Osmotic sanitary collection bag

An osmotic sanitary collection bag for collecting fluid discharged from the vagina during menstruation. The osmotic sanitary collection bag includes an absorbent sponge having a plurality of drainage apertures disposed therethrough. Elongated adhesive strips extend away from the sponge and are adhered to a first surface of a conventional sanitary device to secure the osmotic sanitary collection bag in place. A collection bag abuts the absorbent sponge and is disposed in underlying relation to the absorbent sponge and the drainage apertures. The absorbent sponge is laced with salt, alcohol, and an odor-masking substance, such as sodium bicarbonate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates, generally, to sanitary pads. More specifically, it relates to a reusable sanitary collection bag for attachment to conventional sanitary pads.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

At least once a month, during menstruation, millions of women leave home concerned about leaks from their conventional sanitary pads-many times due to the unpredictability of their menstrual flow. Other individuals are also worried about their incontinence pad or absorbent underwear leaking or giving off an unpleasant odor from the discharged bodily fluids. Typically, menstrual leaks occur during periods of heavy flow and when sanitary pads are too small, too thin, or incorrectly positioned on the wearer's underwear. At night, women tend to use larger and thicker sanitary pads to absorb the heavy flow of blood and fluids discharged during menstruation. At times, females may place a towel on the bedsheet to prevent stains if the sanitary pad does leak.

Stains on clothes and sheets can also result from vaginal discharges commonly due to yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis. Yeast is a fungus typically present in and around the female genitals in relatively small numbers. When an event occurs that changes the balance of these organisms, the number of yeast cells can multiply leading to infection. Yeast infections affect up to 75% of women at some point during their lifetime and are most commonly caused by Candida albicans. The main symptom of a vaginal yeast infection is itching; however, burning, discharge, and pain during urination or intercourse may also occur.

Presently, no sanitary pads or underwear completely prevents leaks or infections during proper use. Foul odors are also associated with conventional sanitary devices because the devices provide an optimal environment for bacteria and fungi growth. This optimal environment can result in several ailments-such as rashes, yeast infections, and bacterial vaginosis.

Beyond leaking, there are several additional problems associated with conventional sanitary devices. Most poor women, especially those living in developing countries, cannot afford to buy one-time use pads or expensive anti-leak underwear. As a result, many women have resorted to cutting conventional sanitary devices in half to have twice as many pads. However, this practice only functions to exacerbate the problems associated with conventional sanitary devices.

Accordingly, what is needed is a sanitary pad or device that prevents or reduces leaks, odors, and infections resulting from bacteria and fungi growth, while being simple-to-use and cost-effective. However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the field of this invention how the shortcomings of the prior art could be overcome.

The present invention may address one or more of the problems and deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. However, it is contemplated that the invention may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in many technical areas. Therefore, the claimed invention should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled need for an osmotic sanitary collection bag having an absorbent sponge, a collection bag, and a plurality of adhesive strips for the collection and sanitation of bodily fluids is now met by a new, useful, and nonobvious invention.

The novel structure includes an osmotic sanitary collection bag (hereinafter “sanitary device”) for use in absorbing a fluid (e.g., blood, urine, vaginal mucus, and tissue) discharged from a user. In an overlying relation, the sanitary device couples to a conventional sanitary device or underwear. The sanitary device includes an absorbent sponge having a first surface, a second surface, and a body extending therebetween. Disposed within the body of the absorbent sponge, a plurality of drainage apertures extends from a first surface to a second surface. An amount of salt is infused within the absorbent sponge and configured to facilitate, via osmosis, movement of the fluid discharged from the user to a collection bag.

Furthermore, the salt is a natural bactericide and kills any bacterial cells before colonization. Thus, the salt prevents the bacterial cells from reentering the vagina and causing an infection. In an embodiment, the sponge may be infused with an amount of alcohol to sanitize the absorbent sponge further and an amount of an odor-masking compound, such as sodium bicarbonate, to prevent or reduce odors.

