A tap or valve

Abstract: An aim of the invention is to provide a simple and effective one-piece tap which can be readily and economically manufactured. A tap for a liquid container is made from natural or synthetic rubber or a resilient plastics material. It has a base portion 10 having an orifice 12 which serves as a liquid inlet therein, the base portion embodying a liquid exit means 14. It also has a resilient deformable closure portion 20, the closure portion being constructed to make a resilient snap-on connection with the periphery of the base portion, the closure portion being manipulatable and having a centrally located plug 22 extending towards the base portion. This plug can obturate orifice 12 thereby closing the liquid inlet. The closure portion 20 also has a projecting portion 23 extending generally perpendicularly away from the base portion, the projecting portion being constructed so that it can be pushed towards the base portion in order to remove the plug from the orifice and so permit liquid to pass to the liquid exit means 14.

Description: This invention relates to a tap of valve and particularly although not exclusively to a tap for a urostomy pouch. Various designs of taps or dispensing spigots have been proposed. See for example Fattori et al U.S. Patents Nos. 3,400,866 and 4,787,538, Welsh U.S. Patent No. 3,972,452, European Patent Application No. 95861A and Scholle U.S. Patent No. 4,211,348. These designs, in the Applicants' opinion, fall short in that they are lacking in simplicity. Most are completely unsuitable for employment in a urostomy pouch. GB-A-2283077 in contrast discloses a plastics tap for controlling exit of liquid from a urostomy pouch. The tap consists of two parts, the first part having a flat flange surrounding an opening and being connected to a hollow generally tubular member. The member has a radially inwardly projecting rim surrounding the opening near to the flange, and the end of the member remote from the opening has a radially outwardly extending rim, there being a hole through the tubular member at one radial location. The second part has a collar-like first portion which snap-fits over the rim and has a hole in registry with the hole in the tubular member, and a tubular second portion which serves as the valve member. The second portion is located radially inwardly of the first portion and the tubular member, and has one open end. A radially outer sealing surface at the open end provides closure contact with the rim. The first and second parts are integrally joined by a deformable plastics annulus which is constructed to permit axial movement of the second portion, and its sealing surface, towards and away from the rim. The present invention provides a tap for a liquid container, made from natural or synthetic rubber or a resilient plastics material, which comprises a base portion having an orifice which serves as a liquid inlet therein, a closure portion, and a tap exit, the closure portion being constructed to make a snap-on connection with a periphery of the base portion, the closure portion comprising a resiliently deformable zone and a non-deformable zone, the non-deformable zone having a pushable projecting portion extending away from the base portion and a plug extending towards the base portion, the deformable zone biasing the plug so as to obturate the orifice and close the liquid inlet, characterised in that the deformable zone is configured as a hinge such that, when the non-deformable zone is pushed, the deformable zone hinges so as so tilt the plug away from the inlet orifice by a hinge action, thereby permitting the flow of liquid to the tap exit. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the closure portion is a wall which is generally oval in shape as seen in front elevation and has an external thickened sloping portion upon which the plug is internally mounted. The sloping portion is located generally centrally of the closure portion. In the embodiment of the invention which consists of a urostomy pouch, the base portion including the liquid exit is constructed for attachment, e.g. by heat or R.F. welding, to one wall of the pouch, the pouch having an aperture in one of its walls, the aperture being in registry with the liquid inlet orifice. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a night drainage adapter may be used with, and temporarily incorporated in, the tap described and illustrated herein. This adapter device comprises a tube extension of a particular shape which when inserted into the liquid exit means, holds the closure portion away from the liquid entry hole in the base portion. This permits intermittent night drainage to occur, with no manipulation to open the tap being necessary. The invention will be better understood from the following description of an illustrative embodiment, in which like parts are represented by like reference numerals, and in which:- Figure 1 is a front view of one example of tap according to the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section on the plane II-II in Figure 1 showing the tap in its open condition and diagrammatically illustrating part of a wall of a urostomy pouch; Figure 3 is a view identical to Figure 2 but showing the tap in its normally closed condition; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a tap having a night drainage adapter in place; and Figure 5 illustrates an optional refinement in the form of a peripheral groove on the drain tube, which allows attachment of a known type of tube connector (see UK Patent 2,092,690; EP 57057B; and UK Patent Application No. 9514011.7). Referring to Figures 1-3, the illustrated tap comprises a base portion 10 and a closure portion 20. The wall of a urostomy pouch which is the currently preferred example of product in which the tap may be employed, is shown at 30 in Figures 2 and 3. The base portion 10 comprises a central orifice 12 and embodies a liquid exit means 14. The base portion has a peripheral wall 16, and carried by this wall is an outwardly extending rim 17 provided to enable snap-on engagement between itself and a connection means 21 on the periphery of the closure portion 20. The base portion 10 has a flat surface 10A which may be plastics welded or adhesively secured or fastened in any other convenient way to the wall 30 of the liquid container. The peripheral snap-on connection means 21 of the closure portion is designed to co-operate with the peripheral wall 16 of the base portion. The closure portion is made of a resilient deformable material, preferably a thermoplastics elastomer. The closure portion has a centrally located plug 22, which extends towards the base portion 10 and is shaped to make a complementary mating engagement with the wall 12A of the orifice 12. The closure portion has a peripheral slot 18, in which is received the wall 16. The left-hand end as seen in Figure 2 or Figure 3 of the base and closure portions will be uppermost in use of the tap, with the liquid exit means 14 being lowermost. The closure portion 20 is a plastics moulding, and has a thickened portion 23 which in the closed position of the tap is at an angle to the vertical and in the tap's open position occupies an approximately vertical position. This may be achieved by manipulating the closure portion 20 with a finger as illustrated in Figure 2. This manipulation is faciliated by the fact that the thickness of the closure portion is substantially reduced at the zones 24 and 25 and is reduced but to a lesser extent at the zone 26. The zones 24 and 25 readily deform to enable the closure portion to take up its open position as illustrated in Figure 2. One desirable advantage of this design of tap is that its overall thickness is small. Hence, a pouch having this design of tap is unobtrusive when worn. Another advantage is that the closure portion 20 immediately reverts to the closed position as seen in Figure 3 when the finger pressure is removed from the portion 23 thereof. The complementary shaping of the plug 22 and the wall 12A, and the interfit between the parts 16, 17, 18, assist in achieving a durable and leakproof fit. The tap as illustrated in Figures 1-3 has no detachable parts which might become misplaced or lost. A night drainage adapter 40 is illustrated in Figure 4 in position within the tap. The adapter 40 comprises a tapered tube having a ribbed end 42, a flange 44, a taper 46 at its upper end in use, and a hole 48 of a size slightly greater than the hole 12 in the base portion 10. The ribbed end 42 facilitates connection to a drain tube 50. As will be seen in Figure 4, the adapter 40 when inserted upwardly into the tap, forces the closure portion away from the base portion 10. The resilience of the closure portion holds the adaptor 40 into close engagement with the surface of the base portion. Liquid entering via hole 12 is then guided by adapter 40 directly to the drain tube 50. Referring now to Figure 5, at the lower end of the drain tube 50 a peripheral groove 52 is provided, to receive hook members 54 of a known connector, provided to convey liquid, e.g. to a night drainage bag or reservoir.

