GB2437251A

GB2437251A - Female urine bottle

Info

Publication number: GB2437251A
Application number: GB0607615A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paula Cockcroft; Lesley Ann Webster
Original assignee: Vernacare Ltd
Current assignee: Vernacare Ltd
Priority date: 2006-04-18
Filing date: 2006-04-18
Publication date: 2007-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 2026-04-18
Also published as: GB2473777B; GB2473776B; GB0607615D0; GB2437251B; GB2473777A; WO2007119076A1; GB201021900D0; GB2473776A; GB201021897D0

Abstract

A female urine bottle (10) has a flat or substantially flat base wall (12), enclosing walls (14, 16, 18) extending upwardly from the base wall to define a urine receiving volume and an opening (38) which communicates directly with the receiving volume and whose lower edge is spaced above the level of the base wall (12). A projection (44) extends from the base wall (12) and projects into the receiving volume of the bottle, which helps to prevent spillage from the bottle. The opening (30) is elongate in plan view and has a narrowed waisted portion (42), which conforms more closely to the shape of the body portions with which the bottle comes into contact. The enclosing walls also comprise a rounded nose wall portion (20) adjacent to and below the opening (30) and an inclined substantially planar wall portion 46) extending between the base wall and the rounded nose wall portion, which reduces the likelihood of the bottle catching on bed linen.

Description

DESCRIPTION

FEMALE URINE BOTTLE

The present invention relates to female urine bottles and in particular, hut not exclusively, to female urine bottles made from moulded paper pulp.

Women who are confined to bed, for example female orthopaedic patients or females suffering from road accident injuries, hip injuries ol' multiple sclerosis, may, in some circumstances, find it difficult or impossible to sit up in bed or it may prove dangerous to their health to sit up in bed. Such patients will be unable to use a normal bed pan and must utilise either a urine bottle or a "slipper" bed pan (a bed pan having a reduced height to allow it to be positioned more easily beneath the patient), both of which can be used while the patient is in a lying or semi-recumbent position. The use of a female urine bottle is preferred to that of a slipper bed pan when only urine is required to be passed by the patient as it is more comfortable both physically and psychologically for the patient.

One known female urine bottle is disclosed in GB 2164553A. The urine bottle disclosed therein is moulded from paper pulp and has a flat base wall, a pair of vertically converging side walls and a front opening which communicates directly with the internal space defined by the base and side walls, the lower edge of the front opening being spaced above the level of the base. The height of the side walls is less than the length of the bottle, thereby forming an elongate bottle. The front opening is positioned above the base and the perimeter of the opening is upwardly concave.

Although this female urine bottle has been used very successfully for many years, a number of problems have arisen in practice and it is an object of the present invention to overcome or alleviate such problems.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a female urine bottle comprises a flat or substantially flat base wall, enclosing walls extending upwardly from the base wall to define a urine receiving volume, an opening which communicates directly with the receiving volume and whose lower edge is spaced above the level of the base wall and a projection extending from the base wall and projecting into the receiving volume of the bottle.

1 0 The provision of a laterally-extending projection which projects into the interior of the bottle forms a weir", which helps to interrupt or hinder the flow of liquid and thereby reduces the likelihood of spillage of liquid contained within the bottle.

The opening is preferably positioned, at least partly, directly above the base wall.

Preferably, the projection is positioned, at least partly, directly below the opening.

Preferably, the projection comprises an elongate projection.

In one embodiment, the projection extends between two opposed enclosing walls.

Preferably, the base wall is elongate and the projection extends from the base wall extends laterally, substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the base wall.

The opening is preferably upwardly concave when viewed ironi thL side.

More preferably. the opening is elongate in plan view and comprises a naii-owed waist portion.

In one embodiment, the enclosing walls comprise a rounded nose wall portion adjacent to, and below the opening an inclined, substantially planar wall portion extending between the base wall and the rounded nose wall portion.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a female urine bottle comprises a flat or substantially flat base wall, enclosing walls extending upwardly from the base wall to define a urine receiving volume, and an opening which communicates directly with the enclosed volume and whose lower edge is spaced above the level of the base, wherein the opening is elongate in plan view and comprises a narrowed waist portion.

By providing the front opening with a narrowed waist portion, a more anatomically comfortable product results, as the shape of the opening conforms more closely to the space of the portions of the body with which the periphery of the front opening will contact, in use.

