Fluid collecting device

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a fluid collection device (100) configurable for improved collection, monitoring and measurement of bodily fluids for real-time analysis. In some embodiments, monitoring may be accomplished by providing a collection container (10) having a plurality of compartments (20) filled with bodily fluid at predetermined time intervals to monitor and detect changing conditions of important organs for a longer duration. This enables early detection of infections or diseases, thereby facilitating precise examinations using a single collection container (10).

Description

Field of the Technology

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of fluid collection systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fluid collection device that continuously monitors and analyzes in real time the properties of fluids collected from a user or transferred from another device.

[0002] Background of the Disclosure

[0003] Body fluids are typically collected and measured in a timely manner to check for changes in vital organs, which helps in the early detection of infections, diseases, etc. Conventionally, these body fluids are collected in a bag or a disposable bag connected to a user such as a human or an animal body via a catheter. The body fluids collected in such a bag or disposable bag are manually measured and recorded periodically by medical staff or nurses. However, these conventional bags or disposable bags are designed to collect only a limited volume of body fluids, and if additional volumes of body fluids have to be collected, they have to be replaced frequently. Especially for a severely ill body, it becomes important to periodically monitor vital organs for diagnosis and provide appropriate medical care. Thus, frequent emptying of the measuring chamber or disposable bag may lead to delays, and monitoring of such ill users may result in complications and loss of critical data. The collected fluid is mixed with the remaining fluid, thereby diluting the concentration and mixing potentially important components in the collected fluid. Since this method does not allow for interval sampling.

[0004] Collecting fluid samples using conventional methods and maintaining a log by periodically measuring the volume is error-prone and has a high measurement error rate. Manual logs also tend to record characteristics of the fluid, such as the color or turbidity properties of the fluid, etc. Since the collected fluid is diluted, these are difficult to detect. For example, certain changes that occur in a short period of time may not be detected when fluid dilution occurs.

[0005] Recently, automated fluid collection devices including bags with electrical systems have been developed. Body fluids collected in such bags are monitored and measured electronically to provide more precise measurements and determination of the body fluids so collected. However, such electronic monitoring requires additional systems to operate sensors, display units, or communication modules, which increases manufacturing and operating costs. In addition, due to the complex structure and operating system, its operation is limited to skilled personnel. Further, in such devices, the bag has a reservoir integrally formed within the bag and in fluid communication with the remaining volume of the bag, such that body fluid is initially collected in the reservoir and periodically transferred to the remaining volume of the bag. However, since the body fluid must be transferred from the reservoir to the container of the remaining volume to initiate the measurement cycle for analysis, additional time is consumed. Additionally, these automated fluid collection devices rely on external devices to perform any chemical analysis of the body fluid collected in the bag, which is time-consuming and results in a change in the properties of the body fluid, leading to inaccurate analysis or contamination of the fluid so collected, e.g., due to contact with air or growth of bacteria in the collected fluid during conventional sampling.

[0006] Accordingly, there is a need to fabricate fluid collection devices for improving the analysis and early detection of diseases or infections to overcome one or more of the above disadvantages.

[0007] Summary of the Disclosure

[0008] The claimed fluid collection devices and methods overcome one or more disadvantages of the prior art and provide additional advantages through the provision of the present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the present disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered a part of what is claimed in the present disclosure.

[0009] In one non - limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, a fluid collection device is disclosed. The fluid collection device includes a collection container, at least one inlet, a plurality of compartments, and a valve assembly. The collection container defines a reservoir, wherein the reservoir is defined to have a plurality of conduits. The at least one inlet is defined on an entry portion of the collection container and is fluidly connected to receive fluid from a user. The plurality of compartments are defined within the reservoir, wherein each of the plurality of compartments is configured to receive and collect a different amount of fluid. The valve assembly is connectable between the at least one inlet and the plurality of compartments. The valve assembly includes a plurality of configurations connected to each of the plurality of compartments via a plurality of conduits, wherein the valve assembly is configured to selectively effect the flow of fluid from the reservoir to the plurality of compartments at predetermined intervals.

[0010] In one embodiment, the at least one inlet is fluidly connected to the user via a fluid tube.

[0011] In one embodiment, the valve assembly is defined as having a housing with one end connected to at least one inlet.

[0012] In one embodiment, the valve assembly includes a timer mechanism and a flow control mechanism within the housing, the timer mechanism and the flow control mechanism being configured to selectively effect the flow of fluid from a reservoir to each of a plurality of compartments at a predetermined interval.

[0013] In one embodiment, the timer mechanism is a discrete control mechanism.

