Emesis bag

Abstract

An emesis bag. A liquid-tight, tubular body portion defining a tubular axis and formed of one or more sheets of a plastic sheeting material is provided. The body portion has a first end through which the tubular axis passes, the first end defining a first opening into the body portion. The first end includes a “ziplock” seal for sealing the first opening, the ziplock seal having permanently joined ends that lie substantially along two opposed seams of the bag. The body portion has two sides extending between the two seams. The bag further includes at least two stay elements. One of the stay elements is disposed at the first end of the body portion on one of the sides and the other is disposed at the first end on the other of the sides. The stay elements extend on both sides of the tubular axis and terminate short of the seams. Each of the stay elements includes at least one metal strip.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a disposable bag for the receipt and containment of bodily fluids, more particularly an emesis bag, for use in hospitals, home and travel.

BACKGROUND

Emesis bags are, essentially, flexible plastic bags that are provided with a rigid funnel at the opening of the bag. The flexibility of the bag allows it to be stored efficiently when empty, while the funnel, formed as a ring, maintains the mouth of the bag in an open configuration to facilitate vomiting into the bag. FIG. 1 provides an example of the standard emesis bag.

The bag is sealed like a bread bag; it is twisted relative to the funnel to form a tightly twisted neck, and the neck is inserted into a notch in the funnel to tie the neck and maintain it in its twisted configuration. The bag is disposed of in this condition, with the contents sealed therein.

Another emesis bag is that manufactured by Bagco (www.bagco.com) marketed under the trademark ZIPPIT. This bag utilizes what is referred to herein as a “ziplock seal” for sealing the bag in a closed configuration, and provides cuffs for gripping the bag so that the bag remains open.

SUMMARY

An improved emesis bag is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a liquid-tight, tubular body portion defining a tubular axis and formed of one or more sheets of a plastic sheeting material is provided. The body portion has a first end through which the tubular axis passes, the first end defining a first opening into the body portion. The first end includes a ziplock seal for sealing the first opening, the ziplock seal having permanently joined ends that lie substantially along two opposed seams of the bag. The body portion has two sides extending between the two seams. The bag further includes at least two stay elements. One of the stay elements is disposed at the first end of the body portion on one of the sides and the other is disposed at the first end on the other of the sides. The stay elements extend on both sides of the tubular axis and terminate short of the seams. Each of the stay elements includes at least one metal strip.

Preferably, at the first end of the body portion the two sides each include an overlapping cuff portion that creates, on each of the sides, a covered space. In this embodiment, the stay elements are preferably disposed within the covered spaces.

The emesis bag also has a second end opposite the first end. In one embodiment, the body portion is formed, at this second end, in a K-seal or modified K-seal configuration as described below, to facilitate maintaining the bag in a standing, up-right position, though this is not essential.

In another embodiment, the second end is utilized for draining the bag and includes a second opening, though this is also not essential. In this embodiment, preferably, the second opening is sealed along a weakened line. Preferably, to facilitate maintaining the second opening in an open configuration, the bag includes two additional stay elements, one of the additional stay elements being disposed at the second end on one of the sides of the body portion and the other being disposed at the second end on the other of the sides.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a three dimensional view of a prior art emesis bag.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a sheet of material utilized to form an emesis bag according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is side view of the sheet of FIG. 2, after being folded a first time.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the opposite side of the sheet of material of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the sheet of FIG. 4, after being folded a second time.

FIG. 6 is a three dimensional view of the bag corresponding to FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a sheet of material utilized to form an alternative emesis bag according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a three dimensional view of the bag corresponding to the sheet of FIG. 7, showing a bottom end sealed along a weakened line.

FIG. 9 is a three dimensional view of the bag of FIG. 8, showing the opening after tearing the bag along the weakened line.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a sheet of material utilized to form either the bag of FIG. 2 or FIG. 7 to provide a flared cuff.

FIG. 11 is three dimensional view of the top end of a bag corresponding to FIG. 10, showing deployment of the cuff.

FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of an opening showing major and minor diameters for purposes of providing definition.

FIG. 13 is a three dimensional view of a bag according to the invention showing the use of stay elements positioned between opposed seams.

