Container for the Collection of Urine Over a Period of 24 Hours

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container for the collection of urine over a period of 24 hours, the inner volume of which is defined by a bottom wall, a perimetral wall and a top wall. The container comprises at least a first access mouth made on the top wall or perimetral wall, and means for drawing off the urine collected in the container. These means comprise a cup body inserted inside the container to close the first access mouth. The cup body delimits a chamber for housing a vacuum vial. On the bottom of the cup body there is an aperture which places the chamber in communication with the inner volume. These drawing means further comprise means for fluidically coupling the aperture to the vacuum vial, and a tube for sucking the urine. This tube is fluidically coupled to the aperture and extending from the bottom of the cup body as far as the bottom wall of the container.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A container for the collection of urine over a period of 24 hours, the inner volume of which is delimited by a bottom wall, a perimetral wall and by a top wall, said container comprising at least a first access mouth made on said top wall or on said perimetral wall, characterized by the fact of comprising means for drawing off the urine collected in the container, which are permanently associated to said first access mouth and comprise:
 a cup body inserted, partially or totally, inside said container to close said first access mouth, said cup body delimiting a chamber for the housing of a vacuum vial, on the bottom of said cup body there being an aperture which places said chamber in communication with the inner volume of said container;   means for fluidically coupling said aperture to said vial housed in said chamber, said coupling means being associated to the bottom of said cup body, inside said chamber, at said aperture; and   a tube for sucking the urine collected in said container, said tube being fluidically coupled to said aperture and extending from the bottom of said cup body substantially as far as said bottom wall of said container.   
     
     
         21 . The container according to  claim 20 , wherein between the suction end of said tube and said end wall there is a distance of at least 1 mm. 
     
     
         22 . The container according to  claim 20 , wherein said bottom wall has a depression at the point in which the suction end of said tube is positioned, said depression facilitating the confluence of the residual urine present in said container toward said suction end. 
     
     
         23 . The container according to  claim 20 , wherein said bottom wall has a depression at the point in which the suction end of said tube is positioned, said depression facilitating the confluence of the residual urine present in said container toward said suction end, and wherein said first access mouth is made on said top wall substantially on the perpendicular of said depression. 
     
     
         24 . The container according to  claim 20 , wherein said tube has an inner diameter of 1 to 3 mm and a length of 70 to 90 mm. 
     
     
         25 . The container according to  claim 20 , wherein said tube has an inner diameter of 1.2 to 3.5 mm and a length of 140 to 180 mm. 
     
     
         26 . The container according to  claim 20 , wherein said cup body is retained coaxially in said first access mouth by means of a perimetral portion, which couples with the rim of said first access mouth. 
     
     
         27 . The container according to  claim 20 , wherein said fluidically coupling means comprise a longitudinally hollow needle which projects inside said chamber from the bottom of said cup body, said needle being fluidically coupled at its base to said aperture and being provided with a tip to perforate the membrane closing said vial so as to place in fluidic communication the inside of said vial with the inner volume of said container by means of said aperture. 
     
     
         28 . The container according to  claim 27 , wherein said fluidically coupling means comprises a sheath which protects at least the tip of said needle and acts as a barrier preventing the leakage of urine from said container through said needle. 
     
     
         29 . The container according to  claim 27 , wherein said longitudinally hollow needle has an inner diameter of 0.75 mm to 1.6 mm. 
     
     
         30 . The container according to  claim 27 , wherein said longitudinally hollow needle has a total length of 7 to 35 mm and length of the section projecting inward of 2 to 30 mm. 
     
     
         31 . The container according to  claim 20 , wherein said fluidically coupling means comprise a longitudinally hollow needle which projects inside said chamber from the bottom of said cup body, said needle being fluidically coupled at its base to said aperture and being provided with a tip to perforate the membrane closing said vial so as to place in fluidic communication the inside of said vial with the inner volume of said container by means of said aperture, said container comprising a hub associated to said cup body at said aperture, said hub associating said needle and said tube to said cup body, connecting them fluidically to each other. 
     
     
         32 . The container according to  claim 31 , wherein said hub extends inside said chamber with a first portion, on which a first longitudinal seat is made for inserting the base of said needle, and inside said container with a second portion, on which a second longitudinal seat is made for inserting a first end of said tube, said two inserting seats being fluidically connected to each other by an inner longitudinal channel. 
     
     
         33 . The container according to  claim 31 , wherein said hub extends inside said chamber with a first portion, on which a first longitudinal seat is made for inserting the base of said needle, and inside said container with a second portion, on which a second longitudinal seat is made for inserting a first end (of said tube, said two inserting seats being fluidically connected to each other by an inner longitudinal channel, and wherein said hub is provided with an intermediate attachment portion, between said first and said second portion, by means of which it is connected to the bottom of said cup body in correspondence of a fixing seat which is made on the bottom of said cup body and which axially defines said aperture. 
     
     
         34 . The container according to  claim 31 , wherein said hub is provided with an annular boss which engages with interference in a counter-shaped annular shoulder made in said fixing seat, thereby creating a barrier to the entrance of urine from said container to said housing chamber. 
     
     
         35 . The container according to  claim 33 , wherein said hub is provided with an annular boss which engages with interference in a counter-shaped annular shoulder made in said fixing seat, thereby creating a barrier to the entrance of urine from said container to said housing chamber, said annular boss being made at the base of said intermediate portion and said counter-shaped annular shoulder being made at the entrance of said fixing seat. 
     
     
         36 . The container according to  claim 20 , comprising a second access mouth. 
     
     
         37 . The container according  claim 20 , comprising a transport handle. 
     
     
         38 . The container according  claim 20 , having a useful inner volume of 2 to 3.5 litres.