GATHERING AND/OR STORING MEANS FOR LIQUID OR AT LEAST MAINLY LIQUID MATERIALS

Abstract: The invention relates to gathering and/or storing means suitable for gathering and or storing liquid or at least mainly liquid materials. According to the invention the gathering and/or storing means include a gathering bag, which include an inward at least double folded mouth zone (2) and seams (3, 4) therein, by means of which a liquid duct (5) is formed to a part of mouth zone (2), which beginning from the open end of the bag device (1) leads inside the bag device, into which a back-flow of contents is prevented by the unseamed brims or hems (6) of the mouth zone (2), which under influence of the contents place as sluices for the liquid duct (5). In certain urine gathering situations the gathering bag is joined to an exhaust conduit of a special gathering funnel to form an extension therefor.

Description: Gathering and/or storing means for liquid or at least mainly liquid materials The present invention relates to a gathering and/or storing means for liquid or at least mainly liquid ma¬ terials according to the preamble of the claim 1. One object of the present invention is to provide a new device to replace traditional blood and urine sample trays meant especially for hospital, old people's home, laboratory use both blood and urine gathering trays, like pots, so called ducks and cups. Another object of the invention is to provide for invalid chair patients and generally for handicapped persons both persons having decreased ability to bate urination a new bag device for urination. Third object of the invention is to provide a new bag device for urination suitable to be used during person transportation of long duration, f.ex. military transportation and marches. Fourth object of the present invention is to provide a new bag device for urination suitable for exceptional circumstances, f.ex. for use in air-raid shelter. Fifth object of the invention is to provide a new bag device to be used in small boats and aircrafts for urination. Sixth object of invention is to provide a ,new bag device which would be in home and farming use suitable in preserving, storing, freezing and proceeding corresponding activities for different liquids and partially liquid materials. These objects have been achieved by the gathering and/or storing means according to the invention, characterizing features of which are presented in the accompanying claims. Main advantages of the invention besides wide utilization possibilities can be mentioned, that the device is auto-closing and very easily fit for use, - that the device is hygienic and after use odorless so the device operates excellently as storing means for materials of different kinds, - that the gathering bag of the device makes possible for male persons to meet their demand of urination even without a gathering funnel in circumstances where access to a toilet is difficult or impossible, - that the device, when connected to a special gathering funnel, makes possible for female persons to meet their demand of urination in circumstances where access to a toilet is difficult or impossible. The invention is described in the following in a way of an example by few advantageous embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein figure 1 shows a side view of the means, gathering bag for urine, according to the invention, figure 2 is a section view along the line II-II of the figure 1, figure 3 illustrates as a side view one after the other under and/or gathering trays, gathering funnels, accord¬ ing to the invention meant to be used with the gathering bag shown in the figure 1, whereby - the first ahead is so called basic model, by using which urination may happen while standing, squatting or sitting on a edge of a seat, - the one in the middle is so called wheel chair model, by using which urination may happen while sitting in a wheel chair, and - the last behind is so called bed model, by using which urination may happen while lying down in a bed, and figure 4 shows a side and partial section view of the above mentioned bed model of the gathering funnel. The gathering and storing means according the embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2 is an urine gathering bag 1, made of a thin plastic, which has preferably thickness of about 30 L, m. In this connection there is a reason to emphasize, that the thickness is depending of the aim of use especially of specific gravity and viscosity of the material. As the urine bag it not reasonable to select thickness of the material thicker than 50Λ m because otherwise there is a risk that the bag will not get closed properly. The bag 1 according to this embodiment is disposable with a volume of about 1 litre, whereby the bag 1 is prefe¬ rably rectangular with dimensions of 150x300 mm. In accordance with the invention there exist at the open end of the bag 1 inward double folded mouth zone 2, extension of which in the embodiment according to the figure is about 120 mm. As can be seen in the example according to the figure 1 there is fastened on the outer surface of the mouth zone 2 of the bag 1 adjacent to the open end of the mouth zone 2 an elastic tape 8, most preferably provided with a cover strip, by means of which the bag device can be fastened detachably for example around a penis, around an end of a pipe draining fluid or around a mouth of an exhaust end of a gathering funnel (see fig. 3 and 4). In order to achieve the mouth zone 2 auto-closing as a result of