GB2285086A - An urinary drainage bag hanger with rotatable hooks - Google Patents

Abstract

An urinary drainage bag hanger comprises two hooks 18 each rotatable about two independent hinges 16, 20 set at right angles to each other so that in one position the hooks can be hang from a bed rail (fig 8) and in the other position trapped between a mattress and a bed base (fig 9). The hooks 18 are connected to a body portion 10 via corner portions 14; the hinge 16, 20 being integral with the corner portions 14 and either the body portion 10 or the hook 18. Frictional gripping means, eg serrations (see figs 12a-12h), may be provided on the hooks 18 so as to enhance gripping when trapped. The bag is secured to the hanger via pins 22 and is firmly locked in place by folding lugs 24 having integral hinges 26 and undersized holes 28 which engage with the pins 22. Hooks 18 may be separate from the corner portions 14 and provided with alternative hinges, eg an universal joint (see figs 13a-13e). <IMAGE>

Description

URINARY DRAINAGE BAG HANGER The present invention relates to a hanger for a fluid drainage or collection bag (hereinafter "bags), primarily for such bags in the field of healthcare, for example a urinary drainage bag.

Figs. 1 and 2 of the present application show a known bag handle. Fig. 1 shows a plan view, and Fig. 2 shows a section on IX-IX. The handle comprises a body portion 110 having four hooks 112 spaced therealong. The hooks are adapted to support a bag via holes in a reinforced plastic margin about one edge of the bag.

Extending from the upper portion of the body portion 110 is a handle 114, by which a user may carry the bag. At the top of the handle 114 is a tube clip 116, attached to the handle 114 via a living hinge 118. Normally, the tube clip 116 lies coplanar with the handle 114, but it is able to be tilted via hinge 118 to a position perpendicular to the handle 114. In this position, it can grip a tube leading to the bag and thereby support the tube and prevent excessive wear at the join between the tube and bag.

The present invention provides a hanger for a bag having a body portion with means for holding a bag and at least two hooks each attached to the body such that they are capable of rotation relative to the body about two mutually transverse axes. Suitably, this rotation can be provided by two mutually transverse hinges. Preferably, the hinges are integrally formed, but they may employ a pivot pin, or a swivel joint.

The hanger of the present invention may have a handle and/or a tube grip similar to that provided on the above-described prior art hanger.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figs. 1 and 2, already described, are respectively a side view and section on II-II of Fig. 1 of a known bag hanger, Fig. 3 is a side view of a hanger according to the present invention, Fig. 4 is a section on II-II of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a section on III-III of Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is a section on IV-IV of Fig. 3, Figs. 7a to 7c are side views of a hanger according to the present invention and a standard urinary drainage bag and tube showing attachment of such bags to the hanger, Fig. 8 and 9 are perspective views of a hanger and bag showing use of a hanger in relation to two different types of beds, Fig. 10 and 11 are front and rear views of a hook showing an alternative form of hinge, Figs. 12a to 121 show a number of forms of hook, and Figs. 13a to 13e show a number of arrangements for attaching the hook to the body.

Referring to Figs. 3 to 6, the bag hanger of the present invention is a generally flat one-piece moulding of plastics comprising a body portion 10 of generally rectangular shape, a handle 12 extending from a horizontal longer edge of the body portion 10. Corner portions 14 are connected to the vertical shorter edges of the body portion 10 via vertical integral hinges 16.

A hook 18 is attached to the upper horizontal edge of each corner portion 14 via a horizontal integral hinge 20.

Thus, the hooks 18 can be tilted about 2 mutually perpendicular axes relative to the body portion 10 .

The body portion 10 can be attached to a bag via pins 22 which project into corresponding holes on a margin of the bag. The bag can be firmly locked in place by retaining lugs 24 which are foldable via integral hinges 26 over the pin 22 and engageable therewith via partially undersized holes 28. By 'partially undersized' it is meant that the hole 28 is lobed to give one or more projections 29, which are flexed into engagement with the pin 22 when the lug 24 is pushed over it.

A tube gripping means 30 is provided to retain a tube leading to the bag. As shown, the tube gripping means 30 is integral with the handle 12 and can be tilted into position from its as-moulded planar state using an integral hinge 32.

Figs. 7a to 7c show the method of attaching a bag to the hanger of the present invention. The bag is located on the pins 22 as shown in Fig. 5b. Then, the bag is locked in place by folding the retaining lugs 24 over the pins 22. The retaining lugs 24 are held in place due to the partial undersized nature of the hole 28 gripping the lug 22. The tube leading from the bag is then attached to the tube gripping means 30.

Fig. 8 shows use of the bag hanger for a patient who is in a hospital bed. The hanger is folded at vertical hinges 16 so that the hooks 18 lie in a vertical plane perpendicular to the body portion 10, and thus the hanger is suited for suspension from a lateral bar 40 of a hospital or similar institutional bed.

