Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to liquia receiving
devices, and more particularly to devices for measuring and col-
lecting a discharge of liquid.
In the past, it has been found desirable to obtain vari-
ous data pertaining to a liquid discharge. In particular, it was
discovered that many urological problems could be readily diag-
nosed by analyzing information obtained during the natural void-
ing of urine by patients. Presently, various types of devices
are utilized to obtain data on the urine stream, such as total
volume, average flow rate, force, velocity, and configuration of
the stream.
Most of these devices have suffered from less than total
reliability because they have required the presence of one or more
observers while the patient is voiding. It is obvious that admin-
istration of such devices in this manner creates sufficient psy-
chologlcal difficultiés for many of the patients to effect voiding.
Consequently, if the patients void at all, the potentially errone-
ous data obtained may result in a false diagnosis and a loss of
confidence in the device by the physician. A further complicàtion
arises from the fact that many of these devices are rather bulky,
and somewhat difficult to use.
It is preferred that the flow measuring devices have a
separate receptacle to receive and measure the urine discharge,
and a lower container to receive the discharge from the receptacle,
with the container being releasably attached to the receptacle.
Accordingly, the receptacle may be cleaned and sterilized for
reuse, if desired, while the collected specimen of urine in the
container may be retained for later diagnosis. If the receptacle
is reused, it is desirable to use indicating means for the recep-
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tacle, if required, of simple and inexpensive construction, such
that it may be readily replaced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A principal feature of the present invent1on is the pro-
vision of a device of simplified construction for measuring and `~
collecting a urine discharge, and which may be self-administered
by a patient.
A device to measure and collect a discharge of urine
comprises an elongated indicating strip; a receptacle having a
cavity, a back wall, a hollow urine receiving portion adjacent an
upper end of the receptacle, first opening means communicating
with said urine receiving portion to receive the discharge for
passa~e into the cavity, an upper wall defining an upper part of
said cavity and a lower part of the urine receiving portion and
having second opening means communicating between said cavity and
said urine receiving portion to receive said strip, said upper
wall extending from said first opening means to third opening
means communicating with said cavity adjacent said back wall,
said receptacle having a lateral lower wall having means for
retaining a lower end of the indicating strip in the cavity, and `
port means permitting passage of urine from the receptacle; and a
container having a chamber, opening means in the upper end of the
container communicating with the chamber, and means for releas-
ably attaching the container to the receptacle with said chamber
of the container in communication with the port means of the
receptacle through the opening means of the container to receive
urine from the receptacle through the port means into said chamber.
Another feature of the device of the preferred embodi-
ment of the present invention is that the container may be read- ~-
ily attached to the receptacle for collecting the discharge in `
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the container, and may be readily detached from the receptacle
for subsequent analysis of the urine specimen.
A further feature of the device constructed in accord-
ance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is the
provision of closure means for the opening means in the container
for retention of the sample in the closed container.
Yet another feature of the device constructed in accord-
ance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is the
provision of a depending extension from the receptacle to direct
the urine discharge into the chamber of ~he container.
Still another feature of the device constructed in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
is that the retaining means retains the indicating strip in an
upright position in the receptacle cavity.
A feature of the device constructed in accordance with
a preferred embodiment of the present invention is the provision
of a retaining member which retains an upper end of the indicat-
ing strip in the receptacle cavity.
Another feature of the device constructed in accord-
ance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is thatthe indicating strip may be readily inserted into and withdrawn
from the receptacle cavity for replacement of indicating strips
in the receptacle.
Further features will become more fully apparent in the
following description of the embodiments of this invention and
from the appended claims.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is an elevational view of a liquid measuring
and collecting device of the present invention, showing a lower
container releasably attached to an upper receptacle;
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Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of an upper
end of the receptacle of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevational view, taken
partly in section, of a lower end of the receptacle and an upper
end of the container of Figure l;
Figure 4 is.a top plan view of the receptacle of
Figure l;
Figure 5 is an elevational view of a retaining member
and an indicating strip which may be removably inserted into the
receptacle of Figure l;
Figure 6 is a top plan view of the container of Figure
l; and
Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevational view, taken
partly in section, showing the upper end of the container of
Figure 1 with closure means received in opening means in the con-
tainer.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to Figs. 1-3, there is shown a device,
generally designated 20, for measuring and collecting a discharge
Of liquid, such as urine. The device 20 includes a hollow recep-
tacle designated generally 22 having a cavity 23, and a container
designated generally 24 having an upper end 25 releasably attached
to a lower end 27 of the receptacle 22. Preferably, the recep-
tacle 22 is made from a suitable transparent material, such as
plastic.