liquid led therein the bag 1 according to invention is seamed, preferably by hot seaming, at its mouth zone 2 by two seams 3,4 so that in mouth zone 2 is formed beginning from the mouth opening of the mouth zone 2 to a part of the mouth zone 2 extending liquid duct 5 leading inside the bag, which is defined on one hand the seams 3,4 and on the other hand the double parts of mouth zone 2 between the seams 3,4 of the bag 1. Because the seams 3,4 extend only partially to the extent of mouth zone 2 the boarders or hems of the inward folded mouth zone 2 are free, whereby their action corresponding the function of a backlash valve becomes possible and liquid flow is possible only to one direction. In the bag 1 according to the invention the boarders or hems 6 are folded as forced by the liquid inside the bag 1 in the way of the liquid duct 5 and close the same, which pre¬ vents outflow of the liquid from the bag 1. As can be seen in figure 1 the mouth zone 2 of the bag 1 is seamed so that when the bag is in a collapsed state the space between the seams 3,4 at the open end of the mouth zone 2 is 50 - 100 mm, whereby by widening the mouth opening there is formed at the mouth zone an open¬ ing with a diameter of 30 - 75 mm for penis, exhaust mouth part of the gathering funnel or generally any feed pipe for liquid. The seams 3,4 converges downwards begin¬ ning from the open mouth opening of the mouth zone 2 so that there exist at an extension of about ' 60 - 100, preferably 80 mm, a strangulation zone, wherein space between the seams 3 and 4 is at its minimum, whereby when the bag 1 is in the collapsed state the space between the seams is about 15 - 40 mm, corresponding diameter od about 10 - 25 mm for the liquid duct 5. After the stran¬ gulation zone the seams 3,4 curve, preferably with a curve radius of 10 mm, apart from each other and directed after curvature slanting towards side edges of the bag 1 so that the inward the bag 1 folded boarder or hem 6 of the mouth zone 2 unseamed at an extent corresponding about one half of the diameter of the strangulation zone, however, unseamed preferably at an extent of at least 10 mm, being so as forced by the liquid free to turn for forming block of the liquid duct 5. In order to certify continence of liquid for the bag 1 and in order to eliminate risk of seam damages it is preferable that breadth of the seams 3,4 is about 1 mm and that along the seams 3,4 the four-layered plastic is melted into one integrated unit. In the embodiment according to figures 1 and 2 the seams 3,4 meet the side edges of the bag 2, which, however, is not necessary in respect to the function of the present invention but by means of the contents a satisfactorily auto-closing bag 1 is achieved even by the converging seams 3,4 ending at the strangulation zone. However, to certify the closing it is preferable that after the strangulation zone the seams 3,4 are directed apart from each other at least so that the termination ends of the seams are at the same vertical line as the first ends of the seams 3,4 defining the open mouth opening of the liquid duct 5. The bag device described above is preferably especially in hospital use, for women and/or for wheel chair patients meant to be used with gathering funnel models shown in figures 3 and 4 as connected around the mouth of the outflow opening thereof. Among advantages of the gathering funnels shown in figures 3 and 4 can be mentioned, that they can be hold steadily in hand, that they may belong to personal home or traveling equipments of each human being, that they are suitable for both men and women and also for wheel chair or bed patients regardless of sex, that they are designed anatomically especially considering female users, that they can be used in nearly all positions - i.e. while lying in bed, standing, kneeling, squatting, sitting on the edge of a bed, that they can be disposable or meant for multiple use. The gathering funnels meant to be placed tightly against the leg interstice, which gathering funnels are referred in the following by definition under tray 1 are made of plastic based material most preferably by mould casting, whereby by enlarging the mould for, in the figure, the uppermost under tray, i.e. the basic pattern, with sui¬ table extensions it is possible to produce also the wheel chair pattern and the bed pattern. The casting mould for the wheel chair pattern is achieved so that the casting mould of the basic pattern is enlarged with a first mould extension piece A in order to increase length of the under tray rear part extending into the leg interstice towards the posterior and with a second mould extension part B in order to increase the curvature of upper end of the under tray front part curving upwards onto the stomach to correspond the increasing curvature of the bottom stomach caused of sit-down position. The bed pattern is achieved so that the basic pattern is enlarged besides the above mentioned first and second extension parts a third mould extension part C in order to further increase length of the under tray rear part extending into leg interstice towards the posterior and preferably at the same to accomplish a disc-like support leg supporting against the bed mattress for preventing the under tray of pressing itself under weight of patient into the mattress. The under trays illustrated in the figure include a hollow object 12 having an open mouth opening 14 at its more extent upper part, from which a mantle wall of the hollow object 12 contracts defining