sensor may be suitably connected to the control unit 127 (instead of or in addition to the receiver unit 130) and may be used to activate, deactivate and/or control the vibration parameters of the vibrator 115. For example, by clapping her hands once the user may activate a vibratory stimulus or a stimuli sequence. By clapping her hands twice the user may shut off the stimuli. Similarly, the combination of the acoustic sensor and the control unit 127 may be able to recognize a tone frequency or even analyze and identify human voice commands to control the operation of the vibrating unit 300, as is known in the art. Moreover, any other type of remote control unit known in the art and disclosed herein may be used to continuously and/or non-continuously control any desired parameter or parameter combination of the vibratory stimuli delivered by the vibrator 115.

It is noted that the control unit 127 may be implemented as any type of standard electronic circuits or may be implemented as a custom designed IC (Integrated Circuit), such as, but not limited to one or more FPGA (Field Programmed gate array) or ASIC (Application- Specific Integrated Circuit). The vibrator 115 may be implemented, inter alia, as an eccentric mechanism, which is based on small motor (not shown in Fig.8, but best seen as the motor 1006 of Fig. 32) that has an eccentrically mounted weight (Not shown in Fig. 8, but best seen as the eccentrically mounted member 1008 of Fig. 32) or a non-symmetrically balanced weight attached to on the motor's rotating shaft. When such a shaft rotates, the rotating uneven weight on the output shaft causes the housing 220 (Fig. 2) to vibrate. Alternatively, the vibrator 115 may be a piezoelectric element (not shown in detail) driven by controller, which may be part of the control unit 127. It is noted that the construction and operation of vibrating units is well known in the art, is not the subject matter of the present application and is therefore not described in detail hereinafter.

In order to provide a comfortable and painless yet effective and secure attachment of the stimulator 200 to the clitoris (or to any other stimulated region or body part), the structure and properties of the gripping mechanism 117 are typically adapted by providing suitable gripping members. Reference is now made to Figs. 10-11, Fig. 10 is a schematic isometric drawing illustrating in detail one of the gripping members of Fig. 2. The gripping member 230B includes a gripper base 232 and a textured resilient pad 234. Fig. 11 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram, illustrating a detail of the gripping members of the stimulator 230 attached to the clitoris region of a user. The gripper base 232 is attached to the textured resilient pad 234 by any suitable attachment method including but not limited to bonding, gluing welding, molding (over-molding or following molding), soldering, brazing and the like. The gripper base 232 may be made from a semi-rigid or rigid material such as, but not limited to Polymer resins (Polycarbonate, Nylon, Polystyrene and the like) or Stainless steel of types 302, 316, and the like. The gripper base 232 of the gripping member 230B may be used to attach the gripping member 230B to the gripper holding portions 240B and 240C (by gluing or embedding or otherwise suitably attaching the gripper holding portions 240B and 240C to or within the base member 232), and the gripper base 232 of the gripping member 230A may be similarly used to attach the gripping member 230A to the gripper holding portions 240D and 240E (see Fig.2A).

The textured resilient pads 234 may be made from a resilient plastic, a resilient polymer based material, a resin, latex, a synthetic rubber and the like. Such materials may typically (but not obligatorily) have elastic and mechanical properties similar to the properties of silicone based polymers (such as, for example, various different polysilanes, polymethylsilanes and the like).

The physical and elastic properties of the materials chosen for constructing the gripper base 232 and the resilient pad 234 of the gripping members 230A and 230B, the gripping force exerted by the coiled portions 240A and 240F of the gripping mechanism (when in the closed state and gripping the clitoris) are selected such that the attachment of the stimulator 200 at the desired attachment region results in a firm but comfortable and painless attachment of the stimulator 200, avoids undue compression of the gripped tissues, provides a sufficiently firm attachment of the stimulator 200 such that it does not detach during use, provides easy and painless detachment and removal of the stimulator from its attachment site. Typically, in order to satisfy most of the above attachment characteristics, a certain compromise is involved.

Generally, in order to attach the stimulator at the selected area, one has to take into account the stimulator's mass and other additional sources of interference occurring during different body movements of the user. It may be estimated that for optimal attachment, a resistance against approximately 100 gram (0.1 Kilogram) of weight and about 10N of other forces (arbitrarily defined herein as "disturbance " forces) is needed. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that this very rough estimate may depend upon and vary according to, inter alia, the users' mass (body weight), the user's movements, whether the user is alone and self-stimulating or is with a sexual partner during sexual intercourse (which may result in additional forces being applied to the stimulator 200 by movements of a sexual partner, and other factors). When such a large resistant force is applied at the small surface of about approximately one square centimeter, this may lead to exceeding the user's pain threshold. This, however, depends on the individual user's pain threshold.

In order to avoid possible pain and discomfort upon gripping of the clitoris by the application of an excessive gripping force, a larger gripping surface is implemented in the gripping members of the stimulators of the present application as is disclosed in detail hereinafter. The gripping surface was calculated in such a manner to achieve the optimal grip strength with miriimal local pressure, reducing the possibility for user's pain or discomfort that may be exerted by the gripping action.

Additionally, as it will be explained in further embodiment descriptions, the gripping mechanism 117 and the gripping members 230A and 230B are designed and shaped to overcome the above limitations and provide a reasonable and efficient compromise suitable for use by most users. Typically, smooth, rounded grippers without any sharp elements or corners are preferred. This avoids any injury or cuts to a user's tissues.

Returning to Figs. 10-11, the resilient pad 234 has a finned surface 234A. The total contact surface between the finned surface 234A and the tissue of the clitoral prepuce 32 will be at least proportional to the surface having the dimensions of L X B, wherein L is the length of the gripping member 230B and B is the width of the gripping member 230B.

In order to increase the contact surface between the gripping member 230B and the gripped tissue, the finned surface 234A is furnished with multiple fins 235. The fins 235 allow the enlarging of the contact surface between the gripping member and the clitoris without increasing the overall size of the gripping member 230B, which is advantageous since it improves the gripping of the tissue without the need to unduly increase the size of the gripping member.

There are additional factors interfering with satisfactory attachment of the stimulator. Such factors may include for example, moistening of the attachment area by the user's bodily secretions (the degree of moistening, the beginning of the moistening process may also vary significantly from user to user), the presence of pubic hair (hair distribution, length and mechanical properties may differ between user's), different types of user tissue at the fixation area, the different types and thickness of skin. All these factors have an effect on the mechanical properties of the contact area (to be gripped) of a user and in order to withstand such wide spectra of possible properties the main two parameters that may be changed in the gripping mechanism 117 are the clamping or gripping force F_g, which (in the embodiment of the stimulator 200 illustrated in Fig. 2) is a function of the spring force produced by the coiled (spring-like) portions 240A and 240F of the gripping mechanism 240 and a static friction coefficient μ, which obeys the classical form of Coulomb friction:

Ρ₈ <μΝ

Wherein μ is the coefficient of friction, which is an empirical property of the contacting surface materials, F_g is the gripping force and N is the normal force exerted between the surfaces in contact. Thus, in order to obtain tight attachment a gripping force F_g needs to be in static equilibrium with any kind of "disturbance" forces F_d-

Fg> F_d

It is clear from the above explanation that the "disturbance" forces and possible changing of a static friction coefficient between the gripping member or resilient pad material and a user's tissue point towards using a material with a high friction coefficient in the finned member 234 and to using a strong spring force of the coiled portions 240A and 240F of the gripping mechanism 240. Designed in such a manner the gripping mechanism may resist to all above mentioned factors in a relatively wide possible range as well as working in a "waterproof regime, Le. in a bath or shower as well as with wet or even lubricated tissue (both decrease the friction coefficient).

In order to lower the impact of the gripping force on the user's tissues and to reduce possible pressure on the user tissue, the stimulators of the present application required some method to increase the contact surface. A gripping pressure P_g applied to the contact surface is a function of gripping force F_g and the actual surface area of gripping S_g of the contact area:

It is clear, that for the same gripping force, a larger surface will produce less pressure on the contact area, in such a way allowing more comfortable (painless) adjustment. Specifically, increasing the number of fins enlarges the contact surface S_g thereby allowing the decreasing of the gripping pressure P_g for the same value of the spring force.

Therefore, in order to lower the impact of the gripping force on the user's tissues, a novel method of increasing the contact surface for reducing possible pressure on the user tissue is used. Specifically, in tins embodiment (forming a finned or a textured surface on the surface of the resilient pad or of the gripping member), increasing the number of fins increases the contact surface for the same value of the spring force.

Turning to Fig. 11, when the gripping members 230A and 230B are attached to the prepuce tissue 32 surrounding the clitoris, the finned surfaces 234 A are in contact with the prepuce 32 and press inwards onto the prepuce 32 and the clitoris tissues covered by the prepuce 32. Due to the resiliency and flexibility of the material from which the textured resilient pads 234 are made, the fins 235 are bent as illustrated and are firmly attached and may also be slightly embedded in the surface of the prepuce 32 tissue. Due to these characteristics, the contact surface area between the fins 235 and the tissue is increased and reaches a higher value (as seen in Fig. 11) in comparison with the surfaces of the fins 235 before fixation of the gripping member on to the tissues as shown in Fig. 4 (it is noted that only the gripping members 230A and 230B of the stimulator are shown in Fig. 11, while any other parts of the stimulator are omitted for the sake of clarity of illustration).

It is noted that while in the specific non-limiting example of the stimulator 200 illustrated in Figs. 2-7 the gripping members are finned gripping members, other embodiments of the stimulators of the present application may use differently textured gripping members and/or differently textured resilient pads. Additionally, other different types of finned gripping members and/or finned resilient pads with different fin arrangements may also be used in the stimulators of the present application.

It is further noted that while the force causing the attachment of the gripping members 230 A and 230B to the clitoral region is produced by the coiled (spring-like) part 240 of the gripping mechanism 117, this is not obligatory and other mechanisms and implementations may be used to provide the attachment force, as is disclosed in detail hereinafter. Reference is now made to Figs. 12-14 which are a schematic part cross-sectional diagrams illustrating three different forms of gripping members in accordance with embodiments of the stimulator of the present application. Fig. 12 is a schematic cross- sectional diagram illustrating a magnetic gripping member. Figs. 13-14 are schematic cross-sectional diagram illustrating two different embodiments of gripping members suitable for use in the stimulators of the present application.

In accordance with another embodiment of the stimulator, the gripping member 250 illustrated in Fig. 12 is a magnetic gripping member. The gripping member 250 includes a base member 252 similar to the base member 232 described hereinabove and a magnetic gripping member 254. The magnet gripping member is attached to the base member 252 as disclosed in detail hereinabove for the base member 232 and the textured member 234. The magnetic gripping member 254 may be made from a resilient plastic, a resilient polymer based material, a resin, latex, a synthetic rubber and the like, as disclosed hereinabove for the textured member 234. A plurality of magnets 256 are embedded in or attached to the material of the magnetic gripping members 254.

Preferably, the magnets 256 are strong permanent magnets such as Iron-Neodymium- Boron (FeNdB) magnets Cobalt-samarium magnets, or any other type of rare earth high coercivity permanent magnets, but any other types of sufficiently strong magnets may be used. For example, the resilient pads and/or the gripping members (or parts or portions thereof) of the present application may include embedded small magnetic particles or may be entirely made of a resilient material in which such magnetic particles are dispersed, as is know in the art. The particle may be magnetized after the resilient pad or the gripping member is manufactured to ensure the proper strength and polarity of the magnetic field thereof. Alternatively and/or additionally, a flexible or resilient layer of magnetized material may be attached or embedded within any of the gripping members and/or resilient pads described herein. The magnets may be arranged in a regular array. There are two such gripping members (the magnets of one gripping member of such a pair having opposite polarity from the magnets of the second gripping member of the pair). The strength (and polarity) of the magnets of the pair of gripping members are selected such that the magnetic attraction forces acting between two oppositely arranged magnetic gripping members of the magnetic stimulator provides sufficient clamping force for tight attachment of the clitoral stimulator on the chosen attachment region. Thus, another embodiment of a magnetic gripping member (not shown in its entirety) may be constructed by replacing the gripping members 230A and 230B of the gripping mechanism 117 with two magnetic gripping members 250 (having magnets with opposite polarities to each other). In such a magnetic gripping mechanism, the coiled part of the gripping mechanism 240 does not need to have a spring-like structure and need not exert a force for clamping the gripping members together, since the magnetic gripping members are clamped together by the force of attraction between the magnets included in the magnetic gripping members 250.

It is noted that in the gripping member 250 of Fig. 12, the surface 258 of the magnetic gripping member 254 contacts the tissues of the clitoris (or other stimulated body part). Alternatively, in accordance with another embodiment of the gripping members of the present application it is possible to place and/or attach and/or embed the magnets 256 in the gripper base 252 instead of in the gripping member 254 (as illustrated in Fig. 12).

Turning to Fig. 13, the gripping member 260 includes a gripper base 232 as disclosed hereinabove and a plurality of textured members. Each of the four textured members 262 may be made from a resilient material as disclosed hereinabove for the textured gripping member 234. While each of the multiple textured members 262 is implemented as a finned member having five fins 265, the textured members 262 may have any number of fins selected from two or more fins as desired. The number of textured members and the number of fins on each of the textured members may be selected in a way that when two such gripping members 260 are clamped together the gripping members 260 provide sufficient clamping force for adequate attachment of the stimulator at the selected a chosen region as disclosed hereinabove.

Turning to Fig. 14, the gripping member 270 has a base member 232, as described hereinabove and a textured member 272 having multiple fin groups. The textured member 273 has multiple fin groups 274 formed as part of the textured member 273. The number of fin groups in the textured member 273 and the number of fins 275 in each of the fin groups may be varied in different embodiments.

Reference is now made to Fig. 15 which is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram of a stimulator having partially finned rounded gripping members, in accordance with another embodiment of the gripping mechanism of the stimulators of the present application. The stimulator 400 includes the vibrating unit 300 and the housing 220 as disclosed in detail hereinabove (It is noted that the components disposed within the housing 220 are not shown in the cross-sectional drawing of Fig. 15 for the sake of clarity of illustration) and the gripping mechanism 240. The gripping mechanism 240 is attached to the gripping members 410A and 410B and to the vibrating unit 300. The holding portions (arms) 240B and 240D (and the holding portions 240C and 240E which are not shown in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 15) are embedded within the material forming the gripping members 410A and 410B. However, in other embodiments of the stimulator, the holding portions 240B-240E may be differently attached to the gripping members 410A and 410B using other suitable attachment methods, such as gluing, bonding, welding, soldering or by using any other attachment method known in the art.

The gripping members 410A and 410B each include a gripper base 412 having a rounded shape. The inner part (the part intended for gripping the tissue) of each the gripper base 412 has multiple fins 414. The fins 414 may be attached to the gripper base 412 by any suitable attachment method known in the art including but not limited to bonding, welding, molding (over molding), gluing and the like. Alternatively, the fins 414 may be formed as an integral part of the gripping members 410A and 410B (by molding, cutting, or any other forming method known in the art. Preferably, the fins 414 may have a triangular cross-section. However, it is noted that while the fins 414 of Fig. 15 have a triangular cross-section, this is not obligatory and other fin cross-sectional shapes may also be used in the gripping members and resilient pads of the stimulators of the present application.

It is noted that the gripper base 412 may be formed from any of the resilient materials disclosed hereinabove with respect to the gripping members 230A and 230B (of Fig. 2), or from any other suitable resilient material known in the art (including, but not limited to, rubber, synthetic rubber, latex, a polymer based material such as but not limited to a polysilane, a TPE, and the like), However, other material may also be used.

The apex of the triangular cross-section of the fins 414 may preferably have an apex- angle of 10 to 60 degrees. However, the fins may also have a non-triangular cross- sectional area, including but not limited to any polygonal shaped cross sectional area such as, a square or rectangular cross-section (see Fig.18 hereinafter), a trapezoidal cross- section, a circular or part-circular cross-section, or any other suitable regular or non- regular cross-section. All such shapes and geometries of the fins 414 or of other nubs or protrusions used instead of the fins 414 enlarge the contact surface with user tissue. The construction and operation of the stimulator 400 are as described hereinabove for the stimulator 200.

Reference is now made to Fig. 16 which is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram of a stimulator having gripping members with nubs, in accordance with another embodiment of the gripping device of the present application.

The stimulator 430 is similar to the stimulator 400 described hereinabove except that the gripping members 422A and 422B are different than the gripping members 410A and 410B. The gripping members 422A and 422B are made as a monolithic structure having multiple nubs 424 on the part of the gripping member facing the tissue to be gripped. The nubs 424 may have any desired shape or cross-section and are formed as part of the gripping members 422A and 422B (by using molding or other suitable forming methods, as is known in the art). The nubs 422 are used to increase the surface in contact with the gripped tissues which also increase the static friction between the part of the gripping members 422A and 422B which is in contact with the gripped tissue.

Reference is now made to Figs.17- 18 which are schematic part cross-sectional diagrams of stimulators having nub-less gripping members with increased friction characteristics, in accordance with another embodiment of the stimulators of the present application. Turning to Fig. 17, the stimulator 440 is sirnilar to the stimulator 400 described hereinabove except that the gripping members 434A and 434B are different than the gripping members 410A and 410B. The gripping members 434A and 434B are made as a monolithic structure having a circular aoss-section. The surface portion 242A of the gripping member 434 and the surface portion 242B of the gripping member 434B face the tissue to be gripped (not shown). In accordance with an embodiment of the stimulators of the present application, the surface portions 242A and 242B are treated to increase the static friction between the surface portions 242A and 242B and the surfaces of the gripped tissue in contact with the surface portions 242A and 242B. The friction may be increased by applying to the surface portions 242A and 242B a layer of adhesive material or composition which may increase the friction between the surface portions 242A and 242B and the gripped tissue.

Increasing the adhesiveness of the surfaces of the gripping surfaces (of the gripping members and/or the resilient pads disclosed in the present apphcation) may be achieved by coating any of these surfaces by a coat of a material with enhanced adhesive properties and/or a high or enhanced coefficient of friction. Such as, for example, high friction thermoplastic elastomers (amides, engineering thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), styrene elastomers, and the like).

