INTEGRAL EDGE STRUCTURE FOR URINE COLLECTION BAG

• US 3,740,770 A
• Filed: 06/21/1971
• Issued: 06/26/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank K. Villari
• Original Assignee: Frank K. Villari
• Inventors: Villari, Frank K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sprague, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US05/155,016
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 4/110,142 248/95 128/295
• US Class Current: 4/144.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/441 having venting or deodorant means, e.g. filters ; having antiseptic means, e.g. bacterial barriers

Abstract

A liquid collection bag combining a rigid support member with flexible side walls, the support including as an integral part thereof a drip site chamber. A similar support member can also be utilized at the opposite end to complete the closure of the bag, with the drip site chamber functioning as an exit portal.

Claims

1. A liquid collection unit comprising:

a bag having flexible side walls sealed on the side edges;

a substantially rigid lower support member positioned between the bottom edges of said side walls and sealed to the interior surface of the side walls adjacent the bottom of said bag, with said bag side edges and lower support member defining a liquid collection chamber in the bag, and said lower support member providing support for the side walls;

a substantially rigid upper support member positioned between the top edges of said side walls and sealed to the interior surface of the side walls such that said upper support member has a surface exterior of the collection chamber and a surface interior of the collection chamber, said upper support member providing a support for the side walls from which the flexible side walls are suspended and held extended therealong; and

a drip site chamber extending through the interior of the upper support member and providing a passway from the exterior to the interior of the bag.

2. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said drip site chamber includes, an inlet port at the surface of said upper support member exterior of the liquid collection chamber adapted to receive a fluid conducting tube, and an exit port at the surface of said upper support member located interiorly of said collection chamber and axially aligned with said inlet port.

3. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 2 wherein said inlet port is narrower than portions of the drip site chamber adjacent thereto so that the walls of the inlet port are spaced inwardly from the adjacent walls of the drip site chamber.

4. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 2 wherein the walls of the upper support member forming the drip site chamber extend from the exterior surface of said upper support member to the surface interiorly of the bag at the exit port whereby there is provided an opening at the exterior surface having cross-sectional dimensions substantially the same as the cross-sectional dimensions of the drip site chamber, said opening having a spacer member sealingly engaging at least the edges of said opening at the exterior surface of the upper support member, said spacer member having a passageway therethrough narrower than said opening and located therein so that the peripheral edges of said passageway are spaced inwardly from the adjacent walls of the drip site chamber to thereby form said inlet port.

5. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 2 wherein the drip site chamber has a circular crosssection, and said spacer member is an annular member positioned in said opening at the exterior surface of the support member in sealing engagement with the walls of said opening.

6. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 1 having a drainage tube connected to said bag at the bottom portion thereof and in communication with said liquid collection chamber therein to provide a passageway for the drainage of liquid from said chamber.

7. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lower support member includes a drainage chamber having an inlet port and an exit port, the inlet port of said lower support member being disposed to the interior of the liquid collection chamber and the exit port thereof being disposed to the exterior of said chamber.

8. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 2 wherein said upper support member comprises an elongate bar extending across the top of the bag from one side edge to the other, said bar having an expanded pOrtion thereof traversing the width of the bar to accommodate said drip site chamber.

9. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 8 wherein said expanded portion is located substantially midway between the ends of the elongate bar and has a curvilinear exterior surface, said expanded portion having a section at the bottom thereof adjacent the exit port which is tapered toward said exit port.

10. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 9 wherein the bottom portion of the remainder of the bar is tapered to provide an edge-like surface with sloping walls therealong, the interior surface of the side walls of the bag at the top edges thereof being sealed to the sloping walls along the bottom of the bar and to the walls of the tapered section at the bottom of said expanded portion of said bar.

11. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 9 wherein the walls of the upper support member forming the drip site chamber extend from the exterior surface of said upper support member to the surface interiorly of the bag at the exit port, whereby there is provided an opening at the exterior surface thereof having cross-sectional dimensions substantially the same as the cross-sectional dimensions of the drip site chamber, said opening having a spacer member sealingly engaging at least the edges of said opening at the exterior surface of the upper support member, said spacer member having a passageway therethrough narrower than said opening and located therein so that the peripheral edges of said passageway are spaced inwardly from the adjacent walls of the drip site chamber to thereby form said inlet port.

12. a liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 10 wherein said lower support member is substantially identical to said elongate bar.

13. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said upper support member includes means for attaching said support member to a hanger for hanging the unit form a supporting structure.

14. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 13 wherein said means comprises at least one aperture through the upper support member on each side of the drip site chamber.

15. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lower support member comprises an elongate bar having a drainage chamber.

16. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 15 wherein said bar has an expanded portion to accommodate said drainage chamber.

17. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 16 wherein said expanded portion is located centrally between the ends of the bar.

18. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 15 wherein the bottom portion of the bar is tapered to provide an edge-like surface with sloping walls therealong.

19. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lower support member has a drainage chamber extending through the lower support member, and including a drainage tube received in the lower end of the drainage chamber.

20. A liquid collection unit in accordance with claim 19 including closure means for opening and closing the drainage tube.