Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
1 335247
VACUUM DRAINAGE COLLECTING DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to
collection devices and, more particularly, to vacuum
operated and at least partially disposable collection
devices.
Still more particularly, the invention
relates to collection devices including a flexible
bag or liner which is supported by a canister cover
and located within a rigid canister connected to the
canister cover.
Reference to the Prior Art
In the past, liners or bags have been
secured to a canister cover by heat sealing and/or by
the use of a heat sealant. Bags or liners made from
a plasticized flexible polyvinylchloride can be
welded by using electrodes and a radio frequency
electrical supply. When a flexible bag or liner is
composed of polyethylene it can be welded or fused to
a stiffer polyethylene canister cover by using a
heated electrode.
1 335247
Whatever materials have been used in
the past to manufacture the bag or liner and the
canister cover, all such products have relied on
fusing the bag or liner to the canister cover.
Furthermore, and in order to facilitate such fusing,
both the bag or liner and the canister cover have
been made from compatible materials, for example,
flexible polyvinylchloride to rigid
polyvinylchloride, or low-density polyethylene to
high-density polyethylene. In all cases, uniform and
controlled pressure has to be applied at the point of
attachment of the bag or liner to the canister
cover. In addition, the energy applied, whether
resistance or radio frequency current, has to be
accurately controlled, as does the duration of its
application. Fluctuations in these conditions can
lead to missed areas or weak areas of fusion when the
heat, pressure, or duration is insufficient, or the
electrode may push through the wall of the thin bag
or liner when the heat, pressure, or duration is
excessive. Suffice to say that the process of fusing
the two parts together is such as to lead to a
percentage of rejects and to frequent testing to
ensure that conditions are optimum.
Any product requiring two parts to be
fused together, must employ parts of compatible
material. Such compatibility requirements would have
to take precedence over optimum performance for each
1 335247
part. While flexible plasticized polyvinylchloride
not only affords crystal clarity but great
flexibility, properties very desirable in a bag or
liner, such material cannot be fused to a
high-density polyethylene canister cover whose
properties most suit the performance of the canister
cover.
Attention is directed to U.S. Patent
3,680,560 dated August 1, 1972.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a disposable
cover and bag assembly comprising an outer cover
member adapted to be connected to the open end of an
outer canister and having a top including therein an
opening, an inner cover member in the opening in the
top of the outer cover member, and a bag having a
mouth gripped between the inner and outer cover
members.
The invention also provides a
collection apparatus with a disposable portion
comprising an outer canister having an open end, an
outer cover member detachably connected to the open
end and having a top including therein an opening, an
inner cover member in the opening in the top of the
outer cover member, and a bag extending in the outer
canister and having a mouth gripped between the inner
and outer cover members.
- t 3352~7
The invention also provides a method of fabricating a
disposable cover and bag assembly, which method comprises the
steps of supporting an outer cover member having a top surface
including therein an opening, inserting, through the opening in
the top surface of the outer cover, a bag with an open mouth and
with a portion extending outwardly from the mouth in overlying
relation to the top surface of the outer cover member and with a
part extending beyond the top surface of the outer cover member,
gripping the bag part extending beyond the top surface of the
outer cover member, inserting an inner cover member into the
mouth of the bag and into frictional engagement with the inner
cover member to form a cover and bag assembly with the mouth of
the bag gripped between the inner and outer cover members, and
releasing the grip on the bag part.
The invention also provides a disposable cover and bag
assembly comprising a lower cover member including a top having
therein an opening, an upper cover member closing the opening in
the top of the lower cover member, and a bag having a mouth
gripped between the cover members, one of the cover members being
adapted to be connected to the open end of an outer canister, and
the cover members including inter-engaging means affording
assembly of the cover members and preventing disassembly of the
cover members, the inter-engaging means comprising a non-threaded
serrated formation on each of the cover members, each of the
serrated formations including a plurality of parallel, endless
projections defining grooves there between, the projections of
each of the formations being received in the grooves of the other
of the formations, and the bag being clamped between the
formations.