The receptacle 22, which has rounded end portions and
an elongated central portion, has an upright wall 26 which extends
laterally across the inside of the receptacle and which extends
vertically the height of the receptacle. The upright wall 26
separates the inside of the receptacle into a compartment 28 and
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a channel or channel means 30. The lower end of the compartment
28 is closed by a bottom wall 31, while the upper end of the
channel 30 and compartment 28 is partially covered by an upper ;
wall 32.
As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the receptacle 22 has an
enlarged portion 34 adjacent the upper end of the receptacle
~ defining an inlet port or opening means 36 to receive the incom-
; ing urine discharge, as indicated by the direction of the arrows
in Fig. 1. The receptacle has a wall 38, as shown in Figs. 1-3,
extending laterally across the inside of the receptacle, and hav-
ing a lower end 40 defining a space 42 intermediate the lower end
40 of the wall 38 and the lower or the bottom wall 31 of the
receptacle. The wall 38 partially defines the compartment 28 and
a passageway or passageway means 44 intermediate the wall 38 and
an outer side wall of the receptacle 22. Thus, the urine dis-
charge passes from the opening means 36 through the passageway
; means 44 and space 42 into the compartment 28.
As best shown in Figs. 1-3, the wall 26 has an elon- `
gated vertical slot or opening means 46 communicating between the
compartment 28 and the channel means 30 to permit passage of the
liquid from the compartment to the channel means. As shown in
Figs. 1 and 3, the bottom wall 31 has a depending extension 48
defining port means 50 and directing liquid from the channel
means 30 into a chamber 52 in the container 24, as will be fur-
ther described below.
As shown in Figs. 1-3, an indicating strip 54 is remov- -
ably inserted into the compartment 28, with retaining means 56
adjacent the lower end 27 of the receptacle releasably receiving
a lower end of the indicating strip 54. The retaining means 56
has a pair of bosses 58 extending from the bottom wall 31 into
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the cavity 23, with the bosses defining a slot 6Q which receives
the lower end of the strip 54 and assists in retaining the strip
54 in an upright position in the compartment 28.
As shown in Fig. 5, a retaining member 62 has an elon-
gated flexible tab 64 having first and second spaced plugs 66 and
68, respectively, extending outwardly from one surface of the tab
64, with the first plug 66 being located adjacent one end of the
tab 64, and the other plug 68 being located intermediate the plug
66 and the other end of the tab. The first plug 66 has a slot 70
to receive and retain an upper end of the indicating strip 54, as
shown.
As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper wall 32 has
a first opening or opening means 72 communicating with the com-
partment 28 to receive the indicating strip 54 and first plug 66,
with the first opening 72 having dimensions to snugly engage the
, first plug 66. The upper wall 32 also has a second opening or
opening means 74 extending through the wall to snugly receive the
second plug 68. Thus, the first and second plugs 66 and 68 are
removably received in the first and second openings 72 and 74 to
releasably retain the tab 64 in place above the upper wall 32,
while the first plug 66 assists in retaining the upper end of the
indicating strips 54 in an upright position in the compartment 28.
As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the outer end of the tab 64 extends
past the enlarged portion 34 to facilitate removal of the retain-
ing member 62 from the receptacle 22.
The indicating strip 54 is sensitive to contact or wet~
ting by liquid, such as urine, and provides an indication of the
maximum height of liquid reached in the compartment 28 during the
liquid discharge. Any suitable material may be utilized for the
indicating strip 54, such as a material which changes color upon
contact by the liquid. For example, a methylene blue compound or
rhodamine may be utilized on the strip 54 to obtain the color con-
trast desirea~ Preferably, the indicating strip 54 is utilized a
single time to measure the height of liquid in the compartment 28.
Thus, the retaining member 62 permits easy placement and removal
of indicating strips 54 in the receptacle 22. After removal of
the strip, flow rate information may be determinea by suitable
indicia I' spaced along the strip. If desired, the strip 54 may
be discarded after it has been removed and the information deter-
mined. Alternatively, if it is desired to keep the strip for alater reading, the other end of the tab 64 may be placed in a clip
(not shown), or the second plug 68 may be positioned in an opening
of a retaining device (not shown) to retain the strip until it is
read. In either event, the retaining member 62 permits handling
of the strip 54 in a sanitary manner without contacting the strip
with the user's hands.
