Urine management system for human females

• US 20010037097A1
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uroscientific Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Uroscientific Incorporated
• Inventors: Cheng, Gordon C., Valentine, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,569,133 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/329
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/455 for collecting urine or discharge from female member

Abstract

A urine management system for human females comprising a novel collection device, a novel conveyance tube, and a novel storage container is described. The collection device is worn by the user in direct contact with the skin surfaces surrounding the urethral opening being held in place by an undergarment. The collector comprises a thin layer of pliable and water-permeable material through which leaked or voided urine passes and that is underlain by a layer of water-wicking material which may also contain one or more open channels for directing and conveying the flow of urine to a fitting connection with the conveyance tube. The conveyance tube, a novel thin-wall, flat tube, contains a spacer throughout its length to prevent the tube lumen from being completely closed and sealed off by kinks or twists in the tube. The tube can conform to the body shape of the wearer, expands as flow rate increases, and shrinks and flattens as flow drops off. Urine is retained as physically stabilized material in a storage container that can be either replaced and disposed of or emptied and reused with cleaning as needed. Physical stabilization of the fluid urine is accomplished using an absorbent or gel-forming material. The storage container'"'"'s internal structure also provides a means for unique fluid transfer and retention capabilities. To form the entire system, the devices are serially and contiguously connected to form a continuous liquid pathway that enables removal of residual pools of urine, as well as transport and storage of urine at locations higher than the source.

Claims

1. A system for collecting, conveying, and storing urine discharged from a human female, said system comprising:

means for collecting urine;

means for conveying urine, said means for conveying in fluid flow communication with said means for collecting; and

means for storing urine collected, said means for storing in fluid flow communication with said means for conveying;

wherein said means for collecting comprising;

a collection device having an inner surface and an outer structure, at least said inner surface substantially conforms to contours of the human female urogenital anatomical surface where urine discharge occurs, and when said collection device is in use, said inner surface, in wicking contact with said human female surface, being capable of imbibing urine away from said human female surface, and transporting the urine from said human female surface through said inner surface and to said outer structure; and

wherein said means for conveying comprising;

a collector extension having one end in fluid communication with said means for collecting to convey the urine from said means for collecting;

a conveyance tube having a first end connected to said one end, and a second end connected to said means for storing urine collected, comprising conveyance tube means for moving the urine in ascending and descending flow directions from said means for collecting to said means for storing urine collected.

2. The system as in

claim 1

further comprising

a urine transport and delivery pathway means for wicking liquid urine, said liquid urine lying either within said pathway means for wicking or in contact with said pathway means for wicking, from said collection device through said extension, thence through said conveyance tube, into said means for storing.

3. The system as in

claim 1

wherein said means for moving the urine through said conveyance tube comprises fiberous hydrophilic wicking materials that transport said urine along said means for moving by capillary wicking action.

4. The system as in

claim 1

wherein the means for storing further comprises at least one storage device comprising

an internal wall defining a cavity;

at least one compartment positioned within said cavity;

means for receiving liquid urine into said cavity from said conveyance tube;

means for converting urine to non-liquid form within said cavity;

means for keeping separate received liquid urine and converted non-liquid urine within said cavity; and

means for uniformly distributing said received liquid urine and said converted non-liquid urine within said cavity.

5. The system as in

claim 4

wherein said means for uniformly distributing comprises a urine distribution channel comprising

distribution channel means for moving liquid urine in any direction along said distribution channel, said means for moving liquid urine selected from a group consisting of capillary wicking fluid transport forces and bulk fluid transport forces;

and

a urine-contact channel wall comprising at least one layer of thin film, waterproof material.

6. The system as in

claim 4

wherein said means for receiving liquid urine comprises an inlet opening comprising means for conveyance tube connection to enable fluid communication between said conveyance tube and said storage device, and means for expansion to accommodate incoming liquid urine.

7. The system as in

claim 4

wherein said means for receiving liquid urine comprises an inlet opening having means for urine collection device connection to enable fluid communication between said collection device and said storage device, and means for expansion to accommodate incoming liquid urine.

8. The system as in

claim 4

wherein said internal wall and said at least one compartment comprise thin films of polymeric materials wherein the internal wall has thickness in the range of 0.013 to 0.25 mm (0.0005 to 0.010 inch), preferably in the range of 0.025 to 0.10 mm (0.001 to 0.004 inch).