[0014] In one embodiment, the timer mechanism is a continuous control mechanism.

[0015] In one embodiment, the flow control mechanism is defined by a cam having a flow path for fluid from a fluid tube to one of the plurality of compartments.

[0016] In one embodiment, the timer mechanism is configured to regulate the flow control mechanism such that each of the plurality of compartments is filled with fluid until a predetermined interval has elapsed, and subsequent compartments are filled with fluid.

[0017] In one embodiment, the timer mechanism includes a biasing member having one end connected to the flow control mechanism and the other end connected to a knob for manually loading the biasing member and setting the predetermined interval.

[0018] In one embodiment, the fluid collection device includes at least one control unit communicatively connected to the fluid collection device.

[0019] In one embodiment, the at least one control unit is configured to receive one of a set of images from an image capture device and signals from a plurality of sensors disposed in the fluid collection device to measure the flow rate, volume, and specific gravity of the fluid.

[0020] In one embodiment, the at least one control unit is configured to compare the volume and specific gravity of the fluid to a set of predetermined values and determine the flow rate of the fluid based on inputs provided by the plurality of sensors.

[0021] In one embodiment, the at least one control unit is configured to estimate the flow rate, volume, weight, and specific gravity of the fluid based on a comparison to the set of predetermined values.

[0022] In one embodiment, the fluid collection device includes a hook that can be connected at the top to a collection container and is configured to selectively expand and contract relative to the fluid collection device based on the flow of fluid entering the collection container.

[0023] In one embodiment, the hook is a spring-actuated mechanism.

[0024] In one embodiment, the plurality of sensors includes a refractometer configured to sense the refraction of a fluid and transmit at least one signal corresponding to the refraction of the fluid to at least one control unit.

[0025] In one embodiment, at least one control unit is configured to determine the specific gravity of the fluid based on at least one signal corresponding to the refraction of the fluid transmitted by the refractometer.

[0026] In one embodiment, the fluid collection device includes a plurality of assay strips in fluid communication with a plurality of compartments and configured to receive fluid for fluid analysis.

[0027] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of compartments is defined to have at least one sampling port configured to effect fluid sample collection.

[0028] In another non - limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for analyzing fluid in a fluid collection device is disclosed. The method includes the step of receiving a user's fluid through at least one inlet into a plurality of compartments, wherein the fluid collection device is defined to have a plurality of compartments and at least one inlet. At least one control unit is configured to identify the volume and specific gravity of the fluid when receiving one of a set of images captured by an image capture device and a signal from a sensor disposed in the fluid collection device. At least one control unit is configured to compare the volume and specific gravity of the fluid with a set of predetermined values. At least one control unit is configured to determine the flow rate of the fluid based on inputs provided by the plurality of sensors. Finally, the control unit is configured to estimate the flow rate of the fluid and compare it with the set of predetermined values to analyze the fluid.

[0029] It should be understood that aspects and embodiments of the above disclosure can be used in any combination with each other. Several aspects and embodiments can be combined together to form other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0030] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the above - described illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features, other aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0032] The novel features and characteristics of the present disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. However, the present disclosure itself, its preferred modes of use, other purposes, and advantages will be best understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments. Now, by way of example only, one or more embodiments are described with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like elements, wherein:

[0033] Figure 1 The figure shows a front cross-sectional view of a fluid collection device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 2 The figure shows a perspective view of a device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 3 The figure shows Figure 1 a perspective view of the fluid controller and valve assembly of the device;

[0036] Figure 4a The figure shows a front view of an envelope according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 4b The figure shows a front view of an envelope with a refractometer according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0038] Figure 5 The figure shows a perspective view of an envelope connected to a device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0039] Figure 6a The figure shows a top view of a timer mechanism according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0040] Figure 6b The figure shows a front view of a timer mechanism according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0041] Figure 6c The figure shows a side view of a timer mechanism according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0042] Figure 6d The figure shows a perspective view of a timer mechanism according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0043] Figure 7a The figure shows a perspective view of a fluid collection device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0044] Figure 7b The figure shows a top view of a device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0045] Figure 7c The figure shows according to some embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 7a a left side view of the device;

[0046] Figure 7d The figure shows according to some embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 7aFront view of the device; and

[0047] Figure 8 The figure illustrates a flowchart depicting a method for fluid analysis according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0048] The accompanying drawings depict embodiments of the present disclosure for illustrative purposes only. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and mechanisms illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.

