Toilet Facility

Abstract

This invention provides a bedpan substitute for bedridden persons. A thin rigid platform combined with an underlying collapsed but inflatable support is placed alongside the patient and the patient is then rolled or slid onto the support in a supine posture and the collapsed support is then inflated, either with oxygen, compressed air or (preferably) carbon dioxide, uniformly to raise the support by a substantial distance, say of several inches. The support is notched at its lower end and supports at that end a peripherally recessed, partly upturned, rigid ring, which extends well beyond the platform, to which an open-mouthed, water-tight, disposable bag may be secured, open side up, by suitable means such as a rubber band.

Description

This invention relates to a novel toilet facility for use by bed-ridden persons of either sex. It is intended as a substitute for the familiar bedpan whether the bed-ridden person, herein referred to also as a patient, is confined in a hospital, in a nursing home, or in a private residence.

A bedpan is a very unsatisfactory toilet facility. It rises abruptly from the bed. The patient must either be lifted onto it or must, himself, raise his buttocks for the bedpan to be slid under him. This may be beyond his capability, particularly if he is paralyzed, or has just undergone a debilitating operation such as an appendectomy, an operation for hernia, or a spinal fusion. As a help toward ameliorating this difficulty the depth of the bedpan is held down to a minimum tolerable depth. The bedpan, however, is extremely uncomfortable along its upper edges, both along the sides and across the back.

The limiting of the bedpan height is merely a compromise, since a bedpan frequently proves to be too shallow for sanitary use, so that the bedpan winds up by keeping the bedding, but not the patient, clean.

The withdrawal of the bedpan presents an even more severe problem, since the contents of the pan may be sloshed about and spilled onto both the patient and the bedding.

The bedpan, being entirely metallic, has a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, may feel very cold and uncomfortable, and may inhibit the very bodily functions for which it is provided.

When the bedpan has been emptied, it must be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized, and this is a task which is disagreeable, time-consuming and expensive. Bedpans are not susceptible to machine washing and sterilization.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a bedpan substitute which comprises a rigid, patient-supporting platform, initially of scant height, but which can be raised a substantial distance, once the patient has been located on it, without physical exertion on the part of the patient, the nurse or other attendant.

It is a further object to include beneath the platform an inflatable support through which the platform can be pneumatically raised after the patient has been properly positioned upon it.

It is a still further object to provide, at the lower end of the platform, means for removably securing a disposable, open-mouthed, water-tight receptacle bag of substantial depth in a spread out condition to cleanly receive and contain urine and/or defecation, and to admit of clean and complete disposition before the platform is lowered and before the patient is removed from the platform.

The platform may be made very thin, and it is desirably made more or less concave on top, at least to a sufficient extent to give the patient a feeling of stability.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing forming part of this specification,

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a patient supported supinely in bed, on the raised platform, together with associated facilities;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the structure of FIG. 1 but with the patient and the bed omitted;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view in elevation showing the platform and the inflated supporting means therefor;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in sectional elevation, on a larger scale than FIGS. 1 to 3, of the platform and the elevating means in inflated condition; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, showing the receptacle bag, a portion of the platform and its support, and means for maintaining a desired association of the bag with the platform and the support.

In FIG. 1 the patient 10 is shown supinely supported upon a bed 12 with the novel toilet facility 14 disposed on the bed and under his body, ready for him to urinate and/or to evacuate his bowels.

The novel toilet facility 14 comprises a rigid platform 16 which desirably consists of a sheet of molded fiberglass, say three-eighths inch thick. A removable cover layer 18 of suitable fabric or paper or plastic material may be provided for each individual patient. The cover 18 is provided for sanitary reasons. It may be disposable, or each cover may be laundered and re-used again and again.

A U-shaped sleeve 20 of strong, non-stretchable material, such as woven nylon, is permanently united with the underside of the platform through broad, marginal areas of the platform throughout at least the top margin and substantially both side margins.

A U-shaped, inflatable rubber tube 22 is contained within the sleeve 20, which tube is closed at its ends and desirably extends, at least, through the full width of the platform at the upper end and for the full length of the platform along both side margins. The tube 22 is confined in the sleeve 20, loosely before inflation and tightly after inflation.

At the lower end the platform is notched as indicated in the drawing. A rigid metallic loop 24 skirts the notch and extends well beyond the lower end of the platform, being affixed to the platform and supported by the platform through staples 26 or other suitable fastener means.