High friction materials which may be used in the gripping surfaces of the gripping members and/or resilient pads of the present application may also include materials having fiber arrays, such as, for example the fiber array materials disclosed in the paper by C. Majidi, et al., titled "High Friction from a Stiff Polymer using Micro-Fiber Arrays, published in Physical Review Letters,. Vol. 97, No. 076103. (18 August 2006), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Other microfiber array materials and structures known in the art may also be used .

Additional materials which may be used as coatings or layers or structures or microstructures, which enhance the friction and/or adhesiveness of the gripping surfaces of the gripping members and/or the resilient pads may include the membranes disclosed in the paper by Peng Z.L. et al, titled: "Peeling behavior of a bio-inspired nano-film on a substrate", published in the International Journal of solids and Structures, Vol. 47, Issues 14-15, pp. 1952-1960 (July 2010), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Other biomimetic, materials and structures known in the art for increasing friction or adhesiveness may also be used to increase these properties of surfaces of the gripping members and/or the re3silient pads of the present application.

Furthermore, additional materials which may be used as coatings or layers which enhance the friction and/or adhesiveness of the gripping surfaces of the gripping members and/or the resilient pads may include, for example, the Softouch® Paint (a Polyurethane based top coat) ST2010, commercially available from Alsa Corp., CA, USA.

Alternatively, the resilient pads and/or the gripping members and/or a potion or part of the gripping members and/or resilient pads may be made from a material with enhanced adhesive properties and/or a high or enhanced coefficient of friction. The resulting increased gripping efficiency due to the applied adhesive material or adhesive composition and/or the high friction material and/o composition may make it unnecessary to provide fins or other protrusions or nubs on the gripping members, by enabling the construction and use of enhanced friction and/or enhanced adhesiveness resilient pads and/or gripping members with non-structured gripping surfaces.

Alternatively and/or additionally, the surface portions 242A and 242B may be micro- structured by roughening and/or micro-forming (by using molding, embossing or any other method known in the art for micro-structuring the relevant surface portions 242A and 242B) The micro -structuring may form protrusions on the surface portions 242A and 242B ( not shown) having any suitable protrusion shape. The protrusions may preferably have a mean protrusion height in the range of 50-900 microns, but other protrusion mean height may also be used. The increased surface of contact between the micro-structured surfaces 242A-242B and the gripped tissue contributes to the improved gripping of the stimulated organ or tissue. Alternatively and/or additionally the gripping members 434 A and 434B may be made from or may include a material with a large coefficient of friction, such as, but not limited to, silicone, polyvinylchloride (PVC) and the like.

It is noted that the shape of the gripping members is not limited to the cylindrical shape of the gripping members 434A and 434B of Fig. 17. Turning to Fig. 18, the stimulator 450 is similar in construction and operation to the stimulator 440 of Fig. 17 except that the gripping members 436A and 436B are shaped differently than the gripping members 434A and 434 of Fig. 17. The gripping members 436A and 436B have a biconvex cross-sectional area, the radii of curvature of the inner surfaces 438A and 438B respectively, facing the tissue to be gripped (not shown) are different than the radii of curvature of the outer facing surfaces 437 A and 437B, respectively. The inner surfaces 438A and 438B may have increased friction by using any of the friction increasing methods and/or method combinations as disclosed in detail hereinabove with respect to the gripping members of Figs 15-17.

Reference is now made to Fig.19 which is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating a stimulator having a bottom and side finned gripping member, in accordance with another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application. The stimulator 480 is similar in construction and operation to the stimulator 450, except that the gripping members 482A and 482B of the stimulator 480 are different than the gripping members 436A and 436B of the stimulator 450. The gripping member 482A includes a base member 484A attached to the holding portion 240D and constructed as described hereinabove for the base member 232 of Fig. 2. A textured finned resilient pad 486A is constructed from a resilient material and is attached to the gripper base 484A as is described in detail for the textured resilient pad 230A of Fig. 2A hereinabove. Similarly, the gripping member 482B includes a gripper base 484B attached to the holding portion 240B. A textured finned resilient pad 486B is attached to the gripper base 484B as is described hereinabove.

Each of the textured gripping members 482A and 482B has multiple fins. A first group of fins 485 A is formed on the lower part of the textured layer of each of the gripping members 482A and 482B (the part which does not grip the clitoral or prepuce tissue) and a second group of fins 485A is formed on the internal side of each of the gripping members 482A and 482B which faces towards the prepuce or clitoral tissue to be gripped by the stimulator 480. While the first group of fins 485A assists the gripping of the clitoris or prepuce by increasing the friction as explained hereinabove, the second group of fins 485A of each of the gripping members 482A and 482B may contact, when the stimulator is suitably attached, additional regions of clitoral or other adjacent sensitive tissues to increase the transmission of vibratory stimulation to the stimulated region.

Reference is now made to Figs. 20A-20F which are isometric views of textured members which are useful as parts of a stimulator gripping member, in accordance with additional embodiments of the stimulators of the present application. The textured member 500 of Fig. 20A is made of a resilient material as described hereinabove. Multiple small cylindrical nubs 501 are preferably (but not obligatorily) uniformly distributed on the member 500. All the nubs 501 are of the same dimensions and shapes

The textured member 510 of Fig. 20B is made of a resilient material as described hereinabove. Multiple small cylindrical nubs 502 are arranged in several nub groups 504, 505 and 506 which are non-uniformly distributed on the member 510. it is noted that the nubs 502 of the different groups may have different dimensions and sizes. The textured member 520 of Fig. 20C is made of a resilient material as described hereinabove. Multiple small half ellipsoidal nubs 528 are arranged in several nub groups 522, 524 and 526 which are non-uniformly distributed on the member 520. It is noted that the nubs 528 of the different nub groups may have different dimensions and sizes.

The textured member 530 of Fig. 20D is made of a resilient material as described hereinabove. Multiple small rectangular prism-like nubs 548 are arranged in several nub groups 540, 542 and 544 which are non-uniformly distributed on the member 530. It is noted that the nubs 548 of the different nub groups may have different dimensions and sizes.

The textured member 550 of Fig. 20E is made of a resilient material as described hereinabove. Multiple small frusto-conical nubs 558 are arranged in several nub groups 552, 554 and 556 which are non-uniformly distributed on the member 550. It is noted that the frusto-conical nubs 558 of the different groups may have different dimensions and sizes. It is noted that any shape of the microstructures may be used on the gripping surfaces of the gripping members and/or resilient pads disclosed in the present APPLICATION, including conical nubs, prismatic shaped nubs, fiber-like, or strand-like nubs or any other type of protrusions and/or surface structures and/or surface depressions or recesses which are known to increase the available surface area available for contacting the gripped clitoris or body part.

The textured member 560 of Fig. 20F is made of a resilient material as described hereinabove. Multiple small blunt pyramidal nubs 568 are arranged in several nub groups 562, 564 and 566 which are non-uniformly distributed on the member 560. It is noted that the nubs 568 of the different groups may have different dimensions and sizes.

It is noted that any of the textured members illustrated in Figs. 20A-20F hereinabove may have any desired combination of nubs, having any suitable nub shapes and dimensions (including any desired combination of differently shaped and/or differently sized nubs disposed on a single textured member). Similarly, any suitable desired configuration of nub groups may be implemented, which may have any desired uniform or non-uniform distribution of nubs within the group or between groups.

Preferably, the nubs (of any shape and/or size) may be formed as an integral part of the textured members 500, 510, 520, 530, 550 and 560 illustrated herein. However, the nubs may also be added onto or fixed onto or glued to or otherwise attached to the members 500, 510, 520, 530, 550 and 560 by using any attachment method known in the art.

Reference is now made to Fig. 21 which is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating part of a clitoris stimulator including a bulb attachment for enhancing sexual pleasure. A bulb member 600 is attached (by gluing, bonding, forcing on or any desired attachment method known in the art) to one end 300A of the vibrating unit 300 (see Fig. 2A), such that the bulb member 600 (or any other bulb members disclosed hereinafter) is in good mechanical contact with the surface of the vibrating unit 300, in order to ensure good mechanical coupling and to ensure efficient transferring of vibrations to the bulb member 600 and to the clitoral tissue in contact with the bulb member 600. The bulb 600 may be made from any resilient material known in the art and the like as disclosed hereinabove and may have any desired generally rounded, ellipsoidal or other shape.

Due to its enlarged dimensions and placement of the bulb 600, the bulb 600 may transfer vibrations to the clitoral glans 34 (see Fig. 1) in a manner that enhances sexual pleasure of the user. The bulb 600 may be a separate unit detachably attachable to the vibrating unit 300 upon the users' wish, or may be permanently attached to the end 300A of the vibrating unit 300 of the clitoral stimulator. The bulb 600 may be made from an elastic or resilient material, such as, but not limited to, a silicone elastomer, rubber, synthetic rubber, latex, a resilient polymer based material or from any other suitable soft or elastic or resilient material with or without a textured surface.

Reference is now made to Fig. 22 is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating part of a clitoris stimulator including a bent attachment for enhancing sexual pleasure. The bent attachment 610 is different than the bulb 600 of Fig. 21 and has a generally bent shape as illustrated.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of differently shaped enhancing attachments may be permanently or detachably attached to the end 300A of the vibrating unit 300 of the stimulator of the present application.

Reference is now made to Fig. 23 which is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating part of a stimulator having a nubbed bulb attachment for enhancing sexual pleasure. A nubbed bulb attachment 620 is attached to the end 300A of the vibrating unit 300, the attachment method(s) may be similar to the methods described for the bulb 600 of Fig. 21. The nubs 625 may be formed as part of the bulb 620 or may be attached or glued thereto. The nubs 625 may improve and/or enhance clitoral and/or clitoral glans stimulation.

Reference is now made to Fig. 24 which is a schematic part cross-sectional diagram illustrating part of a stimulator having a "tentacle" bearing attachment for enhancing sexual pleasure. The attachment 630 may be made from the same resilient or elastic materials described hereinabove and known in the art. Multiple tentacles 635 are formed as an integral part of the attachment 630 or are glued, affixed, welded or otherwise attached thereto. The tentacles 635 assist in transferring vibrations to the clitoral glans 34 or other clitoral parts or erogenous regions (see Fig. 1) for enhancing sexual pleasure and/or therapeutic effects of the user.

Reference is now made to Figs. 25-28 which are schematic isometric views illustrating details of different forms of a part of a finned textured resilient pad usable in the gripping members of the stimulators of the present application. In Fig. 25, the textured resilient pad 700 has a single row of fins 701. Each fin 701 is generally shaped as a triangle. Typically, the fins may have a cross section of an equilateral triangle but may have other triangular cross-sections, such as a right angle triangular cross-section, a a saw-tooth-like cross section, or any other type of triangular or non-triangular cross- section. The fins may also be curved fins or may be any other type of thin and preferably resilient fin of any cross-sectional shape.

In Fig. 26, the textured resilient pad 710 has N fin rows 712A, 712B, ,712N

(wherein N is any integer number). Each row of fins includes multiple fins 714. The fins 714 have a generally equilateral triangular cross-section. The rows 712A, 712B, ,712N may be transversally shifted or staggered relative to each other as illustrated in Fig. 26. In Fig. 27, the textured resilient pad 720 has a single longitudinally extended row of fins 724 and is attached to a gripper base 232. In Fig. 28, the textured resilient pad 730 has multiple rows of fins (of which only two rows 732 and 734 are shown in Fig. 28). The textured resilient pad 730 is attached to the base member 232.

It is noted that in contrast to the textured resilient pad 710 of Fig. 26, the fin rows of the textured resilient pad 730 are separated from each other by a gap 735. This arrangement may be uniformly applied to all multiple fin rows (not shown for the sake of clarity of illustration) such that there is a plurality of gaps 735 between all adjacent pairs of rows of the textured resilient pad 730.

It fa noted that many other types of uniform or non-uniform arrangements of fins and fin arrangements in fin groups and/or in fin rows on the resilient pads disclosed herein are possible as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

Reference is now made to Fig. 29 which is a schematic isometric view of a textured (finned) gripping member with typical dimensions useful in implementing the gripping members of the stimulators of the present application.

The particular base member used in the prototype stimulator built for performing experiments and human testing was made from High-Impact Polystyrene (commercially available from Dow Chemicals, USA). The dimensions of the base member 832 were B=3.5 millimeter, L = 22 millimeter.

The textured (finned) resilient pad 840 was made of medical molding grade polyvinylchloride (PVC) cat No. 3006-60, commercially avaflable from AlphaGary Corporation, USA and had the following dimensions: Z=0.2 millimeter, W=0.8 millimeter, Y= 0.3 rniUirneter and L=22 millimeter. It is noted that the specific structure and dimensions of the resilient pad 840 are given by way of example only and each one of the dimensions Z, W, Y and L may be changed ( increased or decreased), depending on the particular application and/or the type and size or any other property of the stimulator.

Reference is now made to Figs. 30 and 31. Fig. 30 is a schematic isometric view of part of a system including a stimulator and an applicator, in accordance with another embodiment of the systems of the present application. Fig. 31 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating part of the system of Fig. 30.

The system 850 includes a stimulator 860 and an applicator 870. It is noted that for the sake of clarity of illustration, only parts of the stimulator 860 and the applicator 870 are shown. Similar to the system illustrated in Fig. 2, the stimulator 860 includes two gripping members (only the gripping member 930B of the two opposing gripping members of the stimulator 860 is shown in Fig. 30, for the sake of clarity of illustration). The gripping member 930B includes a gripper base 932 shaped like the letter L and a resilient pad 234 having fins 235 constructed as disclosed hereinabove with respect to Figs. 3-4 . The gripper base 932 may be constructed from any of the materials disclosed hereinabove for the gripper bases of Figs.3, 4, 27, 28 and 29. The gripping member 930B is attached to the gripping mechanism 940 which includes two coiled spring portions 940A and 940B attached to the vibrating unit 215 and four arm members (only two of the arm members 942A and 942B of the gripping mechanism 940 are shown in Fig. 30 for the sake of clarity of illustration).

In contrast to the holding portions 240B and 240C of the stimulator 200 of Fig. 2A which are attached to the gripper base 230B (of Fig. 2A), the arm members 940A and 940B of Fig. 30 are attached to the resilient pad 934 of the gripping member 930B. In the non-limiting examples illustrated in Figs. 30 and 31, the arm members 942A and 942B are embedded within the resilient pad 934. In the cross sectional view of Fig. 31, a part 942A of the arm member 942 is embedded in the resilient pad 934 of the gripping member 930B. Turning back to Fig. 30, a tissue protecting member 910 A shaped as a rectangular plate, is attached between the arm members 942A and 942B. The tissue protecting member 910A may be formed as an integral part of the gripping mechanism 940 or, alternatively may be a separate part attached to the arm members 942A and 942B by welding, gluing or by any other suitable attaching method known in the art.

It is noted that the arm members (not shown) of the second gripping member (not shown in Fig. 31) also have a tissue protecting member (910B, not shown in Fig. 30) attached between the arm members which is similar to the tissue protecting member 910A illustrated in Fig 30.

The applicator 870 includes two members 870A and 870B which are made of plastic, metal or any other suitable material. The members 870A and 870B are movably attached to a spring like-member 935, in a way which allows the increasing of the distance between the end portions of the applicator 870 by applying force and pressing together the handle-like portions 870A and 870B of the applicator 870. It is noted that only the end portion 870C of the applicator member 870 is shown in Fig. 30 (for the sake of clarity of illustration).

When the applicator 870 is used for positioning and attaching the stimulator 860 of the system 850 to the clitoris, the applicator 870 is engaged with the stimulator 860 by inserting the ends of the applicator members 870A and 870B members such that the end 870C of the applicator member 870B is positioned between the tissue protecting member 910 and the upper part 932A of the L shaped base member 932. The end (not shown) of the other applicator member 870B is similarly positioned with respect to the second gripping member (not shown). The tissue protecting member 910A (as well as the other tissue protecting member of the second gripping member (not shown) protects the gripped soft tissues from being pinched or excessively pressed or otherwise harmed or injured by the applicator members 870A and 870B during the positioning and/or attachment of the stimulator 860 to the clitoral region.

After positioning and attachment of the stimulator 860 to the clitoral region, the applicator 870 may be removed by disengaging the applicator 870 from the stimulator 860 and removing the applicator 870.

Reference is now made to Figs. 32, 33 and 34. Figs 32 and 33 are photographs of two different embodiments of a wired stimulator, in accordance with two different additional embodiments of the stimulator of the present application. Fig. 34 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the stimulator illustrated in the photograph in Fig. 32.

Turning to Figs. 32 and 34, the stimulator 1000 includes a vibrating unit 1006. The vibrating unit 1006 was a model 304-001 (125 mA, 1.3 Volt) Vibrating DC motor, commercially available from Precision MicroDrives Ltd, UK. The motor has a rotatable shaft 1006A (best seen in Fig. 34) and an eccentrically mounted member 1008 attached to the shaft 1006A. A Polystyrene molded cup 1007 (approximately 5 mm in diameter and 7 mm long) was sealingly attached to the vibrating unit 1006 using commercially available Cyano-acrylate Superglue®. A gripping mechanism 1004 was made from suitably coiled type 302 stainless steel spring wires having a diameter of 0.8 mm. The gripping mechanism 1004 has four straight arm members 1004A, 1004B, 1004C and 1004D. The arm members 1004A and 1004D together form a first arm, and the arm members 1004B and 1004C together form a second arm.

The straight arm members 1004A, 1004B, 1004C and 1004D form part of the gripping mechanism 1004 having spring-like coiled portions similar to the spring like coiled portions 240A and 240F of Fig. 2 (it is noted that the coiled portions of the gripping mechanism 1004 are not clearly seen in Fig. 32 as they are covered by the elastomer material attaching the gripping mechanism 1004 to the housing of the vibrating unit 1006). The gripping mechanism 1004 was attached to the vibrating unit 1006 as illustrated in Fig.34. The stimulator 1000 includes two gripping members 1002 of which only the side of one gripping member 1002 is visible in the side view presented in the photograph of Fig. 32. It is noted that while the arm membersl004A, 1004B, 1004C and 1004D are straight, this is not obligatory to practicing the invention and curved arm members and/or angled or bent arm members may also be used in the arms of the gripping mechanism 1004 (or in any other type of the gripping mechanisms having arms or arm members and disclosed in the application).

