Apparatus and methods for receiving discharged urine
A system suitable for collecting and transporting urine away from the body of a person or animal may include an assembly having a fluid impermeable casing having a fluid reservoir at a first end, a fluid outlet at a second end, and a longitudinally extending fluid impermeable layer coupled to the fluid reservoir and the fluid outlet and defining a longitudinally elongated opening between the reservoir and the outlet. The assembly can further include a fluid permeable support disposed within the casing with a portion extending across the elongated opening, and a fluid permeable membrane disposed on the support and covering at least the portion of the support that extends across the elongated opening, so that the membrane is supported on the support and disposed across the elongated opening. The assembly can further include a tube having a first end disposed in the reservoir and a second, fluid discharge end.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a fluid impermeable casing having a fluid reservoir at a first end, a fluid outlet at a second end, and a longitudinally extending fluid impermeable layer coupled to the fluid reservoir and the fluid outlet and defining a longitudinally elongated opening between the fluid reservoir and the fluid outlet;
a fluid permeable support disposed within the casing with a portion extending across the elongated opening, wherein the fluid permeable support is distinct from and at least proximate to the fluid reservoir;
a fluid permeable membrane disposed on the support and covering at least the portion of the support that extends across the elongated opening, so that the membrane is supported on the support and disposed across the elongated opening;
a tube having a first end disposed in the reservoir and extending behind at least the portion of the support and the portion of the membrane disposed across the elongated opening and extending through the fluid outlet to a second, fluid discharge end,
the apparatus configured to be disposed with the opening adjacent to a urethral opening of a user, to receive urine discharged from the urethral opening through the opening of the fluid impermeable layer, the membrane, the support, and into the reservoir, and to have the received urine withdrawn from the reservoir via the tube and out of the fluid discharge end of the tube.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the casing is integrally formed of a polymer material.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is formed of polymer and the fluid impermeable layer and fluid outlet are formed of elongate strips of adhesive tape.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support is cylindrical and defines a lumen, the membrane is a fabric sleeve disposed around the support, and the tube is disposed in the lumen of the support.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support and casing are substantially cylindrical, the apparatus configured to be: disposed with the elongated opening adjacent the urethral opening of a human female; oriented with the reservoir adjacent to the user's anus and the outlet disposed above the urethral opening; and arranged with a curved shape with the elongated opening disposed on the inside of the curve.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support is formed of spun plastic and the membrane is formed of ribbed knit fabric.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid receptacle fluidically coupled to the discharge end of the tube.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a source of vacuum fluidically coupled to the discharge end of the tube.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid permeable membrane includes a wicking material.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is defined between the fluid impermeable casing and the fluid permeable support.
11. An apparatus comprising:
a fluid impermeable casing defining a fluid reservoir at a first end, a fluid outlet at a second end, and a longitudinally extending portion extending between the fluid reservoir and the fluid outlet and defining a longitudinally elongated opening between the fluid reservoir and the fluid outlet;
a fluid permeable support disposed within the casing with a portion extending across the elongated opening, wherein the fluid permeable support is distinct from and at least proximate to the fluid reservoir;
a fluid permeable membrane disposed on the support and covering at least the portion of the support that extends across the elongated opening, so that the membrane is supported on the support and disposed across the elongated opening;
a tube having a first end disposed in the reservoir and extending behind at least the portion of the support and the portion of the membrane disposed across the elongated opening and extending through the fluid outlet to a second, fluid discharge end,
the apparatus configured to:
be disposed with the opening adjacent to a urethral opening of a user, with the fluid permeable membrane engaging tissue surrounding the urethral opening,
be retained in position on the user solely by frictional engagement with and/or between the labia and/or other portions of the area of the user's body surrounding the urethral opening, and
receive urine discharged from the urethral opening through the opening of the fluid impermeable layer, the membrane, the support, and into the reservoir, and to have the received urine withdrawn from the reservoir via the tube and out of the fluid discharge end of the tube.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be retained in position on the user via engagement between the first end of the casing and a user's perineum.
13. An apparatus comprising:
a fluid impermeable casing defining a fluid reservoir at a first end, a fluid outlet at a second end, and a longitudinally extending portion extending between the fluid reservoir and the fluid outlet and defining a longitudinally elongated opening between the fluid reservoir and the fluid outlet;
a fluid permeable support disposed within the casing with a portion extending across the elongated opening, wherein the fluid permeable support is distinct from and at least proximate to the fluid reservoir;
a fluid permeable membrane disposed on the support and covering at least the portion of the support that extends across the elongated opening, so that the membrane is supported on the support and disposed across the elongated opening;
a tube having a first end disposed in the reservoir and extending behind at least the portion of the support and the portion of the membrane disposed across the elongated opening and extending through the fluid outlet to a second, fluid discharge end, the tube having only a first opening at the first end and a second opening at the second end, and a lumen fluidically coupling the first opening and the second opening,
the apparatus configured to be disposed with the opening adjacent to a urethral opening of a user, with the fluid permeable membrane engaging tissue surrounding the urethral opening, to receive urine discharged from the urethral opening through the opening of the fluid impermeable layer, the membrane, the support, and into the reservoir, and to have the received urine withdrawn from the reservoir via the tube and out of the fluid discharge end of the tube.
14. An apparatus comprising:
a fluid impermeable casing defining a pliable fluid reservoir at a first end, a fluid outlet at a second end, and a longitudinally extending portion extending between the fluid reservoir and the fluid outlet and defining a longitudinally elongated opening between the fluid reservoir and the fluid outlet;
a fluid permeable support disposed within the casing with a portion extending across the elongated opening, wherein the fluid permeable support is distinct from and at least proximate to the fluid reservoir;
a fluid permeable membrane disposed on the support and covering at least the portion of the support that extends across the elongated opening, so that the membrane is supported on the support and disposed across the elongated opening;
a tube having a first end with a first opening therein disposed in the reservoir and extending behind at least the portion of the support and the portion of the membrane disposed across the elongated opening and extending through the fluid outlet to a second, fluid discharge end,
the apparatus configured to be disposed with the opening adjacent to a urethral opening of a user, with the fluid permeable membrane engaging tissue surrounding the urethral opening, to receive urine discharged from the urethral opening through the opening of the fluid impermeable layer, the membrane, the support, and into the reservoir, and to have the received urine withdrawn from the reservoir via the tube and out of the fluid discharge end of the tube by a vacuum-induced pressure differential at the first end of the tube sufficiently large to withdraw urine through the tube at flow rate equal to the urine discharge rate in a urination event and without causing the fluid reservoir to be drawn towards and to occlude the first opening in the first end of the tube.