FLUID COLLECTION DEVICES

Abstract: A fluid collection device comprising at least one container, the at least one container defining a fluid collection portion (88) and a pressure control portion (110), a collection tube (86) for placing the fluid collection portion in communication with a fluid source, a pressure sensitive flexible impermeable structure (108) located within the pressure control portion to divide the pressure control portion into first and second separate compartments, and means (100) for placing the first compartment in communication with a source of suction, the second compartment being in communication with the fluid collection portion, the arrangement being such that the application of suction to the said first compartment causes the flexible impermeable structure to flex to product a reduction in the pressure condition extant within the second compartment and the fluid collection portion in communication therewith to enable fluid to be drawn by suction along the collection tube and into the fluid collection portion.

Description: FLUID COLLECTION DEVICES This invention relates to a device for collecting fluids and more especially, but not exclusively, to devices for collecting liquids which are toxic or contagious to human beings. A device for collecting body fluids is known which comprises a catheter by which fluid drawn off from a zone of a patient's body is transported to a sealed transparent, normally plastics, receptacle. A clear plastics tube is in communication with the sealed container. In operation of this device, for example to clear obstructing matter in a patient's throat, the catheter is passed down the throat and oral suction is applied to the clear plastics tube to lower the pressure inside the sealed container which in turn creates a suction effect in the catheter to draw-off the obstructing matter from the throat and into the container. Similar devices are known for taking and collecting samples of body fluids such as blood and urine for analysis and collecting toxic fluids and pollutants again for analysis. One problem with such known devices resides in the danger to the operator of contact with a fluid which may present a health risk to the operator. It is an object of the present invention to overcome or at least alleviate this and other disadvantages of such known devices. According to the present invention there is provided a fluid collection device comprising at least one container, the at least one container defining a fluid collection portion and a pressure control portion, a collection tube for placing the fluid collection portion in communication with a fluid source, a pressure sensitive flexible impermeable structure located within the pressure control portion to divide the pressure control portion into first and second separate compartments, and means for placing the first compartment in communication with a source of suction, the second compartment being in communication with the fluid collection portion, the arrangement being such that the application of suction to the said first compartment causes the flexible impermeable structure to flex to produce a reduction in the pressure condition extant within the second compartment and the fluid collection portion in communication therewith to enable fluid to be drawn by suction along the collection tube and into the fluid collection portion. The device may comprise a single container whose interior is divided to define the fluid collection and pressure control portions with the fluid collection portion defining a fluid collection chamber and the pressure control portion defining a pressure control chamber. In this arrangement, the container may be sealed by a cap which overlies both chambers and includes a passageway or channel which places the chambers in communication one with the other. Alternatively, the cap may include two separate openings one of which is sited above the collection chamber and one above the control chamber, means being provided to enable a tube or the like to place one opening in communication with the other opening. In an alternative construction, two separable containers may be provided, one comprising the fluid collection portion which defines the collection chamber and the other comprising the pressure control portion which defines the pressure control chamber. In this construction, each container is fitted with a removable cap provided with an opening through which the interior of one container can be placed in communication with the other container. The volume of the control chamber may be greater than that of the collection chamber to enable a flexible impermeable structure of greater size and volume to be employed. In this way, a greater suction effect may be created with the collection chamber. Alternatively or additionally, means may be provided selectively to vary the size and volume of the control chamber and/or the collection chamber to enable a user to vary the suction effect as appropriate in the particular circumstances of use. Thus, one or both chambers may be provided with a floor which slides as a piston upwardly into the or each chamber. Alternatively, each chamber may include or be formed as a bellows which can be expanded or compressed to vary the size and volume of the chamber. Other similar devices can be employed. In a further alternative construction, the device may comprise a single container which comprises the fluid collection portion at the bottom of the container and the pressure control portion above the fluid collection portion. In this embodiment, the single container defines a single chamber which acts as a fluid collection chamber and as a pressure control chamber. The single container may be sealed by a cap which overlies the pressure control chamber and includes openings for communication with the collection tube and the said means for