Urine collection bag support

• US 20040204695A1
• Filed: 04/10/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medco, LLC (PT Medco Energi Internasional Tbk)
• Original Assignee: Medco, LLC (PT Medco Energi Internasional Tbk)
• Inventors: Bisbee, Charles M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,887,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/349
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/4408 Means for securing receptacles or bags to the body otherwise than by adhesives, e.g. belts, straps or harnesses A61F5/449 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/453 for collecting urine or other discharge from male member A61F6/04 takes precedence ; devices for taking sperm samples A61B10/0058

Abstract

A urine collection bag support for supporting a urine collection bag, worn by a male urinary incontinence patient in conjunction with an external catheter, provides a cloth pouch, wherein the urine collection bag is enveloped, so that both the cloth pouch and also the urine collection bag enveloped therein are commonly supported by a suspension strap attached to a belt worn by the patient. The cloth pouch and the urine collection bag enveloped therein swing freely across the patient'"'"'s thigh when the male urinary incontinence patient engages in physical activity.

Claims

1. A urine collection bag support for supporting a urine collection bag worn by a male urinary incontinence patient in conjunction with an external catheter, wherein the urine collection bag is attached to the external catheter by a section of tubing and wherein the urine collection bag has a urine collection bag inlet at the top of the urine collection bag and a urine collection bag outlet at the bottom of the urine collection bag, and wherein the urine collection bag has a slit near the top of the urine collection bag, said urine collection bag support comprising:

a cloth pouch wherein the urine collection bag is enveloped, said cloth pouch having aligned slits in an upper corner of said cloth pouch;

a belt worn by the patient; and

suspension means for commonly suspending said cloth pouch and the urine collection bag from said belt, so that said cloth pouch and the urine collection bag enveloped therein moves freely across the patient'"'"'s thigh when the male urinary incontinence patient engages in physical activity.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said belt encompasses the patient'"'"'s waist.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said belt is slung across the patient'"'"'s shoulder.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said suspension means further comprises:

a suspension strap, said suspension strap having an upper portion terminating in an upper end and a lower portion terminating in a lower end;

belt attachment means for attaching said upper end of said suspension strap to said belt; and

pouch attachment means for commonly attaching said lower end of said suspension strap to said cloth pouch and to the urine collection bag.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said belt attachment means further comprises stitching securing said upper end of said suspension strap to said belt.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein said belt includes at least one buttonhole, wherein said suspension strap includes spaced buttonholes in said upper portion of said suspension strap, and wherein said belt attachment means further comprises a double-button plastic disposed in one of said buttonholes in said upper portion of said suspension strap and said buttonhole in said belt.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein said belt attachment means further comprises a hook-and-loop fastener.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein said belt attachment means further comprises a snap fastener.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein said belt attachment means further comprises a knot tied in said upper portion of said suspension strap, wherein said knot is tied around said belt.

10. The device of claim 4, wherein said suspension strap includes spaced buttonholes in said lower portion of said suspension strap, wherein said lower portion of said suspension strap is threaded coextensively through said slit in said pouch and the slit in the urine collection bag, and wherein said pouch attachment means further comprises a double-button plastic disposed through one of said lower portion buttonholes proximate said lower end of said suspension strap and one said buttonhole in said lower portion.

11. The device of claim 4, wherein said suspension strap includes a snap fastener in said lower portion of said suspension strap, wherein said lower portion of said suspension strap is threaded coextensively through said slit in said pouch and the slit in the urine collection bag, and wherein said snap faster attaches said lower end of said suspension strap to said lower portion of said suspension strap.

12. The device of claim 4, wherein said lower portion of said suspension strap is threaded coextensively through said slits in said pouch and through the slit in the urine collection bag, and wherein said lower portion of said suspension strap is tied in a knot around said lower portion of said suspension strap.

13. The device of claim 6, wherein said suspension strap includes hook-and-loop fastener in said lower portion of said suspension strap, wherein said lower portion of said suspension strap is threaded coextensively through said slits in said pouch and the slit in the urine collection bag, and wherein said hook-and-loop fastener removably secures said lower end of said suspension strap to said lower portion of said suspension strap.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein said suspension strap is an elastic suspension strap.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein said cloth pouch has a top opening and a bottom opening, so that the urine collection bag inlet at the top of the urine collection bag extends upwardly through said top opening for connection to the external catheter and the urine collection bag outlet extends downwardly through said bottom opening.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein said suspension means further comprises:

a suspension strap, said suspension strap having an upper portion terminating in an upper end and a lower portion terminating in a lower end;

belt attachment means for attaching said upper end of said suspension strap to said belt; and

pouch attachment means for attaching said lower end of said suspension strap to said cloth pouch.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein said belt attachment means further comprises stitching securing said upper end of said suspension strap to said belt.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein said belt includes at least one buttonhole, wherein said suspension strap includes spaced buttonholes in said upper portion of said suspension strap, and wherein said belt attachment means further comprises a double-button plastic disposed in one of said buttonholes in said upper portion of said suspension strap and said buttonhole in said belt.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein said belt attachment means further comprises a hook-and-loop fastener.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein said belt attachment means further comprises a snap fastener.