FIG. 14 is a three dimensional view of the top end of a bag according to the invention showing the use of stay elements centered on opposed seams.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is described in the context of an emesis bag, in which it is ideally suited. However, it should be understood that the features provided may be used whenever it is desired to receive and securely store or dispose of bodily fluids or other hazardous or distasteful waste, which may be in liquid, semi-liquid, or even solid form.

For clarity and convenience, the same reference designators will be used to designate like parts in the different embodiments described herein.

The invention provides for two basic low-cost, disposable emesis bag forms that provide for maximum storage efficiency and ease of use, as well as an additional feature, i.e., a stay element for use with the different forms that further improves their functionality. The basic forms are described first.

Emesis bags according to the invention take the basic form of a standard ziplock freezer bag, with variations at the base or bottom of the bag. In a first variation described in connection with FIGS. 2-6, the bottom of the bag is adapted to facilitate standing the bag upright on a level surface, and in a second variation described in connection with FIGS. 7-9, the bag is adapted to provide for drainage thereof.

Turning to the first variation, FIG. 2 shows a first, preferred embodiment 10 of an emesis bag. The bag is preferably formed of a single sheet 12 of flexible sheeting material, preferably but not necessarily low density polyethylene between 2.8 and 3.2 mil in thickness. The sheeting material may be opaque, transparent, translucent, or reflective as desired.

The sheet is bisected by a line “A,” and has opposed edges 16 (16a, 16b) above the line A, and opposed edges 18 (18a, 18b) below the line A. The line A also demarcates two exterior sides of the bag 10 “S1a” and “S2a.” The sheet is folded along the line A so that points “B” (B₁, B₂) meet points “C” (C₁, C₂). The result is shown in a side view in FIG. 3, where spacing is exaggerated to show detail.

FIG. 4 shows the opposite side “S2” (“S2a,” “S2b,” corresponding respectively to S1a, S1b) of the sheet 12, after the aforementioned operation has been performed. Now the sheet 12 is folded again in the opposite direction so that points “D” (D₁, D₂) meet points “E” (E₁, E₂) at the line A. The result is shown in side view in FIG. 5 where, again, spacing is exaggerated for clarity.

The sides 16 and 18 are joined (16a is joined to 18a, 16b is joined to 18b) such as by being welded, to form parallel seams 20 (20a, 20b) of the bag, of increased stiffness.

Once the sides are joined, the bag is essentially tubular, and defines a tubular or central axis “L” whether the bag is folded flat or not.

A bottom end 24 of the bag is preferably formed by the above operations into what is known in the art as a “K-seal.” The portion of the bag lying along the line A can be pulled down to some extent (though it is tied to the seams 20), and this allows the edges defined between the points B (B₁-B₂) to separate from the edges defined between the points C (B₁-B₂), defining a base that facilitates maintaining the bag 10, when it has contents therein and is placed on a level surface, upright.

Alternatively, the edges indicated in FIG. 3 as F₁ and F₂ need not be sealed to each other, in which case the bottom end 24 may be manipulated to provide a wider stance. This alternative is referred to for purposes herein as being a “modified K-seal.” It should be understood that, while a K-seal or modified K-seal bottom end 24 is provided in a preferred embodiment, it is not essential.

The bag 10 has an opening 22a at the top end 22. The opening leads into a body portion “BP” of the bag for storing liquid, semi-liquid, or solid contents introduced into the bag through the opening 22a.

Returning to FIG. 4, the inside surfaces S2a, S2b of the sheet 12 have attached thereto respective mating elements Z₁ and Z₂ of a ziplock seal. The term “ziplock seal” is used herein as a generic term referring to any of the well known plastic zippered bag closure mechanisms such as those incorporated in plastic freezer bags marketed by the SC Johnson company under the trademark ZIPLOC®. One of the mating elements extends along an inside surface of one of the walls of the bag (S2a or S2b) and has a male profile, and the other extends along an opposed inside surface of an opposed wall of the bag (S2b or S2a) and has a female profile. The mating elements are adapted to sealingly engage and disengage with each other in a manual, zipper action. As is standard practice in zipper mechanisms, a pull element, slidably connected to the elements, may be provided for closing and opening the seal, or the pull may be omitted and the mating elements may be manipulated directly by squeezing the elements together, to close the seal, or pulling the elements apart, to open the seal. The seal is typically formed entirely of plastic, and is typically extruded separately from the plastic sheeting material and welded or fused thereto. However, the seal may be integrally formed with the sheeting material, or may be bonded thereto by other means, and it may be considered desirable to embed metal strips as described below in the seal itself. There may be a plurality of pairs of the male and female elements, for example, the seal may be provided in a “double zipper” configuration.

