Apparatus for collecting and calculating quantity of patient fluid loss and method of using same

• US 20070106177A1
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yoshito Hama
• Original Assignee: Yoshito Hama
• Inventors: Hama, Yoshito
• Application Number:
  US11/247,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106177A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/573
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/70 Gravity drainage systems drainage containers not being adapted for subjection to vacuum A61M1/69
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3393 by weighing the reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/35 Communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6072 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/084 Supporting bases, stands for equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 17/04 for weighing fluids, e.g. gases, pastes

Abstract

A monitoring system including a control unit having a weight scale for carrying a collection bag configured with a bottom wall distended in a rounded concave shape, the central unit being responsive to the amount of fluid collected to produce a read-out which may be recorded or observed by a technician. In one embodiment, the system includes a hook suspended from the weight scale and projecting downwardly through a slot in a bottom wall to hook to the container.

Claims

1. An automatic system for precise calculation of the volume of body fluid expelled from a patient comprising:

an upright collection container for collecting the fluid, elongated in one horizontal plane, symmetrical about a vertical centerline and formed with a downwardly concave, rounded bottom wall projecting in the one horizontal plane;

a frame;

a weight scale in the frame and responsive to the weight of fluid in the container to generate an electrical signal proportional thereto;

a hanger for hanging the container from the load cell;

a control unit, in communication with the weight scale for receiving the electrical signal and responsive thereto to generate a read-out and including a read-out display device to convert the read-out signal to a perceptable signal whereby the container may be hung from the hanger to be supported upright and distended in the one horizontal place such that fluid collected therein will initially collect about the centerline at the bottom of the concave bottom wall and, as collection continues, will spread out horizontally in the one horizontal plane with the control unit operative in response to the control signal to display a perceptible signal indicative of the mass of fluid collected.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the control unit includes a memory and is operable to record the read-out signal.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the control unit includes a memory programmed with data on the specific gravity of the fluid and the unit is responsive to the read-out signal and the data to display a sum indicative of the volume of the fluid collected in the container.

4. A system of claim 1 wherein:

the container is constructed with flexible front and back walls that curve downwardly and inwardly toward one another on their laterally opposite sides and are joined together to form the bottom wall in the configuration of a semi-circle.

5. A system of claim 1 wherein:

the control unit includes a comparator for receiving the display signal and operative at selected time intervals to store the magnitude of the display signal and is further responsive to, at predetermined time intervals, detect the magnitude of the display signal and compare it with the previously stored display signal.

6. A system of claim 1 wherein:

the control unit includes an accumulator responsive to the display signal to generate a tally signal; and

the display device includes a display responsive to the tally signal to display a signal representative of the cumulative amount of fluid collected in the container.

7. A system of claim 1 wherein:

the frame includes a sensor disposed adjacent the container and responsive to accumulation of a predetermined volume of the fluid therein to generate a full signal.

8. A system of claim 1 wherein:

the weight scale includes a flex beam constructed to flex in proportion to the weight of the fluid in the container.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the collection container includes an identifier for recording personalized data; and

the control unit includes a reader for reading the personalized data.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein:

the identifier is a bar code; and

the reader is a bar code reader.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein:

the control units include multiple routes for connection of the electrical signal; and

the identifier is configured to store data characteristic of selected ones of the routes for distribution of information.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein:

the identifier is in the form of a radio frequency identification device.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein:

the identifier in the form of an integrated circuit to transmit a signal to the reader.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the frame includes a housing including a horizontal bottom wall configured with an opening; and

the hanger includes a hook connected with the load cell for projecting through the slot to hook to the container.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the control unit includes a memory and a data input programmable with data corresponding with weight of the container when empty and the specific gravity of the fluid to be collected.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the container includes a wall formed with vertically extending transparent meter window and measurement indices spaced vertically there along approximating the volume of fluid collected in the container.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the control unit includes a memory and data input coupled with the memory and operable to input the specific gravity of selected body fluids to be collected in the container.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the control unit includes a transmitter for transmitting a radio frequency signal proportional to the electrical signal; and

the system includes a central station with a receiver for receiving the radio frequency signal and responsive thereto to generate a display signal.

19. The system of claim 1 that includes:

a predetermined number of the containers for receiving body fluids;

a predetermined number of the weight scale disposed in weight transfer relationship with the respective containers and operative in response to the weight of fluids in the respective cells to generate respective electrical signals;

a predetermined number of transmitters responsive to the respective electrical signals for transmitting respective RF signals, including identification signals; and

the control unit including a receiver for receiving the RF signals and identification detectors for detecting the identification signals in the respective RF signals.

