Patent Application
20240268986
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/214,551 filed on Jun. 24, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by this reference.
An individual may have limited or impaired mobility such that typical urination processes are challenging or impossible. For example, the individual may have surgery or a disability that impairs mobility. In another example, the individual may have restricted travel conditions such as those experienced by pilots, drivers, and workers in hazardous areas. Additionally, fluid collection from the individual may be needed for monitoring purposes or clinical testing.
Bed pans and urinary catheters, such as a Foley catheter, may be used to address some of these circumstances. However, bed pans and urinary catheters have several problems associated therewith. For example, bed pans may be prone to discomfort, spills, and other hygiene issues. Urinary catheters be may be uncomfortable, painful, and may cause urinary tract infections. Conventional urine collection devices also may be limited to use when a patient is confined to a bed in a supine position.
Thus, users and manufacturers of fluid collection devices continue to seek new and improved devices, systems, and methods to collect urine.
Embodiments disclosed herein are related to fluid collection devices and methods of using fluid collection devices. In an embodiment, a urine collection system includes a urine collection device, a canister having an interior region, a base including a pump, a lid, a cleaning solution container having a cleaning port, a first conduit, and a second conduit. The urine collection device is configured to be positioned at least proximate to a urethra of a user. The lid is secured or securable to the canister and includes a vacuum port, a urine port, and a dispenser port. The first conduit has an outlet detachably secured or securable to the dispenser port and/or the urine port, and an inlet detachably secured or securable to the urine collection device and/or the cleaning port. The second conduit is in fluid communication with the pump and has an inlet releaseably securable to the vacuum port. The urine collection system is adjustable between at least a urine collection configuration and a cleaning configuration. In the urine collection configuration, the at least one first conduit is secured to the urine collection device and the urine port, and the second conduit is secured to the vacuum port such that activation of the pump creates a negative pressure in the interior region of the canister effective to draw urine in the urine collection device through the at least one first conduit into the interior region of the canister. In the cleaning configuration, the at least one first conduit is secured to the dispenser port and the cleaning port, and the second conduit is secured to the vacuum port such that activation of the pump creates the negative pressure in the interior region of the canister effective to draw cleaning solution in the cleaning solution container through the at least one first conduit and the dispenser port into the interior region of the canister.
In an embodiment, a method of cleaning a canister of a urine collection system includes removing at least a portion of urine in an interior region of a canister. The method also includes detachably securing a first conduit to a dispenser port on a lid secured to a top region of the canister to provide fluid communication between the dispenser port and a cleaning solution via the first conduit. The method also includes activating a pump in fluid communication with the interior region of the canister via a second conduit secured to a vacuum port on the lid, thereby creating a negative pressure in the interior region of the canister effective to draw the cleaning solution through the first conduit and the dispenser port into the interior region of the canister.
In an embodiment, a urine collection container includes a canister having an interior region and a lid secured or securable to the canister. The lid includes a vacuum port configured to detachably secure to a conduit to provide fluid communication between a pump and the interior region of the canister. The lid also includes a urine port configured to detachably secure to a conduit to provide fluid communication between a urine collection device and the interior region of the canister. The lid also includes a dispenser port configured to detachably secure to a conduit to provide fluid communication between a cleaning solution container and the interior region of the canister.
Features from any of the disclosed embodiments may be used in combination with one another, without limitation. In addition, other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
The drawings illustrate several embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar elements or features in different views or embodiments shown in the drawings.
Embodiments disclosed herein are related to urine collection systems having a cleaning apparatus or system, and methods of using the same. The devices and systems disclosed herein are configured to collect fluids from an individual. The fluids collected by the fluid collection devices may include at least one of urine, vaginal discharge, penile discharge, reproductive fluids, blood, sweat, or other bodily fluids. In many embodiments, the fluids collected by the fluid collection device are drawn into a urine collection container. Conventional urine collection systems typically require a user lift and remove the urine collection container from the urine collection system to empty and clean the urine collection system. Moreover, conventional urine collection systems also may require a user to remove a lid from the urine collection container to empty and clean the urine collection container. In addition to the inconvenience of these activities, these activities also increase the likelihood of the spilling urine collected in the urine collection container in undesired locations, increasing the likelihood of unsanitary conditions.