placing the first compartment in communication with a source of suction. A one-way valve is preferably provided to enable partial evacuation of the collection chamber to be achieved. The valve may be positioned in the cap. In each of the preferred embodiments of the invention, the flexible impermeable structure may comprise a flexible bag sealed at its open end to the means by which suction can be applied. In this arrangement, the interior of the bag defines the aforesaid first compartment and the remaining interior space of the control chamber defines the aforesaid second compartment. The bag may be sufficiently intrinsically resilient such that the bag relaxes into an expanded or inflated shape after the application of suction. Alternatively, resilient means may be included within the bag to cause the bag to return to its original shape after the application of suction. Preferred resilient means include a pad of sponge or foam material. Alternatively, the flexible impermeable structure may comprise a flexible diaphragm which effectively divides the control chamber into the two separate compartments; a bellows positioned within the control chamber with its open end in communication with the means by which pressure or suction can be applied; or a piston-like member slidable within the control chamber. Preferably, the means for placing the said first compartment in communication with a source of suction comprises a flexible tube of, for example, clear plastics. A one-way valve may be provided to enable gas expelled from the device upon the application of pressure to pass to the atmosphere. According to the present invention in another aspect there is provided a device for extracting a fluid, the device comprising at least one container defining at least one chamber, a collection tube in communication with the chamber, a member of a flexible impermeable material within the chamber, and means in communication with the interior of the flexible member by which the member can be deflated, the arrangement being such that deflation of the member enables fluid from a source in communication with the collection tube to be drawn by suction along the collection tube and into the chamber. " Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:- Figures 1 and 2 are respectively cross sectional and plan views of a fluid collection device in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of a fluid collection device in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of a fluid collection device in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention; Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a cross sectional view and a plan view from above of a fluid collection device in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention; and Figures 7 is a cross sectional view of a fluid collection device in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention. The collection device shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a clear plastics container 1 including two chambers 2, 3 separated by a common wall 4 and closed by a cap 5 which effectively seals the open ends of the two chambers. The chambers 2 acts as a pressure control chamber and chamber 3 as a collection chamber. The closure cap 5 is provided with a pair of spaced connecting nipples, to one of which is attached a clear plastics tube 6 and to the other of which is attached a clear plastics catheter tube 7. The two chambers 2, 3 are placed in communication with one another via a passage 8. The chamber 2 houses an inflatable bag 9 formed of a flexible impermeable plastics material. The bag 9 effectively divides the interior of the chamber 2 into two compartments separated by the impermeable material from which the bag is produced. Under normal atmospheric pressure, the bag assumes a relatively collapsed state within the chamber 2. The bag 9 is sealingly attached at its open end to a nipple 11 which depends from the cap 5 and communicates with the tube 6. To operate the device, the bag 9 is inflated within the chamber 2 by pressure applied orally, by a syringe or other mechanical means, to the free end of the plastics tube 6 which is provided with a mouthpiece 12. This inflation partially evacuates the interior of chambers 2, 3 so reducing the gas pressure extant therein. Suction is then applied through the tube 6 to cause fluid in communication with the free end of the tube 7 to be drawn by suction into the collection- chamber 3. Thus, initial inflation of the bag 9 forces air out of the chamber 3 along the tube 7. Subsequent deflation of the bag 9 by the application of, for example, oral suction, creates reduced pressure conditions within the chamber 3 to cause fluid to flow along tube 7 and into the collection chamber 3. A one-way valve 14 is set in the cap 5 to enable air initially to leave the chamber 3 via the valve 14 and not through the tube 7. When the catheter tube 7 is inserted down a child's throat, for example to extract mucus therefrom, the suction effect produced causes the mucus to be drawn off through the catheter 7 and into the chamber 3. In this manner contact with the mucus (or other fluid) due to the danger of the mucus being drawn accidentally up the plastics tube 6, is avoided. The second embodiment illustrated in Figure 3 is similar to the first embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 but two separate containers 15, 16 are provided in place of the chambers 2, 3 described above of the first embodiment. The two containers 15, 16 are placed in communication one with the other via a plastics tube 17 whose ends locate over nipples 18, 19 upstanding respectively from caps 21, 20 of the containers 16, 15. The cap 20 includes a second nipple 22 to receive one end of the collection tube 27. The bag 29 is sealingly attached at its open end to a nipple 28 which extends from the cap 