Claims: A tap for a liquid container, made from natural or synthetic rubber or a resilient plastics material, which comprises a base portion (10) having an orifice (12) which serves as a liquid inlet therein, a closure portion (20), and a tap exit (14), the closure portion (20) being constructed to make a snap-on connection with a periphery (17) of the base portion (10), the closure portion (20) comprising a resiliently deformable zone (24, 25) and a non-deformable zone (23), the non-deformable zone having a pushable projecting portion extending away from the base portion and a plug (22) extending towards the base portion, the deformable zone (24, 25) biasing the plug (22) so as to obturate the orifice (12) and close the liquid inlet, characterised in that the deformable zone (24, 25) is configured as a hinge such that, when the non-deformable zone (23) is pushed, the deformable zone (24, 25) hinges so as so tilt the plug (22) away from the inlet orifice (12) by a hinge action, thereby permitting the flow of liquid to the tap exit. A tap according to claim 1, wherein the base portion (10) comprises a first surface and a second surface, the closure portion (20) being mounted on the first surface, the deformable zone (24, 25) biasing the plug (22) in a direction from the closure portion (20) towards the first surface, and wherein, when the non-deformable zone (23) is pushed, the plug (22) lifts away from the first surface. A tap according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the non-deformable zone (23) of the closure portion (20) is thicker than the deformable zone (24,25). A tap according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the non-deformable zone (23) has a sloping portion on which the plug (22) is carried. A tap according to claim 4, wherein the sloping portion is located centrally of the closure portion (20). A tap according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the tap exit (14) is embodied in the base portion (10). A combination of a tap according to any preceding claim, and a urostomy pouch (30), the base portion (10) being attached to the exterior of the pouch with the orifice (12) in registry with a hole in the pouch wall. A combination of a tap as defined in any of claims 1 to 6, and a night drainage adapter (40). A combination according to claim 8, wherein the night drainage adapter (40) comprises a tube having an end portion insertable into the exit of the tap, so as to prevent obturation of the orifice (12) by the plug (22) of the closure portion (20). A combination according to claim 9, wherein the end portion is tapered. A combination according to claim 9, wherein the end portion of the tube is shaped so as to force, upon insertion of the tube into the exit of the tap, said closure portion (20) away from the base portion (10) and said plug (22) from the inlet orifice (12).

Inventors: FALCONER MALCOLM IAN, FALCONER, MALCOLM IAN
Applicants: SQUIBB BRISTOL MYERS CO, BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB COMPANY
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A61F5
IPC codes: A61F5, B65D47