US3486173A - Bedpan with deodorizing means - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 30, 1969 J. L. YOUNGBLOOD ET AL 3,486,173

BEDPAN WITH DEODORIZING MEANS Filed Sept. 21-, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS THOMAS CHRIST/AN BY (JACK L YOUNGBLOOD J. 1.. YOUNGBLOOD ET AL 3,486,173

Dec. 30, 1969 BEDPAN WITH DEODORIZING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 21, 1967 INVENTOR.

THOMAS CHRIST/AN JACK L. YOUNGBLOOD ATTORNEY 3,486,173 BEDPAN WITH DEODORIZING MEANS Jack L. Younghlood, 401 W. Hively St., and Thomas Christian, 602 W. Hively St., both of Elkhart, Ind.

Filed Sept. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 669,468 Int. Cl. A61g 9/00 "US. Cl. 4112 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bedpan with deodorizing means having an air chamber communicating with the interior of the pan at a high level inlet opening and connected with an air discharge means including an elongated conduit exhausting remotely from the pan and having a power driven fan drawing air from the chamber through the conduit and through an odor absorbing element.

This invention relates to a bedpan with deodorizing means.

The use of a bedpan is frequently attended by the emission of strong odors. These frequently become objectionable, particularly in cases where nurses and nurses aides are busy and are unable to empty the bedpan and to wash the same promptly after use has ended.

Various efforts have been made to meet and solve this problem. Such efforts have commonly been directed along the lines of providing ventilation or by drawing odors for discharge to atmosphere through a window or a vent as in Patents 2,300,109 and 2,712,136. Another apparatus has been proposed by which the bedpan is provided with a hose or tube for connection with a remotely located source of suction, as shown in Patent 1,978,468. These prior devices have failed to receive acceptance because of various factors, such as the high cost thereof, the need for suction piping in a hospital, the difliculty in handling the unit, and the difficulty in cleaning the unit.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a device of this character which overcomes the disadvantages of prior devices as aforementioned.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which utilizes means to remove odors without requiring discharge of odorous air externally of a building.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction, easy to handle and to clean, and which is compact and readily stored.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1 with parts shown in section.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 77 of FIG. 6.

nited States Patent 0 FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on line 99 of FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 6 to 9 which illustrate one form of bedpan usable with the invention, the numeral 10 designates a bedpan formed of plastic, fiber glass, hard rubber, or metal having a bottom 12, sides 14, front end portion 16 and back end portion 18. The portions 14, 16 and 18 are preferably integral with the bottom and with a top flange 20 extending angularly downwardly and inwardly therefrom upon which the user rests while using the article.

At one or both of the opposite sides of the pan is formed an air chamber 22. This chamber is preferably formed within the bedpan and may be defined by an inner wall 24 spaced inwardly from the side 14 and preferably welded or otherwise joined to side 14 at 26 adjacent to the bottom 12. In the preferred form, the weld or joint 26 is inclined toward one end, as from the front end to a low point at 28 adjacent the rear of the construction. The upper part of each chamber preferably extends below the flange 20 at part 30 and is completed by an upper inner side Wall 32 which is suitably joined, welded or adhered to the top flange 20 spaced from the inner margin thereof. A front wall 34 and a rear wall 36 cooperate with the walls 24, 36 and 32, being joined or united to the side walls 18 to complete air chamber 22.

Openings are provided to establish communication between the interior of the air chamber 22 and the interior of the bedpan 10. Such openings are preferably formed at 38 in the upper inner wall 32 of the air chamber and may extend along the length of that wall at spaced points. In the preferred form, the chamber wall 30 is preferably inclined upwardly and outwardly from inner upper wall 32 preferably above the level of the openings 38. It will be observed that the openings 38 are spaced inwardly from the inner edges of the flange 20, that is, between the inner edge of the flange and the outer wall 14, so that the flesh of the user will not contact the apertured walls 32 so as to close the same. Each chamber 22 also has an opening 40 formed in the outer wall 14 which communicates therewith at the low point 28 of the air chamber 22. Opening 40 is here shown as being defined by an inwardly projecting tubular part 42 in which the inner end of a flexible discharge tube 44 may be releasably inserted, or into which a sealing plug (not shown) may be inserted to close the opening 40.

An alternative unit is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. In this construction, the bedpan 46 has a side wall 48 and a top flange 50 With which a chamber defining wall 52 cooperates to define an air chamber 54. Such chamber may be located at any selected point about the circumference of the bedpan, preferably at the side thereof and is provided with one or more intake openings 56 at the upper part of the wall 52 adjacent to the top flange 50. The bedpan has an opening 53 in its outer wall 48 spaced below the inlet opening 56 and preferably at the level of the bottom of the air chamber 54. A11 outlet fitting or tube 60 is secured to wall 48 around the opening 58 and in communication therewith.

The flexible discharge tube 62 or a tube such as 44 in FIG. 7, is detachably connected with the bedpan at a fitting or outlet 42 or 60, respectively, and is of a length suflicient to extend to a point remote from the bedpan, for

example, of a length of 18 inches or more. To the outer end of such flexible tube 44 or 62 there may be attached a unit of the type best seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and comprising an open ended housing 64 having a neck 66 adapted for detachable connection with the outer end of the tube. Housing 64 may be of any shape desired and is preferably substantially cylindrical as here shown, being open and being larger than the neck 66 at its outer end. An end ring 68 is preferably detachably mounted upon the free end of the housing and has an opening 70 therein. The end ring 68 mounts and confines a suitable filter, such as activated charcoal confined in a container formed of fabric or screening or other material, through which and the filter material air may flow freely. A carrier 74, such as a spring clip, may be mounted upon a closure plate 76 spanning an opening in the housing 64 and anchored thereto at 78. The carrier 74 serves to mount an electric motor 80 upon whose shaft is mounted a fan blade 82. Suitable electrical wires provide connection of the motor to a source of power under the control of a switch 84 carried by the housing 64.

