Ostomy appliance

• US 6,659,988 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Convatec Incorporated (ConvaTec Group Plc)
• Original Assignee: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
• Inventors: Steer, Graham E., Hollands, Keith G. M., Thorndale, Timothy K., Steer, Peter L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, CATHARINE L
• Application Number:
  US09/512,405
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 604/332-345, 137/856, 137/855, 137/550, 383/100, 383/103
• US Class Current: 604/333
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/441 having venting or deodorant means, e.g. filters ; having antiseptic means, e.g. bacterial barriers

Abstract

An ostomy pouch (10) is described having an automatic pressure relief valve (82) which opens and closes automatically in response to the differential gas pressure across the valve to vent flatus. In one form, the valve comprises a diaphragm which seals against a seat by the use of a tacky gel or oil. The diaphragm is pinched towards one side and flexes as a flap.

In one preferred form, the valve (84) is used in combination with a deodorizing filter (82). The filter may be mounted co-axially with the valve, or it may be mounted separately and offset from the valve. A sub-envelope assembly (80) is described carrying the valve (84) and the filter (82) and defining a buffer volume between the valve and filter to compensate for the different flow characteristics of the valve and filter.

Claims

1. An ostomy pouch comprising pouch walls joined to form a pouch for receiving fluids from a stoma, a pressure relief valve and a deodorising filter, each at least partly within said pouch, the deodorising filter being non-overlapping and offset from the pressure relief valve, the deodorising filter and the pressure relief valve being mounted on a sub-envelope within the pouch which defines a buffer chamber between the deodorising filter and the pressure relief valve, the pressure relief valve including a fixed case member having a valve seat and a diaphragm capable of seating and unseating on said valve seat so as to close and open said pressure relief valve automatically in response to a gas pressure differential across the diaphragm, said case member at least partly surrounding and protecting said valve seat and diaphragm.

2. The ostomy pouch according to claim 1, wherein the deodorising filter is spaced from the pressure relief valve.