The gripping members 1002 each includes a gripper base and a resilient pad (not shown in detail in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 34), constructed similar to the gripper base 232 and the resilient pad 235 (of Fig. 3). The gripper base (not shown in Fig. 34) of each of the two gripping members 1002 was made from STYRON 485 High-Impact Polystyrene commercially available from Dow Chemical, U.S.A. (However, any other suitable mechanically rigid or semi-rigid material may also be used).

The finned textured resilient pad of each of the two gripping members 1002 was molded from a silicone elastomer catalogue No. MS 712, commercially available from Master Bond Inc., NJ, U.S. A. (However, any other suitable elastomer or resilient material may also be used). The two gripping members 1002 were each attached to a pair of the arms 1004A, 1004C and 1004B and 1004D by gluing (with SuperGlue®, or by any other suitable adhesive or glue known in the art, and/or using an elastomer) the ends of the gripping mechanismsl004A, 1004C and 1004B and 1004D into two suitable recesses (not shown) made in the base members of each of the gripping members 1002.

The stimulator 1000 also includes a pair of thin electrically insulated wires 1015 ( best seen In Fig. 34) having a 0.25 square mm cross-section for providing electrical power to the electrical motor of the vibrating unit 1006 of the stimulator 1000. The ends of the wires 1015 were soldered to the two electrical terminals 1012A and 1012B of the vibrating unit 1006. A short length of a standard Shrink- Wrap sleeve 1013 was used to cover the solder points and approximately two centimeters of the wires 1015. The wires 1015 are connected to a power pack 1016 including two Duracell type AAA 1.5 volt batteries. After the gripping mechanism 1004 is attached to the vibrating unit 1006, a coating 1011 of silicone elastomer (catalogue No. MS 712, commercially available from Master Bond Inc., NJ, U.S.A) was applied to the stimulator 1000 covering part of the cup 1007, the motor of the vibrating unit 1006, the sleeve 1013 and part of the wires 1015. The cured elastomer coating 1011 sealed the parts of the stimulator 1000 preventing penetration of fluids into the stimulator's parts as well as serving as an additional soft and elastic cushioning material.

The distance between the upper side of the housing of the vibrating unit 1006 and the lowest part of the gripping member 1002A is approximately 1.5 cm. The total length of the stimulator 1000 (including the longitudinal extent of the gripping members 1002) but not including the wires 1015) is approximately 2.5 cm and the diameter of the housing of the vibrating unit 1006 is approximately 1.25 cm. The approximate dimensions of other parts of the stimulator 1000 may be obtained by using the scale ruler 1017 of Fig. 32.

Turning to Fig. 33 the stimulator 1010 includes a vibrating unit 1016 attached to arm members 1020A, 1020B, 1020C and 1020D. The arm members 1020A, 1020B, 1020C and 1020D form part of a gripping mechanism 1020 having spring-like coiled portions similar to the spring like coiled portions 240A and 240F of Fig. 2 (it is noted that the coiled portions of the gripping mechanism 1020 are not clearly seen in Fig. 33 as they are covered by the elastomer material attaching the gripping mechanism 1020 to the vibrating unit 1016). The vibrating unit 1016 includes a model 304-002 DC vibrating motor and the cup 1007 (best seen in of Fig. 34, but not shown in Fig. 33) as disclosed in detail hereinabove.

The stimulator 1010 includes two gripping members 1014A and 1014B. The gripping members 1014A and 1014B each includes a gripper base and a resilient pad molded from a resilient elastomer and attached to the gripper base as described in detail with respect to the gripping members 1002 hereinabove.

The stimulator 1010 also includes a pair of thin electrically insulated wires 1025 (similar to the wires 1015 of Fig. 34) which supply electrical power from a power pack (not shown in Fig. 33) to the vibrating unit 1016

The Stimulator 1010 also includes a stimulating bulb 1018 attached to the cup 1007 and molded from silicone elastomer catalogue No. MS 712, commercially available from Master Bond Inc., NJ, U.S.A. (However, any other suitable elastomer or resilient material may also be used) When the stimulator 1010 is attached to the clitoris or to the clitoral region, the stimulator 1010 may be positioned such that the bulb 1018 touches or contacts with the clitoral glans 34 (see Fig. 1) or other selected erogenous region and transmits vibrations to the glans 34 to improve and/or increase the efficacy of the vibratory stimuli delivered to the clitoral tissues.

The distance between the upper side of the housing of the vibrating unit 1016 and the lowest part of the gripping members 1014A and 1014B is 15 mm. The total length of the stimulator 1010 (including the longitudinal extent of the gripping members 1014A and 1014B) but not including the wires 1025) is approximately 24 mm_; and the diameter of the vibrating unit 1016 is approximately 7 mm. The approximate dimensions of other parts of the stimulator 1010 may be obtained by using the scale 1027 of Fig. 33.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the precise dimensions of the stimulators of the present application are given by way of example only and are suitable for use in a female having an average proportional anatomical structure of the female genitalia. However other different dimensions of the stimulator or of any parts thereof may be successfully used depending, inter alia, on the bodyweight and body dimensions of the female user and on normal anatomical differences between female users of the general population.

It is noted that while some of the stimulators disclosed in the present application may be remotely controlled as disclosed with reference ΐο Fig. 9 and Fig. 55, this is not mandatory. A simple (and much simpler to construct and operate) embodiment of the stimulators of the present application may include only a power source (internal or external to the vibrating unit of the stimulator) and a vibrator (such as, for example, the vibrator 115) disposed in a vibrating unit 300 and any of the gripping mechanisms disclosed in the application. Turning to Fig. 9, such a stimulator embodiment may include the vibrator 115 and the power source 125 and does not include the controller unit 127 and the receiver unit 130. In this embodiment, the user can switch the vibrator 115 on or off by using a switch (not shown in Fig. 9). The switch may be disposed on the vibrating unit, or on the gripping mechanism of the stimulator. If the power source 125 is an internal power source disposed within the vibrating unit 300, the switch is preferably (but not obligatorily) disposed on the housing 220 of the vibrating unit 300. If the power source is an external power source which is electrically connected to the vibrator 115 by electrical conductors or wires (Such as for example, the power pack 1017 of Fig. 34 and the electrically insulated wires 1015), the on/off switch ( not shown) may be placed on the power pack 1017. In this alternative, the power pack 1017 may be shaped like a small hand-held control pad which may include one or more batteries or power sources and an on/off switch (not shown in Fig. 34) and the wires 1015 may be connected to the vibrating unit 300 of the stimulator as shown in Figs 32-33, while the length of the wires 1015 is made sufficiently long to allow convenient operation of the stimulator while the stimulator is attached to the stimulated body part. In this alternative embodiment, the user may turn the vibrator on or off only without having any additional control over the parameters of the vibrations. Among the advantages of such an embodiment of the stimulator is its low cost and very simple and straightforward operation by the user.

Typically, (but not obligatorily) taking into account the anatomical differences existing in the female population, the range of the stimulator general dimensions which may be used may be as follows: the width of the stimulator may be in the range of 7 - 25 mm, the length of the stimulator (or the gripping members, whichever are larger) may be in the range of 5-60 mm and the height of the stimulator may be in the range of 10-25 mm.

However, it is noted that deviations from this range may occur in some embodiments of the stimulators of the present application depending on the anatomy of the individual user and on other considerations.

Preferably (but not obligatorily), the size of the entire stimulator 200 is selected such that for most females when the stimulator 200 is attached to the clitoral tissues, it is possible (though not obligatory) to attach the stimulator 200 to the desired clitoral region such that the entire stimulator 200 is completely covered by the labia majora 30 or other surrounding tissue of the female user. When the stimulator 200 is positioned and attached in this way, the entire stimulator is concealed and hidden from the eyes of a possible sexual partner. This advantageously contributes to the inconspicuousness of the stimulator during intercourse with a sexual partner by making the presence of the stimulator less apparent or even completely hidden from the partner of the user, the concealed state, under certain circumstances may be psychologically preferable to the the user or to the user's sexual partner.

Several prototypes of the clitoral stimulator of the present invention have been constructed and tested on three healthy, sexually active female volunteers in order to evaluate the applicability, feasibility and the clinical efficacy of the novel stimulators. Summarizing the data reported by all three females (aged 28, 32 and 72) it was found that the small size of the stimulator was very appealing and comfortable to all three users. In particular the fact that there are no straps attached to the stimulator and that it is self-held and self-positioned by the user were reported as highly convenient by the users. The stimulator was put on (attached to the clitoral region) for time intervals in the range of 7- 30 minutes. The grip was firm, comfortable and painless, regardless of the degree of self- lubrication of all three users during use of the stimulator.

From the stimulus point of view, one volunteer required an intermittent stimulus with ongoing increased intensity while for another volunteer the initial, mild stimulus provoked more sexual arousal. For the third volunteer, the stimulus was adequate. Generally, these trials were very positive from the point of view of the gripping component and stability and the novel stimulator was shown to provide optimal sexual stimulation in all three users. All three users reported climaxing once or more while using the stimulator without s sexual partner or any additional (visual, audio etc) sexual stimulation.

In the experiments, different stimulator designs and dimensions were used. It was found that the best results (as reported by the users) were achieved when the gripping members (or of the total length spanned by resilient pad(s) of the gripping members) of the stimulator used had a length of 20 (twenty) rrnllimeters and a width of 5 (five) millimeters. However, the clitoral dimensions are well described and reported in the medical literature. The normal length of the clitoris is in the range of 11-63 rrnllimeters and the normal clitoris width may vary in the range of 5-25 niillimeters. Therefore, in order to obtain good results from external stimulation, the length of the gripping members (or of the total length spanned by resilient pad(s) of the gripping members) may be in a preferred range of length of 10-35 millimeters, but may also be in the range of 5-60. Preferably, the length of the gripping members (or of the total length spanned by resilient pad(s) of the gripping members) may be in the range of 50%- 100% of the length of the clitoris. However, typically, the length of the gripping members (or of the total length spanned by resilient pad(s) of the gripping members) may be in the range of 10%-100 of the length of the clitoris, to achieve good results with different clitoris lengths.

The gripping force of the gripping mechanism of the stimulators was also tested. It was found that when the length and width of the gripping members of the stimulator were 20 millimeters and 3 millimeters, respectively, the highest tested force of gripping that was found to still be painless and did not prompt any complaint from any of the users tested with the stimulator was 2.2 Kg and the lowest gripping force that was sufficient to keep the stimulator in place on the clitoris without frequent slipping of the stimulator off the clitoris was about 0.1 kg. Dividing the force by the tested surface of the gripping member or the resilient pad provides a rough estimate of the gripping pressure. The approximate useable range of gripping pressure found in the tests of the gripping surface was P_g = 0.0366-0.016 kg mm². It is noted that this calculation provides only a rough estimate of the usable gripping pressure range because the calculated surface area of the contact surface of the gripping member or resilient pad does not take into account the increase in actual surface area caused by the micro-structuring or finning or knobbing etc. of the surface of the gripping member or resilient pad. Thus, this range may be divided by a factor which represents the fractional increase in the actual surface area in contact with the gripped surface relative to a flat non-textured surface. As some or all of the actual contact area of the gripping members or resilient pad may be deformed during gripping, this factor is not actually easily determined. Therefore, is should be born in mind that the actual range of the gripping pressure may not be identical to the above calculated range and the actual range may have somewhat smaller values, depending on the surface structure of the gripping surfaces which are in contact with the surface of the clitoris.

The methods, devices and systems disclosed herein and illustrated in the drawings proposed are based on the use of a non-invasive stimulation device, which provides sexual stimulation and enhances sexual pleasure of a user. The devices, systems and methods disclosed herein with regard to stimulation of the clitoris specifically, and/or other erogenous zones of a user, including but not limited to the anus, breasts, nipples, etc., may be also designed in additional versions and implementations, including but not limited to, bonded version of the stimulator device such as a sub-dermal implantable clitoris stimulator, based on a mechanical vibrator and rechargeable batteries, a sub- dermal implanted clitoris stimulator based on electrode stimulation and RF-rechargeable batteries and minimally invasive embodiments of the stimulator.

Furthermore, the design, dimensions, shape, materials and the various components of the present systems and devices of the present invention may be modified to suit the needs of various types of sexual pleasure enhancers used for increasing sexual enjoyment and satisfaction, which modifications would be performed by those skilled in the art without undue experimentation. Similarly, the materials indicated as suitable for constructing the devices and systems of the embodiments of the present invention are given by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Rather, any other suitable medically acceptable materials, or other suitable materials, known in the art may be used for constructing and implementing the systems and devices of the present invention and the parts and components thereof.

The stimulator device(s) disclosed herein may be successfully applied and used in all female constitutions and anatomical characteristics, regardless of presence of pubic hair, abundance of adipose tissue or fat and skin thickness at the preferred anatomical site, and may be used during sexual intercourse.

The special design and small size of the clitoral stimulators disclosed in the application, allow the anatomical area of the vaginal orifice to remain exposed and uncovered enabling normal sexual interaction at any sexual position, while the stimulator device is attached to the clitoris. However, if desired, the stimulator may also be applied and used by the individual for self-stimulation.

Activation and control of the stimulators described hereinabove and/or of the parameters of the delivered stimulus may be achieved by manual switching of the stimulator on when it is already placed on the chosen site. Alternatively, the stimulator may be remotely switched on by using any suitable remote control unit, as disclosed in detail hereinabove. Activation and adjustment of the stimulatory input and/or the stimulus parameters may also be done by using a sound activated control unit included in the device and can be activated by a suitable sound produced by the user or by another device or sound source (such as but not limited to, a hand clapping sound, a specific word or the like, a device produced sound, or as described in detail hereinabove). Alternatively and/or additionally, the activation and/or adjustment of the stimulator and/or the stimulus parameters may be done by using a cellular phone handset or other signal transmitting devices or remote control unit. Once the stimulator is activated, variable and diverse stimulatory characteristics may be controlled and modified by suitably modifying the amplitude, intensity level, frequency, duration or any other parameter of the vibrator as disclosed in detail hereinafter. This enables a large variety of optional stimuli having various different combinations of stimulation modes and stimuli parameters (such as, but not limited to a mild, gentle and brief pat, puked or continuous vibration, strokes, taps, and the like, depending, inter alia, on the type of end unit or accessory attached to the stimulator unit). These varieties of local stimuli allow the user to achieve increased and improved pleasurable sensations, and may also facilitate reaching of orgasm.

While adapted for use mainly as clitoral stimulating devices, the stimulator device(s) disclosed herein may also be placed on or attached to different erogenous zones of a user, including but not limited to the anus, breasts, nipples and the like. Supplements and addon enhancing attachments such as but not limited to a shaft with nubs, different kinds of shaped members, "tongue-like members", "octopus-like tentacles", and the like may optionally be used in conjunction with the stimulator device(s) of the present application for achieving increased sexual pleasure.

It is further noted that the gripping members of the stimulators of the present invention are not limited to the shapes and composition of the gripping members illustrated and described herein. The entire surface of the gripping members or any desired part of the surface of the gripping members may include any number and any combination of finned surface(s), nubbed surface(s), knobbed surface(s) rough surface(s), adhesive surface(s), micro-textured surface(s) surfaces having a microfiber array, biomimetic adhesive surfaces, surfaces having high friction properties, and any other type of surface(s) for providing enhanced friction or adhesiveness.

Furthermore the small size and method of placement, allow the stimulator (with or without any of the optional enhancing attachments) to be used discretely without being visibly noticeable at any desired circumstance or any situation, such as but not limited to, while the user is alone, while the user participates a meeting, while the user is in a public place, etc. In such situations the device may unobtrusively be hidden under the user's clothes and conveniently operated (by a remote control unit or otherwise). Since the stimulator may be waterproof, it may be also be used in any wet and/or aqueous environment (such as but not limited to a shower, a bath, a swimming pool and the like).

Additionally, the stimulator device(s) disclosed herein may be designed and adapted for a wide range of applications from a stimulator designed for one-time use (disposable stimulator), to a stimulator intended for multiple use. In embodiments in which the stimulator is battery operated, the type and sized of the battery (or batteries) used may be adapted for the type of intended use.

It is noted that while the examples disclosed in the present application and described herein are mainly adapted to the clitoris stimulator, the present invention is not intended to be limited to what is shown and described herein.

Rather, the scope of the methods, devices and systems of the present invention is intended to include, inter alia, methods for stimulating various different body parts, including but not limiting to, tongue, nipples and ears.

It is further noted that while the preferred version of the device is operated by an internal power source (such as, but not limited to, the power source 125 of Figs. 7 and 8), it is possible in another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application to provide electrical power to the vibrator 115 of the vibrating unit 300 of the stimulator 200 by a thin pair of electrically conducting insulated wires (not shown in Figs. 2 and 7) that are connected to the vibrating unit 300. Such wires may pass through the housing 220 (in a sealed manner) and are electrically connected to an external electrical power source (not shown in Figs. 2A and 7), such as but not limited to an external battery, battery pack, an external power supply, or the like.

It may also be possible to include an on/off switch (not shown) and/or other different control unit(s) or suitable user control interfaces (such as, but not limited to, dials, buttons, switches, and the like) on such a (optional) power supply unit or battery pack or the like which may then serve as an externally placed control unit which can be activated by the user in order to provide power to the stimulator and/or to enable the user to control one or more of the stimulation parameters. While such a wired embodiment of the stimulator may be somewhat less convenient for use due to the presence of the wires, it may have the advantage that the power source such as the battery or battery pack may be larger than any internal battery or power source which may be contained within the housing 220 of the vibrating unit 300 and may therefore allow longer use before the need to replace or recharge the power source or battery, or may even allow the operation of units or components requiring high currents, such as but not limited to, heating coils, Peltier elements or other thermal elements (see Fig. 55).