9. The system as in

claim 4

wherein said means for keeping separate received liquid urine and converted non-liquid urine comprises at least one of each liquid urine region and non-liquid urine region, said non-liquid urine region comprising a region interior wall and absorbent, said at least one liquid region having adjacent placement with respect to said at least one non-liquid region, and said liquid region being separated from said non-liquid region by a barrier comprising means for limiting the flow of liquid urine from said liquid urine region through said barrier to said non-liquid urine region, and said means for converting said liquid urine to said non-liquid urine comprises said absorbent that, prior to storing urine, is physically distributed and held in predetermined locations within said non-liquid region, said absorbent selected from a group consisting of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, cellulose fibers, water-absorbing natural materials, water-absorbing synthetic materials, and shredded paper.

10. The system as in

claim 9

wherein said absorbent is selected from a group consisting of non-woven fibers, a non-woven mat of fibers, absorbent materials attached to the region interior wall, and material suitable for confining the urine by capillary force.

11. The system as in

claim 9

wherein said absorbent comprises materials selected from a group consisting of hydrophilic polymers formed from a variety of synthetic polar polymeric materials, both alone and chemically combined with natural polymers including starches;

inorganic compounds that react with aqueous liquids to form solid hydrate compounds including silica gel and calcium sulfate; and

organic fiber masses, both woven and non-woven, including cellulose fiber.

12. The system as in

claim 9

wherein said absorbent comprises materials selected from a group consisting of gel resin polyacrylamide, gel resin polyacrylic acid, Na⁺ salt, polyacrylic acid Na⁺ salt on starch, gel resin fine particles in paper fiber matrix, needled felt pads, absorbent paper, and gel resin with inorganic absorbent.

13. The system as in

claim 9

wherein said means for limiting flow comprises piercing said barrier in an arrangement of small penetrations through which said liquid urine can travel from the liquid region to the non-liquid urine region.

14. The system as in

claim 9

wherein the means for storing is reusable and comprises

means for removing from said means for storing said urine for disposal;

and

means for refilling said means for storing with unused absorbent.

15. The system as in

claim 1

wherein the means for storing further comprises means for preventing urine from returning to said inner side of said collection device.

16. The system as in

claim 1

further comprising a means for attaching, onto the body, clothing, and surroundings of the female, the means for storing.

17. The system as in

claim 16

wherein the means for attaching is selected from the group consisting of elastic bands, woven elastomeric fabric bands, hook and loop attachment means, adhesive dots or bands, and placement within the pouch or pocket of said clothing.

18. The system as in

claim 1

wherein the means for storing comprises

at least one disposable storage container having a single inlet opening through which liquid urine flows from said conveyance tube;

and

means for capping said at least one single inlet opening to retain liquid urine within said storage container.

19. The system of

claim 1

wherein said means for storage comprises

at least one container, for storing incoming liquid urine, having an outer shell, peripheral edges, and an inlet connector, said outer shell comprising at least one layer of a liquid urine impervious material substantially thinner than 10 mils, said peripheral edges having liquid-tight sealing one to another, said inlet connector opening having means for expansion to accommodate incoming liquid urine.

20. The system of

claim 4

further comprising a storage device exterior wall and peripheral edges, said storage device exterior wall comprising liquid urine impervious material and said peripheral edges having liquid-tight sealing one to another.

21. The system of

claim 1

wherein said means for storing urine further comprises urine-immobilizing materials that, prior to storing urine, are held in place by a matrix of material selected from a group consisting of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, cellulose fibers, water-absorbing natural materials, water-absorbing synthetic materials, and shredded paper.

22. The system of

claim 1

wherein said means for storage further comprises an initially flat container that expands upon filling with urine.

23. The system as in

claim 1

wherein said outer structure of said collection device comprises a waterproof, flexible surface that houses said inner surface of said collection device, and that extends around the periphery of said skin contact surface, effectively forming a waterproof containment region around said inner surface of said collection device and a barrier to leakage of urine from said collection device.

24. The system of

claim 1

wherein said outer structure of said collection device comprises at least one layer of waterproof material.

25. The system of

claim 1

wherein said collection device further comprises

a urine-intake layer between said inner surface and said outer structure comprising a layer of a material that is hydrophobic and that has openings that enable passage of urine from said inner surface through said urine-intake layer to said outer structure while inhibiting passage of urine in the opposite direction.