The collection bag is disposed in underlying relation to the absorbent sponge and secured using an adhesive. The absorbent sponge may be disposed within at least a portion of a reservoir and configured to absorb fluids discharged from the user. Once absorbed, the fluids flow through the plurality of drainage apertures and collect within the reservoir.

Positioned in underlying relation to the absorbent sponge, the first and second plurality of adhesive strips extend away from an end of the absorbent sponge at a predetermined distance. An impermeable separation strip is disposed between each adhesive strip of the first and second plurality of adhesive strips and configured to facilitate the separation of each adhesive strip from one another. Additionally, the separation strip provides a waterproof seal over the adhesive to prevent the adhesive from being removed when the sanitary device is cleaned for reuse.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof, and within which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments by which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that one skilled in the art will recognize that other embodiments may be utilized, and it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Elements/components shown in diagrams are illustrative of exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and are meant to avoid obscuring the disclosure. Any headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and shall not be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. Furthermore, the use of certain terms in various places in the specification, described herein, are for illustration and should not be construed as limiting.

Reference in the specification to “one embodiment,” “preferred embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “embodiments” means that a particular feature, structure, characteristic, or function described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure and may be in more than one embodiment. The appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” “in embodiments,” “in alternative embodiments,” “in an alternative embodiment,” or “in some embodiments” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or embodiments. The terms “include,” “including,” “comprise,” and “comprising” shall be understood to be open terms and any lists that follow are examples and not meant to be limited to the listed items.

Definitions

As used herein, the terms “about,” “approximately,” or “roughly” as used herein refer to being within an acceptable error range for the particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, which will depend in part on how the value is measured or determined (i.e., the limitations of a measurement system), (i.e., the degree of precision required for a particular purpose, such as osmotic sanitation collection). As used herein, “about,” “approximately,” or “roughly” refer to within ±15% of the numerical.

All numerical designations, including ranges, are approximations which are varied up or down by increments of 1.0, 0.1, 0.01 or 0.001 as appropriate. It is to be understood, even if it is not always explicitly stated, that all numerical designations are preceded by the term “about”. It is also to be understood, even if it is not always explicitly stated, that the compounds and structures described herein are merely exemplary and that equivalents of such are known in the art and can be substituted for the compounds and structures explicitly stated herein.

Wherever the term “no more than,” “less than,” or “less than or equal to” precedes the first numerical value in a series of two or more numerical values, the term “no more than,” “less than” or “less than or equal to” applies to each of the numerical values in that series of numerical values. For example, less than or equal to 1, 2, or 3 is equivalent to less than or equal to 1, less than or equal to 2, or less than or equal to 3.

Osmotic Sanitary Collection Bag

The present disclosure pertains to a reusable sanitary collection bag for attachment to conventional sanitary pads. It is an object of the current invention to provide a sanitary device that prevents or reduces leaks, odors, and infections resulting from bacterial and fungal growth; is simple and easy to install in traditional pads or underwear; is re-useable and washable; is small in size; is low in cost; and is easy to store or dispose of. In an embodiment, the current invention is a sanitary device that can be used to prevent or reduce leaks, odors, and infections during female menstrual cycles. In an embodiment, the sanitary device can absorb discharged fluids from the body due to bladder leaks in men, women, and children.

As depicted in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, sanitary device 10 comprises absorbent sponge 20, adhesive strips 30, and collection bag 40. Sanitary device 10 is smaller in overall size and lower in cost compared to conventional sanitary devices 15 on the market. Conventional sanitary devices 15 include tampons, sanitary napkins, sanitary towels, menstrual pads, or other devices for absorbing fluids discharged from the human body (See FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B). In certain embodiments, conventional sanitary devices 15 may further include absorbent underwear, diapers, and adult diapers (See FIG. 4C).