The invention also provides a disposable cover and bag
assembly comprising an outer cover member adapted to be connected
to the open end of an outer canister and having a top including
1 33~247
therein an opening, an inner cover member in the opening in the
top of the outer cover member, and a bag having a mouth gripped
between the inner and outer cover members, the inner and outer
cover members including inter-engaging means affording assembly
of the inner and outer cover members and preventing disassembly
of the inner and outer cover members, the inter-engaging means
comprising a non-threaded serrated formation on each of the inner
and outer cover members, each of the serrated formations
including a plurality of parallel, endless projections defining
grooves there between, the projections of each of the formations
being received in the grooves of the other of the formations, and
the bag being clamped between the formations.
The invention also provides a collection apparatus with
a disposable portion comprising an outer canister having an open
end, an outer cover member detachably connected to the open end
and having a top including therein an opening, an inner cover
member in the opening in the top of the outer cover member, and a
bag extending in the outer canister and having a mouth gripped
between the inner and outer cover members, the inner and outer
cover members including inter-engaging means affording assembly
of the inner and outer cover members and preventing disassembly
of the inner and outer cover members, the inner-engaging means
comprising a non-threaded serrated formation on each of the inner
and outer cover members, each of the serrated formations
including a plurality of parallel, endless projections defining
grooves there between, the projections of each of the formations
being received in the grooves of the other of the formations, and
the bag being clamped between the formations.
The invention also provides a disposable cover and bag
assembly comprising an outer cover member adapted to be connected
to the open end of an outer canister and having a top including
therein an opening, an inner cover member in the opening in the
--5--
1 335247
top of the outer cover member, a bag having a mouth gripped
between the inner and outer cover members, and means on the inner
and outer cover members for clamping the bag there between, the
means including on one of the cover members a serrated formation
for cammingly engaging the other of the cover members and for
clamping the bag between the serrated formation and the other of
the cover members.
The invention also provides a collection apparatus with
a disposable portion comprising an outer canister having an open
end, an outer cover member detachably connected to the open end
and having a top including therein an opening, an inner cover
member in the opening in the top of the outer cover member, a bag
extending in the outer canister and having a mouth gripped
between the inner and outer cover members, and means on the inner
and outer cover members for clamping the bag there between, the
means including on one of the cover members a serrated formation
for cammingly engaging the other of the cover members and for
clamping the bag between the serrated formation and the other of
the cover members.
One of the features of the invention is to use
otherwise incompatible materials for the bag or liner and for the
canister cover, each chosen for its specific duty.
Other features and advantages of the invention will
become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the
following detailed description, claims, and drawings.
THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a partially broken away and sectioned
perspective view of a collection device embodying various of the
features of the invention.
_ ~,
1 335247
Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary,
sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a partially schematic view
of a device for assembling a cover and bag assembly
embodied in the collection device shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3,
but illustrating certain components in somewhat
different positions.
Before one embodiment of the invention
is explained in detail, it is to be understood that
the invention is not limited in its application to
the details of the construction and the arrangements
of components set forth in the following description
or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is
capable of other embodiments and of being practiced
or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to
be understood that the phraseology and terminology
used herein is for the purpose of description and
should not be regarded as limiting.
GENERAL DE SCR I PT I ON
Illustrated in the drawings is a vacuum
drainage collection apparatus 11 including a rigid
canister 13 having a continuous side wall 15, a
closed bottom 17, and an open upper end or top 19.
Closing the open top 19 of the canister
13 is a disposable cover and bag assembly 21
including an outer cover member or ring 23 having a
- 1 335247
top including therein an opening 27, a bag or liner
29 having an open mouth 31 extending through the
opening 27 in the top of the outer cover member or
ring 23, and an inner cover member 35 extending into
the mouth 31 of the bag 29 and gripping the outer
cover member or ring 23 to clamp the mouth 31 of the
bag between the outer and inner cover members 23 and
33.
More particularly, the canister 13 can
be fabricated of any desired rigid material and can
be either of metal or plastic.
