GB2232882A

GB2232882A - A sanitary appliance

Info

Publication number: GB2232882A
Application number: GB9009931A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bruno Ciccone
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-05-03
Filing date: 1990-05-02
Publication date: 1991-01-02
Also published as: GB9009931D0; IT8947910A0; IT1231364B; GB2232882B

Abstract

The appliance comprises an outer casing (2) with an opening (3) in which to accommodate an ascending and descending hollow support (4) fitted uppermost with an anatomically contoured seat (5) and housing a removable pan (15) in which excrement and urine are collected. The hollow support is connected to one end of a guided flexible cable (8) operated by an actuator (10), and thus can be raised from the casing and positioned in the toilet opening (31) afforded by a hospital bed (30) in such a way that the contoured seat is brought flush with the upper surface of the mattress; the action of this same cable also opens the collection pan automatically as the hollow support reaches its operative position. <IMAGE>

Description

A SANITARY APPLIANCE The present invention relates to an appliance for the collection of physiological wastes discharged by hospitalized persons, of the type comprising a supporting and encasing structure with an opening uppermost, an anatomically contoured seat element surrounding the opening, a removable collection pan accommodated internally of the encasing structure beneath the seat element, means by which to direct a liquid into the space encompassed by the seat element, and further means by which to circulate warm air within the space encompassed by the seat element.

The appliance thus outlined is designed especially to be positioned, as and when required, beneath a hospital bed designed with an opening that can be exposed to allow the occupant to relieve him- or herself, and covered in again thereafter.

Needless to say, such an appliance is equally well suited for use in the identical manner with invalid chairs or the like.

The prior art embraces mobile sanitary appliances of which the essential purpose is substantially one of enabling infirm persons hampered by partial or total immobility to empty their bowels hygienically and, as far as possible, in comfort.

Such appliances essentially comprise a supporting and encasing structure, of which the top exhibits an opening surrounded by an anatomically contoured seat element designed to bear the weight of the user's hips and pelvis. Physiological waste matter discharged by the user falls into a collection receptacle positioned beneath the opening, which is accessible from externally of the structure through a manually operated flap and can thus be removed easily for the purposes of cleaning.

The appliance is also provided with means by which to direct a washing liquid (generally, a solution of detergent substances in water) into the space encompassed by the seat element, for the purpose of cleansing the pertinent parts of the user's body; similarly, means are provided by which to direct warm air into the same space in order to dry these same parts.

Whilst effective to a satisfactory degree in many practical situations, difficulties are experienced nonetheless with sanitary appliances of the type described above when utilized for patients who are unable to rise from a lying position in their beds.

In such cases, in fact, the appliance needs to be positioned beneath a hatch specially provided in the bed, which can be opened to allow the occupant to relieve him/herself and closed again thereafter.

Thus, the seating element of the appliance, which is rigidly associated with the encasing structure, cannot be brought into direct contact with the body of the patient, and it thus happens in the great majority of cases that the patient is left without adequate bodily support while using the appliance.

Owing to the lack of satisfactory contact between the body of the user and the seat element moreover, it can often happen that the mattress and bed linen become wet with the washing liquid.

The object of the present invention is essentially to overcome such drawbacks as are inherent in the prior art, by providing a sanitary appliance of which the anatomically contoured seat element is able to afford proper bodily support to an infirm user, even when positioned beneath the user's bed, invalid chair or other item of equipment designed with the appropriate opening.

The stated object, and others that will emerge in the course of the specification, are substantially realized in a sanitary appliance for collection of the physiological wastes discharged by hospitalized persons, of the type comprising a supporting and encasing structure provided with a top opening, an anatomically contoured seat element surrounding the opening, a removable collection pan accommodated internally of the encasing structure below the seat element, and respective means by which to direct a cleansing liquid and thereafter to circulate air into the space encompassed by the seat element, which is characterized in that it further comprises a movable hollow support accommodated internally of the encasing structure, carrying the seat element uppermost, and transmission means by which to raise the hollow support from an at-rest position, in which the seat element is lowered onto the encasing structure, to an operative position in which the seat element is raised to a predetermined height above the encasing structure.

The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: -fig 1 is a perspective of the sanitary appliance disclosed, illustrated in use beneath a bed which is represented schematically in phantom line; -fig 2 is a cutaway elevation of the appliance viewed partly in section through II-II of fig 1.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 denotes a sanitary appliance, in its entirety, for the collection of physiological waste matter discharged by a person occupying a hospital bed.

The appliance 1 comprises a supporting and encasing structure 2, mounted preferably on wheels 2a, of which the top affords an opening 3.

4 denotes a hollow support which, according to the present invention, is accommodated by and capable of vertical sliding movement through the opening 3.

The top of the slidable hollow support 4 carries an anatomically contoured seat element 5 extending substantially around the peripheral length both of the support itself and of the opening 3.

In a preferred embodiment, as illustrated in fig 2, the seat element 5 would be associated with the top rim of the hollow support 4 by way of springs 6 or equivalent means, in such a way that a flexibly suspended mounting arrangement can be achieved.