inside thereof a con¬ tracting receipt space 13 for urine. In order that the under tray according to the invention would be as easy as possible to take the mouth opening 14 ahead between the legs the hollow object 12 is shaped from the outside to have an oblong general pattern, whereby its front part. i.e. the side on the bottom stomach, is broader and its rear part narrows to the leg interstice. Furthermore the border zone 15 of the mouth opening 14 is shaped curved to correspond anatomy of the bottom stomach and the leg interstice, whereby it will place in its position tightly and will prevent both urine by-flowing and urine splash¬ ing. As illustrated in figure 3 each model of the under trays comprise an uniform curved face zone, shape of which corresponds body area between pubis and anus. Further front part of mantle wall of the design object in the under tray according to the invention is shaped outward convex in order to be fit firmly in hand, whereby it will be easy to take into the leg interstice and especially it can be take away from the leg interstice securely without any fear or risk of urine splashing from the receipt space 13 possibly remained therein. The open mouth opening 14 of the under tray according to the invention is defined by the border zone 15 of the mantle wall of the under tray 11 to be pushed against leg interstice, which border zone is a circumferential, preferably lip-like rounded, face border. Face border 15 is shaped anatomic to place in position circumferentially around urinary organs against leg interstice correspond¬ ing to the shape thereof. In the basic model the face border extends circumferentially at least to body part between pubis and anus and in wheel-chair as well as in bed model circumferentially at least to body part between pubis and coccyx. The mantle wall of the design object 12 in the under trays according to the figure 3 include for further or out draining urine an urine outflow channel 16 having a connection with a more reduced under space of receipt space 13, the free end of which outflow channel is meant to be joined with the bag device described in connection with the figures 1 and 2, staying of the bag device in place can be assured for example by a rubber band. In the embodiment according to the figure 1 the outflow channel is accomplished by a lead-through of the extension part 17 of the mantle wall, i.e. exhaust communication, where¬ by the extension part is a tubular extension 17 in the mantle part as located so, that outflow mouth opening of the outflow channel 16 remains at least partially below the bottom of the receipt space 13. The extension 17 is situated in the mantle wall so, that in all use positions it or outflow channel 16 thereof forms a downwards oblique angle in relation to the horizontal plane. In the basic model said oblique angle can be chosen between 10° and 90°. In wheel-chair and in bed models said oblique angle can for practical reasons be chosen between 10° and 45°. However, due to the manufacture technic it is preferable that the oblique angle is 40° at the most. During the aptitude tests for the bed model under tray according to the invention it has been discovered by dyeing tests that without further measures an undesired amount of urine flows from the receipt space 13 into a low under recess of the receipt space extending under posterior. So urine flow into the outflow channel 15 will slacken and a little urine remains easily into the receipt space , which urine may pour onto the wheel-chair or the bed when the under trays is being removed under the patient. In figure 4 is illustrated as a partial section view bed model of the under tray according to the invention shown in figure 3, by which the disadvantage mentioned above can be eliminated, and in which has not been discovered by dyeing tests noteworthy urine flow into the low under recess of receipt space 13 extending under posterior. The receipt space 13 is provided with a spout device 18 for draining urine along the same directly into the outflow channel or close proximity thereof. The spout device is oriented so that its first, preferably that slightly from the mouth opening 14 of the under tray protruding, end bordering practice will be situated close proximity of anus, most preferably just ahead thereof, and so that its second end border meets the outflow opening 16. Further the spout device 18 is in relation to the horizontal plane in a more slanting oblique angle than the extension 17 or outflow channel extending therethrough. When the under tray is meant for multiple use and possib¬ ly meant for several users it is advantageous it is used with a hygiene guard covering at least border zone of the mouth opening 14. Material and structure of the hygiene guard can be chosen quite freely, preferably the hygiene guard is made of paper and can optionally be provided with an elastic zone, which increases convenience in use and secures tight setting in place and which is placed to cover border zone of the mouth opening. The invention is described above only in an example way by means of its advantageous embodiments. Naturally this meant to limit the scope of the invention and as it evident to any skilled in the art several combinations and variations as well as use modifications are possible within the scope of the accompanying claims. Especially there is reason to emphasize that the bag device accor¬ ding to the invention can be manufactured within very large limits concerning its material and dimensions.

