Vacuum assisted relief system (VARS)

• US 20040143229A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Craig Easter
• Original Assignee: William Craig Easter
• Inventors: Easter, William Craig
• Granted Patent: US 7,018,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/322
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/451 Genital or anal receptacles A61F5/441, A61F5/442, A61F5/443 take precedence ; other body securing means A61F5/4408; devices for taking faeces samples A61B10/0038; devices for taking urine samples A61B10/007

Abstract

VARS (Vacuum Assisted Relief System) is a aircrew bladder relief system that allows the pilot, whether male or female, to urinate in flight with comfort and convenience. There are three principle parts to the system, The pump, the garment, and the receiver. A pump and battery pack may be mounted in a breast pocket or attached to a torso harness at breast level. Locating the pump at a level higher than the garment insures little or no “leak back” to the garment. A garment worn like a diaper or underwear, includes an intake manifold comprised of a number of perforated tubes sandwiched between layers of material. Urine from a user is collected in the garment, drawn into the manifold tubes through these holes, by means of vacuum from the pump. Collected urine then passes through a hose into containment bag or receiver.

Claims

1. A Vacuum Assisted Relief. System for collecting animal fluid, said system comprising:

a garment, worn by the animal and contacting at least a portion of animal where fluid is generated, the garment including at least one hose coupled to the garment, for collecting fluid from the animal;

a pump, coupled to the hose, for creating a vacuum on the hose to draw fluid from the garment and outputting the fluid from the pump; and

a receiver, coupled to the pump, for receiving fluid output from the pump.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the garment comprises a diaper and the at least one hose includes a manifold tube provided with a plurality of holes in the manifold tube, for receiving fluid from the garment.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the manifold tube comprises a manifold loop provided with a plurality of holes in the manifold loop, for receiving fluid from the garment.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the diaper comprises a disposable diaper including a number of layers of material, and the manifold loop is sandwiched between layers of the disposable diaper.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the garment further includes a manifold comprising a plurality of tubes having a plurality of holes formed therein, the plurality of tubes being joined by at least one header to the hose such that fluid is collected in the plurality of holes and drawn into the hose.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump comprises a peristaltic action pump creating a vacuum of at least 2 psi.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the animal is a human and the pump is mounted at a breast level on the human so as to insure that fluid does not leak back to the garment.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump further includes a rechargeable battery pack, mounted at breast level on the human, and the receiver is mounted to a leg of the human, such that the system is entirely mounted to the human.

9. The system of claim 1, further including a barrier cream, applied to a skin surface of the animal where the garment is worn.

10. A garment for collecting fluids from an animal, the garment, worn by the animal and contacting at least a portion of animal where fluid is generated, the garment comprising:

a plurality of layers of material;

a manifold comprising at least one tube having a plurality of holes formed therein, for collecting animal fluid; and

a hose having one end coupled to the manifold and the other connectable to a vacuum source, for collecting fluid from the animal.

11. The garment of claim 10, wherein the plurality of layers of material comprises a disposable diaper including a number of layers of material, and the manifold is sandwiched between layers of the disposable diaper.

12. The garment of claim 10, wherein the manifold comprises a plurality of tubes having a plurality of holes formed therein, the plurality of tubes being joined by at least one header to the hose such that fluid is collected in the plurality of tubes and drawn into the hose.

13. A Vacuum Assisted Relief System for collecting human urine from an aviator, said system comprising:

a garment, worn by the aviator and surrounding at least a portion of aviator'"'"'s crotch, the garment including at least one hose coupled to the garment, for collecting urine from the aviator;

a pump, mounted to at least one of a survival vest, G-suit, uniform, flightsuit, or jumpsuit, said pump coupled to the hose, for creating a vacuum on the hose to draw urine from the garment and outputting the urine from the pump; and

a receiver, coupled to the pump, and mounted to the aviator, for receiving urine output from the pump,

wherein the system is mounted entirely to the aviator such that the aviator may wear the system and enter or exit an aircraft without having to remove or disconnect the system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the garment comprises a diaper and the at least one hose includes a manifold loop provided with a plurality of holes in the manifold loop, for receiving urine from the garment.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the diaper comprises a disposable diaper including a number of layers of material, and the manifold loop is sandwiched between layers of the disposable diaper.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the garment further includes a manifold comprising a plurality of tubes having a plurality of holes formed therein, the plurality of tubes being joined by at least one header to the hose such that urine is collected in the plurality of tubes and drawn into the hose.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the pump comprises a peristaltic action pump creating a vacuum of at least 2 psi.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the pump is mounted at a breast level on the aviator so as to insure that urine does not leak back to the garment.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the pump further includes a rechargeable battery pack, mounted at breast level on the aviator and the receiver is mounted to a leg of the aviator, such that the system is entirely mounted to the aviator.

20. The system of claim 13, further including a barrier cream, applied to a skin surface of the aviator where the garment is worn.

21. A method for collecting animal fluid, said method comprising the steps of:

placing a garment on the animal and surrounding at least a portion of the animal where fluid is generated, the garment including at least one hose coupled to the garment, for collecting fluid from the animal,

creating a vacuum on the hose using a pump to draw fluid from the garment and outputting the fluid from the pump, and

receiving fluid output from the pump in a receiver container.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the garment comprises a diaper and the at least one hose includes a manifold loop provided with a plurality of holes in the manifold loop, said method further comprising the step of:

receiving fluid from the garment through the plurality of holes in the manifold loop under vacuum from the pump.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the diaper comprises a disposable diaper including a number of layers of material, and the manifold loop is sandwiched between layers of the disposable diaper.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the garment further includes a manifold comprising a plurality of tubes having a plurality of holes formed therein, the plurality of tubes being joined by at least one header to the hose such that fluid is collected in the plurality of tubes and drawn into the hose, said method further comprising the step of:

receiving fluid from the garment through the plurality of holes in the manifold loop under vacuum from the pump.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of creating a vacuum comprises the step of creating a vacuum of at least 2 psi.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the animal is a human and the pump is mounted at a breast level on the human so as to insure that fluid does not leak back to the garment.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the pump further includes a rechargeable battery pack, mounted at breast level on the human, and the receiver is mounted to a leg of the human, such that the method is entirely mounted to the human.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

applying a barrier cream to a skin surface of the animal where the garment is worn.