It will be appreciated that while the stimulators disclosed hereinabove and illustrated in the drawings all have two gripping members, it is also possible, in accordance with additional embodiments of the stimulator(s) of the present applications to construct and use stimulators having more than two gripping members. For example, by adding two more gripping members to any of the above disclosed stimulators, a stimulator with four gripping members may be obtained. The additional gripping members may be added in the longitudinal dimension or in the dimension between the gripping members and the vibrating unit.

Reference is now made to Figs 35 and 36. Fig. 35 is a schematic cross sectional view of a stimulator having four gripping members, in accordance with an additional embodiment of the stimulators of the present application. Fig. 36 is a schematic isometric view of a stimulator having four gripping members in accordance with yet another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application.

Turning to Fig. 35, the stimulator 700 includes four gripping members 700A, 700B, 700C, and 700D. The structure and composition of each of the gripping members 700A, 700B, 700C, and 700D may be as in any of the other gripping members disclosed hereinabove and illustrated in the drawings. The gripping member 700A is attached to the gripping mechanism 240 above the position of attachment of the gripping member 700B. Similarly, the gripping member 700C is attached to the gripping mechanism 240 above the position of attachment of the gripping member 700D. It is noted that while the lower gripping members 700B and 700D are larger than the upper gripping members 700A and 700C, this is not obligatory and the size of all four gripping members may also be identical. It is noted that the number, shape, size and details of construction of the gripping members disclosed in the present application may vary in the different types of stimulators disclosed and illustrated in the present application.

Reference is now made to Fig. 37 which is a schematic isometric exploded view illustrating parts of a gripping member usable in a stimulator, in accordance with an embodiment of the gripping members of the present application. The gripping member 330 includes a gripper base 332 made from any suitable material such as, for example, Nylon® 12, Nylon® 6, ABS, an engineering plastic, a polymer based material, a metal, an alloy, and the like. The gripper base has a preferably (but not obligatorily) flat surface 332A. The surface 332A may be level with the surface of the gripper base 332 or may be a recessed surface. The gripping member 330 also includes a resilient pad 334, which is attached to the surface 332A by bonding, gluing, thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding an adhesive, or by any suitable attachment method known in the art. The resilient pad 334 is preferably made from a resilient material, such as any of the resilient material disclosed in detail hereinabove (non-limiting examples, are plastic or polymer based material, an elastomer, rubber, latex, a synthetic rubber, a polysilane. a polymethylsilane, a silicon based elastomer, and the like). However, any suitable resilient material may be used). The gripper base 332 has two holes 334A and 334B formed therein for accepting the arms of the stimulator ( Such as, for example, the holding portions 942A and 942B of the stimulator illustrated in Fig. 30, or the gripping member holding portions 1020A and 1020B of the gripping mechanism 1020 of Fig. 33).

The gripping member 330 may be a permanently attached gripping member, in which case it may be glued or bonded to the gripping mechanism (such as, for example, the gripping mechanism 1020 of Fig. 33 or the gripping mechanism 117 of Fig. 2A or the gripping mechanism 240 of Fig. 3 or the gripping mechanism 940 of Fig. 30). However, in according to another embodiment of the gripping member of the present application, the gripping member 330 (or any other of the gripping members disclosed in the present application) may be a detachable and replaceable gripping member. In such a replaceable gripping member 330, the holes 334A and 334B are made to be detachably attached to the gripping mechanism of the stimulator, as is known in the art. The resihent pad 334 is texture by having several fins thereon as disclosed in detail hereinabove with respect to Figs. 2A, 3-7, 10-11, 13, 14). However, the resilient pad 334 may also be textured and /or microstructured as disclosed in detail hereinabove with respect to Figs. 16 and 20 A- 20G.

Reference is now made to Fig. 38 which is a schematic isometric exploded view illustrating parts of a gripping member usable in a stimulator, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the gripping members of the present application. The gripping member 340 includes a gripper base 336 made from any suitable material such as described hereinabove with respect to the gripper base 332. The gripper base 336 has a preferably (but not obligatorily) flat surface 336A. The surface 336A may be level with the surface of the gripper base 336 or may be a recessed surface.

The gripping member 340 also includes a resilient pad 334, which is attached to the surface 336A by a process of injection molding which attaches the resilient pad 334 to the gripper base 340. The surface 336A has a passage or hole 338 passing through the gripper base 336. The hole 338 may be used to inject the resilient material for forming the resilient pad 334 in the process of manufacturing the gripping member 340 as is well known in the art of injection molding. The resilient pad 334 is made from any suitable resilient material, such as disclosed hereinabove. The gripper base 336 has two holes 335A and 335B formed therein for accepting the arms of the stimulator as disclosed in detail with respect to the gripper base 332. The gripping member 340 may be a permanently attached gripping member or alternatively may be a detachable and replaceable gripping member, as disclosed in detail hereinabove with respect to the gripping member 332. For example, the gripper base may be made from an ABS polymer (such as, but not limited to, Stratex HG0760GP, conunercially available from Samsung Plastic Corporation, Japan) and the elastomer which is used for injection molding of the resilient pad 334 may be an injectable TPE (such the injectable TPE Thermoplast K TF5A, commercially available from KRAIBURG TPE GmbH & Co. KG, Germany. When the Gripper base 336 is placed in an injection mold and the hot TPE material is injected through the hole 338, the resilient pad 334 is formed and is well attached to the gripper base 336 to form the gripping member 340, as is known in t5he art of injection molding. Reference is now made to Figs. 39, 40 and 41. Fig. 39 is a schematic isometric exploded view illustrating parts of a gripping member usable in a stimulator, in accordance with another embodiment of the gripping members of the present application having a gripper base and a sock-like resilient pad having an open cavity therein. Fig. 40 is a schematic bottom view of the gripping member of Fig. 39 with the sock-like resilient pad attached to the gripper base. Fig. 41 is a cross section of the gripping member of Fig. 40 taken along the lines XXXXI - XXXXI.

The gripping member 350 includes a gripper base 346 made from any suitable material such as described hereinabove with respect to the gripper base 332. The gripper base 346 has a preferably (but not obligatorily) two notches 347A and 347B formed therein.

The gripping member 340 also includes a resilient sock-like pad 348, which has an open cavity 341 formed therein. The resilient pad 348 may attached to the gripper base 346 by bonding, gluing, thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding, an adhesive, or by any suitable attachment method known in the art. However, the sock-like resihent pad 348 may also be a replaceable and detachable resilient pad, the gripper base 346 may be pushed 341 into the cavity to attach the resilient Pad 348 to the gripper base 346. The cavity 341 may have two protrusions 248A and 348B on its opposite sides which enter the notches 347A and 347B of the gripper base 347 to firmly secure the resilient pad 348 on the gripper base 347 without using any glue or bonding material. This is possible due to the elasticity and resiliency of the resilient pad 348.

The resilient pad 348 is made from any suitable resilient material, such as disclosed hereinabove and is finned. However, the resihent pad 348 may be smooth or may be textured according to any of the textures and micro -structuring disclosed in detail in herein. The gripper base 347 has two holes 345A and 345B formed therein for accepting the arms of the stimulator as disclosed in detail with respect to the gripper base 332. The gripping member 345 may be a permanently attached gripping member or alternatively may be a detachable and replaceable gripping member, as disclosed in detail hereinabove with respect to the gripping member 332.

Reference is now made to Figs. 42, 43 and 44. Fig. 42 is a schematic isometric exploded view illustrating parts of a gripping member usable in a stimulator, having a gripper base and a sock-like resilient pad and a cavity formed in the gripper member for accepting a suppository, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the gripping members of the present application. Fig. 43 is a schematic front view of the gripping member of Fig. 42. Fig 44 is a schematic cross sectional view of the gripping member of Fig. 43 taken along the lines XXXXIV - XXXXIV.

The gripping member 360 includes the gripper base 349. The gripping member 340 also includes a resilient sock-like resilient pad 358, which has an open cavity formed therein for receiving within the cavity the gripper base 349 ( in a similar manner to the cavity 341 of the resilient pad 348). One of the feces of the cavity has an open elongated semicircular depression 359 formed therein. The resilient pad 358 may be attached to the gripper base 346 by bonding, gluing, thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding an adhesive, or by any suitable attachment method known in the art. However, the sock-like resilient pad 358 may also be a replaceable and detachable resilient pad, as disclosed hereinabove for the resilient pad 348 of Fig. 39. The gripper base 349 has an elongated semicircular depression 343 formed therein. When the sock-like resilient member 358 is pushed onto the gripper base 349, the semicircular depressions 343 and 359 together form a hollow open cavity 342 defined therebetween. The cavity 342 opens to the outside of the gripping member 360 as best seen in Fig. 42.

When the resilient pad 358 and the gripper base 349 are assembled together, a suppository 335 may be inserted into the open cavity 342 defined between the elongated semicircular depressions 343 and 359. The suppository 335 may be any suppository made as is known in the art and is designed to melt and to thereby deliver any desired material to the body part being gripped by the gripping member 360. The material of the suppository 335 be released through the opened part of the open cavity 342, but may also be released through suitable holes or passages 333 which are fluidically connecting the cavity 342 with the finned surface of the resilient member 358 (as best seen in Fig. 42).

The resilient pad 358 is made from any suitable resilient material, such as disclosed hereinabove and has multiple fins 365 formed on the surface of the resilient pad 358. However, the resilient pad 358 may be smooth or may be textured according to any of the textures and micro-structuring disclosed in detail in herein, and may include or may be coated with any material with enhanced friction and/ or enhanced adhesive properties. The gripper base 349 has two holes 361A and 361B formed therein for accepting the arms of the stimulator as disclosed in detail with respect to the gripper base 332. The gripping member 349 may be a permanently attached gripping member or alternatively may be a detachable and replaceable gripping member, as disclosed in detail hereinabove with respect to the gripping member 332.

It is noted that the while the cavity 342 of the gripping member 360 is defined partly by the gripper base 349 and partly by the resilient pad 358, this is not obligatory and a cavity or several cavities may be formed within the resilient pad or within the gripper base of the gripping mechanisms of the stimulators disclosed herein.

Reference is now made to Figs. 45 and 46. Fig. 45 is a schematic front view illustrating a resilient pad having a first cavity to accept a gripper base and a second cavity for accepting a suppository therein, in accordance with another embodiment of the gripping members of the present application. Fig. 46 is a schematic cross sectional view of the resilient pad of Fig. 45, taken along the lines XXXXVI - XXXXVL The resilient sock-like pad 368, has an open cavity 341 formed therein for receiving within the cavity 341 a gripper base as is shown in detail hereinabove for the gripper base 346 and the resilient pad 348 of Fig. 39. The resilient pad 368 may attached to the gripper base being used by bonding, gluing, thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding an adhesive, or by any suitable attachment method known in the art. However, the sock-like resilient pad 368 may also be a replaceable and detachable resilient pad, as disclosed hereinabove for the resilient pad 348 of Fig. 39. The resilient pad 368 has another open cavity 362 formed therein along the length of the resilient pad 368. The cavity 362 opens to the outside of the resilient pad 368.

The suppository 335 (of Fig. 42) may be inserted into the open cavity 362 of the sock-like resilient pad 368. The suppository 335 may be any suppository made as is known in the art and is designed to melt and to thereby deliver any desired material to the body part being gripped by the gripping member 360. The material of the suppository may be released through the opened part of the open cavity 342, but may also be released through suitable holes or passages 333A which are fluidically connecting the cavity 362 with the finned surface of the resilient member 368 (as best seen in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 46). The resilient pad 368 is made from any suitable resilient material, such as disclosed hereinabove and has multiple fins 365 formed on its surface. However, the resilient pad 368 may be smooth or may be textured according to any of the textures and micro -structuring disclosed in detail in herein.

In accordance with another embodiment of the stimulators of the present application, the cavity formed in the gripping member and/or in the gripper base and/or in the resilient pad may be a sealed cavity. Such a sealed cavity may be preloaded or pre-filled at the factory with either a suppository (such as, for example, the suppository 335) or may be filled with any material or substance or composition of matter such as a liquid, a gel, a solid a semi-solid, a paste , a powder and the like. After the cavity is filled by the desired material or composition, the opening of the cavity may be sealed by a sealing material (not shown) such as any meltable material (such as, for example by a meltable wax). Such a sealing material may be sufficient to prevent accidental releasing of the material from the cavity. When the resilient pad is placed in contact with the body part to be stimulated, the heat of the body may melt the sealing material and may allow the releasing of the material from the cavity and onto the body part being gripped by the gripping member. Similarly, when the preloaded material is a liquid or paste or powder which may be accidentally released from the holes 333, the holes 333 may be also sealed by such a meltable material after the cavity is filled by the material at the factory.

Alternatively, the cavity opening or the holes 333 may be sealed by other means, as is known in the art. For example, the cavity through which the suppository 335 or the other material is inserted may be sealingly covered by an adhesive sticker (not shown), which may be removed by the user prior to using the gripping member or the stimulator.

Alternatively, the cavity may be a sealed hollow cavity into which the material (such as a fluid or liquid material or composition) may be injected at the factory by using a syringe or the like to pierce the wall of the resilient pad and fill the cavity. In such a case there may be a sealable vent hole (not shown) formed in the cavity for allowing the air to vent while the liquid is being injected into the cavity. The vent hole may then be sealed by a meltable material or by a removable adhesive sticker as disclosed hereinabove.

It is noted that many types of materials and/or compositions may be delivered to the body part to be stimulated or to the female genitalia by the stimulators disclosed herein by their inclusion in the cavity of any of the gripping members or resilient pads having a cavity therein or in a suppository which is inserted into such a cavity. Such materials) and composition(s) may include but are not limited to, a flavoring agent, a volatile chemical, a scenting agent, a herbal extract, a luminescent agent, a coloring agent, an anesthetic agent, an aphrodisiac, an alcohol, ethanol, a hormone, a bio-identical hormone, a synthetic hormone, a sex hormone, a sexual stimulant, a herbal medicine, a homeopathic formulation, a pheromone, a spicy chemical, a spicy composition, a medical composition, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, a drug, a stimulant, a biocompatible lubricant, an immune system activator, an immune system modulator, an anti-microbial agent, an anti fungal agent, an anti-osteoporosis agent, an anti-anginal agent, a cardio-active agent, an antihypertensive agent and any combinations thereof.

Among the materials and/or compositions that may be delivered by the stimulator are: Hormones, such as progesterone, LHRH, insulin and the like. Vitamins such as, vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, or any other vitamin known in the art that may be delivered through a mucous membrane or through the skin. Calcitonin, for osteoporosis treatment and prevention, pain killers such as morphine sulfate, kyotorphine, salicylic acid and the like, antifungal agents, such as Canasten, Agisten and the like, antibacterial agents, such as, Penicilin, or any other antibiotic known in the art, Anti-anginal agents, such as nitroglycerine and the like, Buprenorphine for treatment of heavy drug users. Immune system activators, such as alpha interferon, cancer trating agents, such as Leuprolide acetate. Anti-hypertention agents, such as Propranolol and the like for lower anxiety and panic, drug delivery enhancers such as Aprotinine, Dextrane sulfate, oleic acid, Sodium EDTA, Sulfoxides, and the like. Muco-adhesive and/or lubricating materials such as, Polyacrylic acid, Xantium gum, Hydropropyl methyl cellulose, Polyurethanes, Hyaluronic acid, Pectin and Chitosan, drug vehicles such as, hydrogels, polyvinylpirrolydone (PVP), Acrylamide gel, and the like, an Aphrodisiac agent, and/or spicy chemical and/or tissue irritant such as Capsaicin, red pepper extract, Pimenton Dela Vera Picante, Cajun, Spanish fly, and the like.

All the above disclosed materials, compositions and agents and any combinations thereof may be included in a suppository of may be filled (or factory pre-filled or preloaded) in a cavity of any of the gripping members or resilient pads as disclosed herein for delivery to the body part or region to be stimulated by the stimulators of the present application in any useable form such as, a liquid, a solid, a meltable solid, a suppository, a paste, a cream, a solution, an emulsion, a gel, a cream, an ointment, a powder, and any combinations thereof.

It is further noted that the permeability of mucous membranes, such as the mucous membranes found in the female genitalia is significantly greater than the skin ( between 4- 4000 fold). Thus, application of all the above indicated materials or drugs to the female genitalia and/or the clitoral region by their release from the stimulator may be advantageous as bioavailability may be improved as compared to the delivery of the same materials through the GI system. Thus, the stimulators of the present application may be advantageously used for delivering any desired drug or therapeutic agent or medically active agent (s) or biologically active agents and/or any other beneficial materials or agents to a user, even if these materials are not directly related to the sexual stimulation of the patient or user by the stimulator.

It is noted that the gripping members of the present application need not be made from separate components. Rather, the gripping member may be made from a non- resilient material (such as, for example, high impact polystyrene) but may have fine and thin texturing or microstructures or fins formed on the gripping surface thereof. Such thin fins or other thin structures are known to be resilient when a force is applied thereon, because of their small thickness (as is explained in detail hereinabove. It is therefore possible to construct a gripping member which is made from a non-resilient material and which has a resilient portion on the gripping surface thereof which surface is finely structured with fins or other thin structures.

Reference is now made to Figs. 47-48. Fig. 47 is a schematic front view illustrating a gripping member having a finned surface, in accordance with another embodiment of the gripping members of the present application. Fig. 48 is a schematic cross sectional view of the gripping member of Fig. 47, taken along the lines XXXXVIII - XXXXVIII.