Urine collection systems described herein may be adjustable between a urine collection configuration, a urine removal configuration, and a cleaning configuration. For example, in the cleaning configuration, at least one, some, or all embodiments of urine collection systems described herein provide the technical effect of facilitating cleaning of the urine collection container without removing the urine collection container from the urine collection system and without removing the lid from the urine collection container. Moreover, in the removal configuration, at least one, some, or all embodiments of urine collection systems described herein provide the technical effect of allowing removal of urine or other fluids from the urine collection container without removing the urine collection container from the urine collection system and without removing the lid from the urine collection container. Removal of urine from the urine collection container and also cleaning of the urine collection container without removal of the urine collection container from the urine collection system and/or removal of the lid from the urine collection container promotes sanitary conditions around the user.
The suction force may be applied to the outlet of the conduit 17 by the pump 16 either directly or indirectly. The suction force may be applied indirectly via the urine collection container 14. For example, the outlet of the conduit 17 may be disposed within or fluidly coupled to an interior region of the urine collection container 14 and an additional conduit 17 may extend from the urine collection container 14 to the pump 16. Accordingly, the pump 16 may apply suction to the fluid collection device 12 via the urine collection container 14. The suction force may be applied directly via the pump 16. For example, the outlet of the conduit 17 may be disposed within the pump 16. An additional conduit 17 may extend from the pump 16 to a point outside of the fluid collection device 12, such as to the urine collection container 14. In such examples, the pump 16 may be disposed between the fluid collection device 12 and the urine collection container 14.
The urine collection container 14 is sized and shaped to retain a fluid therein. The urine collection container 14 may include a bag (e.g., drainage bag), a bottle, a canister, or a cup (e.g., collection jar), or any other enclosed container for storing bodily fluid(s) such as urine. In some examples, the conduit 17 may extend from the fluid collection device 12 and attach to the urine collection container 14 at a first point therein. An additional conduit 17 may attach to the urine collection container 14 at a second point thereon and may extend and attach to the pump 16. Accordingly, a vacuum (e.g., suction) may be drawn through fluid collection device 12 via the urine collection container 14. Fluid, such as urine, may be drained from the fluid collection device 12 using the pump 16.
The pump 16 may include one or more of a manual vacuum pump, and electric vacuum pump, a diaphragm pump, a centrifugal pump, a displacement pump, a magnetically driven pump, a peristaltic pump, or any pump configured to produce a vacuum or suction force. The pump 16 may provide a vacuum or suction to remove fluid from the fluid collection device 12. In some examples, the pump 16 may be powered by one or more of a power cord (e.g., connected to a power socket), one or more batteries, or even manual power (e.g., a hand operated vacuum pump). In some examples, the pump 16 may be sized and shaped to fit outside of, on, or within the fluid collection device 12. For example, the pump 16 may include one or more miniaturized pumps or one or more micro pumps. The vacuum sources disclosed herein may include one or more of a switch, a button, a plug, a remote, or any other device suitable to activate the pump 16.
The urine collection device 112 may be configured to be positioned at least proximate to a urethra of a user. While the urine collection device 112 shown in
The urine collection system 100 also includes the first conduit 117a in fluid communication with an interior region (e.g. reservoir) of the urine collection device 112 and the interior region of the canister 114. The first conduit 117a may be positioned between the urine collection device 112 and the canister 114. The urine collection system 100 also may include the second conduit 117b providing fluid communication between the pump 116 and the interior region of the canister 114. In some embodiments, the pump 116 may be secured directly to the canister 114, and the second conduit 117b may be absent from the urine collection system 100. The conduits 117a, 117b may include a flexible tube. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the first conduit 117a is substantially opaque, thereby inhibiting viewing of the urine within the first conduit 117a.