The outer cover member or ring 23 can
be fabricated of various materials, such as a
propylene/ethylene copolymer, or polypropylene, or a
polyvinyl chloride/ethyl vinyl acetate blend. ln
addition, semirigid thermoplastic elastomers can also
be employed. The outer cover member or ring 23
includes a generally cylindrical main body section 41
having an inner surface 43 defining the opening 27,
an outer surface 45, a top surface 47 joining the
inner and outer surfaces 43 and 45 and a lower end
49. The outer cover member or ring 23 also includes
an outer supporting sec-tion 51 which extends from
about the mid-portion of the outer surface 45 of the
cylindrical section 41 and then downwardly therefrom,
forming a cylindrical cavity or groove or space 53
for frictional receipt therein of the open upper end
or top 19 of the r gid canister 13. Such receipt can
- 1 335247
afford a seal between the outer cover member or ring
23 and the canister 13, while, at the same time,
affording disassembly of the canister 13 from the
cover and bag assembly 21.
The supporting section 51 also
includes, at the axially outer or lower end thereof,
a radially outwardly extending flange or foot 55 for
purposes to be disclosed hereinafter.
The bag or liner 29 can be formed of
any desired flexible sheet plastic and comprises a
main body 57 which extends into and, in general,
occupies the volume within the rigid canister 13 and
which incorporates a closed lower end S9. At its
upper end, the main body 57 includes the open mouth
31 which has a size closely approximating the size of
the opening 27 in the outer cover member or ring 23.
In addition the bag or liner 29 includes a flange 61
extending radially outwardly across the top surface
47 of the outer cover member or ring 23 and includes
a part 63 extending beyond the perimeter of the outer
cover member or ring 23. As will hereinafter be
explained, the part 63 of the flange extending beyond
the outer cover member 23 is subsequently trimmed
from the resulting cover and bag assembly 21.
The bag or liner 29 can be fabricated
of various materials and is preferably fabricated
from a flexible plasticized polyvinylchloride
calendared sheet by cutting, forming and radio
frequency welding or,
_ q_
~ 335247
preferably, is blow molded in one piece to provide a
closed balloon prior to cutting off at one end, i.e.,
the top, leaving the bag or liner 29 with the
extending flange or portion 61. Typically, and for
example, the bag or liner 29 could have a wall
thickness of .007" and a Shore A scale hardness of
85. Other materials which can be used for the bag or
liner 29 include clear polyurethane, transluscent,
low, medium or high density polyethylene, and
transluscent polyethylene/ethylvinyl acetate
copolymers.
As illustrated, the flange 61 is shown
in a flat plane, perpendicular to the mouth 31 of the
bag or liner 29. However, since as will be
explained, the purpose of the flange 61 is to
facilitate holding and clamping the bag or liner 29
during assembly of the bag 29 with the inner and
outer cover members 23 and 33, and since, after
assembly, the part of the flange extending beyond the
outer cover member or ring 23 is automatically
trimmed off, the specific form of the flange can be
any other suitable shape, such as at an angle to the
side wall of the bag or liner 29.
The inner cover member 33 can be
fabricated of various materials and is preferably
fabricated of relatively rigid plastic such as
unplasticized polyvinylchloride. Other materials
which can be employed include polypropylene and
-- /0 --
-- 1 3352~7
impact improved polystyrene. The inner cover member
31 comprises a main body or top wall 71 which
includes a pouring spout, a vacuum passage 73
affording the creation of a vacuum in the bag or
liner 29, a float, a schematically illustrated
passage 75 through which fluids can be passed to the
bag or liner 29 and a filter. These features in the
top wall 71 are all known in the art and need not be
further disclosed.
Also forming a part of the inner cover
member 33 is a projecting cylindrical section 81
which projects downwardly from the top wall 71 and is
inserted into the mouth 31 of the bag or liner 29 and
into frictional engagement with the inner surface 43
of the cylindrical section 41 of the outer cover
member or ring 23 so as to grip or clamp the mouth 31
of the bag or liner 29 between the inner and outer
cover members 23 and 33. Preferably, the top wall 71
includes a rim 83 which extends radially and
outwardly beyond the depending cylindrical section 81
and into covering relation to the top surface 47 of
the outer cover member or ring 23.
As a consequence, the upper end of the
bag or liner 29 is retained between the respective
cylindrical sections 41 and 81 of the inner and outer
cover members 23 and 33 and between the top surface
47 of the outer cover member or ring 23 and the
outwardly extending rim 83 of the inner cover member
33.
I I
~- 1 335247
Means are provided on the cylindrical
sections 41 and 81 for inter-engagement therebetween
to tightly grip or clamp the mouth 31 of the bag or
liner 29 therebetween and to prevent disassembly of
the inner and outer cover members 23 and 33.