The gripping member 378 is made from a non-resilient material (such as, Nylon® 6, Nylon® 12, or the like) and is therefore sufficiently rigid to be attached to the arms of a gripping mechanism by any of the means of attachment disclosed hereinabove, such as holes (not shown) or slots (not shown) or an adhesive (not shown). The gripping surface 378 A of the gripping member 378 includes multiple fins 375 formed therein. The fins 375 are thin enough to be resilient when contacting the body part to be stimulated such that a firm and comfortable gripping is achieved. It is noted that Nylon® 6 and Nylon® 12 and the like are preferred (but not obligatory) in forming the gripping member 378 because of their high flow rate during the injection molding process usable for making the pad 378. The high flow rate of these material in the melted or flowing state assists the forming of very fine fins (such as the fins 375) or of other resilient thin members if such are needed in the gripping member. The advantage of such an injection molding method is that it allows to form the gripping member in a one step process while allowing the formation of a resilient portion or part of the gripping member ( such as the fins 375 of the gripping member 378).

It is noted that the stimulators of the present application are not limited to using a single vibrating unit and that in accordance with an embodiment of the stimulators of the application several vibrating units may be used in the stimulator.

Reference is now made to Fig. 49 which is a schematic isometric view illustrating a stimulator having two vibrating units attached to a gripping mechanism having two rigid arms mo vably joined together to form a meeting joint and attached to a spring disposed in the meeting joint, in accordance with another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application.

The Stimulator 1200 includes a gripping mechanism 1205 and two vibrating units

300. The gripping mechanism 1205 includes two arms 1210A and 1210B and a helical spring 1267 engaged with the arms 1210A and 1210B. The two arms 1210A and 1210B are movably and rotatingly joined together by ring-like members 1217A and 1217B, respectively. The ring-like portions 1217A and 1217B are rotatably arranged around a helical spring 1267 (or an elastic element) which has two engaging portions at the two ends thereof (only one engaging portion 1267A of the spring 1267 is seen in the isometric view of Fig. 49). The arms 1210A and 1210B may be rotatably moved with respect to a longitudinal rotation axis 1201 passing within the center of the spring 1267.

The engaging ends of the helical spring are engaged in receiving slots formed in the ring-like members (only one receiving slot 1216A of the two receiving slots is seen in the isometric view of Fig. 49). Typically, the two arms 1210A and 1210B are in a closed state (gripping state) due to the force applied by the spring 1267 to the arms 121 OA and 1210B. However, application of a force to the arms 1210A and 1210B in the directions indicated by the arrow heads of the double headed arrow 1269 may cause the opening of the arms, such that the arms 1210A and 1210B will be in an open state ready to receive a body part to be gripped therebetween. Such opening forces may be applied by a suitable attachable/detachable applicator as is disclosed in detail for the applicator 210 of Fig. 2B. For example, the engaging portions 312A and 312B of the applicator may be adapted to engage with a suitable slot or notch or passage (not shown in Fig. 49) formed in the arms 1210A and 1210B, respectively.

Each of the arms 1210A and 1210B has an open passage formed therein. The passage 1235A is formed in the arm 1210A for receiving therein a first vibrating unit 300 and the second arm 1210B has an open passage 1235B formed therein for receiving therein a second vibrating unit 300. The structure and operation of the vibrating unit 300 is as disclosed in detail hereinabove. The first arm 1210A has a gripping member 1230A attached at the gripping end thereof. The second arm 1210B has a gripping member 1230B attached at the gripping end thereof.

The advantage of the stimulator 1200 is that the two vibrating units may deliver a higher intensity of vibrations to the body part being stimulated as compared to a stimulator having a single vibrating unit. Additionally, due to the vibrating units 300 being closer to the gripping members 1230A and 1234B, the (coupling) of the vibrating units to the gripped body part may be improved.

Reference is now made to Fig. 50 which is a schematic isometric view illustrating a stimulator having a gripping mechanism including two rigid arms movably joined together to form a hollow meeting joint containing a vibrating unit, a spring disposed in the hollow meeting joint and ekstically attached to the arms, in accordance with another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application.

The Stimulator 1400 includes a gripping mechanism 1405 and the vibrating unit 300. The gripping mechanism 1405 includes two rigid arms 1460A and 1460B and a helical spring 1467 engaged with the arms 1460A and 1460B. The two arms 146ΌΑ and 1460B are movably and rotatingly joined together by interdigitating ring-like members formed as part of the arms. The arm 1460A has two spaced apart ring-like members 1468 and 1469 formed at the end of the arm 1460A and the arm 1460B has two spaced apart ring-like members 1462 and 1463 formed at the end of the arm 1460B. When the gripping mechanism 1405 is assembled, the ring-like members 1468 and 1469 are interdigitatingly inserted in the spaces between the ring-like members 1463 and 1462, such that the assembled ring-like members 1462, 1463, 1468 and 1469 together form a cylindrical open space 1407 therein.

A helical spring 1467 (which is an elastic element) is disposed within the cylindrical open space 1407 and the vibrating unit 300 is disposed within the hollow space defined by the helical coiled part of the helical spring 1467. The helical spring 1467 has two engaging portions at the two ends thereof (only one engaging portion 1467B of the spring 1267 is seen in the isometric view of Fig. 50). The engaging portions of the helical spring 1467 are engaged in receiving slots formed in the ring-like members 1468 and 1463 (it is noted that only one receiving slot 1464 formed in the ring-like member 1468 is seen in the isometric view of Fig. 50). Typically, the two arms 1460A and 1460B are in a closed state (gripping state) due to the force applied by the helical spring 1467 to the arms 1460A and 1460B. However, application of a force to the arms 1460 A and 1460B in the directions indicated by the arrow heads of the double headed arrow 1470 may cause the opening of the arms, such that the arms 1460A and 1460B will be in an open state (as is shown in Fig. 50) ready to receive a body part to be gripped therebetween. Such opening forces may be applied by a suitable attachable/detachable applicator as is disclosed in detail for the applicator 210 of Fig, 2B. For example, the engaging portions 312A and 312B of the applicator may be adapted to engage with a suitable openings or passages 1465A and 1465B formed in the rigid arms 1460A and 1460B, respectively (it is noted that only one such passage 1465A in the arm 1460A is shown in the isometric view of Fig. 50) by suitably modifying the applicator 210 to include two suitable protruding members (or hooks) attached to, or formed as part of the engaging portions 312A and 312B of the applicator 210.

The structure and operation of the vibrating unit 300 disposed within the gripping mechanism 1405 is as disclosed in detail hereinabove. Each of the arms 1460A and 1460B has a gripping member formed at the end thereof. The arm 1460B has a gripping member 1460C attached at the gripping end thereof. The gripping member of arm 1460A is not seen in the isometric view of Fig. 50. The gripping member 1460C of the arm 1460B is formed as an integral part of the arm 1460B and includes a plurality of fins 1476 which are sufficiently thin to be resihent. The gripping member (not shown) of the other arm 1460A is similarly formed as several fins (not shown).

Reference is now made to Fig. 51 is a schematic isometric view illustrating a stimulator having a gripping mechanism including a single spring with two arms and a coiled part, a vibrating unit disposed in the coiled part of the spring and two gripping members attached to the arms, in accordance with another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application. The stimulator 1500 includes a gripping mechanism 1505 and a vibrating unit 300 attached to the gripping mechanism 1505. The gripping mechanism 1505 includes a helical spring 1540 having a firs arm 1540A and a second arm 1540B, the arms 1540A and 1540B are straight extensions of the ends of the helical spring 1540 which extend at the ends of the coiled portion 1540C of the spring 1540. Each arm of the arms 1540A and 1540B has an end portion attached to a corresponding gripping member of two gripping members 1530A and 1530B. The end portion 1543D of the arm 1540A is attached to the gripping member 1530A by being engaged within a receiving slot 1545 formed along the gripper base 1532A of the gripping member 1530A (the corresponding end portion of the arm 1540B is not seen in the isometric view of Fig. 51). The gripping members 1530A and 1530B of the gripping mechanism 1505 are replaceable gripping members and may be detached and attached from the end portions of the arms 1540A and 1540B. For example the gripping member 1530A may be removed from the arm 1540A by disengaging the end portion 1543A of the arm 1540A out of the receiving slot 1545.

A new replacement gripping member (not shown may be attached to the arm 1540A by pushing the end portion 1545 of the arml540A into the receiving slot of the new gripping member to firmly lock the end portion 1545 within the receiving slot of the new gripping member (not shown). The construction and operation of the vibrating unit 300 is as disclosed in detail hereinabove. The gripping member 1530A includes a gripper base 1532A and a finned resilient pad 154 A attached thereto, and the gripping member 1530B includes a gripper base 1532B and a finned resilient pad 1549B attached thereto as disclosed in detail hereinabove. Preferably, the helical spring is made such that in the gripping mechanism 1505 is normally closed and the resihent pads 1549A and 1549B are in contact with each other. In operation, a suitable applicator (such as a suitably modified form of the applicator 210 of Fig. 2B) may be used to force the gripping mechanism 1505 to open such that the gripping members are sufficiently separated from each other to enable the clitoris (or any other body part) to be inserted between the gripping members and to be gripped by the resilient pads 1549A and 1549B after the gripping mechanism is allowed ton close, as is disclosed in detail hereinabove.

Reference is now made to Fig. 52 is a schematic isometric view illustrating a stimulator having a gripping mechanism including a leaf spring with two arms and a center portion, a vibrating unit attached to the center portion of the leaf spring and two gripping members attached to the end of the arms of the leaf spring, in accordance with another embodiment of the stimulator of the present application. The stimulator 1600 includes a gripping mechanism 1641 and a vibrating unit 300 attached to the gripping mechanism 1641. The gripping mechanism 1641 includes a U-shaped leaf spring 1640 and two gripping members 1630S and 1630B attached to the leaf spring 1640. The leaf spring 1640 includes a first arm 1640A, a second arm 1640B and a middle portion 1640C from which the two arms 1640 A and 1640B extend. A first gripping member 1630A is attached to the arm 1640A and a second gripping member 1630B is attached to the arm 1640B. The gripping member 1630A includes a gripper base 1632A and a resilient pad 163 A attached to the gripper base 1632A The gripping member 1630B includes a gripper base 1632B and a resilient pad 1639B attached to the gripper base 1632B. The ends of the arms 1640A and 1640B may be embedded within the gripper bases 1632A and 1632B, respectively, or may be glued to or bonded to the gripper bases 1632A and 1632B, in which case the gripping members are not replaceable. Alternatively, the gripper bases 1632A and 1632B may be detachably attached to the ends of the arms 1640A and 1640B such that the gripping members 1630A and 1630B may be detached from the ends of the armsl640A and 1640B and replaced by new gripping members.

The leaf spring 1640 may be made from stainless steel or from any other suitable structural material such as an elastic polymer based material and the like. Preferably (but not obligatorily) the middle portion 1640C is made such that the two arms 1640A and 1640B are normally closed such that the gripping members 1630 A and 16320B contact each other. Each of the arms 1640A and 1640B has an open passage formed therein. The open passage 1645 of the arm 1640A and the open passage 1645 of the arm 1640B (not seen in the isometric view of Fig. 52) may be used for coupling the arms 1640A and 1640B to an applicator which may be used to open the arms 1640A and 1640B of the gripping mechanism 1641. For example, the engaging portions 312A and 312B of the applicator 210 (of Fig. 2B) may be adapted to engage with the open passages 1645 formed in the arms 1640A and 1640B by suitably modifying the applicator 210 to include two suitable protruding members (or hooks) attached to, or formed as part of the engaging portions 312A and 312B of the applicator 210.

Alternatively, in accordance with another embodiment of the gripping mechanism of the present application, the arms 1640A, 1640B and the middle portion 1640C may be made from a shape memory alloy (SMA), such as but not limited to ITINOL®, or any other suitable shape memory material. In such an embodiment, when the gripping mechanism 1641 is at room temperature, the arms 1640A and 1640B may be in an opened configuration, such that the gripping members 1630A and 1630B are spaced apart and the clitoris (or other body part) may be positioned between the open armsl640A and 1640B and the spaced apart gripping members 1630A and 1630B. When the stimulator 1600 is placed in contact with the body and warmed by the contact with the body part, or otherwise heated to a predetermined reversion temperature by subjecting it to any heat source, the shape memory alloy reverts to a former shape in which the arms 1640A and 1640B are closed by moving towards each other and the gripping members move towards each other to grip the clitoris or other body part between their gripping surfaces.

Removal of the stimulator 1600 may be achieved either by exposing the stimulator 1600 to air at room temperature, or alternatively actively cooling the shape memory alloy of the gripping mechanism, such as, for example, by a Peltier thermoelectric element (not shown) disposed within, the stimulator or within the vibrating unit 300 and thermally coupled to the shape memory alloy and controllably operable to cool and/or heat the shape memory alloy of the gripping mechanism as is disclosed in detail hereinafter. It is noted that other types of heating and/or cooling devices may be used instead of the Peltier element or in addition thereof. For example, a Peltier element may be used to cool the shape memory alloy and a heating coil may be used for warming the shape memory alloy. However any thermal unit known in the art may be used for hearting and/or cooling and/or heating and cooling the shape memory alloy.

It is noted that while the main erotic stimulus delivered by the stimulator to the body part which is being stimulated, this does not exclude enhancing of the pleasurable sensations of the user by providing other types of sensory stimuli to the user which may enhance the pleasure of the user or his her sexual partner and thereby improve the overall stimulating effect and erotic excitation thereof.

Reference is now made to Fig. 53 which is a schematic, partially broken, isometric view illustrating an auxiliary stimulus delivery unit which may be optionally used with the stimulators and systems of the present application,

The auxiliary stimulus delivering unit 1130 is shown in Fig. 53 with part of the housing 1040 broken or removed to show the internal components dispose within the housing 1040. The auxiliary stimulus delivering unit includes a housing 1040. Preferably (but not obligatorily) the housing 1040 is a sealed housing to prevent entry of body secretions or fluids into the housing 1040. The auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also includes a (optional) power source 125, a (optional) controller unit 127, a light source 1032 and a sound generating unit 1034 which are all disposed within the housing 1040. The light source 1032 may be electrically connected to the controller unit 127 by electrically conducting wires 1049A and 1049B. The sound generating unit may be connected to the controller unit 127 by electrically conducting wires 1047A and 1047B. The controller unit 127 may be electrically connected to the power source 125 by electrically conducting wires 1042A and 1042B to receive power therefrom.

The sound generating unit may be any suitable device or combination of devices capable of generating sound, such as, for example, one or more, electromagnetic speakers or piezoelectric speakers, or any other type of sound generating devices or combinations of devices known in the art.

The light source may be any type of light producing or light emitting device known in the art, such as, but not limited to, a tungsten lamp, a hot filament based light source a light emitting diode an organic light emitting diode, a solid state light emitting device, an electroluminescent device, a solid state laser, a diode laser, or any other type of light emitting device known in the art, including any combinations of the above listed light sources.

The controller unit 127 may be any type of controller unit known in the art such as a solid state controller, a micro -controller, a processor, a microprocessor or any other type of controller known in the art and adapted for controlling the operation of the light source 1032 and/or the sound generating unit 1034. The controller 127 may be operated (by using a remote controller or by operating of a hand pad by the user) to control the turning on and off the light source 1032 and/or to control the voltage or current applied to the light source to control the intensity of the light. Similarly, the controller unit 127 may control any of the parameters of the sound generated by the sound generating unit 1034 (such as but not limited to the sound intensity and/or pitch (frequency), the sound envelope parameters, and or the temporal sequence of sound pulses or bursts, the sound spectral content (frequency distribution), and other sound parameters of the generated sound.

The power source 125 may be any suitably sized power source, such as, for example, a battery, an electrochemical cell, a rechargeable electrochemical cell, a primary cell, a fuel cell, and the like, but any type of compact power source or any combinations of power sources known in the art may be used in the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit 1130.

Reference is now made to Fig. 54 is a schematic isometric view illustrating a resilient pad having a cavity therein with the auxiliary stimulus delivery unit inserted into the cavity of the pad.

The resilient pad 368 has been described in detail hereinabove with respect to Figs. 45-46. The auxiliary stimulus delivering unit 1030 of Fig. 53 may be inserted into the open cavity 362 of the resilient pad 368 (the cavity is best seen in Figs. 45-46). The auxiliary stimulus delivering unit 1030 may be inserted (by the user or at the factory) into the cavity 362 through the open part thereof such that the light source 1032 protrudes through the opening of the cavity 362. In this way the light stimuli may be seen by the user or by a sexual partner of the user to enhance the pleasure thereof. The sound generating unit may be operated by the user to generate various sound stimuli, such as music, various different sound effects and even a simulation of human speech, or any other desirable type of sound to enhance the pleasure of the user or of a sexual partner thereof. It is noted that if the user wishes to deliver a material to the stimulated body part but also to use light and/or sound stimuli, the user may insert the suppository 335 into the cavity of the resilient pad of one gripping member of the stimulator and may also insert the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit 1032 into the cavity of the other resilient pad attached to the other gripping member of the stimulator.

Reference is now made to Fig. 55 which is a schematic block diagram illustrating a stimulating system with an (optional) integrated auxiliary audio-visual stimulus delivery unit and an (optional) thermal unit. The system 1311 includes the remote control unit 119 as described in detail with respect to Fig. 9 hereinabove. The system 1311 also includes a stimulator 1300. The stimulator 1300 includes the controller unit 127 of Fig. 9. The stimulator 1300 also includes the power source 125, which may be any type of power source (either internal to the stimulator or externally disposed) as described in detail with respect to the power source 125 of Fig. 9 hereinabove. The stimulator 1300 also includes the vibrator unit 115 as disclosed in detail hereinabove with respect to Fig. 9. The stimulator unit 1300 also includes the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit 1030 as described in detail in Fig. 53. An (optional) light source 1032 and an (optional) sound generating unit 1032 are included in the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit 1030. The stimulator 1300 also includes a thermal unit 309 for controllably heating and/or cooling one or more of the parts of the stimulator 1300. The stimulator 1300 may (optionally) include one or more sensor units 313 suitably operationally connected to the controller unit 127.

