WO1983002722A1

WO1983002722A1 - Device for emptying urine-containing bags

Info

Publication number: WO1983002722A1
Application number: PCT/CH1983/000009
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kurt Brandenberger
Original assignee: Kurt Brandenberger
Priority date: 1982-01-28
Filing date: 1983-01-19
Publication date: 1983-08-18
Also published as: CH654479A5; EP0099366A1

Abstract

The casing (1) of the device is divided into an apparatus housing (3) and a working housing (4) by a vertically orientated partition wall (2). The casing is provided with an access opening (18) through which a container (17) may be introduced in the working housing (4) and contains the urine bag (26) to be emptied. After setting in place the container (17) and closing the upper valve closure (38), the working housing (4) is sealingly closed so as to prevent any spattering. The apparatus housing contains a cylinder and piston mechanism (6) of which the piston rod (20) carries a cutting device (21) comprising first blades (24) which cooperate with second blades (30) arranged in the container (17). Thus, through the displacement of the piston (20), the urine bag (26) is perforated. The driving mechanism (6) operates under the effect of hydraulic pressure from a main conduit (9) which also supplies a spraying unit (12, 13) of which the jets wash the inside of the working housing when emptying the urine bag. A nozzle (13) is connected to an injection and mixture valve (7) for the addition of a disinfectant. It is supplied at the same time as the water nozzle (12).

Description

Device for emptying urine bags

The present invention relates to a device for emptying urine bags according to the preamble of claim 1.

In elderly care and especially in incontinent patients, plastic bags of approx. 1 1/2 l are used for urine collection. These urine bags are preferably attached to the bed frame or glued to the patient's leg. The connection between the patient's bladder and the urine bag is made using a catheter and a flexible tube.

In practice, there are some considerable problems with the creation of plastic bags containing urine because they can only be thrown into the rubbish bag in an emptied state. Since the urine is poorly drained from an undamaged plastic bag, the latter is usually cut , for example a corner of the bag is cut off. In many cases it cannot be avoided that the bag must still be squeezed out by hand. This handling often involves not only the pouring spout, but also nearby utensils and apparatus and ins ¬ especially sprayed the personnel involved in handling. The resulting contamination is not only extremely unsatisfactory from a hygienic point of view.

QΛΪPI This is also very dangerous because of the latent risk of contamination from poisons contained in the urine.

Hygiene demands that are taken for granted today and the avoidance of any kind of contamination in nursing homes, hospitals etc. urgently call for an improvement in the above-described bag destruction, since the cause of so-called cross-infections can often be found in this area. The urine bag should no longer have to be ^" manually destroyed ^" so that its contents can be safely discharged into a spout.

The object of the invention thus consists in creating a device for emptying urine bags, in which the urine bag is received, punctured, emptied and disinfected in such a way that there is no risk of splashing or contamination during the bag treatment. At the same time, the parts of the device that are spatially adjacent when the bag is emptied should also be included in the disinfection process.

The inventive solution to this problem is characterized by claim 1. Embodiments of this emerge from the dependent claims.

An embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawing. It shows:

1 schematically, in longitudinal section, a device designed according to the invention for emptying urine bags,

2a, b the container for receiving the emptying bag in vertical section (a) and in plan (b), and

3a, b the bag piercing elements in the rest and working position, essentially along the line A-A in Fig. 1st

In FIG. 1, reference number 1 denotes a housing which, through a partition 2, leads into an essentially closed apparatus space 3 and into an open one

Working space Ü is divided. The apparatus space, which can be closed by a removable cover 5, contains in particular a pressure-actuated cylinder-piston unit 6, an injector or mixing valve 7 for adding a disinfectant to the rinse water, a disinfectant tank 8 and main lines 9 and 10 for the supply of one Flushing and pressure medium, preferably tap water to the cylinder-piston unit 6, the injector valve 7 and the supply of disinfectant to the injector valve. Further, the machine room 3 includes a fill line 11 for the refilling of the tank 8 and ^'spray nozzles 12 and 13 leading leads 1 * 4, 15 for rinsing and disinfecting mixture.

