A COUPLING FOR AN OSTOMY BAG

Abstract: A coupling for joining an ostomy bag to an adhesive pad or dressing. One coupling element includes a continuous inner wall which surrounds a stomal aperture and has a series of arcuate projecting members radially spaced from the inner wall. The other coupling member includes a continuous rib also encircling a stomal aperture. The rib is dimensioned to occupy the space between the inner wall and the array of projecting members. The rib includes a deflecti­ ble sealing skirt which contacts the inner wall and a step formation which engages a hook portion of the arcuate projecting members.

Description: A COUPLING FOR AN OSTOMY BAG This invention relates to a coupling for joining an ostomy bag or pouch to a pad or surgical dressing. Ostomy bags are usually secured to a pad or surgical dressing which contacts the user's skin and surrounds the stoma. There is a need for a coupling between pad and bag which allows the bag to be readily removed when necessary, and replaced by a clean, empty bag. At the-same time, it is essential that the coupling should be a secure one, and prevent leakage particularly of liquids and gases. According to the invention, there is provided a coupling for joining a pad or dressing to an ostomy bag including first and second coupling elements each of closed loop form to decline a stoma aperture therein. The first (body side) element has a lateral flange whereby it can be fixed to the adhesive pad or dressing and the second (bag side) element has a lateral flange whereby it can be fixed to one wall of an ostomy bag. The first element includes an inner wall which continuously encircles the aperture and a series of projecting members uniformly radially spaced from the inner wall and located in a array which surrounds the inner wall. The second element includes a rib member encircling the aperture and is contructed to made sealing engagement, when the coupling elements are joined, with the outer surface of the inner wall, the rib also having a step formation arranged to engage the said projections to assist in holding the two coupling elements together. According to a preferred feature of the invention, the rib member has a deflectible sealing skirt extending therefrom, which when the coupling elements are joined, engages the outer surface of the inner wall. According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the projections take the form of arcuate ribs, each having an inwardly-facing hook portion. The outer surface of the rib bag side member may advantageously have a step formation of substantially right angle shape as seen in vertical axial cross-section. In conjunction with the hook portion on each of the projections, the right angle step formation provides improved security of attachement of the two coupling elements. According to an optional feature of the invention, the bag side coupling element may be formed to define a gas vent structure including a recess for receiving a filter member or fitted cad. The filter member or pad may consist of or carry material such as activated carbon which will remove odorous gases from any flatus gases which are vented from the bag. The array of projections may for example be made up of a plurality of arcuate ribs, e.g., 12 in number, each of which is spaced from its neighbor by a space whose length measured around the periphery is from 1/10 to 1/2 of the peripheral length of each arcuate rib. Each arcuate rib may have a hook portion defined by a smoothly curved surface and a straight hooking surface, as seen in vertical axial cross-section. The hooking surface may be at an angle from 50 to 700, preferably 600, to the axis of the coupling. Fig. 1 is a front view of a first or body side coupling element of a coupling according to one embodiment of the invention not showing the adhesive pad or dressing; Fig. 2 is a vertical axial cross-section through the coupling element shown in Fig. 1 but showing the adhesive pad or dressing; Fig. 3 is a vertical axial section on an enlarged scale, compared to Fig. 2, showing the detail of the construction of the first coupling element; Fig. 4 is a rear view of one example of a second or bag side coupling element, not showing the bag, intended to cooperate with the body side coupling element of Figs. 1 - 3; Fig. 5 is a vertical axial cross-section, on an enlarged scale, showing the detailed construction of the coupling element of Fig. 5 as attached to an ostomy bag; Fig. 6 is a vertical axial cross-section through an upper portion of the element of Fig. 4, showing a recess for receiving a filter member or a filter pad; Fig. 7 is a rear view of the gas vent structure including the recess shown in Fig. 8; and Fig. 8 is a vertical axial cross-section of the coupling elements attached. The illustrated first and second coupling" elements are of closed loop form and define apertures 20, 22 intended to receive