While other constructions can be
employed, in the disclosed construction, such means
comprises, on each of the inner and outer cover
members 23 and 33, respective serrated formations 91
and 93 in the form of a series of serrations-provided
by a series of annular parallel projections and
grooves which form annular teeth, which serrated
formations can, in the presence of suitable axial
force, be inter-fitted to prevent subsequent
disassembly of the inner and outer cover members 23
and 33 and, at the same time, will effect tight
clamping of the bag or liner 29 between the inner and
outer members 23 and 33 without causing ripping or
tearing of the mouth 31 of the bag or liner 29.
The serrations 91 and 93 are
symmetrical in form, preferably having a 45 angle;
and each serration or tooth is parallel to the other
and is not helical as in a screw thread.
While the disclosed construction
includes the illustrated pointed serrated formations
91 and 93, the serrations need not come to a point,
but could be truncated. In addition, other
constructions could be employed.
-l2
1 335247
In assembly of the cover and bag
assembly 21, the annular foot 55 of the outer cover
member or ring 23 is placed on an anvil 99 having a
supporting surface 101 of a mandrel or manual press
9S or other suitable machine, which anvil 99 includes
an annular inner lip 103 extending into the annular
space or cavity 53 formed at the lower end of the
supporting section 51. The anvil 99 also extends
upwardly in generally surrounding relation to the
radially outer end of the annular foot 55 and
terminates in an upper annular surface 105 which is
generally co-planar with the top surface 47 of the
outer cover member or ring 23.
A disposable bag or liner 29 is then
dropped or inserted into and through the opening 27
in the top of the cylindrical section 41 of the outer
cover member or ring 23 so that the mouth 31 of the
bag or liner 29 contacts the inner surface 43
adjacent the top surface 47 and so that the flange 61
extends outwardly into over-lapping relation to the
upper annular surface 105 of the press.
The flange 61 is then clamped or
gripped to the upper annular surface 105 by an
annular anchor ring 107 which is moved into
engagement with the flange part 63 to hold the flange
part 63 tightly between the anchor ring 107 and the
upper annular surface 105.
1 335247
The inner cover member 33 is then
located in the mouth 31 of the bag or lever 29 and
pressed rapidly inwardly into the opening 27 until
the rim 83 engages the top surface 47 of the outer
cover member or ring 23. Such movement causes the
outer cover member or ring 23 to expand within the
elastic limit as the serrations engage. As a
consequence the mouth 31 of the bag or liner 29 is
now firmly gripped or clamped between the engaged
serrations of the inner and outer cover members 23
and 33, and is thus deformed to duplicate the profile
of the serrations.
Notwithstanding that the inner cover
member 23 is placed under compression during
assembly, the inner cover member, and in addition,
the serrated formation, has inherent resistance to
compressive loads. Furthermore, the cylindrical
section 81 is reinforced by the top wall 71 of the
inner cover member 33. As a consequence, the inner
cover member 33 is minimally deformed. On the other
hand, the outer cover member or ring 23 is free to
expand and subsequently return to its original
diameter (except for the interposition of the bag or
liner 29). After assembly, the outer cover member or
ring 23 maintains constant compression on the bag or
liner 29.
When the inner and outer cover members
23 and 33 are molded size on size to provide the
1 335247
serrations or teeth, the bag or liner 29 with a
O.007" wall can be readily accommodated between the
two cover members 23 and 33 without undesirably
stretching the bag or liner material when the inner
and outer cover members 23 and 33 are molded from
high-density polyethylene. Bags or liners of heavier
gauge can be accommodated, except that proportional
clearances between the serrations have to be
incorporated into the inner and outer cover members
23 and 33.
Thereafter, the anchor ring 107 is
withdrawn, releasing the grip on the flange part 63
and the cover and bag assembly 21 can then be removed
from the press. Subsequently, the flange part 63
extending from the cover and bag assembly 21 is
trimmed from the cover and bag assembly 21 to provide
a neat appearance. Still more subsequently, the
rigid canister 13 can be removably assembled into the
annular groove or space 53 in the bottom of the outer
cover member or ring 23 to provide support for the
contents to be delivered into the bag or lever 29.
Various of the features of the
invention are set forth in the following claims.
-l 5
