SPECIMEN COLLECTION APPARATUS

Abstract: Open tray (12) with a storage compartment (14), a waste urine collection compartment (16) and a detachable specimen compartment (18). The specimen compartment communicates with each other compartments by flow channels (20) and (22) to allow the user to select a sampling in the specimen compartment (18) at any desired time of a procedure by maneuvering the tray (12). The storage compartment (14) is utilized to aseptically store the necessary implements to collect a urine sample from the patient. Removable covers (32) and (30) are provided over the compartments to maintain to sterility and avoid leakage.

Description: 5PECI EN CO ECTTON APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to urethra! ca heterization apparatus for collecting a specimen of urine from a patient. Discussion of Related Art It is often necessary to obtain a urine specimen from a patient by urethra! catheterization. A conventional closed system now used includes a bag collection method in which a bag must be opened and connected to the catheter. After collection, the bag must be opened again to depose of the collected urine, which can be a slow and messy process. Alternately, an open method can be employed. This method uses a urethra! catheterization tray in which urine is coiiected in an open collection basin. The basin tends to spill the drained contents upon the bed of the patient. Both of these conventional systems share the deficiency that the sample coiiected is exposed to airborne contaminants and thus the specimen may possibiy be contaminated producing inaccurate urinaiysis. SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION One object of the present invention is to provide a system of urethrai catheterization for collecting a urine specimen which is a closed system free of airborne contamination. - 2 - Another object of the present invention is to provide a system of urethra! catheterization for collecting a urine sample in which the sample coiiected can be easily removed and sealed and the waste urine can be disposed of easily without any mess. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a urethra! catheterization system for collecting a urine sample in which the user can exercise control over the collection of urine entering the apparatus so as to collect a specimen only during midstream. An even further object of the present invention is to 'provide a urethra! catheterization apparatus for collecting u srine sample in which the entire apparatus can be supplied in an aseptic condition and the used components can easily and neatly be disposed of after use. In accordance with the above and other objects, the present invention includes a tray having an inlet, a closed specimen collection container, a closed waste collection container, and a canal connecting the inlet to the waste collection container and the specimen collection container. Structure is provided on the tray whereby the specimen container can be removed from the tray for processing the coiiected specimen. The apparatus also includes structure for sealing t e portion of the specimen container connected to the canai after the specimen container has been removed from the tray. The apparatus can aiso include a connector which is attached to the tray and adapted for connection to a catheter. The canal is formed of a drainage canal which leads directly from the iniet to the waste container, and a specimen canal which branches off of the drainage canal and connects to the specimen container. The drainage canal can be formed with a tortuous path prior to the drainage canai branch in order to inhibit the entry of bacteria into the specimen container. Also, the drainage canai can be formed with a curved portion after the specimen canai branch so that the direction of flow can be controlled to increase or decrease the resistance of the flow into the waste container so as to fill the specimen container when desired. O ?I - 3 - , . BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA WINGS The above and other objects of the present invention will become more readily apparent as the invention is more cieariy set forth in the detailed description to follow, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which .like reference numerals represent like parts throughout, and in which: FIGURE i is a top plan view of the specimen tray of the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the covered specimen tray of the present invention; FIGURE 3 is a part fragmentary perspective view of the specimen container of the present invention; FIGURE Ψ is a part fragmentary perspective exploded view showing the relationship between a catheter connector and a drainage canai of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figures i and 2 show the specimen collection apparatus 10 of the present invention. Apparatus 10 includes an open tray 12 having a component storage compartment 1*, a waste urine collection compartment 16, and a specimen compartment IS. A urine drainage canal 20 leads to the urine collection compartment 16, and a specimen canai 22 branches from the urine drainage canai and leads to the specimen collection compartment IS. Finally, a tortuous vent 2Ψ leads from the waste urine collection compartment 16. The entire tray 12 can be formed in a single operation as a molded package or blister package. In the forming operation, perforations 26 are formed around specimen collection compartment IS so that this compartment can be removed from the tray 12 after a specimen has been coiiected. A relatively wide flange 2S is formed around the entire perimeter of tray 12 and wide separation areas are formed between the compartments of the tray. In order to close the tray compartments, cover pieces 30 and 32 are attached to perpheriphai flange 23 in the areas between the compartments. Cover pieces 30 and 32 should be formed from a strong durable material with a sticky adhesive on one side. The sticky sides of cover pieces 30 and 32 are attached to the tray 12 so that each of the compartments L4, 16 and IS forms a closed container with the associated cover material. Cover material 32 also includes perforations * which substantially aiignwith perforations 26 so that the cover material portion over compartment iS will be removed when compartment IS is removed from the tray 12. In order to connect drainage canal 22 to a catheter, catheter connector device 36 shown in Figures I and 4 is provided. Device 36 includes offset flanges 3S and 0 and a boss 42 having opening 44 which extends therethrough. Flanges 38 and 40 are attached to the top of tray 12 and to a side wall of compartment 14, respectively, so that opening 44 aligns with canai 20. A catheter can easily be slid onto boss 42 so that fluid passing through the catheter directly, enters canal 20. Connector device 36 is supplied with the tray and attached as by gluing or the like to the tray prior to covering the tray with covering material 30 and 32. It should be understood that covering material 32 extends at least partiaily over flange 3S so that even if covering material 30 is completely removed, the entire area of canal 20 remains sealed to avoid leakage or