GB2299510A - Ostomy coupling - Google Patents

Abstract

A two piece ostomy coupling has a body side coupling member 10 having four or more hooks spaced around a stomal orifice. It also has a bag side coupling member 30 having a wall which defines a series of recesses of varying radial extent, said recesses being capable of receiving the hook of the first coupling member in order to hold the two members in mutually coupled condition. Rotation of the bag side coupling member relative to the body side coupling member separates the couplings.

Description

OST(T COUPLING This invention relates to an ostomy coupling.

Ostomy couplings are known. One commercially successful coupling is described in UK Patent No. 1 571 657. This is a twopiece system in which one coupling member is attached to a medical grade adhesive pad (sometimes referred to as a faceplate) which in use is placed on the abdomen of the wearer, whereas the other coupling member is attached to an ostomy bag. The two coupling members inter-engage in a snap-fit matter. This coupling has been found to be simple, effective, and easy to use.However, it would be desirable if there was available an ostomy coupling which provided the possibility of a secure lock without the need to provide or manipulate a third coupling part such as a locking ring; see for example the rather intricate construction shown in WO91tOlllE. The art is replete with various designs of coupling members (some of these designs were made by the present inventor) which have attempted to meet the conflicting requirements of (i) a secure lock when coupling members are connected and (ii) relatively easy removal and replacement of the bag off and onto the faceplate.

According to the present invention, a two-piece ostomy coupling has a first coupling member provided with a plurality of hooks, e.g. four or more, spaced around a stomal orifice in the member and a second coupling member provided with a wall which defines a series of recesses of varying radial extent, said recesses being capable of receiving the hook of the first coupling member in order to hold the two members in mutually coupled condition.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the wall is peripherally undulating in form. The wall extends axially between radially extending flanges. The wall may define 8 "high zones" and 8 recesses, the high zones and recesses alternating around the periphery of the said wall. The second coupling member, in known manner, has a deflectable seal strip extending radially inwardly to make engagement, in the coupled condition, with an inner cylindrical wall (chute wall) forming part of the first coupling member.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the recesses are located between (in an axial direction) first and second flanges forming part of the second coupling member.

The invention will be better understood from the following non-limiting description of an example thereof of one embodiment of ostomy coupling given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are denoted by like reference numerals, and in which: Figure 1 is a radial cross-section and Figure 2 is a plan view of one example of a first coupling member according to the invention; Figure 3 is a plan view of one example of a second coupling member according to the invention; Figure 4 is a radial cross-section, on the plane A-A in Figure 3, of the second coupling; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but on the plane B-B in Figure 3; and Figure 6 illustrates in cross-section, showing one end of a diameter only, the two coupling members in coupled condition.

Ostomy couplings are usually circular in general design, but need not be. They could be oval, or of other closed loop form bounding a central stomal orifice. Accordingly, while words of geometric meaning such as radial, axial, circular and cylindrical have been used in this description, these words are used in the context of an approximately circular ostomy coupling and without limiting effect.

While the "first" coupling member 10 would normally be the body-side member, and the "second" coupling member 30 the bag-side member, there is no reason in principle why the member 10 should not be the body-side member and the member 30 the bag-side member. The claims in this application are hence to be interpreted to cover either of these possibilities.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, these show a first coupling member 10 which is generally circular and surrounds a stomal orifice 50. Figure 2 shows only one end of a diameter, but the other end of the diameter is similar.

The coupling member comprises a radially-extending flange 11 which is joined to a substantially cylindrical wall 12 bounding the stomal orifice 50. Extending upwardly from the flange 11 is a hook 14, there being four such hooks, as seen in Figure 1, spaced around the first coupling member. Slots 15 are located below the hooks in order to facilitate production of the hooks 14 by injection moulding. The flange 11 has a pair of V cross-section ribs to facilitate attachment of the first coupling member to a medical grade adhesive pad or faceplate. Such a pad may for example be made of a medical grade adhesive known as "Stomahesive" available from ConvaTec Limited, Ickenham, Middlesex.One suitable adhesive is a layer preferably formed as a homogeneous blend of one or more pressure-sensitive viscous or elastomeric materials having intermittently dispersed therein one or more water-soluble or swellable hydrocolloid gums and may also include one or more thermoplastic elastomers and/or one or more swellable cohesive strengthening agents.

