U.S. patent number RE29,321 [Application Number 05/640,059] was granted by the patent office on 1977-07-26 for fluid collection bottle and improvements therein.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Medical Development Corporation. Invention is credited to LeGrand K. Holbrook.
United States Patent |
RE29,321 |
Holbrook |
July 26, 1977 |
Fluid collection bottle and improvements therein
Abstract
The present invention comprises a vacuum-operated,
fluid-collection bottle having advantageous, canted sealing
surfaces between cover and container as well as other improvements
including a perforate vacuum fitting, spherical top and bottom,
.[.both convex and concave; float valve means incorporated in the
vacuum port construction;.]. snap-lock engagement between the cover
and container; graduation means for measuring small volumes of
collected fluid, and so forth.
Inventors: |
Holbrook; LeGrand K. (Salt Lake
City, UT) |
Assignee: |
Medical Development Corporation
(Salt Lake City, UT)
|
Family
ID: |
27021734 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/640,059 |
Filed: |
December 12, 1975 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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857161 |
Sep 11, 1969 |
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Reissue of: |
412329 |
Nov 2, 1973 |
03878962 |
Apr 22, 1975 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
215/309;
604/319 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M
1/78 (20210501); A61M 1/0001 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61M
1/00 (20060101); B65D 047/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;215/307,308,309,311
;128/272,275,276,277,278,300,301 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Norton; Donald F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fitch, Even, Tabin &
Luedeka
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 857,161,
filed Sept. 11, 1969, by the same title now abandoned.
Claims
We claim:
1. A vacuum operated fluid collection bottle for recovering body
fluids and comprising a container and a centrally concave cover
.Iadd.removably .Iaddend.secured thereto, said concave cover being
essentially rigid and having an inwardly convex interior surface
and an outwardly concave exterior surface, said concave cover being
essentially rigidly constructed in such configuration, prior to
vacuum application, whereby to insure against cover collapse when a
vacuum is applied, said .[.bottle.]. .Iadd.cover .Iaddend.being
provided with a fluid admittance port and a vacuum port, both of
said ports communicating with the interior of said bottle.
2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said container includes an
upper annular lip, said cover includes annular flange overlapping
and sealingly engaging said lip.
3. A vacuum-operated fluid collection bottle including, in
combination, a container having an upper lip, and a cover sealingly
.Iadd.and removably .Iaddend.secured to said container, said cover
having plural, exteriorly connectable, bottle interior
communication ports, said cover including a concave central portion
and an annular portion integral with said central portion and
encompassing said container lip, said central portion having a
concave surface facing outwardly and a convex surface facing
inwardly .Iadd.said cover being so constructed, prior to vacuum
application.Iaddend..
4. A vacuum-operated body fluid collection bottle having
cross-sectionally arcuate, inwardly concave, essentially rigid
opposite, concavo-convex end walls, constructed so prior to vacuum
application, one of said end walls being provided with a fluid
admittance port and a vacuum port, both of said ports communicating
with the interior of said bottle, one of said end walls comprising
a cover having a depending annular flange encompassing said
bottle.
5. In a vacuum operated fluid collection bottle comprising the
combination of a container and an independent cover releasably
secured over said container, said container and said cover having
inter-cooperating means whereby said container and cover can be
releasably retained together in a sealing engagement, said
combination being provided with fluid inlet port means and vacuum
port means mutually spaced apart; and improvements wherein said
cover has an essentially rigid concave construction, prior to and
after vacuum application, protruding in a direction toward the
interior of said container, whereby, when a vacuum is applied via
said vacuum port means, said concave construction will preserve
bottle integrity against container and cover collapse, said cover
thereby having an inwardly convex interior surface and a concave
outer surface facing outwardly.
6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said cover is provided with
said fluid inlet port means and said vacuum port means.
Description
The present invention relates to vacuum operated, fluid collection
bottles and, more particularly, to a new and improved bottle of the
type described which can be used for collecting the body fluids of
patients in hospital operating rooms, recovery rooms, and so forth,
by way of example.
In the past, a limited number of fluid collection bottles designed
for vacuum operation have been devised. These bottles are
separable, in that the bottle includes a container and a cover.
