Urine collection device

A urine collection device is disclosed for use in metabolic studies in which an integrated specimen is desired. The collection device has a receptacle divided into bin sections. A removable manifold cover adapted to fit onto the receptable portion has openings which are arranged to be in registration with a separate one of the bin sections. Urine poured into the manifold will be metered through the openings into the bin sections, with a substantially equal amount entering each. Each bin contains a different chemical substance for preserving some characteristic of the urine. For example, in one bin the urine may be acidified by the substance; in another it may be alkalized; and in another it may have the pH stabilized. The device permits urine samples of a patient to be collected over a period of time, and away from a clinic or hospital without the urine characteristics to be tested changing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a urine collection, preservation, and 
transportation device for obtaining an integrated urine specimen from a 
patient over a period of time. 
Tests made on the urine of a patient can provide valuable information 
concerning the bodily condition of a patient, as urine contains waste 
products of bodily metabolism. Oftentimes in fact an early detection of 
the metabolic abnormalities which accompany a particular disease will lead 
to an early cure for the disease. Biochemical studies carried out on urine 
specimens is an effective way of detecting abnormalities. Since, however, 
body metabolism is affected by many variables including, for example, 
dietary excesses or inadequacies, it is often difficult to obtain 
specimens that are not unduly affected by such factor. To obtain truly 
representative samples, it is required that patients come into the 
hospital periodically to give specimens; on some occasions a controlled 
diet is required. This is of course, time consuming, expensive and 
inconvenient. Desirably, an integrated specimen taken under normal 
conditions of activity and diet over a 24 hour period would be preferable; 
however, heretofore collection of a single integrated specimen for 
multiple assays has not been possible because different biochemical assays 
frequently require different techniques of preservation. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a urine 
collection device not only capable of collecting and holding a large 
volume of liquid urine from a patient, but also capable of deriving an 
integrated urine specimen over a period of time and preserving several 
characteristics of the urine's physiological state for prolonged periods, 
so as to permit accurate biochemical analysis of a multitude of 
constituents. 
For example, urine contains variable quantities of calcium, oxalate, 
phosphate, and uric acid. Accurate analysis of these constituents 
necessitates that all remain in solution (i.e., in a dissolved state). At 
physiologic levels of pH, precipation of calcium oxalate, calcium 
phosphate or uric acid occurs commonly. Manipulation of the pH will 
maintain the constituents in solution. However, uric acid requires an 
alkaline medium to remain in solution and calcium, phosphorus and oxalate 
require an acid medium to remain in solution. In the past, it has not been 
possible to collect and preserve a simple, integrated urine specimen for 
all of these biochemical assays. 
The present invention overcomes the problems of multiple assays by 
providing automatic separation of multiple aliquots of each voided urine 
specimen so that each aliquot is similar to another in volume and 
composition. Sequential collection of similar aliquots collected in 
different bins each containing a different preservative will allow 
accurate biochemical analysis under similar conditions of collection, but 
different conditions of preservation. 
In accordance with the present invention, a receptacle is divided into bin 
sections with a removable manifold cover disposed on the receptacle. The 
manifold has openings therein arranged to be in registration with a 
separate one of the bins. The manifold further contains an inlet through 
which urine is poured. Each bin contains a chemical substance for 
preserving some predetermined condition for the urine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring now to FIG. 1, the urine collection device 10 is shown and will 
be observed to comprise a receptacle 12 having four bins 14, 16, 18, 20 
defined therein. A removable manifold 22 is adapted to fit and be disposed 
on receptacle 12. Manifold 22 has openings 24, 26, 28, 30, each for 
registration with a separate one of the bins. An inlet 44 is on the top of 
manifold 22, into which urine is poured. Urine poured into 44 will be 
metered through openings 24, 26, 28, 30, with a substantially equal amount 
entering each bin. A cap 32 will snugly fasten to inlet 44 to fully 
enclose the apparatus. 
