U.S. patent application number 11/196851 was filed with the patent office on 2007-02-08 for waste container with sinuous recesses.
This patent application is currently assigned to Tri-State Hospital Supply Corporation. Invention is credited to Gary A. Gillis.
Application Number | 20070031068 11/196851 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37717660 |
Filed Date | 2007-02-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070031068 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gillis; Gary A. |
February 8, 2007 |
Waste container with sinuous recesses
Abstract
A waste container for receiving thrown up stomach contents from
a patient is disclosed. The container includes an elongated
moisture proof bag having an open end, and a rigid ring integrally
connected to the bag open end. At least one sinuous recess is
disposed within the ring. The recess is sized to receive a
throttled portion of the bag therein. The recess has a contour,
which restricts the throttled portion of the bag from slipping out
of the recess in a use position.
Inventors: |
Gillis; Gary A.; (Ann Arbor,
MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Christopher J. Fildes;Fildes & Outland, P.C.
20916 Mack Avenue, Suite 2
Gross Pointe Woods
MI
48236
US
|
Assignee: |
Tri-State Hospital Supply
Corporation
|
Family ID: |
37717660 |
Appl. No.: |
11/196851 |
Filed: |
August 4, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/33 ;
383/71 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61J 19/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/033 ;
383/071 |
International
Class: |
B65D 33/00 20060101
B65D033/00; B65D 33/16 20060101 B65D033/16 |
Claims
1. A waste container for receiving thrown up stomach contents from
a patient, said container comprising: an elongated moisture proof
bag having an open end; a rigid ring integrally connecting said bag
open end and; at least one sinuous recess disposed within said ring
sized to receive a throttled portion of said bag therein, said
recess having a contour which restricts said throttled portion of
said bag from slipping out of said recess and urges said throttles
portion into said recess in a use position.
2. The waste container of claim 1 wherein said sinuous recess
comprises: a recess open end; a recess closed end; and an arcuate
slot between said recess open end and said recess closed end, said
arcuate slot including a reverse bend of a generally U-shape;
whereby, said recess closed and is sized to receive said throttled
portion of said bag.
3. The waste container of claim 1 wherein said ring includes a
plurality of sinuous recesses.
4. The waste container of claim 1 wherein said throttled portion of
said bag comprises one of a twisted portion and a scrunched portion
of said bag.
5. The waste container of claim 1 wherein said bag and said ring
are separate interconnectible parts.
6. The waste container of claim 1 wherein said bag comprises a
synthetic resin film.
7. The waste container of claim 6 wherein said bag comprises
plastics material.
8. The waste container of claim 1 wherein said ring comprises
plastics material.
9. A method for collecting thrown up stomach contents comprising
the steps of: forming a sinuous recess in a rigid ring sized to
receive a throttled portion of an elongated moisture proof bag
therein; integrally connecting said elongated moisture proof bag
open end to said rigid ring; throttling a portion of said bag after
collecting thrown up stomach contents therein; and disposing said
throttled portion of said bag within a recess closed end of said
sinuous recess such that a contour of said recess restricts said
throttled portion of said bag from slipping out of said recess and
urges said throttled portion into said recess in a use
position.
10. The method of claim 9 comprising the steps of: forming an
arcuate slot including a reverse bend of a generally U-shape
between a recess closed end and a recess open end sized to receive
said throttled portion of said bag; and disposing said throttled
portion of said bag in said recess closed end.
11. The method of claim 9 comprising the step of one of twisting
and scrunching said throttled portion of said bag after collecting
said thrown up stomach contents therein.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to a waste container for receiving
thrown up stomach contents.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Often times health care providers have to deal with patients
who have a high probability of getting sick to their stomachs and
vomiting. Such a situation occurs regularly in emergency rooms in
hospitals and clinics.
[0003] Conventional waste containers are known that collect thrown
up stomach contents from a patient. However, conventional waste
containers are difficult to seal shut after the user has vomited
into the container. Thus the contents of the container may spill
and the resulting offensive odor may permeate out.
[0004] Referring to prior art FIG. 1, U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,039 to
Stern discloses a waste container 10, which prevents the contents
and the smell from escaping. The waste container 10 includes an
annular handle 12 on which there is disposed a waste bag 14. When
the waste container 10 is placed on a support 16, such as a table
top or the like, the flexible bag 14 bends such that the handle 12
may rest on a throttled portion 18 of the bag 14. The weight of the
handle 12 on the throttled portion 18 helps to contain the smell.
However, if the waste container 10 is lifted off of the support 16
for transfer or disposal, the throttled portion 18 will open up
again, allowing the odor to escape.
[0005] Referring to prior art FIG. 2, in the alternative the handle
12 also includes a plurality of generally vertically extending
recesses 20 into which the throttled portion 18 can be inserted.
The vertical recesses 20 frictionally capture the throttled portion
18 to further prevent escape of any stomach contents and associated
odor. Unfortunately, even in this configuration, if the waste
container 10 is lifted off of the support 16, the relatively heavy
weight of the stomach contents may force the throttled portion 18
to slip out of the recess 20 and open up.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention provides a waste container for
receiving thrown up stomach contents from a patient. The container
captures large quantities of stomach contents without spillage and
prevents the contents and associated smell from escaping even
without the use of a support.
[0007] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the container
includes an elongated moisture proof bag having an open end, and a
rigid ring integrally connected to the bag open end. At least one
sinuous recess is disposed within the ring. The recess is sized to
receive a throttled portion of the bag therein. The recess has a
contour, generally of a hook or nautiliform shape, which prevents
the throttled portion of the bag from slipping out of the recess
and acts to urge engagement of the throttled portion of the bag in
the recess in a use position.
