Patent Application
20230052238
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The disclosure relates to urine collection assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new urine collection assembly for use by either sex in a non-ambulatory setting.
The prior art relates to urine collection assemblies, which may comprise receptacles for inserting genitalia, drain tubes connected to bags, portable urinals, and the like. What is lacking in the prior art is a unisex urine collection assembly wherein the assembly comprises pads lining a cutout in a tube. The pads are configured to be insertable between labia of a female user or to bracket a penis of a male user, such that the pads sealably engage skin of the user when suction is applied to the tube.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a tube, a connector, and a pair of pads. The tube has a cutout positioned in a top face thereof. The cutout extends from proximate to a midpoint of the tube toward a first end thereof. The tube has a second end, which is closed.
The connector is engaged to the first end of the tube and is configured to engage a conduit extending from a suctioning unit so that the tube is in fluidic communication with the suctioning unit.
Each pad is engaged to the tube and extends from a respective opposed edge of the cutout thereinto so that the pair of pads defines a slot. The pads are resiliently flexible and thus configured to sealably engage skin of a user when suction is applied by the suctioning unit. The pads are configured to be positioned between labia of a female user or to bracket a penis inserted into the slot by a male user. Urine expelled by the user is suctioned from the tube into a reservoir by action of the suctioning unit.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The connector 14 is engaged to the first end 24 of the tube 12 and is configured to engage a conduit extending from a suctioning unit (as shown in
Each pad 16 is engaged to the tube 12 and extends from a respective opposed edge 30 of the cutout 18 thereinto so that the pair of pads 16 defines a slot 32. The pads 16 are resiliently flexible and thus configured to sealably engage skin of the user when suction is applied by the suctioning unit. The pads 16 are configured to be positioned between labia of a female user, as shown in
The pads 16 comprise foamed elastomer, rubber, or silicone. The pads 16 have a plurality of indentations 34 positioned therein, with each indentation 34 extending between opposed ends 36 of a respective pad 16. The indentations are configured to promote sealing of the pad 16 to the skin of the user.
In one embodiment, the cutout 18 extends bidirectionally from the midpoint 22 of the tube 12. A panel 38 is engaged to an inner surface 40 of the tube 12 and extends circumferentially therearound so that the cutout 18 is covered by the panel 38. The panel 38 is configured to wick so that urine contacting the panel 38 is wicked into the tube 12. The panel 38 comprises silk, wool, polyester, polyethylene, or microfiber cloth.
The pads 16 are engaged to the panel 38 and extend from the midpoint 22 of the tube 12 toward the first end 24 of the tube 12. The slot 32 that is defined by the pads 16 extends through the panel 38.
A filler 42 is positioned in the tube 12 and is engaged to the panel 38. The filler 42 is permeable so that urine passes therethrough. The filler 42 comprises sponge, cotton, or gauze. The filler 42 has a void 44 positioned therein and extending from the slot 32 into the tube 12, as shown in
In use, the pads 16 are positioned between the labia of the female user or to bracket the penis inserted into the slot 32 by the male user. The suctioning unit is engaged to create a partial vacuum within the tube 12. The pads 16, being resiliently flexible, sealably engage the skin of the user to couple the assembly 10 to the user. Urine expelled by the user is suctioned from the tube 12 into the reservoir by action of the suctioning unit.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the elements is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