The hollow support 4 is connected to transmission means 7 serving to bring about its movement from an at-rest position, in which the seat element 5 is lowered onto the encasing structure 2 as shown by the phantom line of fig 2, to an operative position in which the seat element 5 is raised to a given height above the encasing structure.

To advantage, the transmission means 7 are embodied as a flexible cable 8 slidably accommodated inside a sheath 9 of which the two opposite ends 9a and 9b are anchored to the encasing structure 2. The cable emerges at one end 9a of the sheath and connects by way of a stretch denoted 8a with an actuator 10, preferably electromechanical, by which the cable 8 is invested with axial movement internally of the sheath 9. The end of the cable 8b which emerges at the remaining end 9b of the sheath connects with the hollow support 4 in a manner that will shortly become apparent, but at all events, in such a way that the hollow support 4 is caused to alter its vertical position as a result of the movement transmitted through the cable 8 by the actuator 10.

More exactly, the end of the cable denoted 8b is inserted longitudinally through an extendible guide mechanism 11 occupying a substantially vertical position beneath the hollow support 4, of which the two opposite ends lla and llb are associated with the encasing structure 2 and the support 4 itself, respectively. To advantage, the extendible guide 11 will comprise a fixed tubular element 12 anchored to the encasing structure 2 and at least one moving tubular element 13 associated telescopically with the fixed tubular element 12 and secured to the hollow support 4. In the example illustrated, the fixed and moving tubular elements 12 and 13 are interconnected telescopically by a further tubular element denoted 14.

15 denotes a collection receptacle accommodated internally of the hollow support 4, in a position below the seat element 5, and removable therefrom.

To advantage, the collection receptacle 15 consists essentially in a basic pan 16 of semi-cylindrical and open-topped embodiment, to which a pair of symmetrically disposed sector-shaped lids 17 are hinged in such a manner as enables their rotation about a horizontal axis disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pan itself. Each of the two lids 17 exhibits a lower longitudinal edge 17a positioned in such a way as to rest permanently on a bottom panel 4a of the hollow support 4.

The pan 16 sits directly on a lifting platform 18, rendered stable thus by means of magnets or other suitable expedients, of which the vertical movement causes the sector lids 17 to spread apart when the pan is raised up from the bottom 4a of the hollow support 4. Accordingly, the platform 18 is attached to the top of a sleeve 19 guided slidably through the bottom 4a of the hollow support 4, and it is to this same sleeve 19 that the corresponding end 8b of the flexible cable 8 and the extendible guide mechanism are secured. A tension spring 20 loaded between the sleeve 19 and the bottom panel 4a is calibrated so as to subject the lifting platform 18 to a downward force greater than that produced by the mass of the hollow support 4.

The appliance 1 also comprises conventional washing means 21 by which to direct a cleansing liquid into the space encompassed by the seat element 5. In the embodiment illustrated, such means 21 comprise a pump 22 by which water warmed through contact with electric immersion heaters in a tank 23, and if so desired, made into a solution by mixing with liquid detergent supplied from an auxiliary tank (not illustrated), is drawn from the tank 23 and fed to one or more nozzles 24 set into the seat element 5 and adjustable singly for direction according to requirements.

Also provided are means 25 by which to circulate air in the space encompassed by the seat element 5, which are conventional, and consist essentially in a fan unit 26 ducted on the one hand to a vent 27 emerging into the hollow support 4 by way of the seat element 5, and on the other, to an external port 28 open to the surrounding atmosphere (fig 1).

There now follws a description of the operation of a sanitary appliance thus embodied.

With the seat element 5 in the at-rest position, the appliance 1 is wheeled into place beneath a hospital bed 30 occupied by the prospective user.

As aforementioned, the bed 30 will incorporate an appropriately sited opening 31 that is normally covered in; when the appliance 1 is not in use, in fact, the opening 31 is occupied by a removable support 32 mounted flexibly beneath the bed 30 in a position such that the occupant's body is cushioned in the region of the hips and pelvis. To advantage, an arrangement might be adopted whereby removal of the support 32 is brought about automatically when the appliance is positioned under the bed 30, say, through the agency of microswitches, etc..

With the appliance 1 correctly in place beneath the opening 31, at all events, the hollow support 4 is raised either automatically, through the operation of microswitches, or manually by way of buttons (accessible to hospitalized users or their helpers) in such a way as to raise the seat element 5 to the operative position. More exactly, activation of the actuator 10 drives the flexible cable 8 forward, causing the remote end stretch 8b to extend from the relative end 9b of the sheath 9, and the hollow support 4 extends from the encasing structure 2.

Initially, the collection receptacle 15 remains closed, as the tension spring 20 will maintain the platform 18 in contact with the bottom 4a of the hollow support 4.