The sensor unit(s) 313 may include, but are not limited to, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, electrical impedance sensors, strain-gage sensors, pulse-oxymetry sensors, optical sensors, accelerometer sensors, blood pressure sensors, pulse sensing sensors, an acoustic sensor, a microphone, or any other type of sensor known in the art for determining a physiological parameter of the human body or of a part of the human body. Any combinations of such sensors may be used. It is noted that the sensor unit(s) may be installed in or attached to any suitable part or portion or component of the stimulator 1300 (depending, inter alia, on the parameter sensed by the sensor). Such parts and portions may include but are not limited to, the vibrating unit 300 and/or any part thereof, the vibrator unit 115 and/or any parts thereof, the gripping mechanism and any part or portion thereof, the gripping member(s) or any part or portion thereof, the gripper base(s) or any part or portion thereof, the resilient pad(s) or any part or portions thereof, the arm(s) of the gripping mechanism, and the elastic element or spring, or leaf spring of the gripping mechanism.

The signals from such sensor(s) 313 may be communicated to the controller unit 127 for further storage and/or processing and may either be used for transmitting signals to the remote control unit 119 for being displayed or store for further analysis (for research purposes or for medical therapeutic purposes and the like) and/or may be used for automatically regulating or modulating the operation of one or more of the vibrator unit 115, the thermal unit 309, the light source 1032 and the sound generating unit 1034.

For example, the sensor(s) 313 may include a pulse (heart rate) sensing device which may monitor the heart rate of the user. During the operation of the stimulator changes in the heart rate of the user may be used as a trigger to modulate or change the operation of the vibrator 115. For example, is an increase in the heart rate of the user is indicative of the user being aroused and/or nearing a climax, the frequency of the vibrations and/or the intensity (amplitude) of the vibrations, or any other characteristic of the vibrations of the Vibrator 115 may be increased, or decreased or otherwise modulated, in order to further increase the level of user arousal to assist the user in reaching a climax or an orgasm. Optionally, other changes in one or more of the physiological parameters of the user may be used to turn off or to decrease or otherwise modify or modulate the vibrations delivered by the vibrator 115 to the stimulated body part of the user.

The stimulator 1300 also includes a transceiver 1130 for wirelessly communicating with the remote control unit as described in detail hereinabove. Alternatively, if there is only a need to send command signals unidirectionally from the remote control unit 119 to the stimulator 1300, the transceiver 1130 may be substituted by a receiver unit ( such as, for example, by the receiver unit 130 of Fig. 9). The transceiver 1130 may be used to receive control signals from the remote control unit 119 and is suitably coupled to the controller unit 127 for providing signals to the controller unit 127 and for (optionally) receiving data and/or signals from the controller unit 127. The Transceiver unit 1130 may also (optionally) be used to wirelessly transmit signals and/or data to the remote control unit 119. Such signals and/or data may be selected from, data and/or signals representing the status of one or more of the power source 125, the vibrator unit 115, the light source 1032, the sound generating unit 1034 and the thermal unit 309, data and/or signals representing the reading of source 125, the vibrator unit 115, the light source 1032, the sound generating unit 1034 and the thermal unit 309

The thermal unit 309 may be disposed within or on any part of the stimulator 1300 or within or on any part of the gripping mechanism (not shown in Fig. 55 for the sake of clarity of illustration) of the stimulator 1300 or within the vibrating unit 300 (not shown in the schematic block diagram of Fig. 55, but best seen, for example in Fig. 52) of the stimulator 1300. The thermal unit 309 may be a thermoelectric Peltier device or element that may be thermally coupled to the shape memory alloy (such as, for example, the shape memory alloy that may be included in the gripping mechanism 1641 of Fig. 52) and may be controUably operable to cool and/or heat the shape memory alloy 1641 of the gripping mechanism in order to open and/or close the arms of the gripping mechanism without using an applicator as explained in detail hereinabove with respect to an embodiment of the stimulator 1600 of Fig 52. It is noted that the thermal unit 309 may include other types of heating and/or cooling devices which may be used instead of or in combination with the Peltier element or in addition thereto. For example, a Peltier element may be used to cool the shape memory alloy and a heating coil may be used for warming the shape memory alloy. However, any thermal unit known in the art may be used for heating and/or cooling and/or heating and cooling the shape memory alloy.

Furthermore, the thermal unit 309 is not limited to heating or cooling of a shape memory alloy and may also be useful in stimulators which do not include such a shape memory allow as part of their gripping mechanism. For example, the thermal unit 309 may be (optionally) included in any of the stimulators disclosed herein for the purpose of controlling the temperature of the stimulator itself or of any parts of the stimulator which are in contact with the gripped body part. It is well known that the contact of a too cold or too warm object with a body part and especially with the female genitalia may be an unpleasant experience. For example, if the stimulator is used in the winter and is colder than the average body temperature (about 37°C), an unpleasant sensation may result from attaching a relatively cold stimulator to the clitoris. The thermal unit 309 may avoid such an undesirable sensation by keeping the stimulator temperature regulated at a user- determined preset temperature value (such as, for example at or near 37°C. However, any preset temperature value may be used to suit the taste and comfort level of any user. Thus, the thermal unit 309 may include circuitry or components for holding the temperature of the stimulator or a portion thereof at a predetermined or user determined value.

The thermal coupling of the thermal unit 309 to the stimulator 1300 may be achieved in several different ways as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art of thermal control. For example, a Peltier element may be attached to the housing of the vibration generating unit (such as, for example to the housing 220 of the vibrating unit 300 (Fig. 2A) by using a suitable thermal grease or by gluing the Peltier to the housing 220 using a thermally conductive epoxy glue, or the like). However, these and other methods of thermal coupling may be used to attach such a thermal unit to any suitable part of the gripping mechanism of any the different stimulators disclosed in the present application.

It is noted that, while the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit 1130, includes its own internal power source 125 for powering the controller unit and/or the light source and/or the sound generating unit, this is not obligatory. For example, an integrated (or built-in) auxiliary stimulus delivering unit 1030 may be implemented as part of the circuitry of the controller unit 127 and may be energized by an external power source 125 through the controller unit 127. Therefore, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, any of the components selected from the transceiver unit 1130 the controller unit 127, the light source 1030, the sound generating unit 1034, the vibrator unit 115 or other components of the stimulator 1300 may be implemented as part of an integrated circuit (IC) and/or a PCB, or the like. However, discrete electronic components may also be used to implement one or more of the transceiver unit 1130 the controller unit 127, the light source 1030, the sound generating unit 1034, the vibrator unit 115, the controller unit 127, the power source 125 or other components of the stimulator 1300. A combination of discrete electronic or electromechanical components may also be used as a hybrid circuitry including certain discrete components and certain integrated circuit. It is noted that in Figs. 3-7, 15-19 and 35 of the present application, only the housing 220 of the vibrating unit 300 is shown in cross-section, without showing any details of the components disposed within the housing, for the sake of clarity of illustration.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any suitable number and arrangement of the gripping members and/or the resilient pads disclosed herein may be used in the stimulators of the present application as long as they comfortably and non- painfully provide sufficient static friction to firmly grip the clitoral tissues or of the other body part to be stimulated as explained in detail hereinabove.

Furthermore, it is noted that the elastic behavior of the gripping mechanisms disclosed in the present applications advantageously allows the stimulators to accommodate changes to the thickness or width or diameter of the clitoris which typically occur during the process of sexual arousal of the female user. When such a user begins the stimulation using the stimulator, the width or diameter of the non-aroused clitoris has a first basic value (which may vary in different women), However as stimulation proceeds, the women becomes gradually sexually excited or aroused which may result in substantial enlargement of the clitoral width or diameter due to engorgement of the crural bodies of the clitoris. As the clitoris expands, it pushes against the gripping members which causes the arms attached to the gripping members to move outwardly (way from each other ) due to the elastic behavior of the elastic element of the gripping mechanism (such as the spring or leaf spring or SMA of the gripping mechanism). This elastic opening of the arms of the gripping mechanism does not result in slipping of the clitoris from the grippmg mechanism due to the texturing or fins of the gripping members or the resilient pads which substantially improves the gripping efficacy of the gripping members and prevents slipping and dislodgement of the clitoris from the gripping mechanism as disclosed in detail hereinabove, despite the enlargement of the clitoris.

It is noted that the present application also discloses novel stimulating kits as disclosed in the summary of the invention and hereinafter. The stimulating kit may include a first stimulator and at least one additional kit component selected from one or more of the following kit component: one or more applicators as disclosed hereinabove , one or more stimulator selected from any of the stimulators disclosed in the application (the additional stimulator(s) may be identical to or different from the first stimulator), one or more gripping members ( the gripping members may be any of the gripping members disclosed in the application and may be identical with or different from the gripping members of the first stimulator of the kit), one or more resilient pads (the additional resilient pads may be any of the resilient pads disclosed in the application and may be identical with or different from the resilient pads of the first stimulator of the kit), one or more suppositories as disclosed hereinabove for use with the stimulator(s) of the kit as disclosed in detail hereinabove, one or more gripper members including a factory prefilled materials) as disclosed in detail hereinabove (the prefilled materials) may be included in any of the parts of the gripping member ad disclosed in detail hereinabove, including but not limited to the resilient pad, the gripper base and the combination thereof), one or more auxiliary stimulus delivery units as disclosed in the application, and any combinations of any of the above indicated kit components. The kits may also include printed instructions for instructing the user how to use the stimulator(s) of the kit. The advantages of such kits are that the user may experiment with different stimulators and with different parts of the stimulator(s) in order to arrive at the stimulator type and/or stimulator configuration which best suits the needs and/or the taste and/or the anatomical parts of the specific user.

The present application also discloses a novel replaceable resilient pad (which may be sold with the stimulator(s) or separately sold as a disposable part of any of the gripping member with replaceable and/or detachably attachable resilient pads disclosed hereinabove for use with any of the stimulators disclosed in the application, or may be sold as part of a kit.

The present application therefore also discloses novel gripping members, resilient pads, material-prefilled gripping members, material pre-filled resilient pads, and auxiliary stimulus delivering units adapted for insertion into the gripping member(s) or parts thereof, which are all suitable for use with the novel stimulators, systems and stimulating kits disclosed herein.

It is also noted that any of the gripping members of the present applications may be a magnetic gripping member by including a magnetic part (such as a magnetic gripper base or a magnetic resilient pad or both a magnetic gripper base and a magnetic resilient pad. Moreover, different gripping member and/or different resihent pads included in any of the stimulators, stimulator systems, and stimulating kits disclosed herein may have varying degrees of magnetization (including being non-magnetic). Furthermore the replaceable gripping members and/or the replaceable resilient pads of any of the stimulators, stimulator systems, and stimulating kits disclosed herein may be magnetic or nonmagnetic or may have different degrees of magnetization.

Furthermore, while the embodiments of the devices and systems of the present application are disclosed herein in a form adapted to clitoris stimulating, it would be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the devices, systems, kits and stimulator replaceable parts or Tefillable parts of the present application are not limited to the applications and forms disclosed. For example, the gripping mechanism disclosed herein may be included within or adapted for use in any insertable or attachable devices used in any suitable body orifices and/or cavities or protrusions and/or projections and/or lumps and/or bulges on the skin of any part of the body.

Claims

1. A stimulator comprising:

a gripping mechanism configured for gripping a body part to be stimulated and for being detached from the organ, the gripping mechanism includes at least one elastic element having a first arm and a second arm, at least a first gripping member attached to the first arm and at least a second gripping member attached to the second arm, the gripping mechanism is configured to be opened and closed by an apphcator detachably attachable to the gripping mechanism, such that the applicator is detachable from the stimulator after the organ or body part has been gripped between the opposing gripping members of the gripping mechanism and the applicator is attachable to the gripping mechanism for removing the stimulator from the body part; and

at least one controllable vibrating unit mechanically coupled to the gripping mechanism for providing mechanical vibrations to the gripping mechanism.

2. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein the at least first arm and the at least second arm of the gripping mechanism are arranged in a non-crossing configuration.

3. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one controllable vibrating unit and the gripping members are attached to the ends of the at least first arm and the at least second arm which are disposed adjacent to the body part being stimulated.

4. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one controllable vibrating unit comprises a first vibrating unit attached to the end of the at least first arm which is adjacent to the body part being stimulated and a second vibrating unit attached to the end of the at least second arm which is adjacent to the body part being stimulated.

5. The stimulator according to claim 4, wherein the first vibrating unit is attached to the at least first arm at any position therealong and the second vibrating unit attached to the at least second arm at any position therealong.

6. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one controllable vibrating unit comprises a first vibrating unit attached to the at least first gripping member and a second vibrating unit attached to the at least second gripping member.

7. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one controllable vibrating unit is attached to the end of the elastic element at which the first and second arms are joined, and wherein the gripping members are attached to the ends of the at least first arm and the at least second arm that are adjacent to the body part being stimulated.

8. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one elastic element is selected from the group consisting of, at least one spring, at least one leaf spring, at least one helical spring having two arms, at least one leaf spring having two arms, at least two rigid arms movably joined to a spring at their meeting point, at least one shape memory alloy member, and any combinations thereof.

9. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein the body part is a clitoris.

10. The stimulator according to claim 9, wherein the length of the gripping members is in the range of 5-60 irnllimeter.

11. The stimulator according to claim 9, wherein the length of the gripping members is in the range of 10%- 100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

12. The stimulator according to claim 9, wherein the length of the gripping members is in the range of 10-35 millimeter.

13. The stimulator according to claim 9, wherein the length of the gripping members is in the range of 50%- 100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

14. The stimulator according to claim 9, wherein the at least one first gripping member comprises two or more first gripping members attached to the first arm of the gripping mechanism and the at least one second member comprises one or more second gripping members attached to the second arm and wherein the total length spanned by the one or more first gripping members and by the one or more second gripping members the length of the gripping members is in the range of 5-60 millimeters.

15. The stimulator according to claim 9, wherein the gripping mechanism comprises a first gripping member and a second gripping member and wherein the length of each of the gripping members is in the range of 10%- 100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

16. The stimulator according to claim 9, wherein the gripping mechanism comprises a first gripping member and a second gripping member and wherein the length of each of the gripping members is in the range of 50%-100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

17. The stimulator according to claim 9, wherein the at least one first gripping member comprises two or more first gripping members attached to the first arm of the gripping mechanism and the at least one second gripping member comprises one or more second gripping members attached to the second arm and wherein the total length spanned by the one or more first gripping members and by the one or more second gripping members is in the range of 10%-100 of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

18. The stimulator according to claim 9, wherein the at least one first gripping member comprises two or more first gripping members attached to the first arm of the gripping mechanism and the at least one second gripping member comprises one or more second gripping members attached to the second arm and wherein the total length spanned by the one or more first gripping members and by the one or more second gripping members is in the range of 50%- 100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

19. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein the gripping members have at least one textured surface for increasing the friction with the gripped body part.

20. The stimulator according to claim 19, wherein the at least one textured surface is configured to increase the surface area of the gripping member that is in contact with the body part to increase the friction between the gripped body part and the gripping member.

21. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein the gripping pressure P_g applied by the gripping members to the surface of the gripped body part is in the range of P_g = 0.0366- 0.016 kg/mm².

22. The stimulator according to claim 19, wherein the textured surface is selected from the group consisting of, a finned surface, a knobbed surface, a surface having a plurality protrusions, a surface having suction-cup shaped protrusions, a dimpled surface, a nubbed surface, a serrated surface, a micro-structured surface, a surface having a microfiber array, a bio mimetic adhesive surface, a surface having high friction properties, and any combinations thereof.

23. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein each gripping member of the at least first gripping member and the at least second gripping member comprises a resilient gripping member made from at least one resilient material.

24. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein each gripping member of the at least first gripping member and the at least second gripping member comprises a gripper base and at least one resilient pad attached to the gripper base for gripping the body part.

25. The Stimulator according to claim 24, wherein the at least one resilient pad is selected from the group consisting of, one or more resilient pads, one or more elongated resilient pads one or more textured resilient pads, one or more resilient pads having a cavity therein, one or more resilient pads having a cavity fluidically connected to the outside surface of the pad, a gripping pad shaped like a hollow resilient sock having an open cavity therein for accepting at least a portion of the gripper base within the cavity, an resilient pad having at least one fiat surface for attaching the pad to the gripper base or to a recess formed in the gripper base, one or more magnetic resilient pads, and any combinations thereof.

26. The Stimulator according to claim 24, wherein the at least one resilient pad is selected from the group consisting of, an resilient pad permanently attached to the gripper base, a replaceable resilient pad removably attached to the gripper base, and a disposable resilient pad removably attached to the gripper base.

27. The stimulator according to claim 19, wherein the at least one resilient gripping pad has at least one textured surface for increasing the friction with the gripped body part.

28. The stimulator according to claim 27, wherein the textured surface is selected from the group consisting of, a finned surface, a knobbed surface, a surface having a plurality protrusions, a surface having suction-cup shaped protrusions, a dimpled surface, a nubbed surface, a serrated surface, a micro-structured surface, a surface having a microfiber array, a bio mimetic adhesive surface, a surface having high friction properties, and any combinations thereof.

29. The stimulator according to claim 24, wherein the gripper base is made of one or more rigid materials and the resilient gripping pad is made of one or more resilient materials.

30, The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the gripping members has a hollow cavity therein for accepting a material to be delivered to the stimulated body part.

31. The stimulator according to claim 30, wherein the material to be delivered is selected from a liquid material, a solid material, a meltable solid material, a suppository, a paste, a cream, a solution, an emulsion, a gel, a cream, an ointment, a powder, and combinations thereof.

32. The stimulator according to claim 30, wherein the material to be delivered is selected from, a flavoring agent, a volatile chemical, a scenting agent, a luminescent agent, a coloring agent, an anesthetic agent, an alcohol, ethanol, a hormone, a bio-identical hormone, a synthetic hormone, a sex hormone, a sexual stimulant, a herbal medicine, a homeopathic formulation, a pheromone, an aphrodisiac, a tissue irritant, a spicy chemical, a spicy composition, a medical composition, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, a drug, a stimulant, a biocompatible lubricant, an aphrodisiac, an antifungal agent, an antimicrobial agent, a drug vehicle, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, an anti-osteoporosis agent, an anti-anginal agent, an immune system activator, an immune system modulator, an antihypertensive agent, a muco -adhesive agent, a drug delivery enhancing agent, a cardio-active agent and any combinations thereof.

