GB2207709A

GB2207709A - Fluid collection and transportation device

Info

Publication number: GB2207709A
Application number: GB08717798A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leonard Mercer
Original assignee: CLINIMED Ltd
Current assignee: CLINIMED Ltd
Priority date: 1987-07-28
Filing date: 1987-07-28
Publication date: 1989-02-08
Also published as: GB8717798D0

Abstract

A device for collecting fluid such as mucus from the body comprises a sealed transparent container 1 which houses a flexible plastics bag 8 in sealed communication with a suction catheter 6 outside the container. In operation the container is evacuated by applying suction to a tube 4 communicating with the interior of the container such that the bag expands so creating a suction effect at the free end of the catheter to enable fluid to be drawn-off by the catheter for collection in the bag. The arrangement removes the danger of contact between the operator and the fluid. <IMAGE>

Description

Fluid Collection and Transporting Device FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for collecting and transporting fluidic material, particularly where the material is toxic or contagious to human beings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A mucus collection device is known in the prior art comprising a catheter for delivering the mucus drawn off from a particular zone of the body to a sealed transparent, normally plastics, receptacle. A clear plastics tube is in communication with the sealed container.

In actual operation, for example to clear obstructing matter in a baby's throat, the catheter is passed down the throat and a midwife applies oral suction to the clear plastics tube to lower the pressure inside the container which in turn creates a suction effect in the catheter to draw-off the obstructing matter from the throat and into the container.

The problem with this device resides in the danger to the operator of contact with the contaminatory material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

According to the invention there is provided a device for collecting fluidic material comprising a container, a collection tube, a receptacle within the container in communication with said tube for collecting the contaminatory material from said tube, and means for reducing pressure in the container, the receptacle being of a flexible material in a normally collapsed state such that creation of said reduced pressure allows the receptacle to expand to draw by suction contaminatory matter along said tube and into the receptacle.

It will be appreciated that with the above defined device, the contaminatory matter is collected separately from the main container thus obviating the possibility of it coming into contact with the operator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention made with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of one form of collection device according to the invention and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of another form of collection device according to the invention.

BEST MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The collection device shown in Figure 1 comprises a clear plastics container 1 provided with a closure cap 2 which seals the container 1.

The closure cap 2 is provided with a pair of spaced connecting nipples, to one of which 3 is attached a clear plastics tube 4 and to the other 5 a rubber suction catheter 6.

The nipple 5 forms one end part of a hollow plastics tubular piece 7 which-extends through the cap 2 within the container 1.

The container 1 houses a collecting bag 8 formed of a flexible plastics material, such that under normal atmospheric pressure it assumes a collapsed state within the container 1.

The bag 8 is sealingly attached at 9 to the tubular piece 7 within the container 1.

To operate the device, pressure is reduced within the container 1 by applying suction by oral, syringe or other mechanical means, to the free end of the plastics tube 4 provided with mouthpiece 10, which in turn causes the bag 8 to inflate within the container 1 by reason of the pressure differential between the container contents and the free end of the catheter 6.

When the catheter 6 is inserted down a child's throat, for example, to extract mucus therefrom, the suction effect produced, causes the mucus to be drawn off through the catheter 6 and into the bag 8.

In this manner contact with the mucus (or other fluidic material) due to the danger of the mucus being drawn accidently up the plastics tube 4 and/or when being removed from the container 1, is avoided.

The other embodiment of the collecting device of the invention shown in Figure 2 is similar in most respects with that shown in Figure 1, and accordingly the same reference numerals have been used to identify the various component parts.

In the Figure 2 embodiment, however, it will be seen that the connecting nipples 3 and 5 are positioned in-line that is to say the connecting nipple 5 for catheter 6 is situated in the closure cap 2, while the connecting nipple 3 for plastics tube 4 is located in the bottom or opposite wall B of the container 1.

The invention has been described herein with reference to preferred embodiments useful in the extraction and collection of mucus from a childs throat. It has other important applications for example in culture transfer and handling, specimen sampling, and small volume transfer of toxic or contagious matter.

Claims

1. A device for collecting fluidic material comprising a container, a collection tube, a receptacle within the container in communication with said tube for collecting the contaminatory material from said tube, and means for reducing pressure in the container, the receptacle being of a flexible material in a normally collapsed state such that creation of said reduced pressure allows the receptacle to expand to draw by suction contaminatory matter along said tube and into the receptacle.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said recep tacle is a transparent plastics bag.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said container is made of two separable parts to permit the contam- inatory matter to be removed from the bag.

4. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said vacuum creating means is a clear plastics tube connected to the interior of the container for with drawing air therefrom by suction on said tube.

5. A device for extracting contaminatory matter such as mucus from the body substantially as hereinbefore described with reference and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.