The upward travel of the hollow support 4 can be terminated by stops (not illustrated) operating between the encasing structure 2 and the support itself, or as a result of contact being established between the seat element 5 and the corresponding part of the user's body. Once the upward movement of the hollow support 4 ceases, the force of the actuator 10 overcomes the resistance offered by the tension spring 20 and the platform 18 is lifted from the bottom panel 4a of the support, whereupon the accompanying upward movement of the pan 16 of the collection receptacle 15 causes the receptacle itself to be opened by spreading apart the sector lids 17 which, through the simple effect of mass, remain with their lower edges 17a resting on the bottom 4a of the hollow support 4.With the lids spread open, the actuator 10 is deactivated by a microswitch associated with the sleeve 19, or by other equivalent means, in such a way that the receptacle 15 stays open and the seat element 15 is maintained in its operative position, registering against and affording adequate support to the body of the user.

To advantage, deactivation of the actuator 10 might be accompanied by activation of the fan unit 26 so as to remove unpleasant odours from the pan by way of the vent 27; foul air thus extracted is expelled from the port 28 after passing through one or more filters.

Once a discharge has been effected to the patient's satisfaction, the washing means 21 are activated, and cleansing liquid is directed by the pump 22 to the nozzles 24 and sprayed onto the pertinent parts of the body as appropriate; the receptacle 15 will remain open during this step so that surplus liquid can fall into the pan 16. To further advantage, the hollow support 4 might also accommodate a removable auxiliary receptacle 33 matched to its own internal shape, the purpose of which being substantially to catch liquid that splashes outside the collection receptacle 15.

With washing completed, the pump 22 will be shut off by a timer and the fan unit 26 activated in such a way as to blow air, heated previously by an electrical resistance, through the vent 27 in the seat element 5. The fan unit 26 is also shut off by a timer following a given interval, whereupon the actuator 10 again operates, on this occasion to lower the lifting platform 18 to the bottom 4a of the hollow support 4 and thus close the collection receptacle 15.

At this juncture, the hollow support 4 remains in the operative position, and will be returned to the at-rest position only at the discretion of a nurse or other competent person, whose responsibility it will be also to remove the appliance 1 from under the bed 30 so that the support 32 can be reinstated in the opening 31. With toilet operations organized in this way, the occupant of the bed is practically never left without adequate bodily support at the area of the opening 31.

Claims

1) A sanitary appliance for collection of the physio logical waste matter discharged by hospitalized persons, comprising: -a supporting and encasing structure provided with a top opening; -an anatomically contoured seat element extending around the peripheral length of the opening; -a removable collection receptacle accommodated internally of the encasing structure below the seat element; -means by which to direct a cleansing liquid into the space encompassed by the seat element; -means by which to circulate air in the space encompassed by the seat element, characterized in that it further comprises:: -a movable hollow support accommodated internally of the encasing structure and carrying the seat element uppermost; -transmission means by which to occasion movement of the hollow support from an at-rest position, in which the seat element is lowered onto the encasing structure, and an operative position in which the seat element is raised to a predetermined height above the encasing structure.

2) An appliance as in claim 1, wherein transmission means comprise: -a sheath of which the two opposite ends are anchored to the encasing structure; -a cable, slidably accommodated in the sheath, of which a first end emerges from one end of the sheath, and a second end emerges from the remaining end of the sheath and is secured to the hollow support; -an actuator, connected to the first end of the cable and serving to invest the cable with axial movement internally of the sheath; -an extendible guide mechanism of which one end is fixed to the encasing structure and the remaining end is secured to the hollow support together with and positively ensheathing the second end of the cable.

3) An appliance as in claim 2, wherein the extendible guide mechanism comprises a fixed tubular element anchored rigidly to the encasing structure, and at least one moving tubular element telescopically associated with the fixed tubular element and secured to the hollow support.

4) An appliance as in claim 1, comprising a collection receptacle that consists in an open-topped pan with an associated pair of symmetrically disposed and pivoted sector shaped lids mounted rotatably about a horizontal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pan, of which the respective lower edges rest permanently on a bottom panel of the hollow support, wherein the pan is capable of movement in a vertical direction to the end of spreading the sector lids apart in equal measure.

5) An appliance as in claims 2 and 4, wherein the pan of the collection receptacle sits on a lifting platform fastened to a sleeve slidably accommodated by the bottom panel of the hollow support and set in motion by the transmission means in such a way as to lift the plate against the force of a spring loaded between the sleeve and the hollow support.

6) An appliance as in claim 1, further comprising a removable auxiliary collection receptacle that is accommodated by and matched substantially to the internal shape of the hollow support.

7) An appliance as in claim 5, wherein the pan of the collection receptacle is made fast to the lifting platform by at least one magnet.

8) An appliance as in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of springs located and. operating between the hollow support and the seat element to the end of suspending the seat element flexibly.

9) A sanitary appliance for collection of the physiological waste matter discharged by hospitalised persons substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

9) A sanitary appliance for collection of the physio logical waste matter discharged by hospitalized persons, as in preceding claims, as described and illustrated and as intended for the stated objects.

8) An appliance as in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of springs located and operating between the hollow support and the seat element to the end of suspending the seat element flexibly.