33. The stimulator according to claim 30, wherein each gripping member of the at least first gripping member and the at least second gripping member comprises a rigid gripper base and at least one resilient pad attached to the gripper base for gripping the body part and wherein said hollow cavity is selected from the group consisting of a hollow cavity formed in the gripper base, a hollow cavity formed in the resilient pad, and a hollow cavity defined between the gripper base and the resilient pad .

34. The stimulator according to claim 33, wherein the gripping member also includes one or more open passages connected to the hollow cavity for allowing the material contained in the cavity to be delivered to the body part being gripped by the stimulator.

35. The stimulator according to claim 1 wherein the vibrating unit includes a housing, a vibrator disposed in the housing for delivering mechanical vibrations to the housing and a power source coupled to the vibrator for energizing the vibrator.

36. The stimulator according to claim 35, wherein the power source is a mechanical power source and wherein the vibrator is a mechanical vibrator mechanically coupled to the mechanical power source and to the housing.

37. The stimulator according to claim 35, wherein the vibrating unit also includes a controller unit connected to the power source and to the vibrator for controlling the energizing and operation of the vibrator.

38. The stimulator according to claim 35, wherein the power source is selected from the group consisting of, a power source disposed within the housing, a power source disposed outside the housing, a direct current power source, an alternating current power source, a battery, a primary electrochemical cell, a rechargeable electrochemical cell, a mechanical power source, and any combinations thereof.

39. The stimulator according to claim 37, wherein the controller unit is selected from the group consisting of an external controller unit disposed outside the vibrating unit and electrically connected to the vibrating unit by electrically conducting wires connected to the vibrator, an external controller unit disposed within a manually operated controller electrically coupled to the vibrating unit by electrically conducting wires, an internal controller unit disposed within the housing of the vibrating unit and electrically coupled to the vibrator and the power source, and a remotely operated controller unit disposed within the housing and operably connected to a wireless receiver disposed within the hosing.

40. The stimulator according to claim 35, wherein the vibrating unit also includes a wireless receiver for wirelessly receiving control signals from an external wireless remote control unit.

41. The stimulator according to claim 35, wherein the vibrating unit also includes a wireless transmitter foT wirelessly transmitting signals to an external wireless remote control unit.

42. The stimulator according to claim 35, wherein the vibrating unit also includes a wireless transceiver for wirelessly receiving control signals from an external wireless remote control unit and for wirelessly transmitting signals to the external wireless remote control unit.

43. The stimulator system according to claim 35, wherein the vibrator is selected from the group consisting of a mechanical vibrator, an electrical vibrator, an electromechanical vibrator, a vibrating electrical motor an electrical motor having a rotatable shaft coupled to an eccentric weight, and an electrical motor having a rotatable shaft coupled to a mechanical vibrating element, and a piezoelectric vibrator.

44. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein the stimulator is wirelessiy controlled by a controlling device selected from the list consisting of, a remote control using

5 electromagnetic waves, a frequency operated remote control unit, a radio frequency transmitter, a radio frequency transceiver, a cellular telephone, a 3G cellular telephone, a smartphone, an ultrasonic transmitter, an ultrasonic transceiver, an infrared (IR) transmitter, an infrared transceiver, a Bluetooth® communication device, an iPod®, an iPAD®, an android tablet, a laptop computer, a computer with wireless communication o capability and any combinations thereof.

45. The stimulator according to claim 44, wherein the vibrating unit is an electrically operated vibrating unit including an electrical motor and wherein the cellular telephone wirelessiy controls one or more stimulation parameters of the stimulator selected from the group consisting of, turning the stimulator on, turning the stimulator off, controlling the5 electrical signal applied to the motor, controlling the timing, amplitude and duration of electrical signals applied to the motor, controlling the frequency of vibrations produced by the motor and any combination thereof.

46. The stimulator according to claim 1, further including an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit for providing one or more additional stimuli to a user.

0 47. The stimulator according to claim 46, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is selected from the group consisting of a self powered auxiliary stimulus delivering unit insertable into the stimulator or into a part thereof, a self-powered auxiliary stimulus delivering unit attachable into the stimulator or to a part thereof, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit integrated into the stimulator and powered by the power source of the5 stimulator, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit attachable to the stimulator and powered by the power source of the stimulator, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit insertable into the stimulator or into a part thereof and powered by the power source of the stimulator.

48. The stimulator according to claim 47, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is selected from the group consisting of, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a0 light source, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a sound generating unit, and an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a light source and a sound generating unit.

49. The stimulator according to claim 46, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit comprises:

a sealed housing; and

at least one stimulus delivering unit disposed within the housing and selected from the group consisting of, a light source, a sound generating unit, and a combination thereof.

50. The stimulator according to claim 49, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a power source disposed within housing for providing power to the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

51. The stimulator according to claim 49, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a controller unit disposed within housing for controlling the operation of the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

52. The stimulator according to claim 49, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is connectable to the power source of the stimulator for providing power to the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

53. The stimulator according to claim 49, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is connectable to the power source of the stimulator for providing power to and is also connectable to the controller unit of the stimulator for controlling the operation of the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

54. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein the stimulator also includes at least one thermal unit adapted for controlling the temperature of the stimulator or of any part thereof.

55. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein the stimulator also includes one or more sensors.

56. The stimulator according to claim 55, wherein one or more sensors are selected from the group consisting of, a temperature sensor, an electrical impedance sensor, a strain- gage sensor, a pulse-oxymetry sensor, an optical sensor, an accelerometer, a pressure sensor, a blood pressure sensor, a pulse sensing sensor, a sensor for sensing a physiological parameter of the human body or of a part of the human body, a sensor for sensing the state of any component of the stimulator, an acoustic sensor, a microphone, and any combinations thereof.

57. A stimulator system comprising:

a gripping mechanism configured for gripping a body part to be stimulated and for being detached from the part, the gripping mechanism includes at least one elastic element having a first arm and a second arm, at least a first gripping member attached to the first 5 arm and at least a second gripping member attached to the second arm, the gripping mechanism is configured to be opened and closed by an applicator detachably attachable to the gripping mechanism, such that the applicator is detachable from the stimulator after the organ or body part has been gripped between the opposing gripping members of the gripping mechanism and the applicator is attachable to the gripping mechanism for o removing the stimulator from the body part;

at least one controllable vibrating unit mechanically coupled to the gripping mechanism for providing mechanical vibrations to the gripping mechanism; and

an applicator detachably attachable to the gripping mechanism and configured for opening and closing the gripping mechanism, such that the applicator is detachable from5 the stimulator after the organ or body part has been gripped between the opposing gripping members of the gripping mechanism and the applicator is configured to be re- attachable to the gripping mechanism for removing the stimulator from the body part.

58. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein the applicator comprises an elastic portion, a first and a second engaging potions extending from the elastic portion,0 and a first and a second holding member extending from the elastic portion, wherein the first and second engaging portions of the applicator are adapted to engage with a first and a second side of the gripping mechanism, respectively, such that when the first and the second holding portions are moved towards each other, the first and second engaging parts move apart from each other to open the gripping mechanism and when the first and5 second holding portions are released the first and second engaging parts move towards each other to close the gripping mechanism.

59. The stimulator system according to claim 58, wherein each of the first and the second engaging portions of the applicator are configured for engaging with one or more parts of the gripping mechanism selected from the group consisting of, the one or more gripping0 member or a portion thereof, the one or more arm or a portion thereof, and both the one or more gripping member and one or more arm or portions thereof.

60. The stimulator System according to claim 57, wherein the at least first arm and the at least second arm of the gripping mechanism are arranged in a non-crossing configuration.

61. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein the at least one controllable vibrating unit and the gripping members are attached to the ends of the at least first arm and the at least second arm which are in contact with the body part being stimulated.

62. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein the at least one controllable vibrating unit comprises a first vibrating unit attached to the end of the at least first arm which is closer the body part and a second vibrating unit attached to the end of the at least second arm which is closer to the body part.

63. The stimulator system according to claim 62, wherein the first vibrating unit is attached to the at least first arm at any position therealong and the second vibrating unit attached to the at least second arm at any position therealong.

64. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein the at least one controllable vibrating unit comprises a first vibrating unit attached to the at least first gripping member and a second vibrating unit attached to the at least second gripping member.

65. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein the at least one controllable vibrating unit is attached to the end of the elastic element at which the first and second arms are joined and the gripping members are attached to the ends of the at least first arm and the at least second arm which are adjacent to the body part being stimulated.

66. The stimulator system according to claim 57 wherein the at least one elastic element is selected from the group consisting of, at least one spring, at least one leaf spring, at least one helical spring having two arms, at least one leaf spring having two arms, at least two rigid arms movably joined to a spring at their meeting point, at least one shape memory alloy member, and any combinations thereof.

67. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein the body part is a clitoris.

68. The stimulator system according to claim 67, wherein the length of the gripping members is in the range of 5-60 millimeters.

69. The stimulator system according to claim 67, wherein the length of the gripping members is in the range of 10%-100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

70. The stimulator system according to claim 67, wherein the length of the gripping members is in the range of 10-35 millimeters.

71. The stimulator system according to claim 67, wherein the length of the gripping members is in the range of 50%-100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

72. The stimulator system according to claim 67, wherein the at least one first gripping member comprises two or more first gripping members attached to the first arm of the gripping mechanism and the at least one second member comprises one or more second gripping member attached to the second arm and wherein the total length spanned by the one or more first gripping members and by the one or more second gripping members the length of the gripping members is in the range of 5-60 centimeters.

73. The stimulator system according to claim 67, wherein the gripping mechanism comprises a first gripping member and a second gripping member and wherein the length of each of the gripping members is in the range of 10%- 100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

74. The stimulator system according to claim 67, wherein the gripping mechanism comprises a first gripping member and a second gripping member and wherein the length of each of the gripping members is in the range of 50%-100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

75. The stimulator system according to claim 67, wherein the at least one first gripping member comprises two or more first members attached to the first arm of the gripping mechanism and the at least one second member comprises one or more second member attached to the second arm and wherein the total length spanned by the one or more first gripping members and by the one or more second gripping members the length of the gripping members is in the range of 10%-100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

76. The stimulator system according to claim 67, wherein the at least one first gripping member comprises two or more first members attached to the first arm of the gripping mechanism and the at least one second member comprises one or more second member attached to the second arm and wherein the total length spanned by the one or more first gripping members and by the one or more second gripping members the length of the gripping members is in the range of 50%- 100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

77. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein the gripping members have at least one textured surface for increasing the friction with the gripped body part.

78. The stimulator system according to claim 77, wherein the at least one textured surface is configured to increase the surface area of the gripping member that is in contact with the body part to increase the friction between the gripped body part and the gripping member.

79. The stimulator according to claim 57, wherein the gripping pressure P_g applied by the gripping members to the surface of the gripped body part is in the range of P_g = 0.0366-0.016 kg/mm².

80. The stimulator system according to claim 77, wherein the textured surface is selected from the group consisting of, a finned surface, a knobbed surface, a surface having a plurality protrusions, a surface having suction-cup shaped protrusions, a dimpled surface, a nubbed surface, a serrated surface, a micro-structured surface, a surface having a microfiber array, a biorriimetic adhesive surface, a surface having high friction properties, and any combinations thereof.

81. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein each gripping member of the at least first gripping member and the at least second gripping member comprises a resilient gripping member made from at least one resilient material.

82. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein each gripping member of the at least first gripping member and the at least second gripping member comprises a rigid gripper base and at least one resilient gripping pad attached to the gripper base for gripping the body part.

83. The stimulator system according to claim 82, wherein the at least one resilient pad is selected from the group consisting of, one or more resilient pads, one or more elongated resilient pads one or more textured resilient pads, one or more resilient pads having a cavity therein, one or more resilient pads having a cavity fluidically connected to the outside surface of the pad, a gripping pad shaped like a hollow resilient sock having an open cavity therein for accepting at least a portion of the gripper base within the cavity, an resilient pad having at least one flat surface for attaching the pad to the gripper base or to a recess formed in the gripper base, one or more magnetic resilient pads, and any combinations thereof.

84. The stimulator system according to claim 82, wherein the at least one resilient pad is selected from the group consisting of, an resilient pad permanently attached to the gripper base, a replaceable resilient pad removably attached to the gripper base, and a disposable resilient pad removably attached to the gripper base.

85. The stimulator system according to claim 82, wherein the at least one resilient gripping pad has at least one textured surface for increasing the friction with the gripped body part.

86. The stimulator system according to claim 85, wherein the textured surface is selected from the group consisting of, a finned surface, a knobbed surface, a surface having a plurality protrusions, a surface having suction-cup shaped protrusions, a dimpled surface, a nubbed surface, a serrated surface, a microstructured surface, a surface having a microfiber array, a biomimetic adhesive surface, a surface having high friction properties, and any combination thereof.

87. The stimulator system according to claim 82, wherein the gripper base is made of one or more rigid materials and the resilient gripping pad is made of one or more resilient materials.

88. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein at least one of the gripping members has a hollow cavity therein for accepting a material to be delivered to the stimulated body part.

89. The stimulator system according to claim 88, wherein the material to be delivered is selected from a liquid material, a solid material, a meltable solid material, a suppository, a paste, a cream, a solution, an emulsion, a gel, a cream, an ointment, a powder, and combinations thereof.

90. The stimulator system according to claim 88, wherein the material to be delivered is selected from, a flavoring agent, a volatile chemical, a scenting agent, a luminescent agent, a coloring agent, an anesthetic agent, an alcohol, ethanol, a hormone, a synthetic hormone, a bio -identical hormone, a sex hormone, a sexual stimulant, a herbal medicine, a homeopathic formulation, a pheromone, an aphrodisiac, a tissue irritant, a spicy chemical, a spicy composition, a medical composition, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, a drug, a stimulant, a biocompatible lubricant, an aphrodisiac, an antifungal agent, an antimicrobial agent, a drug vehicle, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, an anti- osteoporosis agent, an anti-anginal agent, an immune system activator, an immune system modulator, an antihypertensive agent, a muco-adhesive agent, a drug delivery enhancing agent, a cardio-active agent and any combinations thereof.

91. The stimulator system according to claim 88, wherein each gripping member of the at 5 least first gripping member and the at least second gripping member comprises a rigid gripper base and at least one resilient gripping pad attached to the gripper base for gripping the body part and wherein said hollow cavity is selected from the group consisting of, a hollow cavity formed in the gripper base, a hollow cavity formed in the resilient gripping pad, and a hollow cavity defined between the gripper base and the o resilient pad member.

92. The stimulator system according to claim 91, wherein the gripping member also includes one or more open passages connected to the hollow cavity for allowing the material contained in the cavity to be delivered to the body part being gripped by the stimulator.

5 93. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein the vibrating unit includes a housing, a vibrator disposed in the housing for delivering mechanical vibrations to the housing and a power source coupled to the vibrator for energizing the vibrator.

94. The stimulator system according to claim 93, wherein the power source is a mechanical power source and wherein the vibrator is a mechanical vibrator mechanically0 coupled to the mechanical power source and to the housing.

95. The stimulator system according to claim A18, wherein the vibrating unit also includes a controller unit connected to the power source and to the vibrator for controlling the energizing and operation of the vibrator.

96. The stimulator system according to claim 93 wherein the power source is selected5 from the group consisting of, a power source disposed within the housing, a power source disposed outside the housing, a direct current power source, an alternating current power source, a battery, a primary electrochemical cell, a rechargeable electrochemical cell, a mechanical power source, and any combinations thereof.

97. The stimulator system according to claim 95, wherein the controller unit is selected0 from the group consisting of an external controller unit disposed outside the vibrating unit and electrically connected to the vibrating unit by electrically conducting wires connected to the vibrator, an external controller unit disposed within a manually operated controller electrically coupled to the vibrating unit by electrically conducting wires, an internal controller unit disposed within the housing of the vibrating unit and electrically coupled to the vibrator and the power source, and a remotely operated controller unit disposed within the housing and operably connected to a wireless receiver disposed within the hosing.

98. The stimulator system according to claim 93, wherein the vibrating unit also includes a wireless receiver for wirelessly receiving control signals from an external wireless remote control unit.

99. The stimulator system according to claim 93, wherein the vibrating unit also includes a wireless transmitter for wirelessly transmitting signals to an external wireless remote control unit.

100. The stimulator system according to claim 93, wherein the vibrating unit also includes a wireless transceiver for wirelessly receiving control signals from an external wireless remote control unit and for wirelessly transmitting signals to the external wireless remote control unit.

101. The stimulator system according to claim 93, wherein the vibrator is selected from the group consisting of a mechanical vibrator, an electrical vibrator, an electromechanical vibrator, a vibrating electrical motor an electrical motor having a rotatable shaft coupled to an eccentric weight, and an electrical motor having a rotatable shaft coupled to a mechanical vibrating element and a piezoelectric vibrator.

102. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein the stimulator is wirelessly controlled by a controlling device selected from the list consisting of, a remote control using electromagnetic waves, a radio frequency operated remote control unit, a radio frequency transmitter, a radio frequency transceiver, a cellular telephone, a 3G cellular telephone, a smartphone, an ultrasonic transmitter, an ultrasonic transceiver, an infrared (IR) transmitter, an infrared transceiver, a Bluetooth® communication device, an iPod®, an iPAD®, an android tablet, a laptop computer, a computer with wireless communication capability and any combinations thereof.

103. The stimulator system according to claim 102, wherein the vibrating unit is an electrically operated vibrating unit including an electrical motor and wherein the cellular telephone wirelessly controls one or more stimulation parameters of the stimulator selected from the group consisting of, turning the stimulator on, turning the stimulator off, controlling the electrical signal applied to the motor, controlling the timing, amplitude and duration of electrical signals applied to the motor, controlling the frequency of vibrations produced by the motor and any combination thereof.

104. The stimulator system according to claim 57, further including an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit for providing one or more additional stimuli to a user.