21. The device of claim 16, wherein said belt attachment means further comprises a knot tied in said upper portion of said suspension strap, wherein said knot is tied around said belt.

22. The device of claim 16, wherein said suspension strap includes spaced buttonholes in said lower portion of said suspension strap, wherein said lower portion of said suspension strap is threaded coextensively through said slit in said pouch and the slit in the urine collection bag, and wherein said pouch attachment means further comprises a double-button plastic disposed through one of said lower portion buttonholes proximate said lower end of said suspension strap and one said buttonhole in said lower portion.

23. The device of claim 16, wherein said suspension strap includes a snap fastener in said lower portion of said suspension strap, wherein said lower portion of said suspension strap is threaded coextensively through said slit in said pouch and the slit in the urine collection bag, and wherein said snap faster attaches said lower end of said suspension strap to said lower portion of said suspension strap.

24. The device of claim 16, wherein said lower portion of said suspension strap is threaded coextensively through said slits in said pouch and through the slit in the urine collection bag, and wherein said lower portion of said suspension strap is tied in a knot around said lower portion of said suspension strap.

25. The device of claim 16, wherein said suspension strap includes hook-and-loop fastener in said lower portion of said suspension strap, wherein said lower portion of said suspension strap is threaded coextensively through said slits in said pouch and the slit in the urine collection bag, and wherein said hook-and-loop fastener removably secures said lower end of said suspension strap to said lower portion of said suspension strap.

26. A urine collection bag support for supporting a urine collection bag worn by a male urinary incontinence patient, wherein the urine collection bag is attached to an external catheter and wherein the urine collection bag has a urine collection bag inlet at the top of the urine collection bag and a urine collection bag outlet at the bottom of the urine collection bag, and wherein the urine collection bag has a slit near the top of the urine collection bag, said urine collection bag support comprising:

a cloth pouch wherein the urine collection bag is disposed, said cloth pouch having aligned slits in an upper corner thereof;

a belt worn by the patient;

an elastic suspension strap having an upper portion, an upper end, a lower portion, and a lower end, wherein said upper end of said elastic suspension strap is attached to said belt and wherein said lower end of said elastic suspension strap is threaded coextensively through said slits in said pouch and the slit in the urine collection bag; and

attachment means for attaching said lower end of said elastic suspension strap to said lower portion of said suspension strap, so that said cloth pouch and the urine collection bag disposed therein can swing freely when the male urinary incontinence patient engages in physical activities.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein said upper end of said elastic suspension strap is attached to said belt at a location generally above the point of a hip of the male urinary incontinence patient.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein said attachment means is a double-button fastener.

29. The device of claim 26, wherein said attachment means is a hook-and-loop fastener.

30. The device of claim 26, wherein said attachment means is a snap fastener.

31. The device of claim 26, wherein said attachment means is a knot tied in said lower portion of said elastic suspension strap.

32. A method for supporting a urine collection bag worn by a male urinary incontinence patient in conjunction with an external catheter, wherein the urine collection bag is attached to the external catheter and wherein the urine collection bag has a urine collection bag inlet at the top of the urine collection bag and a urine collection bag outlet at the bottom of the urine collection bag, and wherein the urine collection bag has a slit near the top of the urine collection bag, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a belt to be worn by the patient;

providing a cloth pouch wherein the urine collection bag is disposed, said cloth pouch having aligned slits in an upper corner of said cloth pouch, so that the slit near the top of the urine collection bag is aligned with said slits in said cloth pouch;

providing a suspension strap having an upper portion, an upper end, a lower portion, and a lower end;

attaching said belt to the patient;

attaching said upper end of said suspension strap to a predetermined location on said belt; and

threading said lower end of said suspension strap coextensively through said slits in said cotton pouch and through the slit in the urine collection bag, so that said cotton pouch and the urine collection bag are commonly supported by said suspension strap and, further, so that said cotton pouch and the urine collection bag swing freely across the thigh of the male urinary incontinence patient when the male urinary incontinence patient engages in physical activity.