[0008] In another exemplary embodiment, the sinuous recess of the
container further includes a recess open end, a recess closed end
and an arcuate slot therebetween. The arcuate slot includes a
reverse bend of a generally U-shape. The recess closed end is sized
to receive the throttled portion of the bag.
[0009] These and other features and advantages of the invention
will be more fully understood from the following detailed
description of the invention taken together with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] In the drawings:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side view of a prior art waste container, which
has been deposited on a support;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the prior art waste
container of FIG. 1 featuring generally vertical extending
recesses;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a
waste container in accordance with the present invention featuring
sinuous recesses;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a top view of the rigid ring of the waste
container of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a side view of the rigid ring of FIG. 4 featuring
the sinuous recesses;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the waste container of FIG.
3 featuring a suspended bag containing stomach content with a
throttled portion of the bag disposed in one of the sinuous
recesses.
[0017] FIG. 7 is plan view illustrating how a ring is introduced
into a bag for formation of a waste container in accordance with
the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating how the ring of FIG. 7 is
turned after insertion into the bag; and
[0019] FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating how the ring of FIG. 7
expands the bag to form the waste container.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] Referring now to FIG. 3, numeral 30 generally indicates an
exemplary embodiment of a waste container in accordance with the
present invention for receiving thrown up contents from a patient.
The container 30 includes an elongated moisture proof bag 32
extending through the inside of a rigid ring 34. The rigid ring 34
integrally connects to the bag open end 36 and maintains the bag
open end 36 in an open disposition of the bag.
[0021] The bag 32 may be composed of any suitable moisture proof
flexible material, however a preferred composition includes
plastics material including a synthetic resin film such as
polyethylene or similar. In like fashion, a preferred composition
for the rigid ring includes plastics material such as polyethylene
or similar, although any suitably rigid material would suffice.
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 3 through 5, the rigid ring 34 has a
generally annular shape, which includes a radially extending upper
rim portion 38 and an axially extending wall portion 40. The wall
portion 40 conically tapers toward its free end 42 and merges with
the rim 38 via rounded portion 44.
[0023] A plurality of sinuous recesses 46 are disposed around the
perimeter of the wall portion 40. As will be discussed in greater
detail hereinafter, the recesses 46 are contoured to restrict a
throttled portion of the bag 32 from slipping out of the recess 46
even if the waste container 30 is not supported on a flat support
surface.
[0024] In this embodiment, each recess 46 has a recess open end 48,
a recess closed end 50 and an arcuate slot 52 therebetween. The
arcuate slot 52 includes a reverse bend 54 of a generally U-shape.
The area 56 bounded by the recess closed end 50 is sized to receive
a throttled portion 58 (best seen in FIG. 6) of the bag 32.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 6, in use, once the waste container 34 has
received contents regurgitated from a patient's stomach, the
flexible bag 32 may be folded or twisted to form the throttled
portion 58. The area 56 of sinuous recess 46 is sized to be large
enough for the throttled portion 58 to be disposed therein.
[0026] The bend 54 acts essentially like a hook to prevent the
throttled portion 58 from slipping out of the recess 46 even if the
full bag 32 is freely suspended. As opposed to the prior art Stern
container, the weight of the stomach contents in the bag 32 now
acts to pull the throttled portion 58 more tightly shut against the
recess's slot 52, rather than to pull the throttled portion 58 out
of the open recess end 48.
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, the bag 32 and ring 34 may be
permanently connected to form the waste container 30, or they may
be configured as separate interconnectible parts. In the latter
configuration, the outer diameter DR of the ring 34 is chosen such
that the ring 34 can be moved into the bag 32 through the bag open
end 36 when the bag 32 is flattened in the manner illustrated in
FIG. 7. Once fully inserted, the ring is turned (arrow 60 in FIG.
8) with its free end 42 directed out of the bag's open end 36. The
bag 32 in its expanded state has a smaller diameter DB than the
ring DR so that the bag 32 is expanded around the ring 34.
Accordingly, the bag 32 will remain securely fastened around the
ring 34 when the ring has been turned to a position traverse to the
longitudinal axis of the bag 32 (FIG. 9). Finally, the bag 32 is
passed through the center of the ring 34 to form the final assembly
illustrated in FIG. 3.
[0028] Though the previous embodiments herein have illustrated the
sinuous recesses as contoured with a generally rounded hook shape,
one skilled in the art would recognize that other contoured shapes
may also be used. Examples of such shapes include a spiral shape, a
squared hook shape, and a multiple bend shape.
[0029] Referring again to FIG. 6, a method for collecting thrown up
stomach contents in a waste container 30 includes forming a sinuous
recess 46 in a rigid ring 34. The recess 46 is contoured such that
a slot 52 of the recess 46 has a generally U-shaped reverse bend
54. The area bounded by the recess closed end 50 and the bend 54
defines an inner portion 56, which is sized to receive a throttled
portion 58 of the bag 32. The rigid ring 34 is then integrally
connected to the bag's open end 36 to form the waste container 30.
Once regurgitated stomach contents are collected in the waste
container 30, a portion of the bag 30 is twisted or folded to form
the throttled portion 58. The throttled portion 58 is then disposed
within the area 56 of the sinuous recess 46.
[0030] Although the invention has been described by reference to a
specific embodiment, it should be understood that numerous changes
may be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts
described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be
limited to the described embodiment, but that it have the full
scope defined by the language of the following claims.
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