the stoma of the wearer. While these apertures have been illustrated as circular, there is no reason why they should not be elliptical or of other shape; however, a circular configuration has been found to be satisfactory. These coupling elements may each be integrallymolded from a moldable synthetic plastics material. One example of a suitable material is that known as EVA, i.e., polymerized ethylene vinyl acetate. Other synthetic plastics materials may be suitable. The first coupling element 24 has a lateral flange 26 and an inner wall 28. The surface 30 of the flange is intended to be secured, for example, by adhesive, to the surface of an adhesive pad or dressing 10 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The adhesive pad or dressing can be provided with an aperture similar, though of smaller diameter,than aperture 20. Alternatively, the pad or dressing can be provided with a small starter hole that the ostomate increases in size to fit snuggly around the stoma. The adhesive pad or dressing 10 can be made from any of the materials currently employed for this purpose. Suitable adhesive dressings are taught by Chen in U.S. Patents 3,339,546 and 3,972,328 and by Chen et al, in U.S. Patent 4,192,785. The inner wall 28 completely encircles the stoma aperture 20, and a series of projecting members 32 are secured to or integral with the flange 26, spaced from one another in a peripheral direction, and radially spaced from the inner wall 28. In other words, these projecting members are disposed in a circular array which surrounds the inner wall 28. In conjunction with the inner wall 28 they define a space which, when the coupling is connected, is occupied by a rib member to be described. Each projecting member 32 is arcuate as can be seen from Fig. 1 and each has an inwardly facing hook portion 34. This may extend along the whole peripheral length of each arcuate projection 32. As best seen in Fig. 3, each arcuate projection 32 may have its hook portion defined by a smoothly curved surface 36 and a straight hooking surface 38. As seen in vertical axial cross-section, the straight surface 38 may be disposed at an angle of 600 to the axis 40 of the coupling. The second or bag side coupling element is intended to cooperate with the body side coupling element just described. The second coupling element is shown in Figs. 4-7 and includes rib member 50 encircling the aperture 22, the rib member 50 being integral with a deflectable sealing skirt 52 located on the radially inner side of the rib 50 and with a step formation 54 located on the radially outer side of the rib 50. The deflectable sealing skirt or sealing strip 52 may take the form described in British Patent 1,586,823. As seen in Fig. 5, it has two surfaces 58, 60 which taper towards one another, the radially outer surface 58 being disposed preferably at 300 to the axis 40 of the coupling and the radially inner surface 60 being disposed preferably at 300 to the said axis 40. It has been found that the illustrated configuration gives a good compromise between the conflicting requirements of tight liquid-proof sealing and ease of separation of coupling manually by old, infirm, or not particularly dextrous persons. The step formation 54 is in part defined by a surface 62 which is located in a plane substantially normal to the axis 40, although of course a surface located in a plane at a small angle to the normal could also be employed. The surface 62 in combination with the curved surface 64 defines a substantially right angle corner which, when the two coupling elements are joined together, engages sloping hook surface 38 on the first coupling element. The resilience of the plastics coupling elements and the curving of surfaces 36 and 64 lead to a construction in which the two coupling elements can be readily pushed together into their locked condition, each coupling element deforming slightly as it is engaged with the other one and then springing back to the normal configuration illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 respectively. The provision of spaces 33, Fig. 1, between the individual projections 32 means that this deformation is readily achieved without needing to apply a substantial force. 