In the use of the device when a flexible conduit 44 or 62 is connected to the bedpan, the same may be located upon the bed or extended to the side of the bed at a position located clear of the bed covers so as to expose the opening 70 thereof to atmosphere. As the bedpan is being used, the switch 84 controls operation of the fan motor 80 to rotate the fan blade 82, and draw air from the interior of the bedpan, as at the inlet openings 38 or 56 to the air chamber 22 or 54 and thence through the flexible conduit 44 or 62 to and through the housing 64. Rotation of the fan blade 82 forces the air through the filter 72 which is capable of removing odors therefrom, So that the air discharged at the outlet 7 is odor free or substantially so.

The device is easily installed and for its connection requires only the plugging of an extension cord (not shown) into an electrical outlet. The device is easily disassembled after use by separating the flexible tube from the outlet of the air chamber so that the bedpan can be handled by itself while being emptied and cleaned. The high level location of the air inlet 38 or 56 to the air chamber in each form substantially protects against the entry of bedpan contents into the air chamber. If bedpan contents should accidentally enter the air chamber, the various openings of the chamber facilitates flushing thereof. Replacement of the filter material 72 is accomplished easily by the simple expedient of removing the end ring 68 to secure access to the filter and to accommodate removal thereof and insertion of a new filter before replacing ring 68. The removable mounting of the motor 80 and the fan 82 are also of importance in the event replacement of the motor and fan blade is desired or in the event it is necessary to clean the interior of the housing 64.

Another alternate construction is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, wherein a bedpan 90 may have a chamber such as the chambers 22 and 54 described above, and an outlet opening 92 formed in the lower part of a side or end wall 94 thereof. A housing 96 is joined at its margin to the wall 94 around the opening 92. Housing 96 is preferably part cylindrical and extends lengthwise along the wall. Housing 96 is preferably provided with a side opening spanned by a releasably mounted closure plate 98 mounting a carrier 100 for a motor 102 whose shaft mounts a fan blade 104. The motor 102 has suitable electrical connections as through an extension cord (not shown), to a source of electrical energy, and is controlled by a switch 106. Housing 96 also has an opening in the end thereof at which is releasably mounted an outlet member 108 having a reduced tubular outlet end 110 to which a flexible tube 112 is detachably connected. The outlet member 108 has a passage therethrough and at its large end mounts a filter unit 114, such as a unit of the character described previously.

This embodiment of the invention has the same advantages of the device shown in FIGS. l-3 and functions in the same manner. This unit is compact for storage in that the motor chamber 96 forms a permanent part of the bedpan and is handled therewith. The outlet tube 112 is optional but is preferred in order to provide an exhaust of air at a point remote from the bed pan so that the user of the device may remain under the bed covers and at the same time the discharge of air blown by the fan occurs in open air outwardly of the bed covers. This device has the same features of convenient and easy access to parts 'for replacement and for cleaning which characterizes the previously described embodiment.

While the air chamber has been illustrated herein as located within the bedpan, it will be understood that such an arrangement is not essential and that a construction may be provided wherein the air chamber is defined by a structure located exteriorally of the bedpan. In such a construction the air inlet opening would be provided adjacent the top as previously described. The housing 96 need not be permanently secured to the wall 94, and instead =may have a detachable sealed connection with wall 94. Also, in all forms, the fan motor may be powered by a storage battery.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that changes in the construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim: 1. In combination, a bedpan having a bottom, upwardly extending walls and a top inwardly extending marginal flange,

means carried by and cooperating with said bedpan to define an air chamber having an air intake opening therein communicating with said bedpan adjacent the level of and spaced outwardly from the inner margin of said top flange and also having an outlet open air discharge means communicating with said air chamber outlet opening and including an elongated passage defined in part by a removable flexible conduit,

a motor operated fan carried by said discharge means.

and

an odor absorbing unit of filter material mounted in and spanning said air discharge means.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said air discharge means has an enlarged portion and said motor operated fan and filter are removably mounted in said enlarged portion.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible conduit is removably connected at said chamber outlet opening, and

an open ended enlarged housing is connected to the outer end of said conduit and removably mounts said fan and said filter.

4. The combination defined in claim 1, and

an enlarged separable housing for said fan and filter forming part of said air discharge means.

5. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said filter comprises a porous body of activated charcoal retained in an enclosure through which air passes freely.

6. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein a housing is mounted on said bedpan in communication with the outlet of said air chamber and includes means removably mounting said fan and filter, said housing having an outlet to which said flexible conduit is removably connected.

7. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said air chamber is located within said bedpan alongside and partly defined by one of the upwardly extending walls thereof and by said flange.

8. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said air chamber is defined by a wall within said bedpan in cooperation with one of said upwardly extending wall of said flange, and

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Mabry 41 12 Malmberg 4112 Dahlke 4112 Merwin 4 112 10 6 FOREIGN PATENTS 5/ 1931 Germany.

1881 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES V01. 94, N0. 13, Journal American Medical Association, p. 91.

H. HAMPTON HUNTER, Primary Examiner

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