Patent Publication Number: US-2015080818-A1

Title: Male urine collector

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/404,559 filed on Feb. 24, 2012, which is a continuation-in-part of PCT/JP2010/064400 filed on Aug. 25, 2010, which claims priority to Japanese Application Nos. 2009-193907 filed on Aug. 25, 2009, 2011-224549 filed on Oct. 12, 2011, and 2012-025886 filed on Feb. 9, 2012. The entire contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to urinary drainage devices for persons such as elderly persons who cannot urinate by themselves at will. More particularly, the present invention relates to male urine collectors. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Diapers are commonly used as urinary drainage devices. Diapers, however, suffer from various problems, e.g. uncomfortable feeling in use, a rash developed in the area where a diaper is worn, troublesomeness in changing diapers, and high costs. Accordingly, there have been developed various urine collectors replacing diapers. 
     One type of male urine collector comprises a rubber sheath worn on the penis of a man and a hose connected to the distal end of the sheath to collect urine in a urine bottle prepared at the distal end of the hose (see, for example, JP1998192347A, JP198446519U and JP1985109617U). There has been another type of urine collector comprising a urine collecting bag attached to the penis and secured to the thigh so that the urine collector can be used even when the user is going out (see, for example, JPU3025019). In addition, various schemes have been devised to wear a urine collector on the penis (see, for example, GB Patent 2191095A). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a male urine collector which is easier to attach and detach than the conventional ones and which can be worn reliably and used even when the user is going out wearing it. 
     The present invention provides a male urine collector comprising an elongate urine collecting bag sized to be worn on a lower part of a male user. The bag comprises a proximal end with a penis receiving opening for receiving a penis of a male user, and a distal end configured to be closed to collect urine discharged from the user&#39;s penis in the bag and to be selectively opened to discharge the collected urine from the bag. 
     The male urine collector may further comprise at least one thin pliable opening ring secured to the proximal end of the bag. The proximal end has an edge portion bent radially outward and securely attached to the at least one thin ring. The at least one thin pliable opening ring may comprise a proximal thin ring and a distal thin ring. The proximal and distal thin rings being axially aligned with each other and securely sandwich the edge portion of the proximal end of the bag. 
     The male urine collector may comprising an inside sleeve having water absorbability. The inside sleeve is disposed inside the proximal end of the bag so that the inside sleeve is positioned around the penis inserted into the proximal end. 
     The urine collector may have a closure detachably attached to the distal end of the urine collecting bag to close the urine discharge opening. 
     The urine collector may comprise an underwear worn on a lower part of the user serving as a urine collector wearing member. The underwear comprises a bag support portion having an inside surface disposed on the lower part of the user to cover the penis, an outside surface opposite the inside surface, and a bag support opening extending from the inside surface through the outside surface, the bag support opening being configured to allow the urine collecting bag to pass through the bag support opening in a state that has been received the penis into the proximal end of the bag and the thin ring is positioned inside of the inside surface. A pouch may be attached to the outside surface of the bag support portion of the underwear, the pouch being configured to receive therein the urine collecting bag extending outside of the underwear through the bag support opening and allow at least the distal end of the urine collecting bag to extend outside from the pouch for discharge of the urine collected in the urine correcting bag. 
     The urine collector may further comprises a seal member comprising sponge material and configured to be disposed around the proximal end of the urine collecting bag into which the penis which has been inserted, the thin ring of the urine collecting bag being, in use, engaged with a proximal end of the seal member; and, a securing ring having a tubular portion configured to be fitted around the seal member to press the proximal end of the urine collecting bag against the penis, the securing ring having a bag exit opening at a distal end of the securing ring to allow the urine collecting bag to extend distally through the bag exit opening. 
     In another aspect, the present invention provides a male urine collector comprising an elongate urine collecting bag wherein the bag comprises pliable sheet material, wherein the bag comprises a proximal end with a penis receiving opening for receiving a penis of a male user to collect urine discharged from the penis within the urine collecting bag and, at least one thin pliable opening ring disposed around and attached to the proximal end of the bag to open the penis receiving opening. 
     Embodiments of the male urine collector according to the present invention will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the explanation, like reference numerals used in various embodiments indicate like elements. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a urine collecting bag constituting a male urine collector according to an embodiment of the present invention, the bag having been worn on the penis of a male user. 
         FIG. 2  shows the urine collecting bag in  FIG. 1  with a seal member disposed around the proximal end of the urine collecting bag. 
