Abstract:
A urine collection bag support for supporting a urine collection bag, worn by a male urinary incontinence patient in conjunction with an external catheter, provides a cloth pouch, wherein the urine collection bag is enveloped, so that both the cloth pouch and also the urine collection bag enveloped therein are commonly supported by a suspension strap attached to a belt worn by the patient. The cloth pouch and the urine collection bag enveloped therein swing freely across the patient&#39;s thigh when the male urinary incontinence patient engages in physical activity.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to a support for a urine collection bag and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a urine collection bag support for physically active male urinary incontinence patients. The cloth pouch and the urine collection bag are commonly suspended from a belt worn by the patient so that the cloth pouch and the urine collection bag enveloped therein are free to swing across the patient&#39;s thigh.  
           [0003]    2. Discussion  
           [0004]    Physically active male urinary incontinence patients must choose between diapers, absorbent underwear, an internal catheter, or an external catheter. For male urinary incontinence patients, an external catheter in combination with a urine collection bag is the preferred solution. The external catheter includes a condom-like sleeve with tubing that connects to the urine collection bag.  
           [0005]    Existing urinary collection bag support devices are unsatisfactory for physically active male urinary incontinence patients. U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,236 (Hadley) discloses a holder for a urinary drainage bag for securing the bag to a patient&#39;s leg.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,358 (Johnson, Jr. et al.) discloses a pouch for holding a urine bag wherein the pouch is suspended from a belt and attached to the patient&#39;s leg.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,118 (Mason) also discloses a collector bag supported upon the leg of the user. In lieu of conventional leg-engaging straps, the collector bag is supported in a pocket on the outer surface of the leg member of an undergarment.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,903 (Falconer) discloses a urine collection device and a band that extends around a part of the patient&#39;s body.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,116 (Kristensen) discloses a garment for fixing a urine bag on the leg of a user.  
           [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,265 (Seizer) discloses a holding apparatus for holding a urine collection bag on the user&#39;s leg.  
           [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,553 (Kalinoski) discloses a drainage bag (also known as a urine collection bag) carrier that is held against the patient&#39;s leg by a support sleeve.  
           [0012]    Male urinary incontinence patients experience a variety of problems associated with leg-mounted urine collection bags—swelling, irritation, itching, and restricted movement. The fixed location of the pouch/carrier on the patient&#39;s leg restricts movement and limits the patient&#39;s choice of clothing. The use of tourniquet-style straps to attach the pouch/carrier to the patient&#39;s leg can cause allergic reaction and blood circulation difficulties. Because the pouch/carrier is strapped to the patient&#39;s leg, the patient&#39;s stretching, bending, or simply crossing his legs can cause the urine collection bag to create a “pull” on the external catheter. Moreover, the patient has difficulty draining the collected urine from a leg-mounted urine collection bag.  
           [0013]    None of the existing urine collection bag supports satisfies the needs of physically active male urinary incontinence patients.  
           [0014]    The urine collection bag support of the present invention (1) eliminates the various problems associated with existing devices, (2) provides comfort and freedom of movement not available with existing devices, and (3) provides an ease of dumping the collected urine.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0015]    The present invention provides a urine collection bag support for supporting a urine collection bag worn by a male urinary incontinence patient. A cloth pouch envelops the urine collection bag. An elastic suspension strap is attached, at one end, to a belt worn by the patient. At the other end of the elastic suspension strap, the belt is threaded coextensively through the slits in the cloth pouch and through a slit in the urine collection bag and is then fastened to itself. When the male urinary incontinence patient engages in any physical activity (including, without limitation, walking, rising from a sitting position, sitting, or reclining), the cloth pouch and the urine collection bag enveloped therein, which are commonly supported by the suspension strap, can swing freely across the patient&#39;s thigh.  
           [0016]    An object of the present invention is to provide a urine collection bag support that provides freedom of movement for the male urinary incontinence patient.  
           [0017]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a urine collection bag support that is comfortable for the male urinary incontinence patient.  
           [0018]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a urine collection bag support which eliminates the leg-mounted urine collection bag&#39;s pull on the external catheter.  
           [0019]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a urine collection bag support which eliminates the leg swelling experienced with leg-mounted devices.  
           [0020]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a urine collection bag support which eliminates the allergic reactions experienced with tourniquet-style leg bands.  
           [0021]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a urine collection bag support which eliminates circulatory problems associated with tourniquet-style leg bands.  
           [0022]    Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of the preferred embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 is a view of the urine collection bag support according to the present invention wherein a cloth pouch and a urine collection bag are supported by an elastic suspension strap attached to a belt around the patient&#39;s waist.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 shows the urine collection bag support according to the present invention wherein the elastic suspension strap is attached to a belt slung across the patient&#39;s shoulder.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 shows the urine collection bag support as it is used in conjunction with a urine collection bag and an external catheter.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the attachment of the urine collection bag and the cloth pouch to the elastic suspension strap.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 illustrates attachment of the elastic suspension strap to the belt by a double-button plastic fastener.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 6 illustrates attachment of the elastic suspension strap to the belt by a hook-and-loop fastener.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 7 illustrates attachment of the elastic suspension strap to the belt by a snap fastener.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 8 illustrates attachment of the elastic suspension strap to the cloth pouch and urine collection bag enveloped therein by a snap fastener.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 9 illustrates attachment of the elastic suspension strap to the cloth pouch and urine collection bag enveloped therein by a knot tied in the elastic suspension strap.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 10 illustrates attachment of the elastic suspension strap to the cloth pouch and urine collection bag enveloped therein by a hook-and-loop fastener.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 11 illustrates attachment of the elastic suspension strap to the shoulder belt using a snap fastener.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 12 illustrates attachment of the elastic suspension strap to the shoulder belt using a double-button plastic fastener.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 13 illustrates attachment of the elastic suspension strap to the shoulder belt using a knot tied in the elastic suspension strap.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 14 illustrates attachment of the elastic suspension strap to the shoulder belt using a hook-and-loop fastener.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0037]    In the following description of the invention, like numerals and characters designate like elements throughout the figures of the drawings.  
