Fluid collecting container
A fluid collecting container includes a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a front sheet and a back sheet. The front sheet and back sheet are fixed together at their edges and create a chamber in which the fluid can be collected. The fluid collecting container also has a channel having a first upper end fluidically connected to the fluid inlet and a second bottom end fluidically connected to the chamber. The channel is configured to increase the pressure drop at the fluid inlet once the fluid level in the chamber reaches the second bottom end.
1 . A fluid collecting container comprising:
a fluid inlet;
a fluid outlet;
a front sheet; and
a back sheet,
the front sheet and the back sheet being fixed together at edges, creating a chamber in which fluid is collectable, wherein the edges comprise a top edge, a bottom edge opposite the top edge, a first lateral edge joining the top edge with the bottom edge, and a second lateral edge opposite the first lateral edge joining the top edge with the bottom edge,
the fluid collecting container further comprising a channel having an upper end fluidically connected to the fluid inlet and a bottom end fluidically connected to a remainder of the chamber, wherein the channel extends along the first lateral edge, with the upper end and the fluid inlet located between the top edge and the bottom edge, and the bottom end spaced from and facing towards the bottom edge to thereby direct fluid exiting the channel into the remainder of the chamber towards the bottom edge,
the channel configured to increase a pressure drop at the fluid inlet when a fluid level in the chamber reaches the bottom end,
wherein a distance between the bottom edge of the fluid collecting container and the bottom end of the channel is dimensioned to allow a selected flowrate of the fluid from the channel toward the chamber.
2 . The fluid collecting container according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid collecting container is a bag or a pouch formed of thermoplastic material.
3 . The fluid collecting container according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet is located so as to lead the fluid in the fluid collecting container directly inside the channel, and the fluid outlet is located outside the channel.
4 . The fluid collecting container according to claim 1 , wherein the channel is formed between the first lateral edge of the fluid collecting container and a weld that connects the front sheet and the back sheet.
5 . The fluid collecting container according to claim 4 , wherein the weld comprises a first weld part and a second weld part positioned relative to the first weld part such that the weld is L-shaped.
6 . The fluid collecting container according to claim 5 , wherein the first weld part extends from the first lateral edge towards the second lateral edge, and is positioned between the top edge and the fluid inlet.
7 . The fluid collecting container according to claim 6 , wherein the second weld part extends from an end of the first weld part towards the bottom edge to a lower end that defines the bottom end of the channel.
8 . The fluid collecting container according to claim 7 , wherein the second weld part is parallel to the first lateral edge, and a width of the channel is constant.
9 . The fluid collecting container according to claim 8 , wherein the width of the channel is 5-25% of a width of the fluid collecting container.
10 . The fluid collecting container according to claim 8 , wherein the width of the channel corresponds to a length of the first weld part, the length of the first weld part being 5-25% of a length of the second weld part.
11 . The fluid collecting container according to claim 1 , wherein the chamber has a maximum capacity of between 2 liters and 10 liters.
12 . A method for collecting fluid in the fluid collecting container of claim 1 comprising the steps of:
priming the fluid collecting container through the channel; and
increasing the pressure drop at the fluid inlet when the fluid level in the chamber reaches the bottom end.
13 . The fluid collecting container of claim 1 , wherein the bottom end is oriented to direct fluid exiting the channel into a corner defined by an intersection of the first lateral edge and the bottom edge.
14 . The fluid collecting container of claim 6 , wherein the fluid inlet extends through the first lateral edge, and the fluid outlet extends through the first lateral edge and is positioned between the first weld part and the top edge.
15 . The fluid collecting container of claim 8 , wherein the first weld part is parallel to the top edge and perpendicular to the second weld part.
16 . The fluid collecting container of claim 1 , wherein the channel extends only along the first lateral edge.
17 . An extracorporeal blood treatment device comprising:
at least two fluid collecting containers, wherein each of the at least two fluid collecting containers comprises:
a fluid inlet;
a fluid outlet;
a front sheet; and
a back sheet,
the front sheet and the back sheet being fixed together at edges, creating a chamber in which fluid is collectable,
a channel having an upper end fluidically connected to the fluid inlet and a bottom end fluidically connected to a remainder of the chamber, the channel configured to increase a pressure drop at the fluid inlet when a fluid level in the chamber reaches the bottom end, wherein a distance between a bottom edge of each fluid collecting container and the bottom end of the channel is dimensioned to allow a selected flowrate of the fluid from the channel toward the chamber; and
a waste liquid discharge line,
the at least two fluid collecting containers being connected in a parallel fluid flow arrangement to said waste liquid discharge line.
18 . The extracorporeal blood treatment device according to claim 17 , wherein the respective fluid inlet of each of the at least two fluid collecting containers is fluidly connected to a waste liquid discharge line of the extracorporeal blood treatment device, and the respective fluid outlet of the at least two fluid collecting containers is connected to a waste disposal location that is fluidly separate from the waste liquid discharge line of the extracorporeal blood treatment device.