'The second coupling element also includes a lateral flange 66 whose surface 68 is secured in any convenient manner, for example, by adhesive, to one wall of an ostomy bag 90. This is preferably done during the manufacture of the ostomy bag and a plastics heat welding operation may be employed. The ostomy bag 90 may be a closed bag as shown, for example, by Marsan in U.S. Patent 3,302,647 or a bag having a drainable resealable bottom opening as shown, for example, by Pratt in U.S. Patent 3,612,053. Fig. 8 shows'the body side coupling of Figs. 1 to 3 and the bag side coupling of Figs 4 and 5 without optional gas vent structure 76 in their coupled state. As seen best in Fig. 4, the second coupling element 24 has gripping tags 70, each having a hole 72 therein so that a belt or strap may, if desired, be attached to the coupling element 24 to support the weight of the bag. The second coupling element 24 is also integrally formed, according to an optional embodiment of the invention, with an integral gas vent structure 76 consisting of a plastics wall 78 defining a recess 80 (Figs. 6 and 7). The recess 80 is intended to receive a filter member or a filter pad; for example one may employ open-cell polyurethane foam loaded with activated carbon particles. The wall 78 of the recess has a flat surface 82 which is secured to the ostomy bag wall during the manufacture of the ostomy bag or during the attachment of the coupling to the ostomy bag, and a line of weakening 84 is disposed across the wall 78 as indicated. The line of weakening 84 is "goal-post" shape and when finger pressure is applied the wall 78 breaks along the line 84 and so provides an exit path for gases which have passed through the filter pad, not shown, located in the recess 80. The ostomy bag wall adjacent the second coupling element is punctured in a region which is within the boundary defined by the surface 82, so affording a path for flatus gases within the bag to pass out of the hole so punctured and into the filter pad located in the recess 80. With this construction, the user may use the gas vent filtering feature if he wishes, but need not do so. Moreover, this construction allows the filter pad to be readily removed and replaced if desired. This invention also extends to a first coupling element having an inner wall continuously encircling an aperture and also having a series of projecting members located in an array which surrounds the inner wall, peripherally spaced from one another, the inner wall and the projecting members being connected to a lateral flange. The invention further provides a coupling element which includes a rib member encircling an aperture and which is constructed to make sealing engagement by way of a sealing skirt with a facing surface, the rib having on its radially outer surface a step formation of substantially right angle configuration and located such that it can effect a locking action with a confronting angled surface. The ostomy bag coupling particularly described and illustrated herein has the following useful and advantageous improved features, compared to any prior coupling known to the applicants. Firstly, it has more flexibility, that is to say the coupling when worn by a wearer can deform more readily to follow the curvature of the body as the wearer moves, bends, and twists. This extra flexibility is sieved principally by the presence of separate spaced projections separated by spaces or slots, compared to the more rigid construction which is a consequence of a peripheral channel arrangement as illustrated in British Patent No. 1,571,657. Secondly, the smooth clean configuration of the interior surface of the coupling, that is to say the interior surface of the wall 28 on the first coupling element, means that there is less likelihood for unwanted deposits, e.g., of faeces, to build up. Moreover, the action of removing the bag side coupling element from the body side coupling element involves a wiping action which usually wipes clean the radially outer surface of the wall 28 and the inwardly facing surfaces of the projections 32. In consequence, build-up of unwanted matter within the space between the wall 28 and the projections 32 is less likely to occur. Thirdly, by the employment of the dimensions and proportions indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, a coupling having a lesser "outstand" may be produced. That is to say, the extent of projection of the coupling away from the body of the wearer is less, which is an advantage in that it makes the coupling and ostomy bag less likely to be visible or noticed under the clothing of the wearer. Moreover, it is less cumbersome to wear. With a coupling according to Figs. 3 and 5, a reduction of over 30% in overall thickness or "outstand" has been made, compared to a widely-used prior known coupling. Fourthly, the construction disclosed and illustrated herein allows the incorporation of a gas vent structure and a gas filter as part of the bag side coupling and therefore no special extra filter arrangement or gas vent structure is needed. Fifthly, the security of attachment of the two coupling elements is enhanced by the choice of the particular engaging configuration, namely the right angle step portion cooperating with a confronting angled surface of the hook portions on the array of projections. Also, it should be appreciated that it is possible to reverse the coupling elements. In this case, flange 25 would be secured to a wall of an ostomy bag around the stomal aperture and flange 66 would be secured to an adhesive pad or dressing.