During use, sanitary device 10 is positioned centrally over the vaginal opening with upper portion 22 of absorbent sponge 20 pressed against the labia. Absorbent sponge 20 may be a variety of geometric shapes and configurations, including rectangular, square, and circular. When absorbent sponge 20 becomes saturated with fluids during menstruation, as depicted in FIG. 2A, the fluids drain in collection bag 40 through drainage aperture 29 disposed within the body of absorbent sponge 20. Drainage aperture 29 may be a single drainage aperture 29 or may include one or more drainage apertures 29 arranged in a pattern or randomly spaced apart from one another about absorbent sponge 20.

Collection bag 40 is disposed in underlying relation to absorbent sponge 20 and secured thereto using an adhesive, stitching, or other known coupling methods. At least a portion of absorbent sponge 20 may reside within collection bag 40, as depicted in FIG. 2B. For cost, impermeability, reusability, and durability reasons, collection bag 40 is ideally constructed from plastic. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that collection bag 40 may be constructed from nylon, synthetic fiber, elastane, rubber, polyester, or other material and/or combination of materials suitable for containing fluids within reservoir 42. Collection bag 40 may include discharge mechanism 44 (e.g., plug), configured to drain the fluids within reservoir 42 once the reservoir is filled with fluids. In an embodiment, collection bag 40 of sanitary device 10 is configured to reside within the deepest groove of conventional sanitary pad 15. The groove is sized and shaped to receive collection bag 40 and prevent the collection bag from being displaced horizontally causing misalignment or discomfort.

The osmotic process dictates that a solution with a higher chemical potential will spontaneously diffuse into a solution with a lower chemical potential to achieve homeostasis. Further, the laws of physics dictate that a fluid will always seek and take the path of least resistance. Thus, absorbent sponge 20 is laced with an amount of salt. The salt allows for the migration of menstrual fluids—which have a higher chemical potential—to the salt-laced sponge having a lower chemical potential. This migration of fluids away from the vagina is quicker than that of conventional sanitary devices as a result of the chemical potential created by the salty environment. The rapid migration of menstrual fluids away from the opening of the vagina significantly reduces the potential for infection and other adverse medical conditions.

A healthy vagina has many bacterial cells, while only a few yeast cells. The most common bacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus, helps to keep various organisms, such as yeast cells, in check. Several medical issues, including vaginal yeast infections, can arise as the result of unchecked yeast growth. For example, a vaginal yeast infection is an indication that an overabundance of yeast cells is growing in or around the vagina. The chance of contracting a vagina yeast infection increases during menstrual periods as females are currently required to use convention sanitary pads. The use of conventional sanitary devices results in a warm and bloody environment close to the opening of the vagina, which facilitates bacteria and yeast colonization that leads to several adverse medical conditions.

In an embodiment, an amount of alcohol and/or odor masking compound may saturate absorbent sponge 20 to prevent the build-up bacteria and yeast colonization. In such embodiments, alcohol sanitizes and kills both bacterial and yeast cells upon the absorption of menstrual fluids by the sponge. The odor masking compound may be sodium bicarbonate or other similar compounds configured to remove an odor given off by menstrual or other bodily fluids. The combination of salt and alcohol destroys bacteria and yeast cells before they have the opportunity to colonize and reenter the vagina. Reentry into the vagina can result in an imbalance of bacteria within or around the vagina and potentially results in medical conditions, such as bacterial vaginosis. Further, an excess of bacteria and yeast on and around the labia can form a rash or build-up of yeast resulting in uncomfortable vaginal itching.

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B depict an embodiment having semi-permeable membrane 24 disposed over absorbent sponge 20. Semi-permeable membrane 24 prevents the salt distributed within absorbent sponge 20 from contacting the epidermis of the wearer. Pores formed within semi-permeable membrane 24 are sized small enough that the salt particles are unable to pass through, but large enough to permit the passage of fluids through semi-permeable membrane 24. As shown in FIG. 3A, slit 26 may be formed within semi-permeable membrane 24 to allow larger particles—such as vaginal tissue or clotted blood—to pass through the membrane and into reservoir 42 of collection bag 40.

