Cover for a fluid collection device

• US 8,348,914 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medline Industries Incorporated (Medline Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Medline Industries Incorporated (Medline Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zyburt, Sarah, Tomes, Jennifer E., Lockwood, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SUE A
• Application Number:
  US12/897,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20120082403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 150/154, 383/81, 604/317, 604/327, 224/148.4
• US Class Current: 604/317
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/4404 Details or parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/445 Colostomy, ileostomy or urethrostomy devices A61F5/441, A61F5/442, A61F5/443 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/449 Body securing means, e.g. belts, garments
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 65/08 with fastening elements, e.g. slide fasteners

Abstract

A cover (100) having one or more openings (106,107) and one or more complementary closure devices (112,113) fits about a fluid drain bag, such as a urinary catheter drain bag (301). The cover (100) can be configured to be both partially transparent and partially opaque. Accordingly, a health services provider (401) can instantly perform rudimentary analyses of the fluid level (401) with a quick glance, yet can perform more in-depth analyses by lifting a front panel (102) at the lower opening (107). The in-depth analysis can be done without removing the cover (100). The cover 100 is also semiopaque, thereby protecting patient dignity by obfuscating the cover'"'"'s contents.

Claims

1. A cover for a catheter drain bag, comprising:

a layer of material defining a front panel, rear panel, a left edge, and a right edge, wherein the layer of material further defines a lower opening and an upper opening, and wherein the front panel defines a concave peninsular opening that is centrally disposed at the upper opening of the front panel; and

at least two complementary closure devices disposed along the upper opening and being configured to retain the front panel and rear panel together to close the upper opening in at least two locations, wherein a first complementary closure device is situated left of the concave peninsular opening and a second complementary closure device is situated right of the concave peninsular opening.

2. The cover of claim 1, wherein the at least to complementary closure devices are configured such that the upper opening defines a plurality of upper openings when the at least two complementary closure devices are engaged.

3. The cover of claim 2, wherein the at least two complementary closure devices comprise snaps.

4. The cover of claim 2, wherein the first complementary closure device and the second complementary closure device are equidistant from the concave peninsular opening.

5. The cover of claim 1, wherein the concave peninsular opening comprises a u-shape that tapers from an opening to a base toward a center of the cover.

6. The cover of claim 1, wherein the concave peninsular opening has a depth of at least two inches.

7. The cover of claim 1, wherein the concave peninsular opening has a mouth that is at least two inches wide.

8. The cover of claim 1, wherein the front panel and the rear panel each have a width between ten and twelve inches and a length of between eleven and thirteen inches.

9. The cover of claim 1, wherein the first complementary closure device and the second complementary closure device are each equidistant from the right edge and the left edge.

10. The cover of claim 1, wherein the layer of material is both semitransparent and semiopaque.

11. The cover of claim 10, wherein the layer of material comprises spun bond polypropylene.

12. The cover of claim 11, wherein the layer of material is blue.

13. A cover for a drain bag, comprising:

a layer of material defining a front panel, rear panel, a left edge, and a bottom edge, wherein the layer of material further defines an upper opening, a right edge opening, and a corner opening running from the left edge to the upper opening, wherein the corner opening is non-orthogonal with both the left edge and the upper opening; and

at least four complementary closure devices, with at least a first two complementary closure devices disposed along the upper opening and at least a second two complementary closure devices disposed along the right edge opening, the at least four complementary closure devices being configured to retain the front panel and rear panel together to close the upper opening and the right edge opening in at least two locations.

14. The cover of claim 13, wherein the front panel and the rear panel each have a width between eight and ten inches and a length of between sixteen and eighteen inches.

15. The cover of claim 13, wherein the left edge is between five and six inches in length and the upper opening is between twelve and fourteen inches in length.

16. The cover of claim 13, wherein a complementary closure device is situated about three inches from an intersection of the upper opening and the right edge opening.

17. The cover of claim 13, wherein a complementary closure device is situated about two and one half inches from the corner opening.

18. The cover of claim 13, wherein the layer of material is both semitransparent and semiopaque.

19. The cover of claim 18, wherein the layer of material comprises spun bond polypropylene.

20. The cover of claim 19, wherein the layer of material is blue.