The liquid level in the disinfectant tank is made visually visible by a level indicator 16 arranged outside the housing 1. The latter can be combined with an alarm device. The fill level can optionally also be monitored by devices which, for example, cause the tank 8 to be refilled automatically and / or block the actuation of the bag emptying device if the fill level is too low. The pressure medium or tap water supply takes place via a preferably manually operated control valve 39

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_ O PI in the main line 9 •

It goes without saying that the disinfectant tank 8 and the associated level monitoring devices as well as the injector or mixing valve 7 can also be arranged outside the housing 1 as separate devices.

The work space is designed to accommodate a bag container 17 which can be easily installed and removed, the details of which are clearer from FIGS. 2a and 2b. The entrance to the working space k is formed by an oblique opening 18, which is formed by lowering the housing top wall 1.1 to approximately half the housing height and obliquely cutting the housing side walls. When the bag container 17 is inserted into the working space H, the container 17 is tilted in the general direction of the arrow E, is gradually pivoted clockwise while moving downward along the top wall edge 19 and is thus brought into its working position.

In the upper part of the working space h there are the spray nozzles 12 and 13 _/ in the central part a longitudinally movable one connected to the outer end of the piston rod 20 of the cylinder-piston unit 6

Cutting unit 21 and at the bottom an upright bottom centering wall 22 for local fixing of the container 17, which is guided rearward through the top wall 1.1 and laterally through the housing side walls, within the working space U. With a carrier plate 23 of the cutting unit 21 seated directly on the outer end of the piston rod 20, one is made of Fi ^* . 3a .. 3b in a top view, visible first set of knives 2-4 and a bag hold-down 25 pointing towards the oblique opening 18. The latter Purpose is to press the upper part of a urine bag 26 to be emptied at the latest at the beginning of the emptying of the bag, ie shortly after the sharp knife edges 27 hit the bag surface, against the rear wall of the bag container 17.

In order to avoid simultaneous running of the entire edge length of the knives from the knife set or its sharpened edges 27 on the bag surface during bag cutting and thus to reduce the risk of the bag flattening, the knife edges 27 close an angle α of approximately 100 °. 120 to the direction of movement of the piston rod 20. In this way it can be ensured that the bag, which is bulged in its lower part, is first pierced there by the knife tip lying below and the liquid outflow begins rapidly.

In order to achieve inclined surfaces for rapid drainage and furthermore an overall low overall height of the device ^* on practically all parts of the longitudinally movable cutting unit 21, the axis 28 of the piston rod 20 is also inclined with respect to the horizontal. This angle of inclination α 'is approximately 10-30. Correspondingly, the partition 2 between the apparatus and the working space 3, and • -), ^'at which the cylinder-piston unit 6 is fixed to about 10-30 inclined to the vertical.

To ensure the rinsing and disinfection of the rear surfaces 23 ', 25' of the carrier plate 23 and the bag hold-down device 25 with respect to the spray nozzles 12, 13, these parts are perforated, for example made of perforated sheet metal.

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_ O PI SA - WIPO So that the movement of the piston-driven cutting unit 21 and the cutting or cutting open of the urine bag 26 in the manner described above and the spraying by means of the spray nozzles 12, 13 is possible, the end face of the container 17 is open, as shown in FIGS. 2a, 2b and 3a, 3b emerges. According to FIGS. 2a and 2b, the container 17 consists of a cup-shaped container body 17-1 with a front side 17.2 cut free over a substantial part of its extent. Only a lower section 17-3 stands for holding the urine bag, in particular as a retaining element or scraper for the lower section of the bag 26 when the first set of knives 24 returns to its initial position after the bag has been pierced moved back _ In order to be able to act as a scraper, the end edge 17-3 'lies just below the path of the knives 24.1, 24.2 of the first knife set 24. Inwardly bent corner parts 17-4 form side wall stiffeners. The flat side wall 17-5 are simultaneously centering of the container 17 in the housing 1. The rear wall 17-6 carries on its outer side above a handle 29 and on its inner surface below a komplemen¬ for the first set of blades 24-refractory second blade set ^"~~ 30 The container bottom 17.1 contains, for example, a nozzle-shaped outlet opening 31. In the operating position according to FIG. 1, the latter opens into a drain connector 32 in a conically recessed part 33-1 of the housing base 33-

