Improved Urine Collection Bag Assembly

Abstract

An improved urine collection bag assembly is presented. The improved urine collection bag assembly of the present invention features a one-way flow control valve to prevent the backflow of urine into a urinary catheter and subsequently, into a patient's bladder. The improved urine collection bag also features at a lower end a urine sampling valve. In the exemplary embodiment, the one-way flow control valve is a flap style valve and the sampling valve is a slider style valve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A urine collection bag assembly comprising:
 a urine collection bag having an inlet and an outlet;   a one-way flow control valve disposed above and exterior to the inlet of the urine collection bag, the one-way flow control valve having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet of the one-way flow control valve connected to the inlet of the urine collection bag; the inlet of the one-way flow control valve being attachable to a urinary catheter, wherein the one-way flow control valve prevents the backflow of urine out of the urine collection bag;   a sampling valve disposed below and exterior to the inlet of the urine collection bag, the sampling valve having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the sampling valve connected to the outlet of the urine collection bag;   wherein, the sampling valve comprises:
 vertically oriented, hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions, the vertically oriented, hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions being in fluid communication; 
 a horizontally oriented, cylindrical passageway portion disposed between the vertically oriented hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions; 
 a cylindrical sliding element disposed within the passageway portion, the cylindrical sliding element including cylindrical end portions, hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions when disposed between the vertically oriented, hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions; 
 the cylindrical sliding element having an intermediate portion disposed between the cylindrical end portions, wherein the intermediate portion allows fluid communication between the vertically oriented, hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions when the intermediate portion is disposed between the vertically oriented, hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions; 
 an end cap affixed to each of the end portions of the sliding portion; and 
   curved hooks extending upwardly from a top of the urine collection bag wherein the curved hooks allow the urine collection bag to be hung from a rack.   
     
     
         2 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the end caps, the sliding element and the horizontally oriented, passageway portion are configured such that when one end cap is pressed to the extent of its depth, fluid communication between the vertically oriented, hollow inlet and outlet portions is prevented and when the other end cap is pressed to the extent of its depth, fluid communication between the vertically oriented, hollow inlet and outlet portions is allowed. 
     
     
         3 . A urine collection bag assembly comprising:
 a urine collection bag having an inlet and an outlet;   a one-way flow control valve having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet of the one-way flow control valve connected to the inlet of the urine collection bag; the inlet of the one-way flow control valve being attachable to a urinary catheter, wherein the one-way flow control valve prevents the backflow of urine out of the urine collection bag;   wherein, the one-way flow control valve is disposed above and exterior to the inlet of the urine collection bag;   wherein, the one-way flow control valve comprises a flap style flow control valve;   a sampling valve having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the sampling valve connected to the outlet of the urine collection bag;   wherein, the sampling valve comprises:
 vertically oriented, hollow inlet and outlet portions, the vertically oriented, hollow inlet and outlet portions being in fluid communication; 
 a horizontally oriented, passageway portion disposed between the vertically oriented hollow inlet and outlet portions; 
 a sliding element disposed within the passageway portion, the sliding element including end portions, hollow inlet and outlet portions when disposed between the vertically oriented, hollow inlet and outlet portions; 
 the sliding element having an intermediate portion disposed between the end portions, wherein the intermediate portion allows fluid communication between the vertically oriented, hollow inlet and outlet portions when the intermediate portion is disposed between the vertically oriented, hollow inlet and outlet portions. 
   
     
     
         4 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the flap style flow control valve is flexible. 
     
     
         5 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the flap style flow control valve is attached to one side of the inner portion of the one way control valve. 
     
     
         6 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the outlet of the sampling valve is threaded to threadably engage accessories. 
     
     
         7 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 6 , wherein one of the accessories is a screw cap, the cap having a raised inset which seals the outlet of the sampling valve when engaged. 
     
     
         8 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the collection bag includes a graduated volume scale. 
     
     
         9 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 3 , further including a catheter connection tube wherein the catheter connection tube interconnects the inlet of the one-way flow control valve with a urinary catheter. 
     
     
         10 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the urine collection bag, one-way flow control valve and sampling valve are made from biologically inert materials. 
     
     
         11 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the urine collection bag, one-way flow control valve, and sampling valve each comprise one or more materials selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene and poly vinyl chloride. 
     
     
         12 . A urine collection bag assembly comprising:
 a urine collection bag having an inlet and an outlet;   a one-way flow control valve having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet of the one-way flow control valve connected to the inlet of the urine collection bag; the inlet of the one-way flow control valve being attachable to a urinary catheter, wherein the one-way flow control valve prevents the backflow of urine out of the urine collection bag, wherein the one-way control valve has a flexible flap element which opens in one direction in the presence of fluid flow, but closes if a reverse flow is experienced;   a sampling valve having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the sampling valve connected to the outlet of the urine collection bag the;   wherein, the sampling valve comprises:
 vertically oriented, hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions, the vertically oriented, hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions being in fluid communication; 
 a horizontally oriented, cylindrical passageway portion disposed between the vertically oriented hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions;
 a cylindrical sliding element disposed within the passageway portion, the cylindrical sliding element including cylindrical end portions wherein at least one of the cylindrical end portions prevent fluid communication between the vertically oriented, hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions when disposed between the vertically oriented, hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions; and 
 
 the cylindrical sliding element having an intermediate portion disposed between the cylindrical end portions, wherein the intermediate portion allows fluid communication between the vertically oriented, hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions when the intermediate portion is disposed between the vertically oriented, hollow cylindrical inlet and outlet portions; and 
 an end cap affixed to each of the end portions of the sliding portion. 
   
     
     
         13 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the end caps affixed to each of the end portions of the sliding portion further comprise an inside diameter that is larger than the outside diameter of the horizontally oriented, cylindrical passageway, wherein the cylindrical end caps may slide along an exterior of the horizontally oriented, cylindrical passageway portion for the duration of their depths. 
     
     
         14 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the one-way flow control valve is disposed on the side of the urine collection bag. 
     
     
         15 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the collection bag includes a graduated volume scale. 
     
     
         16 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the flexible flap element is affixed to one side of the inner portion of the one-way control flow valve. 
     
     
         17 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the outlet of the sampling valve is thread to engage a cap, the cap having a raised inset which seals the outlet of the sampling valve when engaged. 
     
     
         18 . The urine collection bag assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the cylindrical sliding element has end caps affixed to each of the end portions of the cylindrical sliding portion.