Sound-insulated gas-diverting colostomy container

• US 6,050,983 A
• Filed: 10/27/1998
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Diane Moore, Frank R. Lancaster
• Original Assignee: Diane Moore, Frank R. Lancaster
• Inventors: Lancaster, Frank R., Moore, Diane
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAGER, CARIE W
• Application Number:
  US09/179,331
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 604/332-345, 604/327, 128/DIG. 24
• US Class Current: 604/333
• 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: A61F 5/441 having venting or deodorant means, e.g. filters ; having antiseptic means, e.g. bacterial barriers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/445 Colostomy, ileostomy or urethrostomy devices A61F5/441, A61F5/442, A61F5/443 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/24 Medical-surgical bags

Abstract

A colostomy container that is worn by individuals who are in need of a means of passing feces and urine. The container isolates flatus from fecal matter and is capable of containing both excrement elements in separate chambers. Particularly, the stool is collected in a bottom chamber that is disposable, and a spring actuated ball check prohibits reverse flow of fecal matter back into the stoma. The flatus is collected in a top chamber where it is deodorized with a graphite filter and vented. The center of the container is insulated with foam to reduce noise resulting from waste products exiting the stoma and entering the container.

Claims

1. A colostomy container capable of being attached to a stoma of a patient for purposes of sound-insulation and separation of flatus from stool evolving from a human digestive tract, comprising:

(a) a central subassembly, comprising;

(i) a cylindrical housing having a back and an opposing front, said front having a circular opening;

(ii) an open-cell polyurethane foam insulator circumferentially disposed around said cylindrical housing having a v-shaped cut-out section and having a plurality of perforations therein;

(iii) a connecting tube protruding from said front whereby said flatus and said stool can exit said stoma and flow through said tube to said circular opening;

(iv) a spherical ball-check having a back face and having a front face disposed against said circular opening and having a cylindrical hole bored through said spherical ball-check whereby said flatus coming into contact with said spherical ball-check enters said cylindrical hole at said front face and flows to said back face;

(v) a plunger rod protruding from said back having a conical tip and an encircling solid base fixedly attached to said back of said cylindrical housing, said plunger rod disposed outside of and directly in line with said cylindrical hole whereby said flatus flows to said back face;

(vi) a compression spring with a free end and a fixed end, said free end disposed against said back face, said fixed end connected to said back of said cylindrical housing, whereby said compression spring is uncompressed when said flatus comes into contact with said spherical ball-check allowing said flatus to exit said back face and enter said cylindrical housing and thereby flows through said perforations, and whereby said spring is actuated and compresses when said stool coming into contact with said spherical ball-check at said circular opening displaces said spherical ball-check towards said back thereby allowing said plunger rod to penetrate said spherical ball-check through said cylindrical hole thereby allowing said stool to enter said cylindrical housing and proceed to flow through said perforations without said stool clogging said cylindrical hole; and

,

(vii) a belt connector connected to said central subassembly as a means for securing said container to an individual;

(b) a gas-collecting subassembly fixedly connected to said central subassembly and disposed upwardly from said central subassembly thereby receiving said flatus which exits said perforations, comprising;

(i) an elongated, flexible chamber having a left end and a right end and a rounded top end, said left end and said right end adapted to flexibly bend, whereby said flexible chamber can conform to a user;

(ii) a graphite filter having a planar lower face and a rounded upperface, said rounded upperface molded to fit and connect inside said rounded top end, whereby said flatus is filtered and deodorized and,

(iii) a vent hole centrally located at said rounded top end directly above said filter enabling said flatus to exit said chamber;

c) a stool-collecting subassembly removably fastened to said central subassembly and disposed downwardly from said central subassembly, wherein said stool and said flatus enter, comprising;

(i) an elongated, flexible tube chamber having a rounded left edge and a rounded right edge, and having a rounded bottom end and an open top end, said rounded left edge and said rounded right edge adapted to flexibly bend, whereby said flexible tube chamber can conform to said user; and

,

(ii) a means for removably fastening said open top end to said central subassembly, whereby said stool-collecting subassembly can be separately cleaned or disposed of.

2. A colostomy container as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an adhesive donut encircling said connecting tube and attached to said container as a means for securing said container to an individual.