Now referring to FIG. 4A, in conjunction with FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, sanitary device 10 is coupled to conventional sanitary device 15—especially during times of heavy flow—using adhesive strips 30 to provide triple protection against leakage and store menstrual fluid discharge away from the opening of the vagina. During periods of lighter flow, sanitary device 10 is directly attached to underwear, panty-liners, incontinence pads. In an embodiment, sanitary device 10 may be used without the need for conventional sanitary device 15 and coupled directly to the epidermis of the wearer. Additional embodiments of sanitary device 10 are contemplated in which sanitary device 10 may be used as an emergency urination bag for adult males, females, and children when a restroom is not readily accessible as depicted in FIG. 4B and FIG. 4C.

As depicted in FIGS. 5-6, in conjunction with FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, adhesive strips 30 are disposed in underlying relation to absorbent sponge 20 and include first set of adhesive strips 30a and second set of adhesive strips 30b. In this manner, in some embodiments, adhesive strips 30 may be coupled to semi-permeable membrane 24, via at least one semi-permeable membrane flange 28a, 28b (see FIG. 3B). In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5-6, each of the first set 30a and second set 30b (see FIG. 6) of adhesive strips have a plurality of adhesive portions 36, each separated by impermeable layer 32. Impermeable layer 32 functions to prevent each adhesive portion 36 from adhering to an adjacent adhesive portion 36. To adhere adhesive strips 30 to either conventional sanitary pad 15 or the epidermis of the wearer, impermeable layer 32 is removed to expose an adhesive lining on at least a portion of the adhesive strips 30. As shown in FIGS. 4B-4C, in conjunction with FIGS. 5-6, in an embodiment, sanitary device 10 is coupled to conventional sanitary device 15 (e.g., incontinence underwear) and includes pocket 17 configured to receive collection bag 40, when sanitary device 10 is coupled to conventional sanitary device 15.

To remove sanitary device 10 from conventional sanitary device 15, the user simply pulls up on adhesive strips 30, which in turn detaches from the surface of conventional sanitary device 15. Adhesive strips 30 facilitate the removal of sanitary device 10 from conventional sanitary device 15 without contacting the soiled portion of collection bag 40. To prevent fluids from leaking from collection bag 40 during storage, adhesive strips 30 may be disposed over drainage aperture 29, as shown in FIG. 6. After removal, soiled collection bag 40 is easily stored and placed in an opaque storage bag for disposal in the garbage or a purse to carry home for washing and re-use (e.g., for cost or environmental reasons).

Sanitary device 10 is reused by washing absorbent sponge 20 and collection bag 40 during the cleaning process. When collection bag 40 and absorbent sponge 20 are cleaned, impermeable layer 32 prevents the adhesive from being washed away from adhesive portion 36. After washing, absorbent sponge 20 is then re-laced with salt, alcohol, and/or an odor-masking compound. These products are usually stored in most homes or easily purchased at a local supermarket and drug store.

To re-lace the absorbent sponge 20 with salt, the absorbent sponge is soaked or sprayed with a solution containing salt water or saline until absorbent sponge 20 is saturated with the solution. Absorbent sponge 20 is then dried to evaporate the water from the solution. To re-lace absorbent sponge 20 with alcohol, absorbent sponge 20 is soaked or sprayed with a solution containing the alcohol until absorbent sponge 20 is saturated with the solution. Absorbent sponge 20 is then dried to evaporate the water from the solution. In an embodiment, the alcohol may be isopropyl alcohol. To re-lace absorbent sponge 20 with an odor-masking compound, absorbent sponge 20 is soaked or sprayed with a solution containing odor-masking compound until absorbent sponge 20 is saturated with the solution. Absorbent sponge 20 is then dried to evaporate the water from the solution. In an embodiment, the odor-masking compound may be sodium bicarbonate or another odor-masking compound. Further, sodium bi-carbonate aids in the balancing of the pH level of female genitals. Because absorbent sponge 20 is laced with odor-masking compound, absorbent sponge 20 does not emit an odor or an odor given off by absorbent sponge 20 is otherwise minimized during storage, disposal, and transport.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE