Fluid containment bag
First Claim
1. A containment bag for bodily fluids which comprises:
- a bag having a hollow interior defined by two sides meeting at opposite edges, a bottom and a top, with said edges and bottom sealed and said top at least partially open to receive said bodily fluids;
stiffening means aligned with and adjacent to said top of said bag for resiliently biasing said top into an opened position, said stiffening means comprising at least one flexible, resilient elongated member in contact with said bag sides adjacent said top;
funnel means within said interior and having an open top, said funnel means being secured to said bag at said top of said bag, and extending downwardly within said interior to an open bottom for conduction of fluid entering said open top through said funnel means and into said bag, with the open bottom of said funnel being disposed intermediate between said top and bottom of said bag, said open bottom being free from attachment to said sides of said bag such that flow of fluid within said bag back toward said funnel means acts to close said funnel means to prevent escape of said fluid from said bag.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A containment and disposal bag for human bodily fluids is disclosed which includes a bag having a hollow interior and a top at least partially open to receive the bodily fluids; preferably a funnel structure within the bag to channel said bodily fluids into the interior and to restrict expulsion of bodily fluids from the interior prior to sequestration; a hydrophilic material within the bag which is rapidly gellable upon contact with the bodily fluids in the bag, the gellation serving to essentially completely sequester the bodily fluids and prevent it from thereafter being expelled from the bag; and a closure to close the top of the bag after introduction of the bodily fluids into the bag. The hydrophilic material is commonly a polymer which is activated upon contact with the water-based bodily fluids and which gels rapidly (normally within thirty seconds or less) to sequester the bodily fluids. The hydrophilic material commonly is part of a mixture of materials which also may contain enzymes, deodorants, fragrances, human body abnormality indicators and/or pregnancy indicators. The bag may be rectangular or otherwise shaped to accommodate the user'"'"'s needs, or may be adapted to be worn by the user. The rapid and complete sequestration of the bodily fluids permits the bag to be easily and conveniently used in a variety of circumstances with minimal possibility that the bodily fluids will become spilled or otherwise expelled from the bag.
130 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A containment bag for bodily fluids which comprises:
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a bag having a hollow interior defined by two sides meeting at opposite edges, a bottom and a top, with said edges and bottom sealed and said top at least partially open to receive said bodily fluids; stiffening means aligned with and adjacent to said top of said bag for resiliently biasing said top into an opened position, said stiffening means comprising at least one flexible, resilient elongated member in contact with said bag sides adjacent said top; funnel means within said interior and having an open top, said funnel means being secured to said bag at said top of said bag, and extending downwardly within said interior to an open bottom for conduction of fluid entering said open top through said funnel means and into said bag, with the open bottom of said funnel being disposed intermediate between said top and bottom of said bag, said open bottom being free from attachment to said sides of said bag such that flow of fluid within said bag back toward said funnel means acts to close said funnel means to prevent escape of said fluid from said bag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 27, 37)
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21. A containment and disposal bag for bodily fluids which comprises:
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a bag having a hollow interior defined by two sides meeting at opposite edges, a bottom and a top, with said edges and bottom sealed and said top at least partially open to receive said bodily fluids; funnel means within said interior and having an open top, said funnel means being secured to said bag at said top of said bag, and extending downwardly within said interior to an open bottom for conduction of fluid entering said open top through said funnel means and into said bag, with the open bottom of said funnel being disposed intermediate between said top and bottom of said bag, said open bottom being free from attachment to said sides of said bag such that flow of fluid within said bag back toward said funnel means acts to close said funnel means to prevent escape of said fluid from said bag; stiffening means aligned with and adjacent to said top of said bag for resiliently biasing said top into an opened position, said stiffening means comprising at least one flexible, resilient elongated member in contact with said bag sides adjacent said top; and closure means for closing the top of said bag after introduction of said bodily fluids into said bag. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29)
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30. A containment bag for bodily fluids which comprises:
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a bag having a hollow interior defined by two sides meeting at opposite edges, a bottom and a top, with said edges and bottom sealed and said top at least partially open to receive said bodily fluids; a gellable hydrophilic material within said bag, said material becoming fully gelled within thirty seconds of said contact with said bodily fluids when said bodily fluids are deposited in said bag, said gellation serving to essentially completely sequester said bodily fluids and prevent said bodily fluids from thereafter being expelled from said bag; funnel means within said interior and having an open top, said funnel means being secured to said bag at said top of said bag, and extending downwardly within said interior to an open bottom for conduction of fluid entering said open top through said funnel means and into said bag, with the open bottom of said funnel being disposed intermediate between said top and bottom of said bag, said open bottom being free from attachment to said sides of said bag such that flow of fluid within said bag back toward said funnel means acts to close said funnel means to prevent escape of said fluid from said bag. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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38. A containment bag for bodily fluids which comprises:
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a bag having a hollow interior defined by two sides meeting at opposite edges, a bottom and a top, with said edges and bottom sealed and said top at least partially open to receive said bodily fluids; channel means at least partially within said interior and secured to said bag at said top of said bag, and extending downwardly within said interior and terminating in one-way valve means for conduction of bodily fluid entering through said channel means and into said bag, with said one-way valve means being disposed intermediate between said top and bottom of said bag and free from attachment to said sides of said bag such that flow of fluid within said bag back toward said channel means acts to close said one-way valve means to prevent escape of said fluid from said bag; and closure means for closing the top of said bag after introduction of said bodily fluids into said bag, said closure means comprising an elongated cylindrical closure member having a longitudinal slot which fits across said top of said bag, said longitudinal slot defining opposed jaws for contacting the sides of said bag adjacent said top and biasing said sides into contact to close the top opening. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45)
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44. A bodily fluids containment bag comprising:
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a hollow interior defined by two sides meeting at opposite edges, a bottom and a top, with said edges and bottom sealed and said top at least partially open to receive said bodily fluids; channel means at least partially within said interior and secured to said bag at said top of said bag, and extending downwardly within said interior and terminating in one-way valve means for conduction of bodily fluid entering through said channel means and into said bag, with said one-way valve means being disposed intermediate between said top and bottom of said bag and free from attachment to said sides of said bag such that flow of fluid within said bag back toward said channel means acts to close said one-way valve means to prevent escape of said fluid from said bag; and closure means for closing the top of said bag after introduction of said bodily fluids into said bag, said closure means comprising cooperating ribs on the inside surfaces of the sides of said bag adjacent one another, which ribs interlock to hold said top opening of said bag in a closed position.
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46. A containment and disposal bag for bodily fluids which comprises:
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a bag having a hollow interior defined by two sides meeting at opposite edges, a bottom and a top, with said edges and bottom sealed and said top at least partially open to receive said bodily fluids; channel means at least partially within said interior and secured to said bag at said top of said bag, and extending downwardly within said interior and terminating in one-way valve means for conduction of bodily fluid entering through said channel means and into said bag, with said one-way valve means being disposed intermediate between said top and bottom of said bag and free from attachment to said sides of said bag such that flow of fluid within said bag back toward said channel means acts to close said one-way valve means to prevent escape of said fluid from said bag; stiffening means aligned with and adjacent to said top of said bag for resiliently biasing said top into an opened position, said stiffening means comprising at least one flexible, resilient elongated member in contact with said bag sides adjacent said top; and closure means for closing the top of said bag after introduction of said bodily fluids into said bag, said closure means comprising opposed ribs on the in side surfaces of the sides of said bag that interlock to hold said top in a closed position. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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Specification