Fluid collection container particularly useful in suction pumps

A fluid collection container formed in its top wall with a fluid inlet port connectable to a source of the fluid to be collected, and a suction port connectable to a suction source. A closure member is normally disposed in an open position spaced below the suction port but is movable to a closed position against the suction port when the container is full, to prevent passage of fluid from the container to the suction source. The closure member is supported on a stem carried by a release button passing through an opening in the top wall of the container adjacent to but laterally of the suction port. The stem passes through an opening in the closure member and is formed with an enlargement at its lower end normally supporting the closure member in its open position spaced below the suction port. The release button includes a further enlargement normally spaced above the closure member but movable against it, upon depression of the release button when the closure member is in its closed position against the suction port, to move the closure member to its open position spaced below the suction port.

RELATED APPLICATIONS 
The present application is related to my U.S. patent application No. 
06/833,195, filed Feb. 27, 1986 for: Portable Fluid Pumping Device, and 
also to my U.S. patent application No. 07/030,808 for: Rolling Diaphragm 
Construction and Piston-Cylinder Assembly Particularly Useful for Suction 
or Compression Pumps, filed the same day as this application. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to fluid collection containers, particularly 
useful in suction pumps for drawing off waste fluids, such as used in 
medical applications. 
Fluid collection containers are commonly provided in suction pumps used for 
medical applications, wherein suction is applied to a catheter or tube in 
order to draw out fluids and to collect therein the fluid collection 
container. Such containers usually include an overflow protector which 
prevents fluid from passing from a full container to the suction pump, and 
an adjustable vacuum regulator which limits the suction to a desired 
level. However, most such overflow protectors now in use include floats 
which are of large volume, and which frequently require disassembly of the 
container in order to release the float once it has moved to its closed 
position. In addition, most such vacuum regulators now in use employ a 
gauge which displays the vacuum level, and a separate regulator which 
blocks the fluid flow when the vacuum exceeds a predetermined level. 
An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid collection 
container providing overflow protection and vacuum regulation having 
advantages in the above respects. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention, there is provided a fluid collection 
container including a top wall formed with a fluid inlet port connectable 
to a source of the fluid to be collected, and a suction port connectable 
to a suction source; and a closure member normally disposed in an open 
position spaced below the suction port but movable to a closed position 
against the suction port when the container is full, to prevent passage of 
fluid from the container to the suction source. The closure member is 
supported on a stem carried by a release button passing through an opening 
in the top wall of the container adjacent to but laterally of the suction 
port. The stem passes through an opening in the closure member and is 
formed with an enlargement at its lower end normally supporting the 
closure member in its open position spaced below the suction port. 
The release button includes a further enlargement normally spaced above the 
closure member but movable against it, upon depression of the release 
button when the closure member is in its closed position against the 
suction port, to move the closure member to its open position spaced away 
from the suction port. 
In addition, in the described preferred embodiment the further enlargement 
carried by the release button is a valve member normally closing the 
opening in the top wall of the container. The release button further 
includes a spring normally urging the valve member to close the latter 
opening but permitting the valve member to move into the container to open 
the latter opening when the vacuum in the container exceeds a 
predetermined value. More particularly, the opening is formed with an 
annular internal rib, and the valve is in the form of a sealing ring 
carried by the release button and disposed inwardly of the annular 
internal rib. The release button further includes a threaded member 
threaded thereon outwardly of the sealing ring, and a spring interposed 
between the annular internal rib and the threaded member urging the 
sealing ring against the inner side of the annular rib according to the 
force of the spring as preset by the threaded member. 
In the described preferred embodiment, the release button carries indicia 
indicating the predetermined level of vacuum which will cause the sealing 
ring to open the opening as preset by the position of the threaded member; 
also, the closure member is a sealing disc, and the container is a bottle 
having an upper open end, the top wall of the container being a cover 
removably attached to the upper open end of the bottle. 
According to another feature in the described preferred embodiment, the 
fluid inlet port is connected to a tube extending externally of the bottle 
to direct inletted liquid downwardly therethrough while minimizing splash, 
the tube being formed with a slot extending lengthwise of the tube 
enabling air in the inletted fluid to enter the bottle without bubbling 
through the liquid therein. 
It will thus be seen that a fluid collection container constructed in 
accordance with the foregoing features provides a number of important 
advantages. Thus, it prevents overflow from a filled container into the 
suction source. In addition, it provides a quick and convenient manner of 
releasing the overflow control member. Further, it limits the vacuum 
within the container to a predetermined maximum level, displays that 
limit, and permits convenient presetting of the limit. Still further, it 
minimizes splash which might inadvertently trigger the overflow member to 
close. 
Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the 
description below.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The fluid collection container illustrated in the drawings comprises a 
bottle 2, having an open upper end closed by a cover, generally designated 
4, which sealingly closes the upper open end of the bottle. The bottle is 
normally disposed in the position illustrated in FIG. 1 wherein cover 4 
serves as the top wall of the bottle. 
Cover 4 is formed with a fluid inlet port 6 connectable by a connector 8 to 
a source of the fluid to be collected. For example, if the device is used 
in a medical application, connector 8 of inlet port 6 might be connected 
to a drainage tube or a catheter. Cover 4 is further formed with a suction 
port 10 connectable by a connector 12 to a source of suction, for example 
a vacuum pump (not shown), such that when the vacuum pump is operated, a 
suction is produced within bottle 2 to draw fluid thereinto via inlet port 
6. 