Prior designs of which the inventors are aware, indicate that the
covers and bottoms of such bottles are generally flat and made of
glass. Disposable-type bottles, those which the inventors presently
contemplate, are to be made of a suitable plastic that requires
special design considerations. For vacuum operation, plastics
suitable for disposable units are somewhat flexible. Hence,
deformation of the general contour of the bottle will occur upon
the application of suitable reduced-pressure, for drawing fluid
into the bottle. It is desirous, of course, to reduce such
deformation to a minimum in order to preserve the integrity of the
bottle, its volume, and the seal thereof between the cover and
container.
.[.Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to
provide a fluid collection bottle..].
An .[.additional.]. object is to provide a new and improved body
fluid collection bottle for hospital use.
A further object is to provide a fluid collection bottle having
.[.either convex or.]. concave top and bottom surfaces.
An additional object is to provide a uniquely .[.configures.].
.Iadd.configured .Iaddend.cover construction in a fluid collection
bottle which will not distort, at least appreciably, when a reduced
pressure is applied to the interior of the bottle.
An additional object is to provide a vacuum bottle such as that
having .[.a dome shaped cover,.]. a vacuum port inlet .[.in
conjunction with a unique float valve shut-off.]..
An additional object is to provide a container-cover construction
for a vacuum bottle wherein the adjacent sealing surfaces thereof
are configured to provide a maximum sealing effect.
A further object is to provide a vacuum bottle construction wherein
a flexible cover thereof is simply snapped onto the container of
the construction.
In accordance with the present invention, the over-all vacuum
bottle construction includes a cover and bottom which .[.in one
form of the invention are dome shaped and in the other form of the
invention.]. are concave outwardly. .[.These constructions rely.].
.Iadd.This construction relies .Iaddend.on the compression or
tensile strength of the material to preserve the integrity of the
configuration of the bottle design when vacuum pressure is applied.
.[.In one form of the invention, a float-operated, shut-off valve
is provided the vacuum port operatively associated with the cover
of the bottle..]. Unique surface-seal means is provided such that
any slight deformation of the cover of the bottle is utilized to
provide an adequate seal proximately .Iadd.of the .Iaddend.top rim
of the container bottle when vacuum is applied. An annular,
ring-like protuberance and groove intercooperate to lock the cover
of the bottle to the container thereof. Graduation markings are
supplied .[.at the bottom of the container.]. so that .[.small.].
amounts of fluid may be measured in the .[.spherical bottom of
the.]. container.
The features of the present invention which are believed to be
novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The
present invention, both as to its organization and manner of
operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof,
may best be understood by reference to the following description,
taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is an elevation in section, taken along a vertical,
transverse medial plane, of a fluid collection bottle incorporating
the features of the present invention.
.[.FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but illustrates an alternate
form of bottle construction..].
.[.FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section, taken along the line
3--3 in FIG. 1..].
FIG. .[.4.]. .Iadd.2 .Iaddend.is an enlarged fragmentary section
along the line .[.4--4.]. .Iadd.2--2 .Iaddend.in FIG. .[.2..].
.Iadd.1. .Iaddend.
In FIG. 1, fluid bottle 10 is shown to include a container 11 and
also a cover 12. Container 11 includes an upper protruding margin
.[.12.]. .Iadd.12A .Iaddend.provided with an annular bead 13. Bead
13 is designed to fit as a sealing detent into annular recess 14 of
the depending lip 15 of cover 12. Cover 12 also includes a .[.top,
dome, or.]. rigid end wall provided with fluid aperture 17 and
vacuum aperture 30. These apertures are respectively delineated by
depending tubular portions 19 and 24. These may be integrally
formed with cover 12, if desired.
Cover 12 also includes ports 21 and 22 for receiving the end
fittings or end portions of conventional vacuum and fluid, tubes or
hoses, not shown. The end of ports 21 and 22 are preferably tapered
as shown at .[.22,.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.so as to provide for the
wedging of .Iadd.an .Iaddend.end fitting .[.23.]. thereupon.
.[.Port 21 is provided with a depending tube 24 having a
cylindrical float chamber 25. Slidably but tightly disposed within
chamber 25 is a valve gate 26. Stem 27 is secured to valve gate 26,
is rigid in nature, and includes at its lower end a ball float 28.
