Anti-reflux device for urinary collection bags

• US 3,901,235 A
• Filed: 05/24/1973
• Issued: 08/26/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bhupendra C. Patel, John F. Dye
• Original Assignee: Bhupendra C. Patel, John F. Dye
• Inventors: Patel, Bhupendra C., Dye, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Application Number:
  US05/363,614
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 128/275,294,295,DIG.24,274 137/525,525.1
• US Class Current: 604/323
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/4405 Valves or valve arrangements specially adapted therefor A61F5/441 takes precedence; Fluid inlets or outlets A61F5/4407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/24 Medical-surgical bags
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7891 Flap or reed

Abstract

A flexible collection bag used for collecting urinary and other body fluid drainage, has a film or sheet flap valve laminate closing against the internal surface of the bag in response to positive pressures within the bag. The flap valve is located over the inlet opening of the bag, through which liquid passes for collection, and is a sheet of thin flexible material having all but its lower periphery sealed to the inside of the bag and the back support portion of the inlet opening, thus leaving a lower free flap portion below the inlet opening. The flap valve remains in a passive state; however, when the bag pressure exceeds the input or drain line pressure, the valve closes and remains closed until the bag pressure drops below the line pressure. The valve advantageously permits only a unidirectional flow to occur, thereby preventing any refluxing action of the bag contents from taking place therein.

Claims

1. An anti-reflux device for a body fluid collection bag comprising:

at least two flexible walls of a plastic material joined together at the peripheral edges thereof, one of said at least two walls having an opening on an upper portion thereof;

a tubular inlet connector comprising a back support and a tubular elbow portion attached thereto, said elbow portion having a generally circular opening therein that coincides with said opening on said wall, said circular opening being constructed so that fluids flowing therethrough will be concentrated at the lowermost portion thereof, said connector being secured to the exterior of said wall so that said circular opening is aligned with said wall opening;

a drainage tube for transporting body fluids to said bag being attached to said tubular inlet connector; and

, a flap valve consisting of a sheet of thin flexible material having substantially the same configuration as said back support and being secured to the interior of said wall having the opening thereon so as to substantially coincide with the outline of said inlet connector, said flap valve being secured in a manner that leaves only its lower periphery unsecured and free to flex inwardly toward said bag interior when fluid passes therethrough but to close when the bag pressure exceeds the drainage tube pressure, said lower periphery covering the lowest portion of said circular opening and extending slightly below it.

2. The anti-reflux device of claim 1 wherein said back support and said flap valve have at least two coinciding locator points thereon for correctly positioning and securing one to the other.