Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~zs~
1 BACKGROUN~ OF THE_INVENTION
The present invention relates to li~uid collection
devices and more particularly to devices for collecting urine
samples.
Urine analysis is a diagnostic tool employed by prac-
titioners of the medical arts providing information bearing upon
a wide ran~e of disorders and disease. However, when dealing
with infants or incapacita-ted mature individuals lt is difficult
to obtain specimens. In both the pre-toilet-trained infant and
the senile adult, for example, neither is capable of that control
,,
which can provide a specimen on demand.
Various urine sampling devices are available and in my
priorlpatent No. 3,918,433, issued November 11, 1975, and en-
titled "Fluid Sampliny Device", there i~ described a sampling
device, wherein a first surface eY~panse is provided with channels
for conducting urine to a second surface expanse which is asso-
ciated with a fluid sensitive valve, said second surface expanse
leading to a container and said valve being arranged to interpose
an occlusive barrier upon the passage therethrough of a pre-
determined quantity of fluid. Unfortunately, the patented
device is\unduly complicated and does not lend itself to pro-
~ducing a device that is sufficiently compact.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
-- . .. .
~5 It is an object of the present invention to provide a
simplified, more versatile, more adaptable, and more advantageous
sampling device than those heretofore available.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a
urine collecting device having first and second parts for dis-
position within an article of clothing such that when on the
2--
,
~ ~5~
1 wearer said fir5t and second parts are located adjacent, respec-
tively, the perineum and genitalia, characterized in that said
first part comprises an enclosure defining a compartment of
prede-termined volume, said enclosure having at least one opening
S for admitting ur~ne to said compartment, and a body of dry
compressed absorbent material disposed within said compartment,
said body being smaller than said compartment and expandable when
we-t un-til constrained by said enclosure, said second part com
prising a panel of a liquid impermeable material including at
least one channel for guiding urine -to said opening, said panel
extending from said first part, the rela-tionship between said
absorbent body and said compar-tment beiny such that said body
will absorb a controlled quantity of urine.
1~ BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
... . _ .. _ _
The invention will be better understood after reading
the following detailed description of -the presently preferred
embodiments thereof with reference to the appended drawings in
which:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the
sampling device in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken
along line 2-2 in Fig. l;
Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken
along line 3-3 in Fig. l;
Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view
taken along line 4-4 in Fig.l;
Figure 5 is a perspec-tive view of the bottom or under-
side of the device shown in Fig. l;
Q~
1 Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the
device of Fig. 1 with the bottom surface up;
Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the
expanded wet sponge in relation to the enclosure;
S Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the device
attached to a baby diaper; and
Figure 9 is a top plan view of the enclosure after
separation from the lmpermeable panel.
The same reference numerals are used throughout the
drawings to designate the same or similar parts.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring -to -the drawings, the urine collec-ting device
is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The device
10 consists of a generally oblong piece of plastic sheet material
11 having top and bottom surEaces 12 and 13, respectively. The
expressions "top" and "bottom" as used herein are intended only
for reference purposes and have no other significance.
The sheet 11 is formed relative to the top surface 12
with a depressed region 14 near a Eirst end 15 which region is
covered by a substantially fla-t layer 16 of plastic sheet ma-
terlal to form an enclosure 17 defining a compartment 18 of pre-
determined volume. Another depressed region 19 is formed in the
uncovered portion of the unitary piece 11 relative to the top
surface 12 to provide a channel therein which merges in the
region 20 with the depressed region 14 thereby providing an
opening 21 for the compartment 18 within the enclosure 17.
~s seen in the drawings, the enclosure 17 is generally
rectangular in plan view with its long dimension coinciding wi-th
:la2S4~
1 the long dimension of the oblon~ plece 11. The uncovered portion
of the piece 11 is generally fan shape, as shown, diverging from
the short dimenslon of the enclosure 17 outwardly toward an edge
22 remote from the enclosure 17. The fan shape portion of the
S piece 11 provides a panel which is intended to overly the general
region of the genitalia when worn within an article of clothing
such as a diaper. The enclosure portion 17 is configured and
dimensioned to fi-t within the perineum rsgion as will be under-
stood from a consideration of Fig. 8 wherein the device 10 is
shown attached to a typical diaper 23 of non-woven fabric.