Apertures 29 and 18 are provided in the construction, as seen in
FIG. 3. A C-ring retainer 31 may be provided to co-operate with
annular internal grooves 32, and the C-ring retainer serves as a
limit stop abutment for float 28 to preclude the latter from
dropping into the interior of the container..].
.[.Where a vacuum shut-off is needed relative to the interior of
container 11, then the structure as seen in enlarged view in FIG. 3
is appropriate. Thus, as the fluid level within container 11 rises,
the same will ultimately contact float 28, causing the same to
rise; by virtue of the rigid stem 27, the valve gate 26 will rise
also. Forward surface 26A will ultimately close off aperture 30
such that the suction applied to the interior of the bottle is
substantially reduced if not eliminated. As a safety feature,
should the fluid level continue to rise, then the rear surface 26B
of the valve gate 26 will close off port 29, thereby providing as a
safety feature a double shut-off relative to the apertures 29 and
30. Seat 33 may be configured to match exactly the contour at 26C,
the top of the valve gate 26..].
In returning to a consideration of container 11, it is seen that
the bottom thereof is concave upwardly. The bottom is designated as
34.Iadd.. .Iaddend..[.and the same may include annular interior
markings or graduations 35. Further markings.]. .Iadd.Markings
.Iaddend.may.[., of course,.]. be present at several incremental
levels 36. These markings may be engraved, grooved, or otherwise
applied to the container. Preferably, container 11 will be
transparent so that the observer can easily note .[.not only.].
those markings exterior of the bottle.Iadd.. .Iaddend..[.but also
the interior markings 35 as well. Interior markings 35 are ideally
used where very small amounts of blood need to be accurately
measured. This is especially important in operative situations
involving infants..]..Iadd.
The top portion 16 of the cover 12 is convex downwardly and the
bottom end wall 34 of the container is convex upwardly. Such a
construction serves very well in connection with the vacuum
techniques since, when vacuum is applied, the inherent strength of
the materials of container 11 and cover 12 permits the tensioning
of the bottom and top without essential distortion. .Iaddend.
The .[."dome".]. nature of top 16 of cover 12, and the bottom 34 of
the container 11, serve the important purpose of pre-stressing the
structure, when vacuum is applied to the container. Thus, it is
anticipated that a minimum of distortion of container 11 in cover
12 will occur when vacuum is applied. Additionally, a desired edge
seal is produced as between the upper edge E of the container and
the corresponding surface S on the underneath side of cover 12. In
cases where bottom end wall 34 of container 11 and the top portion
16 of cover 12 are simply horizontal and planarly configured, then
the application of vacuum to port 21 tends to displace these two
surfaces inwardly. This action tends to distort slightly the
over-all configuration of the bottle and may in some instances have
a deleterious effect on the vacuum seal between the container and
cover. Where the .[.dome.]. construction relative to cover 12 is
utilised as in FIG. 1, then such displacement is less likely to
occur and the seal and contour of depending lip 15 tend to be
preserved. .[. In addition, where circular graduations 35 are used
at spherically concave bottom end wall 34, then appropriate
determination of small volumes of fluid which accumulate at the
bottom of the container can be accurately measured..]. Bottom 34
also compliments the action and effectiveness of configuration of
cover 12 so that greater strength of the over-all bottom
construction is ensured. Additionally, the configuration of rigid
bottom end wall 34 is less likely to become deformed when vacuum is
applied.
In the operation, the tube or hose, not shown, connected to .[.end
fitting 23.]. .Iadd.port 22 .Iaddend.is routed to the general
operative area of the patient and a vacuum hose connected to port
21. When vacuum is thus applied, the body fluid of the patient will
be conducted by its hose through .[.end fitting 23 and.]. port 22
into the interior of the container 11 as indicated by arrows A.
This again, is by virtue of evacuation of the interior of the
bottle as shown by arrows B. The body fluid of the patient is
easily measured.[., first, as to small amounts, by the bottom
graduations 35 and, as the fluid continues to rise,.]. by the
outermost, spaced graduations 36.