         FIG. 3  shows the way in which a securing ring constituting the male urine collector is fitted around the seal member in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  shows the urine collector upon completion of wearing on the penis. 
         FIG. 5  shows a man as seen from the front who wears the male urine collector according to the present invention by means of a urine collector wearing member. 
         FIG. 6  is a rear view of the securing ring. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional side view of the securing ring in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of a securing ring according to another embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional side view of the securing ring in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an opening ring provided around the proximal end of the urine collecting bag to open the proximal end and used in the securing ring shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a sectional side view of a securing ring according to still another embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a sectional side view of a urine collecting bag according to a further embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a drawing showing another type of urine collector wearing member as worn on a user. 
         FIG. 14  is a developed view of the urine collector wearing member in  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 15  shows the way in which the male urine collector according to the present invention is worn by using the urine collector wearing member shown in  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 16  is a sectional side view showing another mode of attaching the urine collecting bag with the securing ring in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 17  is a sectional side view of a urine collector according to a still further embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of a urine collecting bag of the urine collector of  FIG. 17 . 
         FIG. 19  is a front view of a urine bag wearing member or underwear in the shape of briefs that constitutes the urine collector of  FIG. 17 . 
         FIG. 20  is a sectional side view of a pouch of the urine collector of  FIG. 17  and adapted to receive and hold the portion of a urine collecting bag of the urine collector  17  which distally extends from the proximal end of the urine collecting bag. 
         FIG. 21  is a rear view of the pouch of  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 22  is a front view of the pouch of  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 23  is a modification of the underwear of  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 24  is a longitudinal sectional view of another type of urine collecting bag. 
         FIG. 25  is a perspective view of an inside sleeve of the urine collecting bag of  FIG. 24 . 
         FIG. 26  is a longitudinal sectional view of the inside sleeve of  FIG. 25 . 
         FIG. 27  is a longitudinal sectional view of a modification of the urine collecting bag  FIG. 24 . 
         FIG. 28  is a longitudinal sectional view of a bag blank that will be shaped into the urine bag shown in  FIG. 27 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A first embodiment of a male urine collector  10  according to the present invention will be explained with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 6 , which show the procedure for wearing the same. The male urine collector  10  ( FIG. 4 ) includes a urine collecting bag  12  ( FIG. 1 ) made of a polyethylene sheet or the like. The urine collecting bag  12  has an openable proximal end  12   a  and a closed distal end  12   b  . The urine collecting bag  12  is usually collapsed with the proximal end closed prior to use and, when used, the proximal end  12   a  is opened to receive the penis P of a male user. The male urine collector  10  further includes a seal member  14  ( FIG. 2 ) made of a sponge material (porous soft material) annularly fitted around the proximal end  12   a  of the urine collecting bag  12  which has received the penis P, and a securing ring  16  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) fitted around the seal member  14  to press the seal member radially inward so as to secure the urine collecting bag  12  around and in close sealing contact with the penis P. Further, the male urine collector  10  includes a urine collector wearing member  20  ( FIG. 5 ) that is adapted to be worn around the waist of the male user to hold the urine collecting bag with the seal member  14  and the securing ring  16  attached around the proximal end of the urine collecting bag. 
     The proximal end  12   a  of the bag  12  preferably has a folded back inward portion  12   c.  This is for prevention of urine stored in the bag from leaking out easily. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the urine collecting bag  12  may be set along one leg L of the user. 
     To set the urine collecting bag  12  along one leg of the user, for example, surface fastener members such as those commercially available as “Magic Tape (Registered Trademark)” from Kuraray may be provided, respectively, on the outer surface of the urine collecting bag  12  and on the inside of one leg of the user&#39;s pants, and the surface fastener member provided on the urine collecting bag  12  with the penis P received therein at the proximal end thereof is engaged with the surface fastener member provided on the inside of the pants to support the urine collecting bag on the inner surface of the pants. As other examples, a pouch for accommodating the urine collecting bag may be attached to the inner surface of the pants. Alternatively, an elongated strap may be securely attached to the outer peripheral surface of the urine collecting bag so as to be wound around the user&#39;s leg to secure the urine collecting bag on the leg. 
     The sponge material of the seal member  14  softly abuts against the user&#39;s belly surface B and penis P and allows air to remain around the belly surface B and the penis P. Therefore, the sponge material is unlikely to cause a rash or other problems on the skin and hence an excellent material. The seal member  14  is preferably formed in a split ring structure so that it can be adjustably wound on the penis according to the size thereof. 