Preferably, the opening is positioned, at least partly, directly above the base wall.

More preferably, the perimeter of the opening is upwardly concave when viewed from the side.

The urine bottle may further comprise a projection extending from the base wall and projecting into the receiving volume of the bottle.

Preferably, the laterally extending projection is positioned, at least partly, directly below the opening.

The projection is preferably elongate.

In one embodiment, the enclosing walls comprise a rowided nose wall portion adjacent to and below the opening and an inclined suhstamially planar wall portion extending between the base wall and the rounded nose wall Portion.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, a female urine bottle comprises a flat or substantially fiat base wall, enclosing walls extending upwardly from the base wall to define a urine receiving volume and an opening which communicates directly with the receiving volume, tile enclosing walls comprising a rounded nose wall portion adjacent to and helo the opening and an inclined substantially planar wall portion extending between the base wall and the rounded nose wall portion.

By providing an inclined front wall between the base and the rounded nose of the bottle, the bottle is less likely to catch on bed linen, thereby facilitating correct positioning Df the bottle in use. This also facilitates removal of the bottle by the user and helps to prevent/reduce the likelihood of spillage.

By providing an inclined substantially planar wall portion extending between the base wail and the rounded nose wall portion, the likelihood of the bottle catching on sheets or other mattress coverings is significantly reduced. This also facilitates removal of the bottle by the user and helps to prevent/reduce the likelihood of spillage.

The bottle may further comprise a projection extending from the base wall and projecting into the receiving volume of the bottle.

More preferably, the projection is positioned, at least partly, directly below the opening.

Preferably, the projection comprises an elongate projection. The projection may extend between two opposed enclosing walls.

The base wall is preferably elongate and preferably the projection extending from the base wail extends laterally, substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the base wall.

Preferably, the opening is upwardly concave when viewed from the side.

More preferably, the opening is elongate in plan view and comprises a narrowed waist portion.

By way of example only, a specific embodiment of' the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

in which: -Fig. I is a perspective view of an embodiment of female urine bottle in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the urine bottle of Fig. I; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the urine bottle of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a front view of the urine bottle of Fig. 1.

Referring to the Figures, a female urine bottle I 0 Ibumed lom moulded and dried paper pulp comprises a flat or substantially fiat elongate base waIl 12 which is generally triangular in plan view, two side walls 14, 16 extending upwardly from either lateral edge of the base wall 14 and a generally planar rear wall 1 8 extending generally perpendicularly to the base wall 12 at one end. The side walls 14, 16 taper towards each other from the planar rear wall 18 to the front end of the bottle 10, where they merge with each other into a rounded, generally semi-circular front wall 20 at the opposite end of the base wall 12. The boundaries between the various walls are generally rounded and merge smoothly into one another and the bottle is generally elongate in shape.

Each of the side walls 14, 16 comprises an elongate bulbous portion 22, 24 having a substantially planar upper shoulder 26, 28. The planar upper shoulders 26, 28 merge into a longitudinally-extending elongate recess 30, 32 which co-operate with each other to form an elongate, flat-topped longitudinally-extending handle portion 34 which, together with the planar upper faces 26, 28 of the side walls and the recesses 30, 32 form an upper wall of the bottle.

At the front end of the bottle, extending rearwardly from the upper edge of the front wall 20, is provided a generally oval aperture 38 whose lower edge is spaced above the level of the base wall 12 and which communicates directly with a urine-receiving volume of the bottle defined by the base wall I 2. side waIls 14, 16, rear wall 18 and front wall 20. As best seen in Fin. 2. the perimeter of the aperture 38 is upwardly concave when viewed from the side.

Thus, the front portion of the aperture 38 faces upwardly and merges smoothly to the rear of the aperture which faces upwardly and forwardly. The periphery of the aperture 38 is also provided with a moulded inwardly curved lip 40 to assist in resisting spillage from the bottle interior and to improve the comfort of the bottle to a user.

As best seen in Figs I and 3, when viewed from above, the aperture 3.

although generally oval in shape, is provided with a slightly narrowed or waisted portion indicated by arrows 42. Ihe narrowed or waisted portion 42 conforms more closely to the shape of the portions of the body of a user with which the bottle will come into contact and makes the bottle more comfortable to usc in practice.