.[.When the fluid level reaches float 28, in FIG. 3, the valve gate
26 of valve construction V rises to close, first, aperture 30 and,
second, aperture 29. Such a closure of valve V operates to
terminate the suction within the fluid bottle 10 so that the
further drawing of fluid into the bottle is precluded. A new bottle
is thus installed, the old one removed, and the draining process is
continued..].
.[.FIG. 2 illustrates a slightly modified construction of the
invention wherein ports 21A and 22A are slightly differently
configured as illustrated..]. A perforate cap P is fitted over the
vacuum port to prevent foam and blood from being drawn up this port
to the vacuum pump. The porting construction in FIG. .[.2.].
.Iadd.1 .Iaddend.indicates that both ports, if desired, may be
vertically oriented. .[.As seen in FIG. 2, the bottom end wall 35A
of the container is this time convex upwardly, with top portion or
end wall 16A being convex downwardly. Such a construction serves
very well in connection with the vacuum techniques since, when
vacuum is applied, the inherent strength of the materials of
container 11A and cover 12A permits the tensioning of bottom and
top without essential distortion..]. In practice, it will be found
that .[.either the outwardly-convex configuration of FIG. 1 or.].
the outwardly-concave configuration of FIG. .[.2.]. .Iadd.1
.Iaddend.will serve very well in connection with the vacuum
techniques employed with fluid bottles. The particular construction
selected will depend upon the character of the plastics or other
materials used and their abilities to withstand both stress and
strain by the vacuum pressures contemplated, and so forth. What is
important, in a preferred form of the invention, is that the top
and bottom of the bottle construction be not horizontally planar,
but rather arcuate as shown .Iadd.in FIG. 1 .Iaddend.so that the
vacuum seal between the cover and container as well as the
inter-engagement thereof may be preserved.
FIG. .[.4.]. .Iadd.2 .Iaddend.illustrates in enlarged, fragmentary
section that a preferred form of the upper lip L of container 11
includes a canted portion L1 as well as a straight or horizontal
portion L2. The portion L2 serves to support the sealing surface on
cover .[.12A.]. .Iadd.12.Iaddend.. But with such support,
experimentation has indicated that there is needed an effective,
canted, beveled, or slightly chamfered sealing surface S1. The same
may be used to draw down and thus seat any transversely flexible
cover used with container 11. Such a sealing surface may exactly
fit the contour of a cover such as cover .[.12A.]. .Iadd.12
.Iaddend.in FIG. 2, or the same may be even employed with any other
type of cover designs wherein the cover itself is sufficiently
flexible so as to permit such a "drawing down" in the seating of
the cover at seal area S1 in FIG. .[.4..]. .Iadd.2. .Iaddend.The
materials suggested with regard to such inherent flexibility
relative to cover 12, are polystyrene, polyethylene, polyurethane.
The same materials, howbeit of stiffer grade, may be conventionally
employed for container 11. Cover 12, of course, should have
sufficient flexibility such that the depending rim 15 of the cover
may be passed over and snapped into engagement with the annular
bead 13 of container 11.
What is provided is a new and improved body fluid bottle
construction which is easily assembled and installed for use.
.[.The same may include the float valve if desired, as shown in
FIG. 1..]. Of importance is that adequate sealing surface means are
provided as between the container and cover so that an effective
vacuum seal may be preserved during operation of the equipment.
Further, distortion during use of the bottle is substantially
reduced if not eliminated by the inclusion of curved bottom and top
surfaces of the bottle construction. These will generally comprise
spherical sections as shown such that the .[.dome.]. .Iadd.cover
.Iaddend.and bottom of the overall bottle construction .[.may.].
.Iadd.will .Iaddend.be .[.either convex outwardly or.]. concave
outwardly. Specifically, the concave cover design of FIG. .[.2.].
.Iadd.1 .Iaddend.prevents noticeable distortion of the cover upon
the application of vacuum pressure, and this is paramount to the
total design of this preferred embodiment of the system.
Again, the selection of the specific design will depend upon usage,
the materials desired in construction of the bottle, and so
forth.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been
shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art
that changes and modifications may be made without departing from
this invention in its broader aspects.
* * * * *