Claims: Claims 1. Gathering and/or storing means for freely deformable materials, especially liquid, powder or corresponding materials, which means include a gathering bag (1), at which is formed an at least two-layered, circumferential mouth zone (2) by folding inward a free border part thereof, which mouth zone include an open mouth of the bag (1) and as an extension thereof a material duct (5) leading inside the gathering bag (1), characterized in that the material duct (5), which is open inside and outside the gathering bag (1), is defined partly over the width and height of the moth zone (2) of the gathering bag by seams (3, 4), which join all layers of the mouth zone together, that seams (3, 4) - have their source advantageously at the level of the open end of the gathering bag (1), - are directed at a distance from each other away from the open end of gathering bag (1) and - terminate essentially to side borders of the gathering bag (1) at a distance from the edge of the border part folded inside the gathering bag (1), and that at the mouth zone (2) the unseamed part of border part folded inside the gathering bag composes a circumferential free hem (6), which forms an extension for the material duct (5), and which being influenced by the contents turns forming a sluice in the way of the material duct and prevents access of the contents into the material duct (5). 2. Gathering and/or storing means according to the claim 1, characterized in that at the mouth zone (2) the seams (3, 4) defining the material duct (5) as from the open end of the gathering bag (1) first converge and then draw away each other. 3. Gathering and/or storing means according to the claim 2, characterized in that ratio of the mouth opening of the material duct (5) to narrowest part, i.e. strangu¬ lation zone, of the material duct (5) is between 1,2 and 5.0, preferably between 1,5 and 3,0, most preferably about 2,0, and that ratio of the space between the mouth opening of material duct and the strangulation zone to the width of the mouth opening is between 0,6 and 6,0, preferably between 0,8 and 1,33 and most preferably about 1.1, when the gathering bag (1) is in a collapsed state. 4. Gathering and/or storing means according to the claim 3, characterized in that after the converging parts of the seams (3, 4) the seams (3, 4) turn away from each other and are directed in an oblique angle towards the side borders of gathering bag (1), and that the seams are terminated at the side borders so that width of the free circumferential hem (6) remained inside gathering bag (1) corresponds preferably to at least about half of the diameter of the strangulation zone. 5. Gathering and/or storing means, especially for urine gathering, according to anyone of the claims 1-4, charac¬ terized in that it is meant to be used optionally alone or as adapted to form an extension for an exhaust conduit (17) of an special gathering funnel. 6. Gathering and/or storing means according to the claim 5, characterized in that the gathering funnel is composed of a hollow object, preferably of plastic based material, which includes a mouth opening (14), and which defines inside thereof an urine receipt space (13), and which is meant to be placed into user's leg interstice the mouth opening (14) ahead against the body around urinary organs, and which is suitable irrespective of sex to used by laying, by standing, on knees, by squatting, or by sitting, and that the receipt space (13) defined by mantle wall of the hollow object (12) contracts beginning from border zone (15) of the mouth opening (14), the form of which is a curved face zone corresponding at least partially anatomy of under stomach and leg interstice area between pubis and anus, and that the form of the mantle wall is from outside generally oblong so that to facilitate handling of the gathering means at least front part of the mantle wall is formed outward convex to fit firmly in hand and so that the mantle wall beginning from said front part tapers backward towards leg interstice, and that an urine outflow channel (16) is connected to the receipt space (13), which outflow channel extends through the wider front part of the mantle wall so that the outflow opening thereof is at least partially below bottom of the receipt space (13). 7. Gathering and/or storing means according to the claim 6, character!zed in that the outflow channel (16) of the exhaust conduit of the gathering funnel is defined inside a tubular extension (17) extending from the mantle wall, and that said tubular extension is oriented at said mantle wall so that the extension (17) and the penetrat¬ ing outflow channel (16) are, when the gathering and/or storing funnel is used, in a downward oblique angle, which is between 10° and 90°, preferably between 10° and 45°, and most preferably 40° at the most, in relation to the horizontal plane. 8. Gathering and/or storing means according to the claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the face border (15) of the gathering funnel meant to be pressed against leg inter¬ stice is rounded lip-like. 9. Gathering and/or storing means according to anyone of the claims 6...8, characterized of a hygiene guard place- able at least over the face border (15) of the gathering funnel and disposable after use.

Inventors: RANTANEN SEPPO, RANTANEN, SEPPO
Applicants: RANTANEN SEPPO, RANTANEN, SEPPO
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B65D33
IPC codes: A61F5, A61G9