The material 11 should be impermeable to liquld and may
be formed from a thin film or sheet of polyvinyl chloride resin.
Sheet 16 may be fabrica-ted from the same m~terial.
A convenlent me-thod of securing the device to the inner
surface of the diaper 23 involves providing a layer 24 of pres-
sure sensitive adhesive on at least a portion of the bottom
surface 13 of the panel 11. As best seen in Figs. 1, 4 and 5,
the layer of adhesive is in the form of a stripe running along
the longitudinal axis from the edge 22 toward the vicinity of the
area 20. Any convenient pattern may be employed for the adhesive
so long a~ it has the capability of securing the device to the
typical layer of liquid permeable plastic material that usually
constitutes the inner surface of a diaper 23 as shown in Fig. 8
Such diapers usually have a liquid impermeable outer layer, a
~5 liquid permeable inner layer and a filling of a suitable cellu-
lose wadding.
The sampling device is completed by incorporating
within the enclosure 17, in the compartment 18, a ~ody 25 of dry
compressed absorbent material. The body 25 is smaller than the
compartment 18 when the body is dry and is expandab:le when we-t
~5~
1 until constrained by the enclosure 17. Thus, as best seen in
Fig. 3! there is substantial clearance between the dry body 25
and the compartment 18. While, as shown in Fig. 7, the wet body
25 has expanded until it is constrained by the lesser height of
the compartment 18. The body 25 is preferably formed from
compressed cellulose sponge.
In an embodiment of the invention intended for pe-
diatric use the compartment 18 may be approximately 1 3/16 inches
; wide by 2 inches long by 5/16 inches high while the dry sponge
may be approximately 1 inch wide by 1 3/4 inches long by 1/16
inch high. By way of example, it has been found that a body with
the foreyoing dimensions and of compxessed cellulose sponge as
furnished by American Sponge and Chamois Co., Inc. of Long Island
City, New York, will expand when wet in free space to approx-
imately a height or thîckness of 3/8 inch. This is in excess of
the 5/16 inch height of the compartment 18. Therefore, the
constraint of the compartment volume tends to control the quan-
tity of urine that can be absorbed by the sponge body 25 such
that approximately the same quantity is absorbed from one sam-
pling device to the next. It has been found that the subject
sponge within the specified compartment will absorb approximately
7 cc. of urine.
It is contemplated that the subject sampling device can
be made in larger size for use by adult individuals in which case
~-5 the sponge may be 2 inches wide, 3 inches long and the same 1/16
inch thick when dry and will absorb approximately 23 cc. of urine
when wet~ This assumes the same 5/16 inch depth compartment to
limit the expansion of the sponge. Knowledge of the quantity of
urine that can be collected is useful when the sample is intended
for laboratory testing of the type requiring a certain minimum
quantity.
~5~
1 In order to facilitate handling and laboratory ex-
amination the device is provided with a tear line or line of
weakening 26 such that the panel portion of the device can be
removed from the enclosure 17 leaving -t:he enclosure as shown in
S Fig. 9.
While any suitable method can be employed to fasten the
sheet 16 to the sheet ll, the drawings show the layers joined by
zones of spot welding 27. The strength of such welds should be
such that the layer 16 can be peeled from the layer ll by grasp-
ing an edge such as 28, to thereby expose the sponge 25 and
permit its removal from compartment 18.
Having described the invention with reference to the
presently preferred embodiments thereof it will be unders-tood by
those skilled in the subject art that vari.ous changes in con-
struction.and ma-terials may be effected wi-thout departing from
the true spirit of the invention as defined in the appended
claims.