The ziplock seal is hidden in FIG. 6. The seams 20 (20a, 20b) coincide with the ends of the ziplock seal and therefore define axial lines of the bag 10 along which the bag is essentially folded, the ziplock seal elements being too stiff to allow, as a practical matter, for folding the bag along different axial lines. The tubular bag naturally lays flat between the seams 20, providing for maximum space-saving storage efficiency.

The seams are joined so that the body portion of the bag is liquid tight; thus, closing the ziplock seal completely seals the contents of the bag against the release of liquid and at least most all odor.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the second basic emesis bag form 30, providing for evacuation, from the bag, of the same contents. The bag 30 therefore differs from the bag 10 only at the bottom end 24. FIG. 7 shows a single sheet of the same sheeting material as described above with a narrowed portion “NP” at what will be the bottom end 24. The sides S2a and S2b will be interior surfaces of the bag 10. The sheet is folded along the line A and edges 16a₁, 16a₂, and 16a₃ meet, respectively, edges 18a₁, 18a₂, and 18a₃, and edges 16b₁, 16b₂, and 16b₃ meet, respectively, edges 18b₁, 18b₂, and 18b₃. The result is shown in FIG. 8, where the edges 16a₁, 16a₂, 16a₃, 18a₁, 18a₂, and 18a₃ are joined to form the seam 20a and the edges 16b₁, 16b₂, 16b₃, 18b₁, 18b₂, and 18b₃ are joined to form the seam 20b. As for the bag 10, the seams are preferably welded or fused, but the edges may be joined in any known manner.

FIG. 7 also identifies portions of the sides S2a and S2b, namely S2a₁ and S2b₁, corresponding to an end 24 (FIG. 8) of the bag. These portions are preferably joined together coextensively to form a liquid-tight seal which is perforated to define a line of weakening or weakened line 32. The weakened line 32 can be provided in any desired alternative manner that does not destroy the seal. It preferably extends the entirety of the distance between the seams 20a and 20b. This allows for manually tearing off the portion “P” (FIG. 8) at the end 24 of the bag, allowing the bag to adopt the configuration shown in FIG. 9, in which contents of the bag may be emptied out through an opening 24b thereby created in the end 24.

As will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill, it is possible to provide a line of weakening in the K-seal or modified K-seal embodiments described above, though this is not preferred because it requires tearing the bag over a substantially longer weakened line, and thereby creating a substantially larger opening 24b and making it more difficult to direct the flow of the contents out of the bag.

While the opening 24b is preferably centered on the axis L as shown, this is not essential. It is also not essential that the narrowed portion N extend in the direction of the axis L. For example, the narrowed portion NP may project perpendicular to the axis L, depending from the side S1b of the body portion BP of the bag.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show a preferred variation of the top end 22 of either the bag 10 or the bag 30. Particularly, a flared or cuff portion CP of the sheet 12 is preferably provided at the top end that can be folded down over the body portion of the bag to form a cuff as indicated in FIG. 11. The cuff is desirable for providing both a handle for the bag and a cover for an additional feature described immediately below, but it is not essential. Moreover, it is not necessary to flare the cuff portion to form a cuff; the flared cuff portion merely makes forming the cuff easier.

It was recognized by the present inventors that low cost bags such as the forms described above are not well suited for use as emesis bags because the opening 22a does not stay open by itself. To address this problem in a most cost effective manner, metal stays are provided at or near the opening 22a to stay the opening in an open position. FIG. 12 provides a definition of the objective, showing an opening 22a at the ziplock seal elements Z₁ and Z₂ relative to the central, tubular axis L. The size of the opening is generally (roughly) elliptical, and the closer it comes to being circular the more cross-sectional area is provided by the opening. The circularity of the opening can be defined as a ratio of a minor diameter (“MinorD”) which is the minimum diameter, passing through the axis L, of the opening, and a major diameter (“MajorD”), also passing through the axis L and being the maximum diameter of the opening (hereinafter “diametric ratio”). If the diametric ratio is 1 (one), the opening is circular, and to the extent the diametric ratio is less than one, the opening is more elliptical and has less cross-sectional area. It is desired that the stays provide for maintaining the opening 22a, against the forces applied to the opening by the bag, and particularly against the resistive stiffness of the ziplock seal, at a diametric ratio that is at least about 0.75.