     The securing ring  16  may be made of a plastic material or the like and has a tubular portion  16   a  ( FIGS. 4 ,  6  and  7 ) set around the seal member  14  annularly worn around the penis P. The securing ring  16  further has an annular portion  16   b  provided along a distal end edge of the tubular portion  16   a  closer to the distal end of the penis P to extend radially inward, and annular flange portions  16   c  and  16   d  provided along two axially opposite end edges or distal and proximal end edges, respectively, of the tubular portion  16   a  to extend radially outward. The annular portion  16   b  has an annular interior surface  16   g,  an annular exterior surface  16   h,  and a radially inside axial surface extending between radially inside edges of the interior and exterior surfaces  16   g,    16   h  to define a bag exit opening  16   i.  The flange portions  16   c  and  16   d  form a groove  16   e  therebetween for attaching the urine collector wearing member  20 . 
     Preferably, the securing ring  16  has an axial length x that is substantially a half of the axial length y of the ring-shaped seal member  14 . The securing ring  16  is fitted around the seal member  14  by putting the tubular portion  16   a  onto the seal member  14  from the distal end of the seal member  14  closer to the penis distal end. Substantially a half of the seal member  14  on the side thereof closer to the user&#39;s belly is out of the tubular portion  16   a  so as to abut against the user&#39;s belly surface B. 
     The urine collector wearing member  20  may be made of an elongated cloth-like member and comprises an annular portion  20   a  fitted in the groove  16   e  between the flange portions  16   c  and  16   d  of the securing ring  16 . The urine collector wearing member  20  further comprises a suspender portion  20   b  comprising a string-shaped member extending upward from the annular portion  20   a  along the user&#39;s abdomen, and a waist belt portion  20   c  worn around the user&#39;s waist and connected with the suspender portion  20   b  to support the securing ring  16  through the suspender portion  20   b.    
       FIGS. 8 and 9  show a securing ring  16 - 2  according to another embodiment. The securing ring  16 - 2  has substantially the same structure as the above-descried securing ring  16 . However, the securing ring  16 - 2  is not provided with the flange portions  16   c  and  16   d,  which are provided on the securing ring  16 , but has a pair of left and right ear-shaped portions  16   f  provided on the distal end edge of the tubular portion  16   a  at diametrically opposite positions. In the securing ring  16 - 2 , strips or strings S are attached to the ear-shaped portions  16   f.  The strings S are extended upward along both sides of the user&#39;s abdomen and connected to a waist belt portion F worn around the user&#39;s waist. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the securing ring  16 - 2  uses a thin opening ring  24  as shown in  FIG. 10  to attach the urine collecting bag  12  to the securing ring  16 - 2 . The opening ring  24  is first put around the urine collecting bag  12  at the proximal end and the proximal end  12   a  is, then, folded radially inward from an outer peripheral edge  24   a  of the opening ring  24  and further extended away from the user&#39;s body from an inner peripheral edge  24   b  of the opening ring. The opening ring  24  with the proximal end  12   a  of the urine collecting bag  12  disposed therearound is put inside the securing ring  16 - 2  so as to be adjacent to the annular interior surface  16   g  of the annular portion  16   b  of the securing ring. Preferably, the opening ring  24  set in the above-described state may be securely fixed to the proximal end  12  of the bag  12  by thermowelding or the like. This enables the urine collecting bag  12  to be easily set inside the securing ring  16 - 2  and to be surely prevented from coming off the securing ring  16 - 2 . In this embodiment, the seal member  14  is directly worn around the penis P. 
     The urine collecting bag  12  with the opening ring  24  may be worn as shown in  FIG. 16 . In this case, the proximal end of the urine collecting bag  12  is fitted over the penis as far as the base or proximal end the penis, and the seal member  14  is fitted around the proximal end of the bag so that the opening ring  24  is set to be adjacent to the proximal end surface of the seal member  14 . The securing ring  16  is fitted around the seal member  14  to press the seal member radially inward so as to secure the urine collecting bag  12  around and in sealing contact with the penis P. In the example shown in  FIG. 16 , the proximal end of the bag element has a fold back outside portion  12   c  so as to wrap the opening ring  24 . 