Claims: What is claimed is: 1. A coupling for joining an adhesive pad or dressing and an ostomy bag having a stomal aperture in one bag wall comprising a body side coupling element having a lateral flange by which said body side coupling element is secured to the top surface of said adhesive pad or dressing and a bag side coupling element having a lateral flange by which said bag side coupling element is secured to an ostomy bag wall around said stomal aperture, said body side coupling element extending upwardly from said body side lateral flange and including a continuous inner wall which defines a stomal aperture in said body side coupling element and a series of projecting members uniformly radially spaced from said inner wall and located in an array which surrounds said inner wall, and said bag side coupling element is a continuous rib extending outwardly from said bag side lateral flange so as to encircle the passageway through the stomal aperture in said bag wall wherein said rib is dimensioned to occupy the space between said inner wall and said projecting members when the coupling elements are joined. 2. A coupling according to Claim 1 wherein said projecting members are arcuate and have an inwardly facing hook portion 3. A coupling according to Claim 2 wherein said outwardly extending rib of said bag coupling element has a deflectible sealing skirt extending therefrom which engages the outside of said inner wall of said body side coupling element when the coupling elements are joined. 4. A coupling according to Claim 3 wherein the surface of said outwardly extending rib of said bag coupling element opposite said deflectible sealing skirt has a step formation of substantially right angle shape arranged to engage said hook portion of said arcuate projecting members when the coupling elements are joined. 5. A coupling according to Claim 4 wherein each arcuate projecting member has a hook portion defined by a smoothly curved surface and a straight hooking surface when seen in vertical cross-section. 6. A coupling according to Claim 5 wherein said hooking surface is at an angle from about 500 to about 70e to the axis of the coupling. 7. A coupling according to Claim 6 wherein each member of said array of projecting arcuate members is spaced from its neighbor by a space whose length measured around the periphery is from about 1/10 to 1/2 of the peripheral length of each arcuate member. 8. A coupling according to Claim 1 wherein said adhesive pad or dressing has an aperture which can be enlarged to fit snuggly around the stoma and the lateral flange of said body side coupling element is secured to the surface of said pad or dressing such that said inner wall encircles the passageway through which the stoma will protrude. 9. An adhesive pad or dressing having the lateral flange of a coupling element secured to its top surface, said lateral flange including a continuous inner wall which extends upwardly from the surface of said pad or dressing so as to define a stomal aperture in said coupling element and a series of projecting members also extending upwardly from the surface of said pad or dressing, said projecting members being uniformly radially spaced from said inner wall and located in an array which surrounds said inner wall whereby a space is provided between said inner wall and said projecting members to receive an ostomy bag coupling member. 10. An adhesive pad or dressing according to Claim 9 wherein said projecting members are arcuate and have an inwardly facing hook portion. 11. An adhesive pad or dressing according to Claim 10 wherein each arcuate projecting member has a hook portion defined by a smoothly. curved surface and a straight hooking surface when seen in vertical cross-section. 12. An adhesive pad or dressing according to Claim 11 wherein said hooking surface is at an angle from about 500 to 700 to the axis of the coupling. 13. An adhesive pad or dressing according to Claim 12 wherein each member of said array of projecting arcuate members is spaced from its neighbor by a space whose length measured around the periphery is from about 1/10 to about 1/2 of the peripheral length of each arcuate member. 14. An adhesive pad or dressing according to Claim 13 wherein said adhesive pad or dressing has an aperture which can be enlarged to fit snuggly around the stoma and the lateral flange of said coupling element is secured to the surface of said pad or dressing such that said inner wall encircles the passageway through which the stoma will protrude. 15. An ostomy bag having an aperture in one bag wall through which a stoma can protrude including a coupling element comprising a lateral flange secured to said bag wall around said aperture, a continuous rib extending outwardly from said flange and away from said bag wall, said rib having a deflectible sealing skirt facing inward and on the opposite side of said rim a step formation of substantially right angle shape wherein said rib is dimensicned to fit within a coupling element secured to an adhesive pad or dressing. 16. A bag according to Claim 15 wherein said lateral flange includes a recess for receiving a filter member or filter pad for deodorizing gases vented from said bag.

Inventors: EDWARDS, JOHN VICTOR, STEER, PETER LESLIE
Applicants: CRAIG MEDICAL PRODUCTS LIMITED
Application year: 1983
Main classification: A61F5
IPC codes: A61F5