Patent ID: 7341578
Filing Date: 2008-03-11
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. An ostomy appliance comprising: a front wall and a rear wall of flexible material forming a bag, the rear wall having an opening into the bag by which waste material can enter the bag and one of the walls having at least one vent through which gas may escape from the bag; a filter device that covers said vent, said filter device including a filter having first and second walls with a filter body therebetween, a gas inlet opening in said first wall and a gas outlet opening in said second wall both being in communication with said filter body, said gas inlet and outlet openings being arranged such that in use gas flows through the filter from the gas inlet opening to the gas outlet opening, said gas flow being confined to said filter body; said gas inlet opening of said filter communicating with at least two separate and independent pathway outlet openings of at least two separate and independent closed pathways, respectively, each of said pathway outlet openings being covered by a microporous membrane, said separate and independent closed pathways being defined between said first wall and a further filter device wall having opposing ends sealingly connected to said first wall and a middle portion separated from said first wall by a space to define an area between said sealed ends, said further filter device wall having at least two bag inlet openings separated from one another and communicating with an interior of said bag so that in use, gas flows from the bag inlet openings through said separate and independent closed pathways to the pathway outlet openings, respectively, and then through said gas inlet opening of said filter through said filter body to said gas outlet opening for escape from said appliance; and a sealing member extending across said space to seal said first wall to said further filter device wall at a point between said opposing ends, said sealing member separating said area into said at least two separate and independent closed pathways and said sealing member being configured to prevent gas that enters one of said closed pathways from a respective one of said pathway inlet openings from egress into the other of said closed pathways.