         [0038]    Referring generally to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, the urine collection bag support  20  of the present invention includes a cloth pouch  22  that envelops a urine collection bag  24  (See FIGS. 3-4). The cloth pouch  22  and the urine collection bag  24  are commonly supported by an elastic suspension strap  26  having an upper portion  28 , an upper end  30 , a lower portion  32 , and a lower end  34 . The upper end  30  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is attached to a belt  36  encompassing the waist W of the man M. The lower portion  32  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is disposed (sometimes also referred to herein as “threaded”) coextensively through pouch slits  38  in the cloth pouch  22  (See FIGS. 3 and 4) and a urine collection bag slit  40  in the urine collection bag  24  (See FIGS. 9 and 10). The elastic suspension strap  26  (see also FIGS. 2-4) includes spaced buttonholes  42 . The lower portion  32  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is folded across itself and secured by a double-button plastic fastener  44 .  
         [0039]    Still now to FIG. 1, a urine collection bag inlet  46  extends upwardly from the urine collection bag  24  (see FIGS. 3-4) through an upper pouch opening  48  and connects to external catheter tubing end portion  50 . See FIG. 3. A urine collection bag outlet  52  extends downwardly from the urine collection bag  24  through a lower pouch opening  54 . The urine collection bag  24  illustrated herein includes a drain valve  56  (also sometimes called a dump valve) for draining collected urine from the urine collection bag  24 .  
         [0040]    It will be understood by one skilled in the art that, as shown in FIG. 1 (and as detailed in FIG. 4), the combined weight of the cloth pouch  22  and the urine collection bag  24  are commonly supported by the belt  36 . The upper end  30  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is, preferably, attached to the belt  36  at a location  58  on the belt  36  generally above the point of the hip P of the man M. It will be further understood by one skilled in the art that the cloth pouch  22  and the urine collection bag  24  enveloped therein are free to move across the patient&#39;s thigh as the man M engages in physical activity.  
         [0041]    Referring now to FIG. 2, the urine collection bag support  20  of the present invention is supported by the elastic suspension strap  26  (see FIGS. 1 and 3) attached to the belt  36 . As shown in FIG. 2, the belt  36  is slung across the shoulder S of the man M so that the upper end  30  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is attached to the belt  36  at a location on the belt  36  generally above the point of the hip P of the man M (see FIG. 1).  
         [0042]    Referring now to FIG. 3, the front  62  of the cloth pouch  22  is partially cut away to show a portion of the urine collection bag  24 , the urine collection bag inlet  46 , and the external catheter tubing end portion  50  of an external catheter  64 . The upper end  30  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is attached to the belt  36  by stitching  66 . The belt  36  includes a hook-and-loop fastener  68  whereby the length of the belt  36  is adjustable to accommodate the size of the waist W of the man M (see FIG. 1).  
         [0043]    In the present preferred embodiment, the cloth pouch  22  is made of soft-brushed, lightweight cotton.  
         [0044]    Referring now to FIG. 4, the lower portion  32  of the elastic suspension strap  26  (see FIG. 1) is threaded through aligned pouch slits  38  and bag slit  40 . The lower end  34  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is fastened to the elastic suspension strap  26  by the double-button plastic fastener  44  disposed within aligned buttonholes  42 .  
         [0045]    Referring now to FIG. 5, the upper end  30  of the elastic suspension strap  26  (only upper portion  28  shown) is fastened to the belt  36  by a double-button plastic fastener  44 .  
         [0046]    Referring now to FIG. 6, the upper end  30  of the elastic suspension strap  26  (only upper portion  28  shown) is fastened to the belt  36  by a hook-and-loop fastener  70 .  
         [0047]    Referring now to FIG. 7, the upper end  30  of the elastic suspension strap  26  (only upper portion  28  shown) is fastened to the belt  36  by a snap fastener  72 .  
         [0048]    Referring now to FIG. 8, the lower end  34  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is fastened to the elastic suspension strap  26  by a snap fastener  72 .  
         [0049]    Referring now to FIG. 9, the lower portion  32  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is tied in a knot  74 .  
         [0050]    Referring now to FIG. 10, the lower end  34  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is fastened to the end portion  32  of the elastic suspension strap  26  (see FIG. 1) by a hook-and-loop fastener  76 .  
         [0051]    Referring now to FIG. 11, the upper end  30  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is looped within the shoulder-slung belt  36  and secured by a snap fastener  78  (See FIG. 2).  
         [0052]    Referring now to FIG. 12, the upper end  30  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is fastened to the shoulder-slung belt  36  by a double-button plastic fastener  44  (See FIG. 2).  
         [0053]    Referring now to FIG. 13, the upper portion  28  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is looped within the shoulder-slung belt  36  and secured to itself by a knot  80  (See FIG. 2).  
         [0054]    Referring now to FIG. 14, the upper end  30  of the elastic suspension strap  26  is fastened to the shoulder-slung belt  36  by a hook-and-loop fastener  82  (See FIG. 2).  
         [0055]    The urine collection bag support described herein has described a cloth pouch and urine collection bag enveloped therein so that the elastic suspension strap is attached to the belt at a location generally above the point of the right hip of the patient. It will be understood by one skilled in the art that a urine collection bag support wherein the cloth pouch and urine collection bag support are suspended generally from above the point of the left hip of the patient is within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0056]    The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.