21 and to which the tube 26 is connected. A strap 23 is provided to hold the two containers 15, 16 together. The operation of the device illustrated in Figure 3 is very similar to that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 with the bag being sequentially inflated and deflated by the application of pressure or suction via the tube 6. However, in this embodiment, after collection of fluid within container 15, the collection tube 27 is removed from the nipple 22, and the end of the tube 17 sited on nipple 18 is removed and placed over nipple 22 effectively to seal the container 15 for transport purposes. The third embodiment of a fluid collection device illustrated in Figure 4 is similar to that illustrated in Figure 3. In the device shown in Figure 4, the floor 24 of the collection chamber 34 defined by the container 35 takes the form of a piston which can be moved upwardly or downwardly within the chamber interior selectively to vary the internal volume of the chamber 36. Thus, if the sliding floor 24 is positioned half way along the height of the chamber 34, the suction effect produced in the manner described above is increased in proportion with the reduction in volume of the chamber. It has been found that a reduction of one half in the volume of the chamber 34 produces a doubling of the suction effect. In an illustrated embodiment the floor 24 is permanently fixed within the container 35. Thus, the volume of the chamber 34 may be one half of that of the other container 36. Referring to Figures 5 and 6 a device in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention comprises a clear plastics container 41 which defines a chamber 42 closed by a cap 43 which effectively seals the open end of the container. The container 41 defines a lower fluid collection portion 55 and an upper pressure control 56. The chamber 42 acts as a pressure control chamber 57 and as a fluid collection chamber 58, with those chambers 57, 58 being adjacent to each other. The closure cap 43 is provided with a pair of spaced passageways 41, 45 defined by apertures formed in the cap 43 and short hollow legs which depend downwardly from the internal surface of the cap 43. One end of a clear plastics tube 46 is sealingly engaged within the passageway 64 and a clear plastics catheter tube 47 passes through the passageway 45 and extends downwardly into the chamber 42. The catheter tube 47 is sealingly engaged within the passageway 45. The upper portion of the chamber 42 houses an inflatable bag 48 formed of a flexible impermeable plastics material. The bag 48 effectively divides the interior of the chamber 42 into two compartments separated by the impermeable material from which the bag is produced. In the illustrated embodiment, a pad 49 of foam or like material is enclosed within the bag 48, which pad 49 acts to hold the bag in a relatively expanded state under normal atmospheric pressure conditions. Alternatively, the bag 48 may be comprised of an intrinsically resilient plastics or rubber material such that under normal atmospheric conditions the bag 48 is relaxed into a relatively expanded state. Typically, the resilient bag 48 is composed of a plasticised polyvinylchloride (PVC) and has been fabricated by dipping a former (e.g. of metal) a number of times into liquid plastics. Preferably, the material of the bag has a Shore Hardness of from 40 to 45% and a thickness of from 0.064 to 0.076 cm. The catheter tube 47 extends downwardly into the collection chamber 42 to a level just below the lower extent of the bag 48. The bag 48 is sealingly attached at its open end to the end of the tube 46 which protrudes below the lower extent of the passageway 44. To operate the device, the free end of the catheter tube 47 is placed in communication with a source of fluid to be extracted or collected and the bag 48 is deflated by suction applied orally, by a syringe or other mechanical means, to thefree end of the plastics tube 46. A mouthpiece is preferably located on the free end of the tube 46 for this purpose. The application of suction causes the bag 48 to deflate partially, against the resilience either of the pad 49 or the bag 48 itself as the case may be, thereby to evacuate the interior of chamber 42 so reducing the gas pressure extant therein. Fluid in communication with the free end of the tube 47 is thus caused to be drawn by suction into the collection chamber 2. After the application of suction, the bag 48 is returned to its original shape and volume by means of the resilience of the bag 48 or of the foam pad 49. In this way, the bag 48 is "self-primed" ready for a subsequent application of suction and this obviates the need to reinflate the bag by application of pressure after each suction cycle. A one-way valve 50 is set in the cap 43 to enable air evacuated from the chamber 42 to leave the chamber via the valve 50 and not through the tube 47. The one-way valve 50 may comprise a metal ball located in an upright vent with the surface of the ball normally bearing against a bearing surface at the bottom of the vent. When the catheter tube 47 is inserted down a child's throat, for example, to extract mucus therefrom, the suction effect produced causes the mucus to be drawn off through the catheter tube 47 and into the chamber 42. In this manner contact with the mucus (or other -fluid) due to the danger of the mucus being drawn accidentally up the plastics tube 46, is avoided. A further embodiment of a fluid collection device in accordance with the present invention is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 7. The fluid collection device 60 includes two containers 62, 64 which are generally cylindrical and are composed of a rigid transparent plastics material. The containers 62, 64 are connected together by a connection cap assembly 66 which includes at each end thereof a respective cap 