As best seen in Figs. 1 to 3, the base wall is provided with an elongate projection 44 which extends laterally, across the base wall, generally perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the bottle between the opposed side walls 14, 16 and forms a recess in the outer face of the base wall 12. The projection 40, 44 is formed during moulding of the bottle into a projection which, as shown in Fig. 1, projects upwardly from the generally planar base wall 12 into the interior volume of the bottle. As shown in Figs. I to 3, the projection 44 is rounded (in fact, part-circular in cross-section) and projects the base wall at a position immediately beneath an open portion of a front aperture 42.

The projection 44 on the base 12 of the bottle forms a "weir" which interrupts or hinders the forward flow of liquid toward the aperture 38 and therefore reduces the likelihood of spillage of liquid from the bottle.

particularly when being transported.

As best seen in Fig. 2, it will also be noted that the transition from the base wall 12 to the front nose wall 20 of the bottle, when viewed from the side, comprises a generally planar wall portion 46. The bottle 10 will normally be used by a patient lying on a bed and the generally planar wall portion 46 between the base wall 12 and the rounded front wall 20 reduces the likelihood that the bottle will catch on sheets in place on the bed when the bottle is being positioned. This also facilitates removal of the bottle by the user and helps to prevent/reduce the likelihood of spillage.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment. For example, the projection 44 niay be positioned and/or located and/or orientated differently from that described above. Alternatively, or in addition, there may be a plurality of projections, which may be the same as, or different from, each other.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A female urine bottle comprising a flat or substantially flat base wall, enclosing walls extending upwardly from the base wall to define a urine receiving volume, an opening which communicates directly with the receiving volume and whose lower edge is located above the level of the base wall and a projection extending from the base wall and projecting into the receiving volume of the bottle.

2. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim I, wherein the opening is positioned, at least partly, directly above the base wall.

3. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the projection is positioned, at least partly, directly below the opening.

4. A female urine bottle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising an elongate projection.

5. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the projection extends between two opposed enclosing walls.

6. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the base wall is elongate and the projection extending from the base wall extends laterally, substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the base wall.

7. A female urine bottle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the opening is upwardly concave when viewed from the side.

8. A female urine bottle as claimed in any of the proceeding claims, wherein the opening is elongate in plan view and comprises a narrowed waist portion.

9. A female urine bottle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the enclosing walls comprise a rounded nose wall portion adjacent to, and below, the opening and an inclined, substantially planar wall portion extending between the base wall and the rounded nose wall portion.

10. A female urine bottle comprising a flat or substantially flat base wall, enclosing walls extending upwardly from the base wall to define a urine receiving volume, and an opening which communicates directly with the enclosed volume and whose lower edge is located above the level of the base wall, wherein the opening is elongate in plan view and comprises a narrowed waist portion.

11. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the opening is positioned, at least partly, directly above the base wall.

12. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the perimeter of the opening is upwardly concave when viewed from the side.

13. A female urine bottle as claimed in any oF claims 0 I
2.

further comprising a projection extending from the base aII amid projecting into the receiving olume of the bottle.

U

14. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim 13, wherein the laterally extending projection is positioned, at least partly, directly below the opening.

1 5. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14.

wherein the projection is elongate.

1 6. A female urine bottle comprising a flat or substantially flat base wall, enclosing walls extending upwardly from the base wall to define a urine receiving volume and an opening which communicates directly with the receiving volume and whose lower edge is located above the level of the base wall, the enclosing walls comprising a rounded nose wall portion adjacent to and below the opening and an inclined substantially planar wall portion extending between the base wall and the rounded nose wall portion.

17. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a projection extending from the base wall and projecting into the receiving volume of the bottle.

18. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim 17, wherein the opening is positioned, at least partly, directly above the base wall.

19. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the projection is positioned. at least partly, directly below the opening.

20. A female urine bottle as claimed in any of claims 17 to 19, comprising an elongate projection.

21. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim 20, wherein the projection extends between two opposed enclosing walls.

22. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim 20 or claim 21, wherein the base wall is elongate and the projection extending from the base wall extends laterally, substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the base wall.

23. A female urine bottle as claimed in any of claims 17 to 22, wherein the opening is upwardly concave when viewed from the side.

24. A female urine bottle as claimed in any of claims 17 to 23, wherein the opening is elongate in plan view and comprises a narrowed waist portion.

25. A female urine bottle as claimed in claim 24, wherein the opening as positioned, at least partly, directly above the base wall.

26. A female urine bottle substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.