contamination of the specimen passing through the canai. When taking a urine sampie, it is ofter desirable to avoid taking the sample from the initial discharge inasmuch this portion of the discharge contains debris and contamination which will produce an inaccurate urinaiysis. The most desirabie portion of the discharge for a specimen is in midstream. Accordingly a curved portion 46 is contained in canai 20 so that the resistance to flow in canai 20 can be altered. Curve 46 bends away from the position of compartment IS so that with tray 12 fiat, the discharge will pass by canal 22 and enter compartment 16 directiy. However, during midstream flow, the tray 12 can be tilted upright so that compartment 18 is below canai 20 and the resistance to flow is increased by the upward turn 46 thus causing some of the discharge to flow downwardly through canai 22 into container IS until the container is full. Then the tray can be laid fiat again so that the remainder of discharge enters compartment 16. Figure 3 shows specimen sampling compartment 18 in detail. As shown in Figure 3, perforations 26 extend around the perimeter of compartment IS so that it can be easily removed from tray 12. However, once removed, it is desirable to close off the area of channel 22 which enters compartment 18. For this purpose, , the area of cover 32 with perforations is made to be slightly longer than compartment 13 and provided with a closure tab 48 which can be bent down over the area of canal 22 as it enters compartment 18. Accordingly, compartment 18 can be entirely sealed in this manner so that absolutely no leakage can occur from compartment 18 during transportation of the coiiected specimen. In use, the apparatus is" supplied with all of the necessary elements for taking a urine sample contained within compartment 14 and closed by cover member 30 to maintain these materials in an aseptic condition. These materials may include the catheter for connection to connector 36, gioves, pads, etc., all of which are well known implements for such a procedure. When taking the sample, cover member 30 is first removed from tray 12 and the necessary implements are removed from compartment 14. The catheter may already be connected to connector device 36 or may be contained in compartment 14 and attached to the connecting device. When the patient begins to discharge through the catheter, the tray 12 is maintained in a level position or compartment 18 may be raised slightly so that the initial portion of the discharge passes through canal 20 into compartment 16. After the first portion of the discharge has passed in to compartment 16, the position of the tray i2 is changed so that compartment 13 is below canai 20. The urine then flows Into compartment 18 due to che increased resistance of upward curved portion 46 of canai 20. When compartment 13 is filled, the tray may be again returned to the level position and drainage of the bladder can be completed into compartment i6. After the bladder has been drained completely, the catheter is removed and placed in storage area 14 with the used implements. The cover portion 30 may then be replaced on compartment 14. Compartment 18 is then removed aiong perforations 26 together with the cover member therefor which cover member is removed along perforations 34. The end of the cover member is then foided down and flap 48 is secured to completely enclose the sample in container i8. The sample is then secure for transportation to the area where urinaiysis will be performed. The tray is removed to a disposai area where the remainder of the corner of cover material 32 is lifted as shown in Figure 2 so that the wast urine may be disposed. The contents of compartment 16 can thus be poured out neatly with no spillage. - It can be seen that the apparatus of the present invention provides a system wherein a urine sample can be taken easily and the waste urine and used components disposed of neatly. Ail of the implements can be aseptically stored prior to use and disposed of after use in the same way. The entire apparatus operates neatly and efficiently to provide a contamination free urine sample which is sealed in its own container. The container IS can be marked with the patients name for identificatioπand then removed to a separate area for the urinaiysis. As an alternate to the use of connector device 36, a tortuous path such as that used in vent 24 can be included in canai 20 prior to the branch of canal 22. Such a tortutous path is shown in phato at 50 in Figure 4. This tortutous path inhibits the progression of bacteria to canai 22 and, thus, into the specimen taken at compartment 18. Accordingly, a simple plastic tube may be connected to canai 20 as by gluing or the like. In this case, a slight air leak into the front of canai 20 will not effect the quality of the specimen since the bacteria will be stopped by the tortuous path. - The foregoing description is provided for the purposes of illustrating the invention but is not considered to limit the scope thereof in any way. Clearly, numerous additions, modifications and other changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS; i. A specimen collection apparatus comprising: a tray having a specimen inlet, a sample compartment, a wast fluid compartment, and a canai connecting said iniet to said sample compartment and said waste fluid compartment; a covering disposed over said sample compartment and said waste fluid compartment and said canai to close said compartments; and means for removing said sample compartment from said tray; whereby a fluid sample may be taken and removed- from said tray for processing. 2. The apparatus of Claim I wherein said canai includes a drainage canai connected from said iniet to said waste fluid compartment and a sample canai connected from said drainage canai to said sample compartment. 3. The apparatus of Claim i wherein said covering comprises a flexible covering material disposed over said canai, said sample compartment and said waste fluid compartment. 4. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said drainage canai includes a portion curved away from said sample compartment. 5. The apparatus of Claim 1 and further wherein said tray includes a closed storage compartment for holding implements for taking a sample. 6. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said tray is a molded tray one piece tray and said means comprises perforations formed in said tray around said sample compartment. 7. The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein said means further includes perforations formed in said covering material around said sample compartment. 8. The apparatus of Claim 7 including a second removable covering disposed over said storage compartment. - - 9. The apparatus of Claim I including means to vary the resistance of flow through portions of said canal to direct the flow to either of said compartments. 10. The apparatus of Claim 1 including a connector means attached to said iniet for attaching said inlet to acatheter.

Inventors: POWERS JERRY G, POWERS, JERRY, G.
Applicants: POWERS JERRY G, POWERS, JERRY, G.
Application year: 1983
Main classification: A61B5
IPC codes: A61B5, A61B10