The top of the container is provided with a spray protection cover 3 (FIGS. 1 and 2a, 2b), which is approximately the same

Half of the container surface is covered and contains a central holding slot 35 for receiving and clamping the bag feed hose 26.1. To achieve splash protection when operating the facility the uncovered part of the top of the container is closed with a hinged lid 38, for example fixed to the housing.

As shown in FIG. 1, the second set of knives 30 arranged in the interior of the container 17 is aligned with the piston rod axis 28. The vertical knife edges 30 'are essentially (but not necessarily) parallel to the knife edges of the first knife set 24.

As can be seen in particular from FIGS. 3a and b, the sets of knives 24 and 30 each consist of a series of shorter central knives 24.1 and 30.1, which each have a gap with respect to one another. There is a longer outer one on each side of the rows of shorter central knives 24.1, 30.1. Knives 24.2, 30.2. These outer knives are each next to one another at a distance which is dependent, in part, on the parallel guiding accuracy of the (movable) cutting unit 21 through the guide rod 36, and on the other hand on an adequate side play of the container 17 in the working space 4 of the housing 1 and with respect to it of these criteria is preferably chosen to be minimal. The guide rod 36 is mounted on the carrier plate 23, protrudes from it at right angles and traverses the partition wall 2, guided by a sealing collar 37 preventing the penetration of liquid into the apparatus space 3.

The interaction of the first and the second set of knives is described with reference to FIGS. 3a and 3b. In Fig. 3a the undamaged urine bag 26, guided by the lower end section 17-3, lies in front of the knives 30.1, 30.2 of the second knife set 30 arranged in the bag container 17. The first knife set 2 * 4 carrying the knives 2 * 4.1, 24.2 , attached to the carrier plate 23 _a i ^st shown in its initial position with retracted piston rod 20th 3b shows the carrier plate 23 or the first knife set 24, when the piston rod 20 is extended, in meshing engagement with the first knife set, the urine bag 26 'being punctured several times, largely flattened and emptied.

It is understood that 30 can also aim to er¬ a sufficient perforation of the urine bag, the diameter of the knife sets 24, unlike in the drawing ge ^"is designed, may be arranged in a different configuration or replaced by (not shown) piercing members ,, .

The mode of operation of the device for emptying urine bags shown in FIG. 1 will now be described.

The bag 26, which is sealed with a closure cap 26.2, is inserted into the container 17 when the container 1 is removed, the supply hose 26.1 being inserted into the holding slot 35 of the splash protection cover 34 of the container 17- _. (Fig. 2a) is pinched. The container provided with a urine bag 26 is then inserted through the oblique opening 18 into the working space 4 of the housing and then the hinged lid 38 is folded down over the working space 4. Then, a the main water line 9 connecting with the local water supply network WN check valve 39 _s water tap or, for example a manually operated open water, an electric valve. As a result, the spray nozzle 12 is fed directly and sprayed through the perforated bag hold-down device 25 through the inside of the container 17. Impingement and seepage water simultaneously wet the remaining parts of the work area 4. Simultaneously water reaches the injector or mixing valve 7 via the line branch 9 ', whereby disinfectant is sucked out of the tank 8. The water-disinfectant mixture prepared in the valve 7 passes through the feed line 15 to the spray nozzle 13 _s, which, like the nozzle 12, sprays the inside of the container 17 and the adjacent parts of the working space 4.