       FIG. 11  shows a modification of the securing ring  16 - 2  shown in  FIG. 9 . The securing ring  16 - 3  comprises a first securing ring, or an inner ring  16 - 3   b,  and a second securing ring, or an outer ring  16 - 3   a,  which is fitted to the outside of the inner ring. The opening ring  24  attached to the proximal end  12   a  of the urine collecting bag  12  as stated with reference to  FIG. 9  is held and secured between an annular potion  16 - 3   c  of the outer ring  16 - 3   a  and an annular portion  16 - 3   d  of the inner ring  16 - 3   b.  The securing ring  16 - 3  has ear-shaped portions  16 - 3   f  provided on the peripheral edge of the inner ring  16 - 3   b,  which are similar to the ear-shaped portions  16   f  of the securing ring shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . The outer ring  16 - 3   a  is connected to the inner ring  16   b  by a proper connecting system, preferably, for example, a bayonet system (i.e. a system in which the outer ring is axially fitted to the inner ring and thereafter rotated relative to the inner ring, thereby connecting the outer and inner rings to each other). 
       FIG. 12  shows a part of a male urine collector according to a further embodiment. In this embodiment, the opening ring  24  comprises first or proximal and second or distal rings  24 - 1  and  24 - 2  having substantially the same size and coaxially stacked over one another. The proximal end of the urine collecting bag  12  that has been proximally passed through the respective insides of the second and first rings  24 - 2  and  24 - 1  and folded back radially outward along the first ring  24 - 1 . Further, the proximal end of the bag  12  is passed radially inward between the first and second rings  24 - 1  and  24 - 2  and distally passed through the inside of the second ring  24 - 2 . Further, the proximal end of the bag  12  is folded back radially outward along the second ring  24 - 2  and bent to pass outside the second and first rings  24 - 2  and  24 - 1  before being folded back radially inward along the first ring  24 - 1  to distally extend toward the distal end of the urine collecting bag through the respective insides of the first and second rings  24 - 2  and  24 - 1 . 
     The proximal end edge  12   e  of the bag  12  is provided with an elongated linear urine guide  28  secured thereto by an adhesive member  30 , e.g. adhesive tape. The elongated urine guide  28  extends toward the distal end of the urine collecting bag  12  along the inner surface of the bag  12 . As stated above, before use, the urine collecting bag is folded into a small shape and, therefore, the bag is beforehand flattened throughout the entire length of the bag. Accordingly, even when the urine collecting bag is attached to the penis of a user, the portion distally extending from the proximal end where the penis has been received may remain flattened and the inner walls of the distally extending portion adhere to each other. Accordingly, when urine is discharged from the penis, the discharged urine may be prevented from dropping toward the distal end of the bag. The urine guide is for preventing this problem. Specifically, urine discharged from the penis P is guided along the urine guide to run downward and to thereby separate the adhering bag inner walls and open the distal portion. 
       FIGS. 13 to 15  show an underwear serving as the urine collector wearing member  40  according to a further embodiment. The underwear or urine collector wearing member  40  has a substantially inverted triangular bag support portion  42  made of a cloth-like member and abutted against the center of the lower abdomen and further having a bag support opening  38  at a position corresponding to the penis P extending through the bag support portion  42  from the proximal side to the distal side of the bag support portion. The underwear  40  further has waist belt portions  44  and  46  extending from the opposite sides of the upper end of the bag support portion  42 . In use, the waist belt portions  44  and  46  are passed around the user&#39;s torso or waist from the right and left, respectively, so that the waist belt portion  44  overlaps and adhereingly attached to the waist belt portion  46 . In  FIG. 13 , the waist belt potion  44  extends over the waist belt portion  46  to the bag support portion  42  and adhereingly attached to the bag support portion  42  as well. Further, the urine collector wearing member  40  has auxiliary belt portions  48  and  50  extending right and left from the opposite sides of the lower end of the bag support portion  42 . In use, the auxiliary belt portions  48  and  50  are extended rearward from the user&#39;s crotch and passed around the lower parts of the user&#39;s right and left buttocks (or the upper end parts of the user&#39;s right and left legs) to extend to the bag support portion  42  and then adheringly attached to the bag support portion  42  directly above the bag support opening  38 . The waist belt portions  44  and  46  and the auxiliary belt portions  48  and  50  are provided with surface fasteners or the like for the adhering attachment. The auxiliary belt portion  48  and  50  will allow passage of solid waste or stool with the underwear worn as stated above. 