The pump 116 is in fluid communication with the interior region of the canister 114 and is configured to pull a vacuum on the interior region of the canister 114 effective to draw the urine from the urine collection device 112 through the first conduit 117a into the canister 114. The pump 116 may be secured directly to the canister 114, or the conduit 117b may fluidly couple the pump 116 with the interior region of the canister 114. The pump 116 may include one or more of a manual vacuum pump, and electric vacuum pump, a diaphragm pump, a centrifugal pump, a displacement pump, a magnetically driven pump, a peristaltic pump, or any pump configured to produce a vacuum. The pump 116 may provide a vacuum or suction to remove fluid from the fluid collection device 112. In some examples, the pump 116 may be powered by one or more batteries or other power sources. The pump 116 may be included in a housing that also supports the canister 114. In some examples, the pump 116 may be sized and shaped to fit within a container support on a wheelchair. In some embodiments, the pump 116 may include a wall-mounted pump. The pump 116 may include one or more of a switch, a button, a plug, a remote, or any other device suitable to activate the pump 116.
In some embodiments, urine collection systems described herein are configured to clean inside the canister 114 and the lid 119. To facilitate this cleaning inside the canister 114 and the lid 119, the lid 119 may include multiple ports and a cleaning solution dispenser 150 positioned or positionable in the interior region of the canister 114, according to some embodiments. For example, the lid 119 may include multiple ports 141, 142, 143, 144 for attachment of the conduits 117a, 117b thereto. One or more of the multiple ports 141, 142, 143, 144 may include an adapter (e.g., adapters 142a, 144a) detachably secured or securable thereto that improves attachments of the conduits 117a, 117b to the multiple ports 141, 142, 143, 144. In some embodiments, the lid 119 may include additional or fewer ports or adapters than those shown in
In some embodiments, the lid 119 may include a urine port 144 to which an outlet of the first conduit 117a may be detachably secured (either directly or via an adapter 144a secured to the urine port 144) to provide fluid communication between urine collection device 112 and the interior region of the canister 114. A second conduit 117b may provide fluid communication between the interior region of the canister 114 and the pump 116. For example, the lid 119 may include a vacuum port 142 to which an outlet of the second conduit 117b may be detachably secured (either directly or via an adapter 142a secured to the vacuum port 142) to provide fluid communication between the pump 116 and the interior region of the canister. The vacuum port 142 and/or the urine port 144 may include adapters 142a, 144a, respectively, detachably secured thereto to secure the respective conduit 117b, 117a to the vacuum port 142 and/or the urine port 144. In some embodiments, at least one (e.g., both) of the first conduit 117a and the second conduit 117b may be detachably connected or secured to the canister 114 effective to provide fluid communication with the interior region of the canister 114. For example, the canister may include at least one (e.g. both) of the urine port 144 and the vacuum port 142. When the lid 119 is secured to the canister 114, an inlet of the first conduit 117a may be secured to the urine collection device 112, the outlet of first conduit may be secured to the urine port 144, the second conduit 117b may be secured to the vacuum port 142, and activation of the pump may create a negative pressure in the interior region of the canister 114 effective to draw urine in the urine collection device 112 through the first conduit 117a into the interior region of the canister 114.
In some embodiments, the urine collection system 100 also may be configured to draw and remove at least some (e.g. all) of the urine held in the interior region of the canister 114. For example, one of the canister 114 or the lid 119 may include a removal port 141 positioned to have urine withdrawn from the canister 114 therethrough. In
The urine collection system 100 also may include an interior conduit 152 positioned or positionable in the interior region of the canister 114. For example, the interior conduit 152 may be secured or securable to the canister 114 and/or the lid 119 effective to provide fluid communication with the removal port 141. The interior conduit 152 may include a tube or straw and may extend from the removal port 141 or the lid 119 at least partially into the interior region of the canister 114. In some embodiments, the interior conduit 152 extends from the removal port 141 into interior region of the bottom region 134 of the canister 114. For example, the interior conduit 152 may terminate at an inlet that is proximate the bottom of the canister 114. In some embodiments, the inlet of the interior conduit 152 may be positioned less than about 1 cm, less than about 5 mm, less than about 3 mm, or less than about 2 mm from the bottom of the canister 114. In some embodiments, the interior conduit 152 is flexible and configured to bend and lay on the bottom of the canister 114. The interior conduit 152 may be detachably secured or securable to an inner region of the lid 119 effective to provide fluid communication between the removal port 141 and the interior conduit 152.