The loop 24 lies in contact with the upper layer 18 of the platform 16 throughout the portion which bears upon the platform, but is markedly upturned in the portion which projects beyond the platform.

The metallic loop 24 is externally formed with a groove 25 throughout the periphery thereof, and is provided with detent projections 28 at opposite sides at the vertices of the loop portions.

A receptacle bag 30, desirably of kraft paper, and lined by a waterproof plastic bag, is placed in loop 24, open ends up, and the upper margins are folded outward and retained in the groove 25 by means of a rubber band 34. The rubber band 34 is passed below the detents 28 so that they may be caused continuously to occupy the angularly related portions of the grooves 25.

Each time the toilet facility is used a bag 30 (or pair of bags--kraft paper and plastic, respectively) is removed and disposed of, being replaced by a like pair and secured in place by the same rubber band 34 or a duplicate thereof. Any form of bag or combination of bags which will do a clean and dependable job will serve acceptably.

When the toilet facility is to be used, it is placed on the bed alongside the patient in a collapsed condition. The patient is then placed upon it in a supine posture like that in which he is shown in FIG. 1. The tube 22 is then inflated to raise the platform-supported patient for producing a condition substantially like that of FIG. 1.

The tube 22 is inflated from a source of compressed gas (possibly oxygen or compressed air, but preferably carbon dioxide), through a manually operable valve 36 which is interposed in a flexible feed line 38. The gas passes thence through a constant output pressure regulator 40 to the tube 22. The regulator may be adjusted to shut off at any pressure desired, depending upon the weight of the patient.

When the toilet facility has been inflated to the desired pressure, the valve 36 is closed and the desired pressure is maintained while the toilet facility is being used. A release valve 42 is then opened temporarily to evacuate the tube 22 for causing the platform to be lowered to its initial level.

Not only is a fresh sheet, woven towel, or paper towel 18 placed upon the platform after each use but any surface not so protected is desirably wiped off with a cloth or paper towel which has been dampened with a suitable antiseptic solution.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiment of my invention. What I desire to cover by letters patent is set forth in the accompanying claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A toilet facility for bed-ridden patients comprising, in combination,

a. a thin rigid platform having a substantial notch in the lower end thereof,

b. a sleeve of non-stretchable material connected to the underside of said platform at least along the head-end and the sides thereof;

c. valved, inflatable platform supporting means within said valve and adapted to raise said platform substantially evenly and by a substantial amount as said platform supporting means is inflated, and

d. a rigid loop skirting the notch and extending well beyond the lower end of the platform for the reception and support of a water-tight receptacle.

2. A toilet facility as set forth in claim 1 in which the rigid loop is peripherally grooved, the construction and arrangement being such that a water-tight receptacle in the form of a flexible bag may have its upper margin folded outward and secured to the loop by suitable flexible retaining means.

3. A toilet facility as set forth in claim 2 in which the rigid loop is angled upward at its opposite sides beyond the lower end of the platform, and retaining means are provided on the loop at the oppositely disposed angles of the loop for causing a flexible retaining member, to lie in the groove both in the portion of the loop which surrounds the platform notch and in the upturned portion of the loop that extends beyond the notch.

4. A toilet facility as set forth in claim 2 which further includes a water-tight, disposable, flexible bag set in the loop, and a rubber band surrounding an outturned upper portion of the bag and bearing continuously against the bag in the grooved portion of the loop for releasably retaining the bag in a definite position relative to the platform and the loop.

5. A toilet facility as set forth in claim 1 in which the valved inflatable platform supporting means includes valve means operable at the will of the operator for admitting and retaining aeroform fluid and thereby raising the patient-supporting platform, and operable at the will of the operator for discharging such fluid and thereby lowering the patient-supporting platform.

6. A toilet facility as set forth in claim 5 in which the valve means includes an adjustable valve settable for any desired pressure, and constructed and arranged automatically to close when the set pressure has been attained in the inflatable platform supporting means.

7. A toilet facility as set forth in claim 1 in which the inflatable platform supporting means takes the form of an expandable tube, and said sleeve means maintains the operative relationship of the platform and tube in the form of a substantially inextensible envelope surrounding the tube and affixed throughout a substantial width to the underside of the platform.

8. A toilet facility as set forth in claim 1 in which the platform is hollowed sufficiently to give the patient a sense of stability and security when supported on the raised platform.