A DEVICE FOR COLLECTING OF FLUID SAMPLES IN A FLUID PASSAGE

Abstract: A device for collecting of fluid samples in a fluid passage, e.g. at urine collecting vessels. The device comprises a hollow valve member (1) arranged in the fluid passage (3) and rotatable between two positions, a collecting position, in which it collects the fluid in a space (8, 10), and a flow-through position, in which it opens a flow-through passage (9, 15, 16) for the fluid through the valve member (1). The valve member (1) is provided with an access opening sealed by a sealing member (14) for taking out the fluid samples.

Description: A DEVICE FOR COLLECTING OF FLUID SAMPLES IN A FLUID PASSAGE Technical fi ~ - * -j The present invention relates to a device for collecting of fluid samples in a fluid passage, e.g. at urine collecting vessels and comprises a hollow valve member arranged in a fluid passage and rotatable between two positions about an axis extending across the fluid passage, a collecting position, and a flow-through position, said valve member being provided with an access opening sealed by a sealing member. Background of the invention At urine collecting vessels fresh urine samples are usually taken out through a membrane-provided adapter placed at the inlet tube to the collecting vessel. The tube between the adapter and the collecting vessel must first be closed by means of a hose clamp. The procedure requires a careful manual control, so that the urine volume above the hose clamp does not become too large which would result in a troublesome leakage . In the US-A-2 , 864 , 254 and 3,884,082 there are shown valves for taking out fluid samples in fluid passages. These valves have flow passages for the fluid and by rotating the valve the fluid present in the passage can be taken out for analysis. Only small quantities of fluid can be taken out of these valves and besides a substantially regular fluid flow is required so that there always is fluid available in the flow passage . The ob-iect and most important features of the invention The object of the present invention is to provide a device which simplifies the taking of the fresh fluid samples in a fluid passage even of irregular flows, such as e.g. at urine collecting vessels. This has been provided by the fact that the valve member has at least one partition wall which divides it into two separate spaces, a first space which in the collecting position of the valve member is arranged to communicate with the inlet of the fluid passage but not wit h its outlet and in the flow-through position communicates with the outlet but not with the inlet, and a second space, which in the collecting position of the valve member is shut-off from the inlet and in the flow-through position communicates with both the inlet and the outlet. Description of the drawings The invention will hereinafter be described with reference to an embodiment shown in the enclosed drawings. Fig. 1 shows a vertical section through the device according to the invention, Fig . 2 and 3 are sections according to the line II-II in fig 1 showing the device in two different positions, Fig. 4 shows a perspective of a urine measuring vessel provided with a device according to the invention. Description of an embodiment The device according to the invention is denoted with the numeral 1 and comprises a cylindrical hollow valve member located in a cylindrical space 2 arranged in a fluid passage 3 perpendicularly thereto. The valve member 1 is by means of a handle 13 rotatable in the space 2. The inlet to the space 2 is indicated with 3a and outlet with 3b. The valve member 1 shows two transversal partition walls 4 and 5 and one partition wall 6 extending between and across them, so that the valve member 1 is divided into four spaces 7-10. The partition wall 6 does not extend diametrically through the valve member but divides the space between the partion walls 4 and 5 into a smaller and a bigger space 8 and 9. The smaller one 8 of the spaces 8 and 9 on either sides of the partition wall 6 has a radial opening 11 located in front of the fluid passage 3 in the position of the hollow valve member 1 shown in figs. 1 and 2 and communicates by way of an opening 12 in the partition wall 5 with the space 10 and makes together therewith a collecting space for the fluid from the inlet 3a. The collecting space is accessible through a membrane 14 by means of a puncturing member. Other sealing means e.g. a non-return valve openable from the outside are of course possible. The valve member further has two radial openings 15 and 16 located diametrically opposed and 90 offset with respect to the opening 11. These two openings make a flow passage for the fluid through the space 9 of the valve member 1 shown in fig. 3. The valve member 1 is sealed against the space 2 at the outer end thereof by means of a sealing 17. The valve member 1 has a further sealing 18 on one side of the opening 11. However at overfilling of the collecting space 8 and 10 fluid can pass to the outlet 3b from the opposite side of the opening 11 along the outside of the valve member 1. In the embodiment shown in fig. 4 the device according to the invention is located in a urine measuring vessel 19 of known kind directly below the inlet 3. The invention is of course not limited to the shown embodiments but a plurality of the modifications are possible within the scope of the following claims. The valve member 1 does of course not need to be cylindric but can have any other shape of circular cross-section, e.g. conical or spherical. V*

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A device for collecting of fluid samples in a fluid passage, e.g. at urine collecting vessels and comprising a hollow valve member (1) arranged in a fluid passage (3) and rotatable between two positions about an axis extending across the fluid passage (3) , a collecting position and a flow-through position, said valve member being provided with an access opening sealed by a sealing member (14), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n, that the valve member (1) has at least one partition wall (4,5,6) dividing it into two separate spaces, a first space (8,10) , which in the collecting position of the valve member is arranged to communicate with the inlet (3a) of the fluid passage (3) but not with its outlet (3b) and in the flow-through position communicates with the outlet (3b) but not with the inlet, and a second space (3a) , which in the collecting position of the valve member (1) is shut-off from the inlet (3a) and in the flow-through position communicates with both the inlet (3a) and the outlet (3b). 2. A device according to claim 1 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n, that said first space (8,10) is provided with a spillway communicating with the outlet (3b) of the fluid passage.

Inventors: EKHOLMER ERIK, EKHOLMER, ERIK
Applicants: MEDIPLAST AB
Application year: 1985
Main classification: G01N1
IPC codes: A61B10, A61F5, G01N1