In order to preserve the characteristics of the urine collected over time 
and establish a predetermined condition, a different chemical substance 
will be present in each bin section. For example, a bin would contain an 
acidifying substance, or an alkalizing substance, or a substance to 
stabilize pH and/or substance to prevent bacterial growth and/or a 
substance to preserve any specific physiologic feature. In particular, 
sulfamic acid could be placed in one bin to create an acidified liquid 
urine specimen. In another bin, sodium carbonate could be used to create 
an alkalinized urine sample. The pH stabilizing substance in another bin 
could be acetohydroxamic acid and benzyl (dodecylcarbanyl methyl 
dimethylammonium chloride). Finally, the preservative substance used in 
the remaining bin could be thymol crystals or any other specific 
preservative. 
As may be seen in FIG. 2, the bins in receptacle 12 are formed by the walls 
which traverse the diameter of receptacle 12. The receptacle may contain 
any number of bins of similar size. In the examples illustrated (FIGS. 1 
and 2) the receptacle is composed of four bins the walls of which 
intersect at right angles. It is imperative that each bin formed be 
completely sealed off from the adjacent bins. Therefore, it is desirable 
that walls 34, 36, be formed integrally with receptacle 12. Accordingly, 
one desirable manner of producing the urine collection device 10 is by 
ejection molding of plastic. Of course, other suitable techniques of 
construction may be utilized and walls 34, 36 may be separately formed. 
However, some type of seal must be established where the walls 34, 36 and 
receptacle 12 meet. 
Manifold 22 is adapted to fit concentrically onto the top of receptacle 12 
and firmly engage it. Manifold 22 may attach to receptacle 12 by threads, 
permitting the manifold to be screwed onto the receptacle; or manifold 22 
may have a snap or clamp mechanism to securely hold it onto receptacle 12. 
Regardless, however, of how manifold 22 is mounted to receptacle 12, it is 
necessary that means be provided to assure registration of openings 24, 
26, 28, 30 with one of the bins 14, 16, 18, 20. If manifold 22 is screwed 
onto receptacle 12, proper registration may be achieved by properly 
placing the openings in manifold 22. One method of placement to provide 
registration would be to have the openings equally spaced from the center 
of the receptacle such as ninety degrees apart and disposed a distance 
away from the center of the manifold. If manifold 22 snaps onto receptacle 
12, mating spines and grooves on the two pieces can be used to provide 
proper alignment. 
In addition the same sort of means of attaching it to receptacle 12, 
manifold 22 has a chamber formed between a bottom plate 38, having the 
openings 24, 26, 28, 30 formed therein, and a top cover 40 which is 
disposed above plate 38. Urine introduced through inlet 44 is held within 
the chamber and released at a slow rate through the openings in plate 38. 
In use, the device may be given to a patient to take home, with the 
instructions that urine individual specimens are to be poured into the 
device through inlet 44 over the prescribed time period, usually 24 hours. 
The patient returns the device containing an integrated urine specimen 
after the prescribed period, thereby providing the physician with an 
integrated urine specimen, containing several nearly identical urine 
specimens, each preserved differently, on which multiple assays may be run 
to determine biochemical abnormalities. This procedure is in contrast to 
that heretofore used wherein a patient would be required to come in on 
multiple occasions to give separate urine specimens the composition of 
each of which differed from the other. Such day-to-day differences being a 
normal biologic variation. 
With the urine collection device disclosed herein there is less chance of 
the urine specimen to be tested being misrepresentative because all 
biochemical assays will be accurately performed on identical aliquots of 
the same urine specimen. 
The foregoing description of the invention has been directed to a 
particular preferred embodiment of the present invention for purposes of 
explanation and illustration. It will be apparent, however, to those 
skilled in this art that many modifications and changes in the apparatus 
may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
It is therefore intended that the following claims cover all equivalent 
modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the invention as 
defined by the claims.