68, 70 which is adapted to be sealingly fitted over the open mouth 72, 74 of a respective container 62, 64. The assembly 66 also includes a bridging portion 76 which connects the two caps 68, 70 together. Each cap 68, 70 includes downwardly depending inner and outer circumferential flanges 78, 80 which are adapted to fit snugly around a respective open mouth, 72, 74 of a respective container 62, 64 so that the cap 68, 70 is sealingly press-fitted over the respective open mouth 72, 74. The assembly 66 is preferably composed of a plastics material which has a degree of flexibility so as to enable caps 68, 70 to be press fitted onto the containers 62, 64 thereby to ensure a fluid-tight seal. The cap 68 is provided with a pair of connecting nipples 82, 84 which both extend upwardly and depend downwardly from the cap 68 and which communicate with the interior of the container 62. A fluid collection tube 86, preferably of transparent plastics material, is press-fitted over the external part of the nipple 82. The interior of the container 62 defines a fluid collection chamber 88 which is adapted to receive fluid which is conveyed into the chamber 88 via the collection tube 86. The cap 70 is provided with a nipple 90 which both extends upwardly and depends downwardly from the cap 70 and which communicates with the interior of the container 64. A communication tube 94, preferably of transparent plastics material, has two ends 96, 98. One end 96 is press-fitted over the nipple 84 of the cap 68 and the other end 98 is pressed-fitted over the nipple 90 of cap 70. In this way, the communication tube 94 enables the interiors of the containers 62, 64 to be in communication with each other. A suction tube 100, preferably of transparent plastics material, has one end 102 which is sealingly fitted to a flexible fluid-impermeable bag 108 and another end 104 to which is connected a mouthpiece 106. The bag 108 is sealingly attached to the suction tube 100 by any suitable means e.g. by means of an adhesive or by heat sealing. The suction tube 100 extends through a hole 92 provided in the cap 70 into the interior of the container 64. The bag 108 is enclosed within the interior of the container 64 which defines a pressure control chamber 110. The bag 108 fills a major portion of the volume of the container 64. The diameter of the hole 92 is slightly less than the external diameter of the suction tube 100 whereby the suction tube 100 is tightly fitted into the hole 92 in a fluid tight manner. In an alternative arrangement, the suction tube 100 and the bag 108 can be sealingly fitted to a nipple extending upwardly and depending downwardly of the cap 70. The bag 108 is composed of an intrinsically resilient plastics or rubber material such that under normal atmospheric conditions the bag 108 is relaxed into a relatively expanded (i.e. appearing as being in an inflated) state. Typically, the resilient bag 108 is composed of a plasticised polyvinylchloride (PVC) and has been fabricated by dipping a former (e.g. of metal) a number of times into liquid plastics. Preferably, the material of the bag has a Shore Hardness of from 40 to 45% and a thickness of from 0.064 to 0.076 cm. A one-way valve 112 is provided in the cap 70 to enable air to be expelled from the pressure control chamber 108 in the container 64 to the atmosphere. The one-way valve 112 comprises a tube 114 having a metal ball 116 captive therein. Where air pressure in the pressure control chamber 110 is equal to or less than atmospheric pressure, the ball 116 rests against a bottom sealing surface 118 of the one-way valve thereby to prevent ingress of air into the container 64 from the atmosphere through the valve 112. When the air pressure in the pressure control chamber 110 is substantially greater than atmospheric pressure this can cause the ball 116 to be pushed upwardly away from the sealing surface 118 thereby to permit air to be expelled from the pressure control chamber 110. To operate the device, the free end of the fluid collection tube is placed in communication with a source of fluid to be extracted or collected. For example, the tube 86 may be inserted down a child's throat or up a child's nostril. Oral suction pressure is applied to the mouthpiece 106 and this causes the bag 108 partially to deflate against the intrinsic resilience of the bag 108. This casues partial evacuation of the pressure control chamber 110 in container 64 thereby to reduce the gas pressure extant therein. Since the fluid collection chamber 88 and also the fluid collection tube 86 are in communication with the pressure control chamber 110 by way of the communication tube 94, a corresponding degree of suction is present at the free end 120 of the fluid collection tube 86 and thus fluid in communcation with the free end 120 of the collection tube 86 is drawn by suction into the fluid collection chamber 88. After the application of suction, the bag 108 is returned to its original shape and volume by means of the intrinsic resilience of the bag 108. In this way, the bag 108 is "self-primed" ready for a subsequent application of suction. Accordingly, when the device is used to collect a greater volume of fluid than can be collected with a single suction cycle, the self-priming reinflation of the bag means the device is very convenient to use since it is only necessary to apply a series of intermittent sucks to the mouthpiece 106 and it is not necessary intermittently to blow into the device to reinflate the bag 108. This provides a real operational advantage. The embodiment of Figure 7 also has a number of other advantages. Since the fluid collection container 62 is press-fitted onto the cap 68, after the desired amount of fluid has been collected in the container 62, the container 62 can be removed from the remainder of the device and fitted with a lid whereby the container 62 