       FIG. 15  shows an example in which the user uses the underwear or urine collector wearing member  40  to wears on his body a urine collecting bag  12  having a securing ring comprising outer and inner rings  16 - 3   a  and  16 - 3   b  in the same way as shown in  FIG. 11 . The inner ring  16 - 3   b  in this case has an annular wearing flange  16 - 3   b′  along the rear or distal end edge thereof in place of the ear-shaped portions  16 - 3   f  in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 11 . The wearing flange  16 - 3   b′  is set inside the bag support portion  42  of the underwear  40 , and the tubular portion of the inner ring  16 - 3   b  is set to extend outward through the bag support opening  38 . The outer ring  16 - 3   a  has the tubular portion thereof fitted onto and secured to the tubular portion of the inner ring  16 - 3   b.  The urine collecting bag  12  has the opening ring  24  provided at the proximal end opening thereof. The opening ring  24  is sandwiched between the annular potions  16 - 3   c  and  16 - 3   d  of the outer and inner rings  16 - 3   a  and  16 - 3   b.  In this state, the urine collecting bag  12  extends to the outside of the outer and inner rings  16 - 3   a  and  16 - 3   b.  The urine collector wearing member  40  has a retaining ring  52  attached along the circumference of the bag support opening  38  to prevent the annular wearing flange  16 - 3   b′  of the inner ring  16 - 3   b  from coming off through the bag support opening  38 . The retaining ring  52  is formed of a relatively rigid resin or the like. This male urine collector enables the urine collecting bag to be attached and detached by attaching and detaching the outer ring to and from the inner ring. 
       FIGS. 17-23  show a male urine collector  10  according to still another embodiment of the present invention. The male urine collector  10  includes a urine collecting bag  12  as best shown in  FIG. 18 . The proximal end  12   a  of the urine collecting bag  12  has an edge portion  12   f  bent radially outward and a thin opening ring  24  wrapped by and securely attached to the edge portion  12   f  thereof. The distal end  12   b  of the urine collecting bag  12  is configured to be selectively closed to collect or store urine discharged from the user&#39;s penis in the bag  12  in the bag and to be selectively opened to discharge the collected urine from the bag  12 . Specifically, the distal end  12   b  of the bag  12  has an opening  12   g  for discharging urine out of the bag  12  and adapted to be folded back thereon and clamped by a clip  26  to sealingly close the urine discharge opening  12   g.  The clip  26  is made of a metal strip or relatively rigid plastic strip and has a pair of clamping arm portions  26 - 2  and  26 - 3  hingedly connected by a hinge portion  26 - 1  so that the clamping arms portions  26 - 2  and  26 - 3  clamp the folded back distal end  12   b  therebetween and detachably fastened each other by a fastening means  26 - 4  thereby closing the urine discharging opening  12   g.    
     As in the urine collector shown in  FIG. 16 , a seal member  14  made from sponge material is fitted around the proximal end  12   a  that has received the penis P with the opening ring  24  positioned between the proximal end of the seal member  14  and the lower abdomen of the user ( FIG. 17 ). Around the seal member  14  is fitted a securing ring  16  to press the seal member  14  against the proximal end  12   a  of the urine collecting bag  12  thereby sealingly engaging the proximal end  12   a  with the penis P. As shown in  FIG. 17 , the securing ring  16  has a tubular portion  16   a,  a distal annular portion  16   b  extending radially inward from the distal end edge of the tubular portion  16   a  and a proximal annular portion  16   d  extending radially outward from the proximal end edge of the tubular portion  16   a.  The distal annular portion  16   b  defines an opening  32  for passing the urine collecting bag  12  forward out of the securing ring  16 . 
     The urine collector  10  of this embodiment has an underwear  40  ( FIG. 19 ) in the shape of briefs that serves as a urine collector wearing member and a pouch  32  provided on a front side (which may be referred to as a bag support part) of the underwear  40 . The underwear  40  has a bag support opening  38  at a position corresponding to the penis P. The pouch  32  has a front part  32 - 3  and a rear part  32 - 2  ( FIG. 20 ) that are both in the shape of a rectangular of same size and the circumferential edges thereof connected or stitched to each other. The rear part  32 - 2  of the pouch  32  has an opening  32 - 5  for passing the securing ring  16  fixed around the penis P so that the urine collecting bag  12  extending out from the securing ring  16  is receiving within the pouch  32 . The front part  32 - 3  of the pouch  32  has a vertical slit  32 - 4  along which a zip fastener  36  is provided. The zip fastener  36  is open and closed by sliding a sliding tab  36 - 1  vertically so that, as shown in  FIG. 17 , at least the distal end  12   b  of the urine collecting bag  12  is pulled outside of the pouch to discharge the urine collected or stored in the bag  12  into a lavatory basin. 