26. The system of

claim 25

wherein said urine intake layer further comprises at least one means for conducting excess liquid urine, whose volume temporarily exceeds the capillary volume of said layer of material, to said extension.

27. The system of

claim 1

wherein said conveyance tube second end comprises multiple, simultaneous connections to said means for storing urine collected.

28. The system of

claim 1

, said extension extending substantially from the center of said collection device outer structure and further comprising

a flat tube-shaped thin-wall plastic film comprising

a waterproof outer surface;

an interior channel define by said outer surface; and

extension means for spacing positioned within said interior channel to prevent said extension from crimping sufficiently to block drainage of the urine.

29. The system of

claim 28

wherein said extension means for spacing comprises a spacer made from materials selected from a group consisting of loosely knitted nylon fibers, loosely knitted polyolefin fibers, flexible solid shapes of polyolefins, and flexible solid shapes of silicone rubber, loosely knitted fiberglass, loosely knitted aluminum, polyethylene film, porous wicking materials including needled felts of rayon and cellulose acetate fiber bundles, natural or synthetic woven fabrics.

30. The system of

claim 1

wherein said extension comprises material selected from the group consisting of rubbery polymer including silicone rubber and latex rubber, elastic fabric coated with a material that prevents urine leakage, polyolefins, and flexible polymeric film materials and fabrics.

31. The system of

claim 1

wherein said conveyance tube means for moving the urine further comprises wicking material selected from a group consisting of rayon acetate needled felting;

single component fibers selected from a group consisting of wool, cotton, rayon, nylon, and polyester;

blended fibers selected from a group consisting of wool, cotton, rayon, nylon, and polyester;

said single component and said blended fibers fabricated into a form selected from a group consisting of yams, woven fabrics, mats, and felts;

open-cell foamed polymers, elastomers such as polyurethane foams;

open-mesh materials such as steel wool;

meshes of synthetic polymers such as polypropylene; and

flexible solids such as latex.

32. A system as in

claim 1

wherein said conveyance tube further comprises

a conveyance tube outer surface;

a conveyance tube cavity defined by said conveyance tube outer surface; and

a conveyance tube film layer surrounding said cavity, said conveyance tube film layer being selected from a group consisting of non-wettable materials subjected to surface treatments to render that said conveyance tube film layer wettable for holding liquid and wettable materials.

33. In a urine management system for incontinent humans comprising means for collection of urine, a means for storage of urine received from said means for collection comprising

a plurality of storage containers for said urine, each said container having an outer shell and an inner cavity defined by said outer shell;

means for conveyance of urine from said collection device to said plurality of storage containers; and

means for distributed absorption of urine disposed within each said cavity of each said storage container.

34. The means for storage of

claim 33

wherein each said cavity of each said storage container comprises a plurality of compartments wherein each said compartment comprises a material selected from a group consisting of polyacrylamide, polyacrylic acid:

Na⁺ salt, polyacrylic acid;

Na⁺ salt on starch, resin fine particles in paper fiber matrix, needled felt pads, absorbent paper kc towels, and gel resin combined with inorganic absorbent.

35. The means for storage of

claim 33

further comprising absorbent material disposed within said each said cavity of each said storage container selected from a group consisting of super absorbent polymers, cellulose, cellulose-derived materials, and wettable, fiberous materials.

36. The means for storage of

claim 33

further comprising a means for mounting each said storage container comprising attaching one of said plurality of containers to said human and attaching another of said plurality of containers near said human.

37. In a urine management system for human females having a urine collection device, a flat, expandable conveyance tube, having means for spacing, a collection end means for connection, and at least one storage end means for connection;

means for attaching said tube to said urine collection device at collection end means for connection, at least one storage container, means for attaching said at least one storage container to or near said human, means for attaching said at least one storage container to said tube at said at least one storage end means for connection, and a means for presenting at least one fresh storage container, a method for use of said urine management system comprising

attaching said urine collection device to said human;

attaching said tube to said urine collection device;

attaching said at least one storage device to or near said human through said means for attaching;

attaching said tube to said at least one storage container;

depositing urine into said urine collection device; and

removing and replacing said at least one storage container by said means for presenting said fresh storage container when said at least one storage container is full.

38. A method as in

claim 37

wherein said storage container is selected from a group consisting of disposable and reusable.