In some embodiments, the pump 116 and/or the base 115 may include a discharge port 118 (e.g., exhaust port or opening) positioned and configured to discharge fluid (e.g. air or urine) drawn from the canister 114. For example, when the lid 119 is secured to the canister 114 and the second conduit 117b is secured to the vacuum port 142 (shown in
In at least one, some, or all embodiments, the urine collection system 100 is configured to provide the technical effect of cleaning the interior of the canister 114 and/or the lid 119. For example, the canister 114 and/or the lid 119 may be cleaned after the fluid is removed from the canister 114. In some embodiments, the urine collection system 100 may include a cleaning apparatus or assembly with the canister 114 and/or the lid 119 that is adapted to clean the interior of the canister 114 and/or the lid 119. In some embodiments, the cleaning system may include a cleaning solution container 160 having a cleaning port 162, a dispenser port 143 on one of the lid 119 or the canister 114, and a dispenser 150 positioned or positionable in the interior region of the canister 114. The cleaning solution container 160 may hold a cleaning solution therein and may be detachably or fixedly secured to one of the base 115 or the canister 114. In some embodiments, the cleaning solution container 160 is separate (e.g., not secured to the canister 114 or the base 115).
In
The urine collection system 100 also may include the dispenser 150 positioned or positionable in the interior region of the canister 114. For example, the dispenser 150 may be secured or securable to the canister 114 and/or the lid 119 effective to provide fluid communication with the dispenser port 143. In some embodiments, the dispenser 150 is detachably or fixedly secured to the lid 119 in fluid communication with the dispenser port 143. The dispenser 150 may include one or more openings 154 configured to dispense the cleaning solution 155 therethrough. For example, the dispenser 150 may include one or more misters or one or more spray nozzles configured to mist or spray the cleaning solution 155 into the interior region of the canister 114.
The outlet of the first conduit 117a may be detached from the urine port 144 and secured to the dispenser port 143 effective to provide fluid communication with the dispenser 150 through the dispenser port 143. The inlet of the first conduit 117a may be detached from the urine collection device 112 and secured to the cleaning port 162 effective to provide fluid communication between the interior region of the cleaning solution container 160 and the dispenser 150. A cap 145 may be secured to the urine port 145 after the first conduit 117a is removed effective to prevent fluid communication with the interior region of the canister 114 through the urine port 144. In some embodiments, an additional conduit different than the first conduit 117a may include an outlet secured or securable to the dispenser port 143 and an inlet secured or securable the cleaning port 162 effective to provide fluid communication between the cleaning solution container 160 and the dispenser 150. In operation, when the lid 119 is secured to the canister 114, the first conduit 117a is secured to the dispenser port 143 and the cleaning port 162, and the second conduit 117b is secured to the vacuum port 142 (or the removal port 141), activation of the pump 116 creates the negative pressure in the interior region of the canister 114 effective to draw cleaning solution 155 in the cleaning solution container 160 through the first conduit 117a, the dispenser port 143, and the one or more openings 154 of the dispenser 150 to dispense the cleaning solution 155 into the interior region of the canister 114.
Turning now to
In some embodiments, the base 215 includes a recess 207 sized to receive at least a portion of the bottom region 234 of the canister 214. The base 215 also may include a notch 217 positioned to provide access to the cap and/or the opening 213 in the canister 214 when the canister 214 is positioned in the recess 207 of the base 215. In some embodiments, the canister 214 may include a port (e.g., the opening 213 may be configured as a port) sized and dimensioned for a conduit to detachably secure thereto. In some embodiments, the opening 213 includes a valve configured to prevent fluid communication through the opening 213 when no conduit is secured thereto and configured to allow fluid communication through the opening 213 when a conduit is secured thereto. The conduit secured to the opening 213 may allow a user to drain the canister 214 into a desired location, such as a toilet.
The urine collection system 200 also may be configured to clean the interior of the canister 214 and/or the lid 219. For example, the canister 214 and/or the lid 219 may be cleaned after the fluid is removed from the canister 214. In some embodiments, the urine collection system 200 may include a cleaning apparatus or assembly with the canister 214 and/or the lid 219 that is adapted to clean the interior of the canister 214 and/or the lid 219. In some embodiments, the cleaning system may include a cleaning solution container 260 having a cleaning port 262, the dispenser port 143 on one of the lid 219 or the canister 214, and the dispenser 150 positioned or positionable in the interior region of the canister 214. The cleaning solution container 260 may hold a cleaning solution therein and may be separate from (e.g., not secured to) the canister 214 or the base 215. In some embodiments, the cleaning solution container 260 may be detachably or fixedly secured to one of the base 215 or the canister 214.
