Collapsible canister liner for medical fluid collection

• US 9,770,540 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allegiance Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Allegiance Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Michaels, Thomas L.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, JEFFREY R
• Application Number:
  US13/217,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20110313375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,225 Days
• Field of Search: 220 92, 22049506, 22049508, 220666, 383 33, 383104, 383119, 215 113
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/602 Mechanical means for preventing flexible containers from collapsing when vacuum is applied inside, e.g. stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/604 Bag or liner in a rigid container, with suction applied to both
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/882 Draining devices provided with means for releasing antimicrobial or gelation agents in the drained fluid

Abstract

A collapsible liner for use in a canister of a medical fluid collection system is disclosed. The liner includes a flexible bag extending longitudinally between a top portion opposite a closed bottom portion, and at least one support element connected to the bag and disposed generally laterally relative to a length of the bag. When an interior of the bag is subjected to a vacuum, the at least one support element limits an extent of lateral collapse while permitting longitudinal collapse. The canister includes a second vacuum source port located remotely from the lid so as to subject a space between the collapsible liner and the canister to a second vacuum commensurate to the vacuum applied to the interior of the bag.

Claims

1. A medical fluid collection system comprising:

a canister defining an open end; and

a liner assembly including;

a lid removably attachable to the open end of the canister, the lid including a vacuum port and a collection port; and

a collapsible liner dimensioned for placement within the canister and biased to a vertically collapsed position during operation, the liner including;

a flexible film bag extending longitudinally between a top portion coupled to the lid and a closed bottom portion and defining an interior, and

at least one support element apart from the lid and disposed generally laterally relative to the flexible bag direction of extension, a height of the support element being less than its thickness;

wherein the vacuum port and the collection port are in direct fluid communication with the interior of the bag, and

wherein when the interior of the bag is subjected to a vacuum pressure by way of the vacuum port, the at least one support element constrains a lateral collapse of the bag.

2. The collection system of claim 1, wherein a flexibility of the bag is greater than a flexibility of the at least one support element.

3. The collection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one support element prevents the bag from laterally collapsing onto itself at a longitudinal center line of the bag when the interior is subjected to a vacuum to prevent occlusion of fluid flow along a longitudinal direction of the bag.

4. The collection system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of support elements disposed laterally relative to the length of the bag and discretely positioned longitudinally between the top portion and the bottom portion of the bag.

5. The collection system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of support elements includes first and second support elements associated with the bag to define a bag region between the first and second support elements, and further wherein when the interior is subjected to a vacuum, the bag region experiences lateral and longitudinal collapse, with first and second support elements inhibiting an extent of the lateral collapse of the bag region.

6. The collection system of claim 4, wherein in longitudinal cross-section, the bag defines opposing faces separated by a lateral bag width, and further wherein a spacing distance between adjacent support elements is not greater than the bag width.

7. The collection system of claim 4, wherein in longitudinal cross-section, the bag defines opposing faces that taper from a wide end adjacent to the top portion to a narrow end adjacent to the bottom portion, the faces between each pair of adjacent support elements defining a corresponding minimum bag width, and further wherein a spacing distance between adjacent support elements is not greater than the corresponding minimum bag width.

8. The collection system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of support elements includes a first support element positioned adjacent the bottom portion and a second support element positioned adjacent the first support element opposite the bottom portion, and further wherein longitudinal locations of the first and second support elements relative to the bag are indicative of standard volumes.

9. The collection system of claim 8, wherein the first support element is longitudinally located relative to the bag to reflect a filled volume between the first support element and the bottom portion of a first standard volumetric value, and the second support element is longitudinally located relative to the bag to reflect a filled volume between the second support element and the bottom portion of a second standard volumetric value, wherein the second standardized value is two times the first standardized value.

10. The collection system of claim 9, wherein the first standard volumetric value is 1 liter and the second standard volumetric value is 2 liters.

11. The collection system of claim 8, wherein a color of the first support element is different from a color of the second support element.

12. The collection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one support element is a rigid annular plastic band coupled to an inside perimeter of the bag.

13. The collection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one support element is integrally formed as a portion of the flexible bag.

14. The collection system of claim 1, wherein the lid further includes a discharge port in direct fluid communication with the interior.

15. The collection system of claim 1, wherein the liner is attached to an outer circumferential surface of the lid.

16. The collection system of claim 1, wherein the closed bottom portion comprises a flexible liner.

17. The collection system of claim 1, wherein the support elements are positioned so as to prevent opposing interior sides of the flexible film bag from touching each other when vacuum pressure is applied to the interior of the bag.

18. The collection system of claim 7, wherein the spacing between adjacent support elements differs corresponding to the minimum bag width.

19. The collection system of claim 1, wherein the canister includes a second vacuum source port located remotely from the lid so as to subject a space between the collapsible liner and the canister to a second vacuum commensurate to the vacuum applied to the interior of the bag, the second vacuum source port being configured to fluidly connect the space between the liner and the canister with a vacuum source and positioned so as to inhibit vertical collapse of the bag during operation.