can subsequently act as a sample container which can be sent for analysis. Since the container 62 is transparent, it is possible for an operator to see fluid as it is collected in the container 62 and if desired the side of the container 62 may be provided with graduations so that the volume of the fluid collected can be measured directly. Furthermore, an advantage of using transparent tubes 86, 94 and 100 is that an operator can readily see and readily be assured that there is no danger of fluid which is collected in the container 62 from coming into contact with the operator. Although it will be clear that since the impermeable bag 108 is sealingly fitted to the nipple 92 so that it is not possible for fluid directly to be sucked into the mouth of an operator, nevertheless the provision of the transparent tube 94 and the bridging 76 between the fluid collection container 62 and the pressure control container 64 acts psychologically to reassure an operator that there is no possibility whatsoever of them sucking into their mouth fluid from a patient. In each of the foregoing embodiments, the diameter of the collection tube may be varied as desired depending upon the particular application of the fluid collection device. In particular, when the fluid collection device is intended to be inserted into the nostrils or throat of a baby, the collection tube can be correspondingly smaller in diameter. It will be appreciated that with the devices of the illustrated embodiments the impermeable member acts as a fluid barrier and obviates the possibility of fluid collected in the device from coming into contact with the mouth of an operator applying suction to draw fluid into the collection chamber. Whereas the invention has been described herein with reference to preferred embodiments useful in the extraction and collection of mucus from a child's throat, it will be appreciated that it has other important applications, for example, in culture transfer and handling, specimen sampling, and small volume transfer of toxic, infectious or contagious matter.

Claims: CLAIMS . 1. A fluid collection device comprising at least one container, the at least one container defining a fluid collection portion and a pressure control portion, a collection tube for placing the fluid collection portion in communication with a fluid source, a pressure sensitive flexible impermeable structure located within the pressure control portion to divide the pressure control portion into first and second separate compartments, and means for placing the first compartment in communication with a source of suction, the second compartment being in communication with the fluid collection portion, the arrangement being such that the application of suction to the said first compartment causes the flexible impermeable structure to flex to produce a reduction in the pressure condition extant within the second compartment and the fluid collection portion in communication therewith to enable fluid to be drawn by suction along the collection tube and into the fluid collection portion. 2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the device comprises two separable containers, one container comprising the fluid collection portion which defines a fluid collection chamber and the other container comprising the pressure control portion which defines a pressure control chamber. 3. A device according to claim 2 wherein each container is fitted with a removable cap provided with an opening through which the interior of one container is placed in communication with the other container by a communication means. 4. A device according to claim 1 wherein the device comprises a single container which comprises the fluid collection portion at the bottom of the container and the pressure control portion above the fluid collection portion, the single container defining a single chamber which acts as a fluid collection chamber and as a pressure control chamber. 5. A device according to claim 4 wherein the single container is sealed by a cap which overlies the pressure control chamber and includes openings for communication with the collection tube and the said means for placing the first compartment in communication with a source of suction. 6. A device according to any foregoing claim whrein the flexible impermeable structure comprises a flexible bag sealed at its open end to the means for placing the first compartment in communication with a source of suction, the interior of the bag defining the said first compartment and the remaining interior space of the control chamber defining the said second compartment. 7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the bag is sufficiently intrinsically resilient such that the bag relaxes into an expanded or inflated shape after the application of suction. 8. A device according to any foregoing claim wherein the at least one container and the collection tube are composed of a transparent plastics material. 9. A device according to any foregoing claim further comprising a one-way valve which is adapted to enable gas expelled from the device upon the application of pressure to pass to the atmosphere. 10. A device for extracting a fluid, the device comprising at least one container defining at least one chamber, a collection tube in communication with the chamber, a member of a flexible impermeable material within the chamber, and means in communication with the interior of the flexible member by which the member can be deflated, the arrangement being such that deflation of the member enables fluid from a source in communication with the collection tube to be drawn by suction along the collection tube and into the chamber.

Inventors: MERCER LENOX EDWARD, MERCER, LENOX, EDWARD
Applicants: MERCER LENOX EDWARD, MERCER, LENOX, EDWARD
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A61M1
IPC codes: A61M1