20. The system of claim 1 that includes:

a printer connected with the control unit and responsive to the read-out signal to print data corresponding with the read-out signal.

21. The system of claim 1 that includes:

a predetermined number of the containers;

a predetermined number of the weight scales responsive to the weight or fluid in the respective containers to generate respective electrical signals proportional thereto and wherein;

the system includes a control station in electrical connection with the respective weight scales for receiving the respective electrical signals and includes means responsive thereto for generating signals proportional thereto.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the container is in a form of a flexible bag.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the container includes an outlet formed in the bottom portion thereof.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the container includes vertical flexible front and back walls, an inlet in the upper portion of one of the walls and an outlet in the lower portion of the one wall;

a rigid inlet block mounted over the inlet, projecting outwardly from the one wall, and including a nipple on the top extremity thereof and a passage extending downwardly in the block and angling through the one wall; and

an outlet in the lower portion of the container.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the control unit includes a transmitter for receiving the electrical signal and for transmitting radio frequency corresponding thereto; and

the system includes a hand held monitor including an RF receiver for receiving the RF signal and including a display panel for displaying displayed data corresponding with the RF signal received.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the control unit includes a mode switch for selecting a mode of display corresponding with the display signal.

27. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the container is in form of a flexible bag and is configured symmetrical about a vertical centerline and further includes a horizontally elongated stiffener bar in the upper portion thereof for suspending the walls of the bag therefrom.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein:

the stiffener bar includes a horizontally elongated slot; and

the hanger includes a suspension hook including a horizontally elongated upwardly opening channel for receipt in the slot and for nesting of the upper edge of the slot therein to cooperate in maintaining the stiffener bar in a horizontal plane.

29. A body fluid collection bag for suspension from a hook connected with a weight scale and comprising:

front and back walls connected along their edges to cooperate in forming a vertical flexible container distended in a horizontal plane and configured at its bottom extremity with a semicircular bottom wall disposed in the horizontal plane, the container being symmetrical about a vertical centerline;

a horizontal stiffener bar along the upper extremity of the bag for supporting the front and back walls and cooperating in maintaining the bottom wall distended in its semicircular configuration;

an attachment disposed centrally on the stiffener bar for connecting with the hook;

an inlet fitting in the upper portion of the bag; and

an outlet fitting in the lower portion of the bag.

30. A system for precise calculation of the volume of body fluid expelled from a patient and comprising;

a frame;

an upright flexible wall collection container formed with a front wall configured with a vertical translucent meter window having graduations spaced vertically there along corresponding for alignment with the top surface of the fluid in the container to approximately represent the volume of the fluid collected, the container formed with a semicircular bottom wall and including a discharge outlet in the lower portion of the front wall and further including an inlet in the upper portion thereof for introducing fluid from the patient;

an inlet block overlying the inlet and being formed with a vertical passage angled toward and joining the inlet;

a weight scale interposed between the frame and container and including a cantilever flexible beam having a hook on the free end thereof for suspending the container and responsive to the weight of fluid in the container to generate an electrical signal;

a central processing unit including a converter connected with the weight scale and including a memory having an electrical specify gravity signal and being responsive to the electrical signal and specify gravity signal to generate an electrical volume signal; and

a display device including a display panel and responsive to the volume signal to generate display signal on the display panel corresponding with the volume signal.

31. A method of measuring the fluid expelled from a patient'"'"'s body including;

selecting a vertical fluid container formed to extend horizontally in one vertical plane and having an inlet tube in the upper portion, symmetrical about a vertical centerline, and including a concave rounded bottom wall;

selecting a weight scale;

suspending the container from the weight scale from a point along the centerline;

accumulating the fluid in the bag to gradually fill form the bottom wall at the centerline to flow horizontally outwardly and upwardly along the surface of the concave bottom wall rounded in the one vertical plane;

sensing the weight of the fluid by the weight scale;

electrically monitoring the weight of the fluid from the weight scale and utilizing the weight sensed to generate a display.

32. A system for precise measurement of excreted body fluids comprising:

a vertically extending container for collecting the fluid, extending horizontally and being symmetrical about a vertical centerline;

a frame for supporting the container and including an opening and bottom thereof;

a weight scale in the frame;

a hanger suspended from the weight scale and projecting downwardly through the opening;

a control unit in the frame and connected with the weight scale and being operative in response to the magnitude of weight applied to such scale to generate an electrical signal and being operative in response to such electrical signal to generate a display signal; and

a support table and including a platform for supporting the frame and being formed with a slot for depending there through of the hook to support the container from such hook freely suspended from the weight scale and projecting below the level of the platform.