The stays provide one or more deformable (i.e., ductile or malleable, not spring-like) metal strips that can be easily bent during use of the bag into a roughly “V” or “U” shape that tends to maintain the open configuration, and that can also be easily straightened to close the bag, either for sealing (by use of the ziplock seal) or to flatten the bag for space efficient storage in anticipation of disposal after use.

There are numerous alternative embodiments of both the stays and the positions that the stays occupy on (or in) the bag that can be provided according to the principles of the invention. Illustratively, FIG. 13 shows a bag having preferred stays and the use thereof according to the invention.

FIG. 13 shows the top end 22 of, arbitrarily, the bag 10 with the ziplock sealing elements now omitted for clarity, so that corresponding stays 26 (26a, 26b) according to the invention can be seen. Only one stay 26a is visible in the Figure, it being understood that the opposite side of the bag is treated identically.

According to the invention, a stay 26 comprises one or more manually plastically-deformable strips of metal 28 attached to the bag near the top end 22.

The plastically deformable strips are preferably provided in the form of elongate cylindrical wires which are economical and provide a good ratio of strength/weight. For a bag employing sheeting material of about 3 mil thickness and which is about 7″ wide (width “W”), a preferred wire is formed of ductile iron or steel and is about 20 gauge.

The strips may have other than circular cross-sectional configurations, e.g., they may be flat and have rectangular cross-sections, and they may have cross-sectional shapes and sizes that vary along the lengths thereof. The material and dimensions of the strips can vary as well, and the dimensions in particular should vary with the size of the bag, i.e., the larger the bag, the stronger and therefore the stiffer the strips should be. The inventors have discovered, however, that plastic materials are ineffective, and therefore the stays should be formed of metal.

Preferably, a single stay 26 includes two strips 28 (28a, 28b) that are provided in parallel, spaced apart by about 0.5″ in the direction of the axis L. The strips may be embedded in the plastic sheeting material, or made integral with the ziplock seal. They also may be attached directly to the plastic sheeting material, such as by being threaded through or woven into the material.

In a preferred embodiment, a stay 26 also comprises an adhesive-backed substrate 29 in or to which the strips are held captive. For example, the strips may be sandwiched between two elongate strips of plastic or paper material, and adhesive may be applied to the exposed side of one of the strips. As another example, if the elongate strips are formed of plastic, they may be welded or fused to the sheeting material of the bag, eliminating the need for adhesive.

At least one stay 26 is provided for each side (S1a or S2a, and S1b or S2b) of the bag, and the stays are preferably disposed under the aforementioned cuff, which serves to cover, and therefore to protect, them. The stays are preferably positioned centrally relative to the axis L, and have a length that is about ⅔ the width W of the bag, so that for a 7″ wide bag, the stays extend to within about 1″ of the seams 20. However, it has been found that the length of the stays may be reduced such that they can extend over no more than about 50% of the width of the bag and still be effective.

The stays are provided to be easily deformable by manual manipulation, i.e., without the use of tools; more particularly, they are plastically deformable by such manipulation so that they maintain their deformed configurations after the force that produced the deformation is removed.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 13 functions as follows: As the bag 10 is opened in the direction of the arrows “A1,” such as by squeezing inwardly in the direction of the arrows “A2,” the stays experience a maximum stress (which is due to bending) at centrally located points “P” (aligned with the axis L). The stays plastically deform at these points, assuming a “U” or “V” shape that maintains the opening 22a open, which facilitates vomiting into the bag.

An alternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 14, where the stays are centered on the seams 20a, 20b of the bag. In either embodiment, it is an outstanding recognition by the present inventors that the stays need not extend all the way around the bag, resulting in substantial cost saving, as well as improved ease of manipulating the bag between the open and closed configurations.