Fig. 9 shows use of the bag hanger for a patient at home. The hanger is folded at horizonal hinges 20 so that the hooks 18 lie in a horizontal plane and can be placed between a mattress and the base of a conventional bed. Thus, the urinary drainage bag is supported by the hanger next to the bed, and the hanger is held in place by friction. An extended edge flange 19 (Fig. 4) at the edge of the hook is provided, which snags on bedclothes and assists mechanically the retention of the hook.

Figs. 10 and 11 show an alternative hinge arrangement for attaching the hook 18 to the body portion 10. In this arrangement, the corner portions 14 are omitted and replaced by a swivel joint 50. This comprises a first rotatable connection 52 formed by a first collar 54 enclosing a pin 56 projecting from the hook 18, which allows the hook 18 to rotate about vertical axis 58. In addition, a second rotatable connection 60 at right angles to the first rotatable connection 52 comprises a second collar 62 integral with the first collar 54 and enclosing a circular pin 64 extending from the body portion 10. This second rotatable connection 60 enables rotation of the hook 18 about horizontal axis 66, coplanar with the body portion 10.

The design of the hook is not particularly limited, and Figs. 12a to 121 give a number of variations. Each of these variations is designed to provide a measure of mechanical gripping of the mattress by the hook. Figs. 12a and 12b show an angular lip member 70 which projects from the uppermost extremity of the hook and is designed to engage in a ruck in the mattress surface. Fig. 12c shows a plurality of projections 72 having a steep side facing in the direction of removal of the hook to resist such removal.

Fig. 12d shows the upper face 74 of the hook 18 to be serrated, at least partly. Fig. 12e shows a projection 72 as described with reference to Fig. 12c, but at an extremity of the hook 18. Figs. 12g and 12h show the provision of a small hook 76 at the uppermost extremity of the hook 18 designed to act similarly to the extending member of Fig. 12a. Fig. 12i shows the provision of a pair of such hooks 76 distributed about the hook 18.

Fig. 12j shows a combination of the hook 76 of Fig. 12g with the projection 72 of Fig. 12c, and Fig. 12k shows a combination of the projection 72 of Fig. 12e with the serrations of Fig. 12d. In a similar fashion, Fig. 12a shows a combination of the hook 76 of Fig. 12g with the serrations of Fig. 12d. Thus, the various disclosed means for gripping the bed are in general readily combinable.

Figs. 13a to 13e show a number of alternatives to the transverse hinges previously described. Fig. 13a shows the hook 18 connected to the body part 10 via an integral moulded flexible strap. This strap permits rotation of the hook into transverse directions and accommodates this by self-flexure. It is of course possible to replace the strap with a suitable cord, or to have a separately moulded cord or strap which is subsequently attached to the body 10. Fig. 13b shows the hook 18 attached to the body 10 via a ball and socket joint 82, which permits universal-type motion. In the version of Fig. 13, a separately moulded hook 18 has a hook or ring 84 sliding on an arcuate arm 86 moulded integrally with the body part 10. Thus, the required freedom of the hook 18 is achieved.

In the embodiments of Figs. 13d and 13e, the separately moulded hook 18 has a pivot pin 88 with a through hole 90. The pivot pin 88 is transverse to the plane of the hook 18. Provided on the body part 10 is a horizontal shoulder 92 having a downwardly projecting pin 94 and opening 96 is provided in the corner at the junction of the body part 10 and shoulder 92, aligned laterally with the pin 94. Generally, the aperture 96 is narrower than the width of the pivot pin 88, but the lowest part of the aperture 96 has a wide portion 98 wider than the pivot pin 88. In use, the end of the hook 18 carrying the pivot pin 88 can be inserted into the aperture 96 via the wider part 98 and the body 10 suspended from the hook by the shoulder 92 resting on the pivot pin 90. In this conformation, the finger is suitable for suspension from an institutional bed.

Alternatively, the hook 18 can be rotated such that the pin 94 projects into the through hole 90 of the pivot pin 88, and thus the hook 18 is in its conformation suitable for a domestic bed.

Thus, according to the present invention, there is provided a bag which is not reliant on the provision of a framed bed such as is commonly used in institutional care.

Claims (9)

1. A hanger for a bag having a body portion with means for supporting the bag and at least two hooks attached to the body portion in a manner such that they are each capable of rotation relative to the body portion about two mutually transverse axes.

2. A hanger according to claim 1 wherein the rotation of each hook relative to the body portion is provided by a pair of mutually perpendicular hinges.

3. A hanger according to claim 2 wherein said hinges are formed in one piece with said hooks and said body portion.

4. A hanger according to claim 1 wherein the rotation of each hook relative to the body portion is provided by at least one swivel joint.

5. A hanger according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the body portion is generally planar and there are two said hooks attached at opposite ends of the body portion.

6. A hanger according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each hook has on at least one of its side surfaces one or more projections adapted to increase its frictional grip to soft material.

7. A hanger according to claim 6 wherein said projection or projections are selected from a flange, a hook, a projection having one steep side and serrations.

8. A hanger substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 3 to 9 or modified as shown in any one of Figs. 10, 11, 12a-121 and 13a-13e.

9. A combination of a hanger according to any one of the preceding claims and a bag adapted to be supported by the hanger.