It will be noted that each of the hooks 14 has a sloping surface 17. These surfaces guide the two coupling members in their relative movement when they are being coupled together, as will be later explained.

Figures 3-5 illustrate a second coupling member which in the preferred form of the invention is the bag-side member and is attached, e.g. by heat welding or suitable adhesive, to a surface 38 of the flange 31. The second coupling member essentially comprises a radially extending flange 31 joined at its radially inner end to a wall 32. This wall carries a flexible deflectible seal strip 32 on its radially inner side, and there is also a second, shorter, flange 34 integral with the upper end of the wall 32. It is to be particularly noted that the wall 32 is located at different distances from the centre of the stomal orifice 60 in different segments of the second coupling member. That is to say, in relation to the flanges 31 and 34, at certain positions around the second coupling member the wall 32 is nearer, and at certain positions further, from the central axis 70 of the coupling.In other words, the wall 32 can be regarded as undulating around the coupling such that the recess 35 varies in its depth, i.e. its radial extent. The recess has maximum depth at the cross-section illustrated in Figure 4, and minimum depth in the cross-section illustrated in Figure 5.

As seen in Figure 3, the second coupling member also comprises a pair of conventional belt tabs 36 and a separate slightly larger tab 37. This tab 27 is grippable by finger and thumb and is used to enable the starting of separation by a peeling motion when the wearer is taking the second coupling member 30 (the bag-side member) off the first coupling member.

In the above description, where the depth of the recess 35 is referred to, this is the depth in the radial direction of the coupling.

In the assembled condition, the first and second coupling elements interengage, as seen in Figure 6, with the four hooks 14 overlying the flange 34 and extending into respective recesses 35.

When it is desired to separate the couplings, the second coupling member is twisted approximately 22t" around the coupling axis 70 relative to the first coupling member. This brings the portion 32B of the wall 32 into a position where it forces the hooks 14 radially outwardly, following which the two coupling members can readily be separated by a gentle axial pull. Due to the ramp shape of the portion 32C as seen in Figure 3, this relative rotational movement can easily be accomplished by the wearer of the ostomy appliance.

It will be seen that the illustrated example of the invention provides easily-moulded first and second coupling members which provide a secure and positive lock in their coupled condition without requiring complex locking rings or other locking arrangements, and yet permit the two coupling parts to be separated by a simple rotational movement, not requiring any great force, and which can readily be accomplished by wearers of ostomy appliances.

It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the specific shapes, dimensions and relationships between the parts specifically illustrated herein. The Claims herein are therefore to be interpreted consistent with the advance in the art provided by the invention.

Claims (7)

1. An ostomy coupling has a first coupling member provided with a plurality of hooks, e.g. four or more, spaced around a stomal orifice in the member and a second coupling member provided with a wall which defines a series of recesses of varying radial extent, said recesses being capable of receiving the hook of the first coupling member in order to hold the two members in mutually coupled condition.

2. An ostomy coupling according to claim 1 in which the wall is peripherally undulating in form.

3. An ostomy coupling according to claim 1 or 2 in which the wall extends axially between radially extending flanges.

4. An ostomy coupling according to claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the second coupling member has a deflectable seal strip extending radially inwardly to make engagement, in the coupled condition, with an inner cylindrical wall (chute wall) forming part of the first coupling member.

5. An ostomy coupling according to any preceding claim in which the recesses are located between (in an axial direction) first and second flanges forming part of the second coupling member.

6. An ostomy coupling substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

7. Any novel combination or sub-combination of features disclosed and/or illustrated herein.