So far, stay elements have been described for use in maintaining the opening 22a at the top end 22 of the bag. Also according to the invention, the opening 24a at the bottom end of the bag 30 may be provided with one or more stay elements in the same manner and for the same purpose described above, to facilitate drainage from the bag.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions to exclude equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.

Claims

1. An emesis bag, comprising:

a liquid-tight, tubular body portion defining a tubular axis formed of one or more sheets of a flexible plastic sheeting material, said body portion having a first end through which said axis passes, said first end defining a first opening into said body portion, said first end including a ziplock seal for sealing said first opening, said ziplock seal having permanently joined ends that lie substantially along two opposed seams of the bag, said body portion having two sides extending between said seams; and

at least two stay elements, one of said stay elements being disposed at said first end on one of said sides and the other of said stay elements being disposed at said first end on the other of said sides, said stay elements extending on both sides of said tubular axis and terminating short of said seams, wherein each of said stay elements includes at least one metal strip.

2. The emesis bag of claim 1, wherein at said first end said two sides each include an overlapping cuff portion so as to create, on each of said sides, a covered space, and wherein said stay elements are disposed within said covered spaces.

3. The emesis bag of claim 2, wherein each of said stay elements includes at least two, spaced-apart and substantially parallel metal strips.

4. The emesis bag of claim 1, wherein each of said stay elements includes at least two, spaced-apart and substantially parallel metal strips.

5. The emesis bag of claim 4, wherein said body portion has a second end opposite said first end at which said body portion is formed in a K-seal or modified K-seal configuration, to facilitate maintaining the bag in a standing, up-right position.

6. The emesis bag of claim 3, wherein said body portion has a second end opposite said first end at which said body portion is formed in a K-seal or modified K-seal configuration, to facilitate maintaining the bag in a standing, up-right position.

7. The emesis bag of claim 2, wherein said body portion has a second end opposite said first end at which said body portion is formed in a K-seal or modified K-seal configuration, to facilitate maintaining the bag in a standing, up-right position.

8. The emesis bag of claim 1, wherein said body portion has a second end opposite said first end at which said body portion is formed in a K-seal or modified K-seal configuration, to facilitate maintaining the bag in a standing, up-right position.

9. The emesis bag of claim 4, wherein said body portion has a second end, opposite said first end, said second end having a second opening into said body portion, said second end being sealed along a weakened line.

10. The emesis bag of claim 9, further comprising two additional stay elements, one of said additional stay elements being disposed at said second end on one of said sides and the other of said additional stay elements being disposed at said second end on the other of said sides.

11. The emesis bag of claim 10, said additional stay elements extending on both sides of said tubular axis and terminating short of said fold lines, wherein each of said stay elements includes at least one metal strip.

12. The emesis bag of claim 3, wherein said body portion has a second end, opposite said first end, said second end having a second opening into said body portion, said second end being sealed along a weakened line.

13. The emesis bag of claim 12, further comprising two additional stay elements, one of said additional stay elements being disposed at said second end on one of said sides and the other of said additional stay elements being disposed at said second end on the other of said sides.

14. The emesis bag of claim 13, said additional stay elements extending on both sides of said tubular axis and terminating short of said fold lines, wherein each of said stay elements includes a metal strip.

15. The emesis bag of claim 2, wherein said body portion has a second end, opposite said first end, said second end having a second opening into said body portion, said second end being sealed along a weakened line.

16. The emesis bag of claim 15, further comprising two additional stay elements, one of said additional stay elements being disposed at said second end on one of said sides and the other of said additional stay elements being disposed at said second end on the other of said sides.

17. The emesis bag of claim 16, said additional stay elements extending on both sides of said tubular axis and terminating short of said fold lines, wherein each of said stay elements includes a metal strip.

18. The emesis bag of claim 1, wherein said body portion has a second end, opposite said first end, said second end having a second opening into said body portion, said second end being sealed along a weakened line.

19. The emesis bag of claim 18, further comprising two additional stay elements, one of said additional stay elements being disposed at said second end on one of said sides and the other of said additional stay elements being disposed at said second end on the other of said sides.

20. The emesis bag of claim 19, said additional stay elements extending on both sides of said tubular axis and terminating short of said fold lines, wherein each of said stay elements includes a metal strip.