105. The stimulator system according to claim 104, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is selected from the group consisting of, a self powered auxiliary stimulus delivering unit insertable into the stimulator or into a part thereof, a self powered auxiliary stimulus delivering unit attachable into the stimulator or to a part thereof, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit integrated into the stimulator and powered by the power source of the stimulator, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit attachable to the stimulator and powered by the power source of the stimulator, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit insertable into the stimulator or into a part thereof and powered by the power source of the stimulator.

106. The stimulator system according to claim 104, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is selected from the group consisting of, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a light source, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a sound generating unit, and an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a light source and a sound generating unit.

107. The stimulator system according to claim 104, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit comprises:

a sealed housing; and

108. The stimulator system according to claim 107, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a power source disposed within housing for providing power to the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

109. The stimulator system according to claim 107, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a controller unit disposed within housing for controlling the operation of the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

110. The stimulator system according to claim 107, wherein the auxiliary stimulus 5 delivering unit is connectable to the power source of the stimulator for providing power to the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

111. The stimulator system according to claim 107, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is connectable to the power source of the stimulator for providing power to and is also connectable to the controller unit of the stimulator for controlling the o operation of the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

112. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein the stimulator also includes at least one thermal unit adapted for controlling the temperature of the stimulator or of any part thereof.

113. The stimulator according to claim 57, wherein the stimulator also includes one or5 more sensors.

114. The stimulator according to claim 113, wherein one or more sensors are selected from the group consisting of, a temperature sensor, an electrical impedance sensor, a strain-gage sensor, a pulse-oxymetry sensor, an optical sensor, an accelerometer, a pressure sensor, a blood pressure sensor, a pulse sensing sensor, a sensor for sensing a0 physiological parameter of the human body or of a part of the human body, a sensor for sensing the state of any component of the stimulator, an acoustic sensor, a microphone, and any combinations thereof.

115. A stimulating kit comprising:

At least two stimulators in accordance with claim 1, wherein each stimulator of the at5 least two stimulators has different gripping members.

116. The Stimulating kit according to claim 115 wherein the gripping members of the at least two stimulators are replaceable gripping members detachably attachable to the stimulator, and wherein at least one gripping member of the gripping members of the at least two stimulators has a cavity therein for containing a material to be delivered to the body part to be stimulated.

117. The Stimulating kit according to claim 116, wherein the material to be delivered is selected from, a flavoring agent, a volatile chemical, a scenting agent, a luminescent agent, a coloring agent, an anesthetic agent, an alcohol, ethanol, a hormone, a synthetic hormone, a bio -identical hormone, a sex hormone, a sexual stimulant, a herbal medicine, a homeopathic formulation, a pheromone, an aphrodisiac, a tissue irritant, a spicy chemical, a spicy composition, a medical composition, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, a drug, a stimulant, a biocompatible lubricant, an antifungal agent, an antimicrobial agent, a drug vehicle, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, an anti- osteoporosis agent, an anti-anginal agent, an immune system activator, an immune system modulator, an antihypertensive agent, a muco-adhesive agent, a drug delivery enhancing agent, a cardio-active agent and any combinations thereof.

118. The Stimulating kit according to claim 116 wherein at least two gripping members of the gripping members of the at least two stimulators include different materials disposed within the cavity.

119. The stimulating kit according to Claim 115, wherein the gripping members of the at least two stimulators include a gripper base and a replaceable elastic pad removably attachable to the gripper base, and wherein the kit also includes at least two additional resilient pads.

120. The stimulating kit according to Claim 119, wherein the at least two additional resilient pads differ from each other.

121. The stimulating kit according to Claim 120, wherein the at least two additional resilient pads differ from each other in at least one property of the pad the property is selected from the materials) from which the pad is made, the magnetization of the pad, the degree of elasticity of the pad, the external dimensions of the pad, at least one surface property of the pad, the number of gripping fins formed on the pad, the dimensions of gripping fins formed on the pad the surface texture of the pad or of a part of the pad, the presence or absence of a cavity formed within the pad for inserting a material to be delivered to the body part being stimulated, and any combinations thereof, the presence or absence within the pad of a pre-inserted material to be delivered to the stimulated body part, the type of the material pre-inserted into the pad for delivery to the body part being stimulated.

122. The stimulating kit according to claim 121, wherein the property of the pad is the presence within the pad of a pre-inserted material to be delivered to the stimulated body part and the pre-inserted material is selected from, a flavoring agent, a volatile chemical, a scenting agent, a luminescent agent, a coloring agent, an anesthetic agent, an alcohol, ethanol, a hormone, a synthetic hormone, a bio-identical hormone, a sex hormone, a sexual stimulant, a herbal medicine, a homeopathic formulation, a pheromone, an aphrodisiac, a tissue irritant, a spicy chemical, a spicy composition, a medical composition, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, a drug, a stimulant, a biocompatible lubricant, an antifungal agent, an antimicrobial agent, a drug vehicle, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, an anti-osteoporosis agent, an anti-anginal agent, an immune system activator, an immune system modulator, an antihypertensive agent, a muco-adhesive agent, a drug delivery enhancing agent, a cardio-active agent and any combinations thereof.

123. The stimulating kit according to Claim 115, wherein the at least two different stimulators differ from each other in the gripping force applied to the body part when the stimulator is in a closed state.

124. The stimulating kit according to Claim 115, wherein the at least two different stimulators differ from each other by having a different gripping mechanism.

125. The stimulating kit according to Claim 115, wherein the at least two different stimulators differ from each by having a different length of the arms of the gripping mechanism.

126. The stimulating kit according to Claim 115, wherein the kit also includes one or more applicators configured for being detachably attachable to each of the at least two stimulators and for opening and closing each of the at least two stimulators.

127. The kit according to claim 115 and also including printed instructions for using the kit.

128. The stimulating kit according to claim 115, further including an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit for providing one or more additional stimuli to a user.

129. The stimulating kit according to claim 128, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is selected from the group consisting of, a self powered auxiliary stimulus delivering unit insertable into the stimulator or into a part thereof, a self powered auxiliary stimulus delivering unit attachable into the stimulator or to a part thereof, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit integrated into the stimulator and powered by the power source of the stimulator, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit attachable to the stimulator and powered by the power source of the stimulator, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit insertable into the stimulator or into a part thereof and powered by the power source of the stimulator.

130. The stimulating kit according to claim 129, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is selected from the group consisting of, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a light source, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a sound generating unit, and an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a light source and a sound generating unit.

131. The stimulating kit according to claim 128, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit comprises:

a sealed housing; and

132. The stimulating kit according to claim 131, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a power source disposed within housing for providing power to the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

133. The stimulating kit according to claim 131, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a controller unit disposed within housing for controlling the operation of the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

134. The stimulating kit according to claim 131, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is connectable to the power source of the stimulator for providing power to the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

135. The stimulating kit according to claim 131, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is connectable to the power source of the stimulator for providing power to and is also connectable to the controller unit of the stimulator for controlling the operation of the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

136. A stimulating kit comprising: A first stimulator in accordance with claim 1, wherein the gripping members of the stimulator each include a gripper base and an resilient pad removably attachable to the gripper base; and

at least one additional part selected from the group consisting of, one or more applicators according to claim 1, at least one additional stimulators in accordance with claim 1, the at least one additional stimulator being identical to or different than the first stimulator, at least one additional replaceable gripping member, at least one additional resilient pad, at least one auxiliary stimulus delivering unit for providing one or more additional stimuli to a user, printed instructions for using the kit, and any combinations thereof.

137. The stimulating kit according to Claim 136, wherein the at least one additional resilient pads differ from each other.

138. The stimulating kit according to Claim 136, wherein the at least one additional resilient pad differs from the resilient pads of the first stimulator in at least one property of the pad, wherein the property is selected from the material(s) from which the pad is made, the magnetization of the pad, the degree of elasticity of the pad, the external dimensions of the pad, at least one surface property of the pad, the number of gripping fins formed on the pad, the dimensions of gripping fins formed on the pad the surface texture of the pad or of a part of the pad, the presence or absence of a cavity formed within the pad for inserting a material to be delivered to the body part being stimulated, and any combinations thereof the presence or absence within the pad of a pre-inserted material to be delivered to the stimulated body part, the type of the material pre-inserted into the pad for delivery to the body part being stimulated.

139. The stimulating kit according to claim 138, wherein the property of the pad is the presence within the pad of a pre-inserted material to be delivered to the stimulated body part and the pre-inserted material is selected from, a flavoring agent, a volatile chemical, a scenting agent, a luminescent agent, a coloring agent, an anesthetic agent, an alcohol, ethanol, a hormone, a bio-identical hormone, a synthetic hormone, a sex hormone, a sexual stimulant, a herbal medicine, a homeopathic formulation, a pheromone, an aphrodisiac, a tissue irritant, a spicy chemical, a spicy composition, a medical composition, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, a drug, a stimulant, a biocompatible lubricant, an antifungal agent, an antimicrobial agent, a drug vehicle, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, an anti-osteoporosis agent, an anti-anginal agent, an immune system activator, an immune system modulator, an antihypertensive agent, a muco-adhesive agent, a drug delivery enhancing agent, a cardio -active agent and any combinations thereof.

140. The stimulating kit according to claim 136, wherein the at least one replaceable gripping member differs from the gripping members of the first stimulator in at least one property of the gripping member, wherein the property is selected from the material(s) from which the gripping member is made, the degree of resiliency of the gripping member or of an resilient part thereof, the external dimensions of the gripping member, at least one surface property of the gripping member, the number of gripping fins formed on the gripping member or on a part thereof, the dimensions of gripping fins formed on the gripping member or on a part thereof, the surface texture of the gripping member or of a part thereof, the presence or absence of a cavity formed within the gripping member or within a part thereof for inserting a material to be delivered to the body part being stimulated, the presence or absence within the gripping member or within a part thereof of a pre-inserted material to be delivered to the stimulated body part, the type of a material pre-inserted into the gripping member or into a part thereof for delivery to the body part being stimulated, The gripping member being a magnetic gripping member, and any combinations thereof.

141. The stimulating kit according to claim 140, wherein the property of the at least one additional gripping member is the presence within the gripping member or within a part thereof of a pre-inserted material to be delivered to the stimulated body part, wherein the pre-inserted material is selected from, a flavoring agent, a volatile chemical, a scenting agent, a luminescent agent, a coloring agent, an anesthetic agent, an alcohol, ethanol, a hormone, a bio -identical hormone, a synthetic hormone, a sex hormone, a sexual stimulant, a herbal medicine, a homeopathic formulation, a pheromone, an aphrodisiac, a tissue irritant, a spicy chemical, a spicy composition, a medical composition, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, a drug, a stimulant, a biocompatible lubricant, an antifungal agent, an antimicrobial agent, a drug vehicle, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, an anti-osteoporosis agent, an anti-anginal agent, an immune system activator, an immune system modulator, an antihypertensive agent, a muco-adhesive agent, a drug delivery enhancing agent, a cardio-active agent and any combinations thereof.

142. The stimulating kit according to Claim 136, wherein the one or more additional stimulators differ from the first stimulator in the gripping force applied to the body part when the stimulator is in a closed state.

143. The stimulating kit according to Claim 136, wherein the one or more additional stimulators differ from the first stimulator by having a different gripping mechanism.

144. The stimulating kit according to Claim 136, wherein the one or more additional stimulators differ from the first stimulator by having a different length of the arms of the gripping mechanism.

145. The stimulating kit according to Claim 136, wherein the kit includes at least one resilient pad having a cavity therein for inserting a suppository into the pad and the kit also includes one or more suppositories for inserting into the cavity of the at least one resilient pad.

146. The stimulating kit according to claim 136, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is selected from the group consisting of, a self-powered auxiliary stimulus delivering unit insertable into the stimulator or into a part thereof, a self-powered auxiliary stimulus delivering unit attachable into the stimulator or to a part thereof, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit integrated into the stimulator and powered by the power source of the stimulator, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit attachable to the stimulator and powered by the power source of the stimulator, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit insertable into the stimulator or into a part thereof and powered by the power source of the stimulator.

147. The stimulating kit according to claim 136, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is selected from the group consisting of, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a light source, an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a sound generating unit, and an auxiliary stimulus delivering unit including a light source and a sound generating unit.

148. The stimulating kit according to claim 136, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit comprises:

a sealed housing; and at least one stimulus delivering unit disposed within the housing and selected from the group consisting of, a light source, a sound generating unit, and a combination thereof.

149. The stimulating kit according to claim 148, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a power source disposed within housing for providing power to the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

150. The stimulating kit according to claim 148, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit also comprises a controller unit disposed within housing for controlling the operation of the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

151. The stimulating kit according to claim 148, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is connectabie to the power source of the stimulator for providing power to the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

152. The stimulating kit according to claim 148, wherein the auxiliary stimulus delivering unit is connectabie to the power source of the stimulator for providing power to and is also connectabie to the controller unit of the stimulator for controlling the operation of the at least one stimulus delivering unit.

153. A replaceable gripping member for use with the stimulator according to claim 1, wherein the gripping member comprises an elongated member having at least one resilient portion, the gripping member is detachably attachable to the stimulator and configured to grip a body part along at least part of the length of the body part.

154. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 153, wherein the body part is a clitoris.

155. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 154, wherein the length of the gripping member is in the range of 5-60 rrullimeters.

156. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 154, wherein the length of the gripping member is in the range of 10 -100% of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

157. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 154, wherein the length of the gripping member is in the range of 10-35 millimeters.

158. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 154, wherein the length of the gripping member is in the range of 50%-100 of the length of the clitoris being stimulated.

159. The replaceable gripping member system according to claim 153, wherein the gripping member has at least one textured surface for increasing the friction with the body part.

160. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 159, wherein the at least one textured surface is configured to increase the surface area of the gripping member that is in contact with the body part to increase the friction between the gripped body part and the gripping member.

161. The replaceable gripping member system according to claim 159, wherein the textured surface is selected from the group consisting of, a finned surface, a knobbed surface, a surface having a plurality protrusions, a surface having suction-cup shaped protrusions, a dimpled surface, a nubbed surface, a serrated surface, a surface having a microfiber array, a biomimetic adhesive surface, a surface having high friction properties, and any combinations thereof.

162. The replaceable gripping member system according to claim 153, wherein the gripping member comprises an elongated resilient gripping member made from at least one resilient material and having at least one textured surface.

163. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 153, wherein the gripping member comprises an elongated gripper base detachably attachable to the stimulator and at least one resilient pad attached to the gripper base.

164. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 163, wherein the at least one resilient pad is selected from the group consisting of, one or more resilient pads, one or more elongated resilient pads, one or more textured resilient pads, one or more resilient pads having a cavity therein, one or more resilient pads having a cavity fluidically connected to the outside surface of the pad, a gripping pad shaped like a hollow resilient sock having an open cavity therein for accepting at least a portion of the gripper base within the cavity, an resilient pad having at least one flat surface for attaching the pad to the gripper base or to a recess formed in the gripper base, one or more magnetic resilient pads, and any combinations thereof.

165. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 164, wherein the at least one resilient pad is selected from the group consisting of, an resilient pad permanently attached to the gripper base, a replaceable resilient pad removably attached to the gripper base, and a disposable resihent pad removably attached to the gripper base.

5 166. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 163, wherein the at least one resilient pad has at least one textured surface for increasing the friction with the gripped body part.

167. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 166, wherein the textured surface is selected from the group consisting of, a finned surface, a knobbed surface, a o surface having a plurality protrusions, a surface having suction-cup shaped protrusions, a dimpled surface, a nubbed surface, a serrated surface, a micro -structured surface, a surface having a microfiber array, a biomimetic adhesive surface, a surface having high friction properties, and any combinations thereof.

168. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 163, wherein the gripper base5 is made of one or more rigid materials and the resilient pad is made of one or more resilient materials.

169. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 153, wherein the gripping member has a hollow cavity therein for accepting a material to be delivered to the body part.

0 170. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 169, wherein the material to me delivered is selected from a liquid material, a solid material, a meltable solid material, a suppository, a paste, a cream, a solution, an emulsion, a gel, a cream, an ointment, a powder, and combinations thereof.

171. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 169, wherein the material to5 be delivered to the body part is selected from, a flavoring agent, a volatile chemical, a scenting agent, a luminescent agent, a coloring agent, an anesthetic agent, an alcohol, ethanol, a hormone, a synthetic hormone, a bio-identical hormone, a sex hormone, a sexual stimulant, a herbal medicine, a homeopathic formulation, a pheromone, an aphrodisiac, a tissue irritant, a spicy chemical, a spicy composition, a medical0 composition, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, a drug, a stimulant, a biocompatible lubricant, an antifungal agent, an antimicrobial agent, a drug vehicle, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, an anti-osteoporosis agent, an anti-anginal agent, an immune system activator, an immune system modulator, an antihypertensive agent, a muco-adhesive agent, a drug delivery enhancing agent, a cardio-active agent and any combinations thereof.

172. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 169, wherein the gripping member comprises a rigid gripper base and at least one resilient pad attached to the gripper base for gripping the clitoris and wherein the hollow cavity is selected from the group consisting of, a hollow cavity formed in the gripper base, a hollow cavity formed in the resilient pad, and a hollow cavity defined between the gripper base and the resilient pad.

173. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 169, wherein the gripping member also includes one or more open passages fluidically connected to the hollow cavity for allowing the material contained in the cavity to be delivered to the body part being gripped by the gripping member.

174. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 173, wherein the one or more open passages are selected from,

one or more open passages formed in the gripper base for allowing the material within the cavity to be delivered to the body part,

one or more open passages formed in the resilient pad for allowing the material within the cavity to be delivered to the clitoris, and

one or more open passages formed in the gripper base and in the resilient pad for allowing the material within the cavity to be delivered to the body part.

175. The stimulator according to claim 1, wherein at least one of gripping members is a magnetic gripping member.

176. The stimulator system according to claim 57, wherein at least one of gripping members is a magnetic gripping member.

177. The replaceable gripping member according to claim 153, wherein the replaceable gripping member is a magnetic gripping member.