When the main line 9 is pressurized with water, the cylinder-piston unit 6 is also supplied via the line 9 ". The piston 20 'pushes the piston rod 20 against the pressure of a return spring 40, as a result of which the movable cutting unit 21 is connected to the the first knife set 24 is moved along the axis 28 against the bag 26. With the carrier plate 23 carrying the knife set 24, the bag hold-down device 25 connected to the latter also moves obliquely downward and thereby presses the upper part of the bag 26 backwards or to the left against the knife edges 30 'of the container-side (second) knife set 30. The bag wall can already be perforated.' With continued expelling of the piston rod 20 is now also the knife edges bite 27 of the first Messer¬ set 24 from the front side against the bag wall and perforate them (Fig. 3b). After completion ^"of the piston benhubes remain the sets of blades 24, there are 30. The nozzles 12, 13 remain in action until experience has shown that the urine is flushed out of the bag 26 or is sufficiently diluted that the bag can be added to the rest of the rubbish. Flushing liquid, urine and disinfectant flow into the sewage system via the outlet opening 31 and the outlet connection 32. All components inside the work space -4 are exposed to the rinsing and disinfection process and can therefore be kept clean.

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Λ ^mp ° After the rinsing and disinfection process is complete, the valve 39 is closed. The piston 20 'and the piston rod 20 move back into their starting position under the action of the return spring 40, the piston chamber on the breast side being dewatered via the nozzle 12. The empty bag 26 '(FIG. 3b) is stripped off by the knives of the movable knife set 24 when the cutting unit 21 is pulled back on the wall edge 17-3'.

Claims

Patent claims

1. A device for draining urine bags by perforating ^'of the bag and rinsing of the urine from the bag in a sealed, drained by a Ab¬ running space, characterized by a housing (1) by a substantially vertically oriented partition (2) is divided into an apparatus space (3) and a work space (4), the apparatus space being a drive device (6) and guide elements (36, 37) for moving one with cutting or piercing members (24, 27) Provided movable cutting unit (21) in and out of engagement with the urine bag (26), and the work space for the operational recording of a removable part of the device and the urine bag (26) to be emptied holding the bag container (17) and said cutting unit (21), and also a nozzle arrangement (12, 13) for rinsing and disinfecting the objects located in the work area (4) when the bag is emptied holds.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottom (33) of the housing (1) in the area of the working space (-4) contains a conical drain recess (33.1) with a drain connector (32).

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized

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OMPI shows that the inside of the bag container (17) has a cutting or piercing element arrangement (30) which can be brought into cutting or piercing engagement with the movable cutting unit (21).

4. Device according to claim 1, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the drive device for the movable cutting unit (21) is a cylinder-piston unit (6), on the partition wall (2) -crossing piston rod (20) a the base of Carrier plate (23) forming the cutting unit (21) is arranged.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the partition (2) is designed as a supporting element of the nozzle arrangement (12, 13) and / or the drive device (6) and on at least the assembly area of these components is inclined to converge upwards.

6. Device according to claim 5 ₃ characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the axis of movement (28) of the piston rod ((2200)) is inclined at an angle α 'of 10-30 to the horizontal.

7- Device according to claim 1, characterized thereby that the end wall (17.2) of the bag container (17) is provided with a passage opening for the cutting unit (21) and a centering section (17-3) for the bottom has emptying urine bag (26), the upper end (17.3 ') is designed as a scraper edge for holding back the emptied urine bag.

8. Device according to claim, characterized

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0Λ.PI shows that a bag hold-down device (25) which is movable with the carrier plate (23) is connected to the movement in order to depress the upper end of the bag when perforating the bag.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that both the carrier plate (23) and the bag hold-down (25) consist of perforated sheet metal.

10. The device according to claim 1, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the apparatus room (3) additionally contains a disinfectant tank (8) and for the addition of disinfectant to the spray water from at least one spray nozzle (13) intended injector and mixing valve (7).