In
The outlet of the first conduit 117a may be detached from the urine port 144 and an outlet of the additional conduit 217c secured to the dispenser port 143 effective to provide fluid communication with the dispenser 150 through the dispenser port 143. The inlet of the additional conduit 217c may be secured to the cleaning port 262 effective to provide fluid communication between the interior region of the cleaning solution container 260 and the dispenser 150. A cap 145 may be secured to the urine port 145 after the first conduit 117a is removed effective to prevent fluid communication with the interior region of the canister 114 through the urine port 144. In some embodiments, the first conduit 117a may be used to provide fluid communication between the cleaning solution container 260 and the dispenser port 143. In operation, when the lid 219 is secured to the canister 214, the additional conduit 217c is secured to the dispenser port 143 and the cleaning port 262, and the second conduit 117b is secured to the vacuum port 142, activation of the pump 216 creates the negative pressure in the interior region of the canister 214 effective to draw cleaning solution 155 in the cleaning solution container 260 through the additional conduit 217c, the dispenser port 143, and the one or more openings 154 of the dispenser 150 into the interior region of the canister 214.
In some embodiments, the method 300 further includes an act of removing the first conduit or an additional conduit from a urine port on the lid, the first conduit or the additional conduit being in fluid communication with a urine collection device. The method 300 also may include an act of capping or closing the urine port on the lid after removing the first conduit or the additional conduit from the urine port. In some embodiments, the method 300 includes an act of, before removing the first conduit or the additional conduit from the urine port on the lid, drawing urine from the urine collection device through the first conduit or the additional conduit and into the interior region of the canister by capping dispenser port and activating the pump, thereby creating the negative pressure in the interior region of the canister effective to draw the urine from the urine collection device, through the additional conduit, and into the interior region of the canister. The method 300 also may include an act of, before activating the pump effective to draw the urine from the urine collection device, capping or closing the dispenser port.
In some embodiments, the act 330 of activating a pump thereby creating a negative pressure in the interior region of the canister effective to draw the cleaning solution through the first conduit and the dispenser port into the interior region of the canister may include activating the pump thereby creating the negative pressure in the interior region of the canister effective to draw the cleaning solution through the first conduit and the dispenser port and dispense the cleaning solution through one or more openings on a dispenser positioned in the interior region of the canister.
In some embodiments, the method 300 also may include acts of removing the second conduit from the vacuum port and releaseably securing the second conduit to a removal port on the lid. In these and other embodiments, the act 310 of removing at least a portion of urine in an interior region of a canister may include activating the pump effective to draw at least the portion of the urine in the interior region of the canister through an interior conduit positioned in the interior region, the removal port, and the second conduit. The method 300 may further include discharging at least the portion of the urine drawn from the interior region through a discharge port or opening on a base. In some embodiments, the method 300 includes removing a cap from the removal port and capping or closing the vacuum port after removing the second conduit form the vacuum port.
In some embodiments, the act 310 of removing at least a portion of urine in an interior region of a canister includes removing a cap from an opening on a bottom region of the canister to allow at least the portion of the urine in the interior region to empty from the canister.
The acts of the method 300 described above are for illustrative purposes. For example, the acts of the method 300 can be performed in different orders, split into multiple acts, modified, supplemented, or combined. In an embodiment, one or more of the act of the method 300 can be omitted from the method 300. Any of the acts of the method 300 can include using any of the urine collection systems disclosed herein.
As used herein, the term “about” or “substantially” refers to an allowable variance of the term modified by “about” or “substantially” by ±10% or ±5%. Further, the terms “less than,” “or less,” “greater than,” “more than,” or “or more” include, as an endpoint, the value that is modified by the terms “less than,” “or less,” “greater than,” “more than,” or “or more.”
While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments are contemplated. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2022/034457 | 6/22/2022 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63214551 | Jun 2021 | US |