     The pouch  32  is detachably attached to the front side of the underwear  40  by a plurality of hooks  34  each including a male hook member  34 - 1  and a female hook member  34 - 2 . In this embodiment, the pouch  32  has two male hook members  34 - 1  adjacent the upper edge  32 - 1  of the pouch  32  about the opening  32 - 5  and one male hook member  34 - 1  directly below the opening  32 - 5  and the front side of the underwear  40  has corresponding three female hook members  34 - 2 . 
       FIG. 23  shows a modification of the underwear  40 . The modified underwear  40  includes a fastening belt  40 - 3  that is fastened around the waist portion of the underwear  40  in the shape of briefs. The fastening belt  40 - 3  has opposite ends  40 - 3   a,    40 - 3   b  with surface fasteners (not shown) and is adapted to be tightly surrounds the waist portion of the underwear  40  and fastened by engaging the surface fasteners of the opposite ends  40 - 3   a,    40 - 3   b  each other. The underwear  40  is provide on the interior surface thereof with a reinforcement cloth  40 - 2  which cooperates with the fastening belt  40 - 3  to positively support the urine collecting bag  12  on the user&#39;s body. 
       FIG. 24  shows further another embodiment of the urine collecting bag  12 . The urine collecting bag  12  of this embodiment includes an inside sleeve  52  disposed inside the proximal end of the urine collecting bag  12 . The inside sleeve  52  is made of material having water absorbability such as cloth and paper. The inside sleeve  52  is, as shown in  FIG. 26 , preferably provided on the interior surface  52 - 2  thereof with a water-shedding coating  54  such as polypropylene coating to keep the penis contacting the inside of the urine collecting bag dry as much as possible. 
     The inside sleeve  12  has a radially outward bent upper edge portion  52 - 1 . The upper edge portion  52 - 1  is provided with a plurality of slits  52 -la that are circumferentially spaced apart from each other and extend radially to divide the upper edge portion  52 - 1  into a plurality of segments  52 -lb in order to make it easy to bend the upper edge portion  52 - 1  radially outward. As shown in  FIG. 24 , the urine collecting bag has a pair of thin opening rings including a proximal opening ring  24 - 1  and a distal opening ring  24 - 2 . The upper edge portion  52 - 1  of the inside sleeve  52  and the distal end edge portion  12   f  of the urine collecting bag  12  are sandwiched by the proximal and distal opening rings  24 - 1 ,  24 - 2  and securely attached to them by thermowelding, adhesive or the like. The proximal and distal opening rings  24 - 1 ,  24 - 2  are made of thin and pliable material such as paper and cloth so that the rings  24 - 1 ,  24 - 2  do not harm wearing comfortability of the urine collecting bag. For example, the distal opening ring  24 - 2  may be made of water-proof paper used paper used to fabricate a milk carton and the proximal opening ring  24 - 1  may be made of water-absorbable paper. 
     The inside sleeve  52  may have an indented distal edge  52 - 3 . The edge shown in  FIGS. 25 and 26  are in the shape of a wave. The edge  52 - 3  may be in the shape of saw teeth, for example. This indented shape promotes dropping of water from the inside sleeve toward distal end of the urine collecting bag. 
       FIGS. 27 and 28  show a further embodiment of the urine collecting bag  12 .  FIG. 28  shows a blank  12 A of the urine collecting bag  12  which has not yet been shaped into a shape as shown in  FIG. 27 . The bag blank  12   a  is generally in the shape of a tube having an upper tapered end  12   h  with an opening  12   i  and a lower end  12   b  with a urine discharging opening  12   g.  The upper part  12 B of the bag blank  12 A is folded back along around a line  12   j  into the lower part  12 C of the bag blank  12  so that the bag blank  12 A is finally shaped into the urine collecting bag  12  shown in  FIG. 27 . The urine collecting bag  12  has a check valve portion  12   k  formed by the folded back upper portion  12 B wherein urine discharged from the penis P is permitted to flow down through the opening  12   i  whereas the urine collected into the lower part  12 C is prevented from entering into the check valve portion  12 K through the opening  12   i.    
     Although some embodiments of the male urine collector according to the present invention have been explained above, the present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments but can be modified in a variety of ways. For example, the urine collector wearing member  20  that allows the urine collector to be supported by the user&#39;s body may be configured to be suspended from the user&#39;s neck.