As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 6, and 7, the container 24 has-
an upper resilient support member 78. ~he support member 78 has
a resilient flange 80 extending peripherally around a wall 82 in
the support member, with the flange 80 defining a peripherally
extending slot 84. The support member 78 also has a depending
flange 86 extending into the cavity 52 of the container 24 and
defining an opening or opening means 88 having suitable dimen-
sions to snugly engage the extension or tubular section 48 of the
receptacle 22 when the container 24 is releasably attached to the
lower end 27 of the receptacle 22, with thé extension 48 passing
through the flange 86.
The support member 78 also includes a closure 90 having
a plug 92 attached to the support member 78 by a strap 94. The
plug 92 is removably received in the opening means 88 of the sup-
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port member 78, as shown in Fig. 7, with the flange 86 snugly
engaging the plug 92 to close the opening means 88 and the cavity
52 of the container 24. The closure 90 also has a tab 96, as
shown in Figs. 1, 6 and 7, extending from the plug 92 to facili-
tate removal of the plug from the opening means 88.
! . The container 24 has a pair of flexible side walls 98a
and 98b depending from the support member 78. The side walls are
joined along their side edges 100 by suitable means, such as by a
line of heat or radio frequency sealing 102 to close the side
edges 100 of the side walls 98~ and b and define the chamber 52
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in the container 24. The side walls 98a and b may be made of any
, suitable material, preferably transparent, such as polyethylene.
As shown in Fig. 1, the side wall 98a has a plurality of verti-
cally spaced indicia I to measure the volume of liquid collected
in the chamber 52. In a preferred embodiment, the container 24
has an enlarged portion 104 adjacent the upper end of the con-
j tainer 24 which is tapered to a lower portion 106 of the con-
1 tainer of reduced width to obtain a more accurate determination
!~ of liquid volume by the indicia I when a relatively small volume
1 20 of urine has been collected in the container 24.
1 As shown in Fig. 3, the bottom wall 31 or the lower end
27 of the receptacle 22 has an outwardly directed flange 108
extending peripherally around the receptacle. The container 24
, is releasably at~ached to the lower end 27 of the receptacle 22
i by inserting the extension 48 through the opening means 88 in the
support member 78, and by pressing the support member 78 against
the lower end 27 of the receptacle 22, such that the resilient
flange 80 of the support member 78 passes over and releasably
loc~s against the flange 108 of the receptacle 22, with the
receptacle flange 108 being received in the slot 84 defined by
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the flange 80. In this configuration, the wall 82 of the support
member 78 mates against the bottom wall 31 of the receptacle 22.
The container 24 is removed from the receptacle 22 by pulling the
container relative the receptacle, such that the flange 80 of the
support member 78 passes over and disengages from the flange 108
of the receptacle 22,
In use of the device, the plug 92 of the closure 90 is
removed from the opening means 88 of the support member 78, and
the support member 78 of the container 24 is attached to the lower
end 27 of the receptacle 22, as previously described. The port.36
of the receptacle 22 is then positioned by a patient in privacy to
receive the discharge of urine. AS the liquid discharge passes
into the enlarged portion 34 of the receptacle, the enlarged por-
tion directs the discharge into the passageway 44 for collection
in the receptacle. As the discharge continues, the liquid collects
in the lower part of the compartment 28 and passes from the com-
partment 28 through the slot 46 into the channel 30. From the
channel, the liquid passes through the port means 50 in the exten-
sion 48 into the chamber 52 of the container 24. As the rate of
discharge into the receptacle increases, the height of liquid in
the compartment 28 also increases while the liquid also drains
through the slot 46 into the channel 30.
For a given rate of flow of the discharge into the
receptacle the liquid attains a fixed height in the compartment ..
28, and the liquid passes at a fixed rate of flow through the
slot 46. Hence, if the rate of flow of the liquid discharge into
the receptacle increases, the height of liquid in the compartment
raises an additional amount, and the rate of flow through the .-
slot 46 also increases~, since the liquid flows through a larger :
vertical portion of the slot 46. Thus, as long as the rate of
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flow of the discharge into the receptacle increases, the height
of liquid in the compartment 28 continues to rise, and the rate-
of flow of liquid through the slot 46 also increases. When the
flow rate of the incoming discharge abates, the liquid drains
from the compartment 28 into the channel 30 faster than it enters
the compartment, and ~he height of the liquid in the compartment
begins to subside.
Peak flow rate of the incoming liquid discharge may be
defined as the maximum rate of flow of the discharge. Since the
height of liquid in the compartment raises or lowers responsive ;
to an increase or decrease, respectively, of the flow rate of the
incoming discharge, it is apparent that the maximum height of
liquid attained in the compartment during the discharge serves as
an indication of the approximate peak flow rate of the discharge.