Bottle 2 further includes a closure member 14, in the form of a sealing 
disc, which is normally supported in an open position spaced below the 
suction port 10 (as illustrated in the drawings), but movable against the 
suction port when the bottle is full of fluid to prevent passage of fluid 
from the bottle to the suction source. Sealing disc 14 may be lighter than 
the fluid to be collected in the bottle so as to float thereon; 
alternatively, it may be slightly heavier than the fluid such that the 
suction force applied via suction port 10, combined with the decrease in 
its weight when submerged in the fluid within bottle 2, will be sufficient 
to move it upwardly to its closed position against the suction port 10. 
Sealing disc 14 is supported at the end of a stem 16 carried at the inner 
end of a release button 18 passing through a further opening 20 formed in 
the bottle cover 4. The latter opening 20 is integrally formed with an 
internal annular rib 22. Release button 18 passes through the cover 
opening 20 and carries a valve member in the form of a sealing ring 24 
which normally bears against the inner surface of annular rib 22 and 
thereby closes its opening 20. 
The outer face of release button 18 is threaded, as shown at 26, and 
receives a threaded nut 28. A coil spring 30 is interposed between nut 28 
and annular rib 22, so as to urge release button 18 upwardly, whereby its 
sealing ring 24 seats firmly against annular rib 22 to close opening 20. 
The force exerted by spring 30 on release button 18 to close opening 20 
determines the maximum suction level within bottle 2. Thus, so long as the 
suction level is below this maximum value, sealing ring 24 of release 
button 18 closes opening 20; but when the suction level exceeds the 
maximum value fixed by spring 30, the suction draws in release button 18 
to cause its sealing ring 24 to unseat from annular rib 22. This exposes 
the interior of the bottle to the atmosphere until the suction in the 
bottle drops to the maximum level, whereupon ring 30 moves release button 
18 outwardly to cause its sealing spring 24 to reclose opening 20. 
This maximum level of suction to be permitted within bottom 2 may be preset 
by threading nut 28 inwardly to increase the maximum level, or outwardly 
to decrease it. The outer end of release button 18 carries indicia 32, 
which thereby displays the maximum preset level of vacuum within bottle 2 
by the position of nut 28 with respect to this indicia. 
The outer diameter of stem 16 carried at the inner end of release button 18 
is slightly smaller than the opening through sealing disc 14, so that the 
sealing disc is freely movable up and down with respect to the stem. The 
inner tip of stem 16 is formed with an enlargement 34 to support sealing 
disc in its lower, open position with respect to suction port 10. As shown 
in the drawing, enlargement 34 is pointed at its outer tip to permit the 
stem to be easily passed through the opening in the sealing disc 16. 
The inner face of cover 4 is further formed with an internal annular rib or 
skirt 36 circumscribing both the suction port 10 and the sealing disc 14. 
This annular skirt serves as a splash guard which prevents liquid drops 
from splashing past sealing disc 16 into suction port 10, particularly 
when the fluid flow is high. 
In addition, the fluid inlet port 6 is connected to a tube 38 extending 
internally of the bottle to direct the liquid drawn through the inlet port 
downwardly towards the bottom of the bottle so as to minimize splash. Tube 
38 is formed with a slot 40 extending continuously for substantially the 
complete length of the portion of the tube within the container, enabling 
air in the inletted fluid to enter the bottle without bubbling through the 
liquid therein when the liquid level in the bottle is higher than the 
lower end of tube 38. Without slot 40, the air flow would create 
considerable turbulence in the fluid, and could cause sealing disc 14 to 
move to its closed position against suction port 10 before the bottle has 
been filled. 
The illustrated fluid collection container operates as follows: 
First, nut 28 is preset on release button 18 according to the maximum level 
of vacuum desired within the bottle 2. This maximum vacuum level is 
indicated by the position of nut 28 with respect to indicia 32. 
The fluid inlet port 6 is then connected to the source of fluid to be 
collected in the bottle; and the suction port 10 is then connected, via 
connector 12, to the source of suction, e.g., a vacuum pump. The suction 
source removes the air from the interior of bottle 2, thereby producing a 
vacuum therein, which vacuum draws the fluids into bottle 2 via the fluid 
inlet port 6. Liquids which are drawn into the bottle pass downwardly 
through feed tube 38 so as to minimize splash, and air or other gas drawn 
into the bottle also passes through tube 38 but enters the bottle through 
the longitudinal slot 40. Thus, when the level of the liquid within the 
bottle rises to above the lower end of tube 38, slot 40 permits the air to 
pass into the bottle without bubbling through the liquid, which might 
produce splash. 
During the filling of the bottle, sealing disc 14 is supported in its lower 
position spaced below the suction port 10. However, as the liquid level 
within the bottle rises to that of sealing disc 14, the suction force 
applied against the upper face of sealing disc 16 from suction port 10, 
combined with the buoyancy force produced on the sealing disc, causes the 
sealing disc to move upwardly to close the suction port 10, and thereby to 
prevent any fluid collected within the bottle 2 from passing to the 
suction source. During the filling of the bottle, annular skirt 36 shields 
the suction port 10 and sealing disc 14 from splash which might 
inadvertently cause the sealing disc to move towards its upper closed 
position closing suction port 10. 
If sealing disc 14 has been inadvertently closed, for example by tilting 
the bottle, it is only necessary to depress the release button 18, 
whereupon its sealing ring 24 will move downwardly against the upper 
surface of sealing disc 14 and move it away from the suction port 10. If 
the vacuum within bottle 2 rises above a predetermined maximum value, the 
suction force will be applied against the inner face of sealing ring 24 of 
release button 18, moving the release button inwardly against the action 
of spring 30, to thereby connect the interior of the bottle to the 
atmosphere. The vacuum within the bottle will then immediately stop rising 
at the predetermined maximum value. 
While the invention has been described with respect to one preferred 
embodiment, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and 
other applications of the invention may be made.