APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COLLECTING A URINE SAMPLE FOR ANALYSIS

• US 20150320404A1
• Filed: 05/05/2015
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wk Holdings, Inc
• Original Assignee: Wk Holdings, Inc
• Inventors: KRAMER, HEIDI
• Granted Patent: US 9,974,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/007 for taking urine samples measuring urological functions A61B5/20; genital receptacles A61F5/451; urinals for bed-ridden persons A61G9/006
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change

Abstract

An apparatus and method for automatically collecting urine samples from a patient. The apparatus includes a toilet bowel with a reservoir and a urine collection receptacle that is a flexible heat sealable plastic bag in an enclosure mounted exterior to the reservoir. The receptacle can be rotated into the toilet reservoir to collect urine and removed therefrom by rotating it back into the enclosure. The opening to the bag is then heat sealed to produce a urine sample packet. The receptacle may be automatically divided into a plurality of urine sample packets by heat sealing the bag at several locations along its length and then cutting the bag at the appropriate heat sealed locations. Each packet is then printed with patient indicia. The sample packets then pass through an opening in the enclosure for removal and subsequent analysis. An electrical activation interface is provided to control the process.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatically collecting a urine sample for analysis comprising:

a. a toilet bowel having a toilet reservoir;

b. a urine collection receptacle in an enclosure mounted to the exterior of the toilet reservoir, the receptacle comprising a flexible heat sealable plastic bag having an opening for the collection of urine;

c. the urine collection receptacle selectively rotated from the enclosure into the toilet reservoir for the collection of urine through the opening and removed therefrom by rotating back into the enclosure;

d. a heat sealing means for sealing the opening of the receptacle to produce a urine sample packet;

e. a printer for printing a patient indicia on the urine sample packet;

f. an opening in the enclosure for removal of the urine sample packet; and

g. an electrical activation interface for activating the collecting of the urine sample, sealing the opening, printing the patient indicia and removing the urine collection receptacle.

2. An apparatus for automatically collecting a urine sample for analysis comprising:

a. a toilet bowel having a toilet reservoir;

b. a urine collection receptacle in an enclosure mounted to the exterior of the toilet reservoir, the receptacle comprising an elongated flexible heat sealable plastic bag having an opening for the collection of urine;

c. the urine collection receptacle selectively rotated from the enclosure into the toilet reservoir for the collection of urine through the opening and removed therefrom by rotating back into the enclosure;

d. a heat sealing means for sealing the opening of the receptacle and heat sealing the receptacle at a plurality of locations along its length;

e. a cutting means for cutting the receptacle at the plurality of locations along its length, to thereby produce a plurality of urine sample packets;

f. a printer for printing a patient indicia on each of the urine sample packets;

g. an opening in the enclosure for removal of the urine sample packets; and

h. an electrical activation interface for activating the collecting of the urine sample, sealing the opening, printing the patient indicia and removing the urine collection receptacle.

3. An method for automatically collecting a urine sample for analysis comprising:

a. providing a toilet bowel having a toilet reservoir;

b. providing a urine collection receptacle in an enclosure mounted to the exterior of the toilet reservoir, the receptacle comprising an elongated flexible heat sealable plastic bag having an opening for the collection of urine;

c. selectively rotating the urine collection receptacle from the enclosure into the toilet reservoir;

d. collecting the urine through the opening;

e. removing the urine collection receptacle from the enclosure by rotating the receptacle back into the enclosure;

f. heat sealing the opening of the receptacle;

g. heat sealing the receptacle at a plurality of locations along its length;

h. cutting the receptacle at the plurality of locations along its length, to thereby produce a plurality of urine sample packets;

i. printing a patient indicia on each of the urine sample packets; and

j. removing the urine sample packets from the enclosure.