Although anomalies in the discharge, such as a momentary surge of
the discharge, may not be ultimately reflected in the maximum
liquid height in the compartment, due, in part to the lag between
the time the discharge enters the receptacle and the time it ~;
; enters the compartment, the device determines the peak flow rat~
with sufficient accuracy for such purposes as are under discus-
sion. In particular, a urine stream during voiding has a rela-
tively slow rate of change of flow rate, and the device of the
.
present invention indicates a peak flow rate for the discharge
which is sufficiently accurate for purposes of diagnosing the
patient.
It is possible that the approximate peak flow rate of
the urine discharge may be determined by observing the highest
level of liquid accumulated in the compartment 28 during the dis-
charge. Direct reading by the patient may be impractical or dif-
ficult during self-administration of the apparatus as thus far
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described, if the apparatus is utilized to collect a discharge of
liquid during voiding, and it is desirable that the device be
self-administered by the patient in order to alleviate any psy-
chological problems of the patient which might be caused by obser-
- vation of the receptacle during voiding.
Accordingly, the indicating strip 54 has been provided
to automatically record the approximate maximum height of liquid
collected in the compartment 28 during the liquid discharge.
After the liquid discharge has been completed, a direct reading
of the approximate peak flow rate may be determined by the indi-
cia 1', as shown in Fig. 2, either before or after removal of the
indicating strip 54 from the receptacle 22. Alternatively, the
indicia I' may be placed on the wall of a transparent receptacle
22.
It is apparent that the rate of drainage from the com-
partment 28 into the channel 30 is partly dependent upon the pre-
cise structure of the receptacle 22. For example, although the
slot 46 is shown as having parallel sides, it is contemplated
that the slot may be widened or narrowed at desired vertical
positions to increase or decrease the flow rate of liquid through
the wall in that area, and the wall 26 may have a plurality of
slots or openings if desired. Also, the cross sectional area of
the compartment 28 itself may be selected of a suitable size to
provide the desired sensitivity of liquid column height for a
more accurate determination of the peak flow rate.
It is contemplated that a particular structure for the
receptacle would first be established, dependent on the accuracy
desired and the expected range of values for the peak flow rate
of the liquid discharge. Next the receptacle could be calibrated
against known constant flow rates of a discharge passing into the
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receptacle to determine the appropriate location for the indicia
I' on the strip. That this may be readily accomplished is appar-
ent from the fact that the peak flow rate for a discharge having
a constant flow rate is the value of the constant flow rate itself.
Accordingly, when the discharge of constant flow rate is directed
into the receptacle, liquid rises in the compartment to a level
at which liquid entering the compartment is offset by the liquid
draining from the compartment into the channel, and the recep-
tacle or strip is marked at this height for peak flow rate by the
value of the flow rate of the constant discharge.
As noted above, once the rate of flow of the liquid dis-
charge into the receptacle abates, the height of the liquid in ;
the compartment 28 subsides, and the approximate peak flow rate
has already been determined on the indicating means or strip 54.
During the remainder of the liquid discharge, the liquid contin-
ues to drain from the compartment 28 into the channel 30 until
the discharge is terminated and drainage from the compartment to
the channel eventually stops. Since the liquid drains from the
; channel 30 of the receptacle 22 into the container 24, the volume ~ -
of liquid which collects in the container 24 during the liquid
discharge may readily be determined by the indicia I on the con-
tainer 24, as shown in Fig. 1.
Since the patient may use the device without observa-
tion, unnatural voiding or failure to void which normally occur
from psychological difficulties when a patient voids under obser-
vation is prevented. After voiding, the patient merely summons
the physician or nurse, who then uses the device to diagnose the
patient's voiding. As previously indicated, the indicating strip
54 may be removed from the receptacle to obtain a reading of the
peak flow rate of the urine discharge by use of the indicia I' on
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the strip 54, or the strip may be retained for later use if
desired. The container 24 may be removed from the receptacle 22
to obtain a specimen of urine from the chamber 52 of the con-
tainer 24 through the opening means 88. Alternatively, the plug - -
92 of the closure 90 may be placed in the opening means 88 to
close the opening means and cavity 52 of the container 24, and
the specimen may be retained for later use, if desired. In
either event the closed container 24 may be discarded in a sani-
tary manner after removal from the receptacle 22. The receptacle
22 may be cleaned and sterilized for future use with a different
indicating strip 54, to reduce the cost of diagnosing various
patients.
The foregoing detailed description is given for clear-
ness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should
be understood therefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those
skilled in the art.
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