GB2216010A

GB2216010A - Urine collector

Info

Publication number: GB2216010A
Application number: GB8903158A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Patrick Hugh Mcleod
Original assignee: Simpla Plastics Ltd
Current assignee: Simpla Plastics Ltd
Priority date: 1988-02-22
Filing date: 1989-02-13
Publication date: 1989-10-04
Also published as: AU2986989A; GB8804048D0; DK81189A; GB8903158D0; DK81189D0

Abstract

A urine collector (1) comprises a bag (2) having an inlet (3) and an internal device to collect, measure and show the volume of urine passing through the inlet. The device may be a transparent or translucent measuring cylinder (16), more rigid than the bag, mounted on a base (15) between walls (13, 14) with one wall (14) being lower than the cylinder to allow the urine to be poured into the bag after measurement. <IMAGE>

Description

URINE COLLECTOR The invention relates to a urine collector, for example one comprising a bag with an inlet for urine and an outlet for urine through which urine can be exhausted when a sufficient quantity has been collected.

Such bags are used in urine collection systems. In such systems, in order to monitor the condition, health and/or progress towards recovery of a patient it is often necessary or desirable to measure accurately small quantities of urine from the patient particularly where the collector is part of a larger volume collection system to be attached to an indwelling urethal or suprapubic catheter.

Proposed collectors incorporate a rigid plastic container to which is usually attached a separate flexible plastic collection bag.

The plastic container is used as a first collection vessel, calibrated accurately, the contents of which can be emptied into the flexible bag. At each reading the bag can subsequently be detached or drained, depending on the system.

These prior collectors are both costly to produce and are bulky.

They require a height of several centimetres and this can be inconvenient by the side of modern beds.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to seek to mitigate these disadvantages.

According to the invention there is provided a urine collector, comprising a bag with an inlet for urine and wherein there is a device internally of the bag for collecting, measuring and showing urine volume which passes in use into the bag from the inlet.

Thus using the invention it is possible to incorporate a plastic measuring cylinder within a drainage bag so that the measuring cylinder will fill from the inlet, held open at its top end, so that urine may overflow into the drainage bag or be conveniently emptied from the cylinder into the drainage bag by tipping the bag from the vertical to or towards the horizontal position. The bag may then be subsequently emptied.

The device may comprise a calibrated cylinder. This provides for ease of construction.

The bag may include an outer boundary wall and an inner wall between which walls the cylinder may be received. Again, this provides a readily constructed device.

The inner wall may be of less height than the cylinder. This provides for simplicity in emptying the cylinder.

The inlet and a mouth of the cylinder may be aligned. This provides for accuracy of filling.

The inlet and mouth may be spaced apart. This provides for accuracy of measurement, so that no part of the inlet enters the cylinder and distorts the reading.

The bag may include a base between said walls on which the cylinder may be received.

The bag may include an outlet having a valve, preferably a manually operable slide valve. This provides for ease of emptying the bag.

A urine collector embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows a schematic side elevational view of one embodiment according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a urine collector 1, comprising a bag 2, suitably a flexible plastic bag which is transparent or translucent, which has a urine inlet 3 and a urine outlet 4. The inlet 3 is in the form of a flexible non-return flap valve 5 connected to an inlet pipe 6 which leads to a catheter (not shown). The bottom (as viewed) of the bag has sloping walls , which lead to the outlet 4, which is in the form of a tube 4 in which there is mounted a manually operable slide valve o. The top (as viewed) of the bag, has a strengthened welt or edge 10 in which are formed strengthened holes 11 whereby the device 1 can be supported from a suitable stand, not shown, for example at the side of a hospital bed.The top and bottom of the bag are connected by boundary walls, 12 and 13, spaced from one of which 13 there is an internal upstanding wall 14. Between the wall 14 and boundary wall 13 there is a base 15. Mounted on the base 15 and received as a sliding fit between the walls 13 and 14 there is a device 10 in the form of an open-mouthed calibrated plastic cylinder for collecting and measuring urine volume which passes into the bag. The open mouth 17 is in line vertically as viewed with the inlet O and is spaced therefrom. The wall 14 is shorter than the cylinder 16.

The cylinder 16 is transparent or translucent so that a liquid level therein can be readily read off against the calibrations 18.

In use, the collector 1 is connected to a patient via a catheter.

Urine flows down the tube 6, through the inlet 3 and flap valve 5 and directly into the measuring cylinder 16. Volume of urine can then be readily measured. The mouth 17 of the cylinder being open, or held open, urine overflows into the main body of the bag 2, or it can be conveniently emptied from the cylinder 16 into the bag 2 by tipping from the vertical position shown, the in use position, to or towards the horizontal. The bag 2 is subsequently emptied by operation of the tap or slide valve 9.

The wall 14 and base 15 may be integrally formed with the bag as by moulding. The cylinder 16 may also be incorporated integrally with the bag 2 during forming as by moulding, although it may be loose in or separate from the bag. In every embodiment the measuring cylinder 16 is made of a material which is relatively rigid as compared with the material of the bag 2. The rigidity provides for accuracy of measurement and reading of urine volume collected.

Claims

CLAI.'1S

1. A urine collector, comprising a bag with an inlet for urine and wherein there is a device internally of the bag for collecting, measuring and showing urine volume which passes in use into the bag from the inlet.

2. A urine collector according to Claim 1, the device comprising a calibrated cylinder.

3. A urine collector according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, the bag including an outer boundary wall and an inner wall between which walls the cylinder is received.

4. A urine collector according to Claim 3. the inner wall being of less height than the cylinder.

5. A urine collector according to any preceding claim. the inlet and a mouth of the cylinder being aligned.

6. A urine collector according to Claim 5, the inlet and mouth being spaced apart.

7. A urine collector according to any of Claims 3 to 6, the bag including a base between said walls on which the cylinder is received.

8. A urine collector according to any preceding claim, the bag having an outlet including a valve.

9. A urine collector according to Claim 8, the valve being a manually operable slide valve.

10. A urine collector according to any preceding claim, made from a material which is relatively rigid as compared to the material of the bag.

11. A urine collector according to any preceding claim. the bag and device being formed integrally.

12. A urine collector according to any preceding claim, the device being a discrete, separate device.

15. A urine collector, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.