[0049] Detailed Description

[0050] While embodiments in the present disclosure admit of various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described below. It should be understood, however, that this is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the present disclosure will cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0051] The term "comprises", "comprising", or any other variant thereof used in the present disclosure is intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion such that a device, component, mechanism, system, method comprising a list of elements does not include only those elements but may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such a system, component, or device. In other words, one or more elements in a system preceded by "comprising a..." do not preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method without further limitation.

[0052] Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a fluid collection device. The fluid collection device includes a collection container, at least one inlet, a plurality of compartments, and a valve assembly. The collection container defines a reservoir, wherein the reservoir is defined to have a plurality of conduits. The at least one inlet is defined on an entry portion of the collection container and is fluidly connected to receive fluid from a user or any other external source / device. The plurality of compartments are defined within the reservoir, wherein each of the plurality of compartments is configured to receive and collect different amounts of fluid. The valve assembly is connectable between the at least one inlet and the plurality of compartments. The valve assembly includes a plurality of configurations connected to each of the plurality of compartments via a plurality of conduits, wherein the valve assembly is configured to selectively effect the flow of fluid from the reservoir to the plurality of compartments at a predetermined interval. With such a configuration, the fluid collection device can be configured for improved collection, monitoring, and measurement of body fluids for real-time analysis. In some embodiments, monitoring can be achieved by providing a collection container having a plurality of collection compartments configured to be filled with body fluid at a predetermined time interval to monitor and detect changes in vital organs over a longer duration. The fluid collection device enables continuous monitoring and early detection of infections or diseases, thus facilitating accurate examination using a single collection container.

[0053] Reference Figure 1 To 7, the present disclosure is described in the following paragraphs. In the drawings, the same one or more elements having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals. Those skilled in the art will understand that the devices and methods disclosed in the present disclosure can be used to analyze biological fluids, including but not limited to blood, urine, saliva, semen, etc. Without departing from the principles of the present disclosure, the devices and methods of the present disclosure can also be implemented for analyzing other fluids, including but not limited to water, coolant, sludge, etc.

[0054] Now refer Figures 1 to 3, a fluid collection device (100) [referred to herein as the device] is disclosed. The device (100) may include a collection container (10) formed by a front sheet and a rear sheet of flexible material, the front sheet and the rear sheet being sealed together at their edges to define a fluid reservoir. The fluid reservoir may be defined as having a plurality of conduits (25) to enable fluid flow within the fluid reservoir. In one embodiment, the plurality of conduits (25) may be defined in a branched configuration or a sequential continuous configuration. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of conduits (25) are depicted in a branched configuration, which divides the fluid into a plurality of volumes. The collection container (10) defining the fluid reservoir may include at least one inlet (12) defined on an entry portion (11) of the collection container (10) for receiving fluid from a user. The collection container (10) may be defined as having at least one outlet (14) to facilitate fluid discharge. Additionally, at least one inlet (12) of the collection container (10) may be fluidly connected via a fluid tube (16) to a fluid source and a user such as one of a human body / animal body. In one embodiment, the fluid tube (16) may be a catheter. Further, a valve may be provided on or along the fluid tube (16) to regulate fluid flow within the collection container (10). The valve is provided to prevent fluid from flowing back from the collection container (10) into the fluid tube (16). In one embodiment, the collection container (10) may be made of a polymeric material or any other flexible material having the necessary strength characteristics. One end of the fluid tube (16) is connected to a user or an external device into which a catheter is inserted, and the second end is in fluid communication with the collection container (10) to introduce fluid into the collection container (10). In one embodiment, the fluid may be a body fluid such as urine, blood, pus, serum, secretions, fluid collected during infection or disease, etc. Other fluids may be samples from a machine or the environment.

[0055] Additionally, the device (100) may include a plurality of compartments (20) defined as having reservoirs. The plurality of compartments (20) may be arranged in an array configuration. The configuration of the plurality of conduits (25) may be based on the array configuration of the plurality of compartments (20) to enable fluid flow from the entry portion (11) of the collection container (10) to each of the plurality of compartments (20). However, such an arrangement should not be considered limiting, and any other necessary configuration may be used for this purpose. As Figures 1 to 2As shown, a plurality of compartments (20) are surrounded by a collection container (10). Each of the plurality of compartments (20) can be configured to receive and collect different amounts of fluid. Additionally, each of the plurality of compartments (20) can be an expandable bellow or bladder that elongates longitudinally when it expands upon receiving fluid. The plurality of compartments (20) can be made of latex, rubber, PVC material, or any other medical-grade material serving this purpose. Each of the plurality of compartments (20) can be configured to define a predetermined volume so as to collect fluid at a desired flow rate. The predetermined volume of each compartment can vary based on the requirements of the sample volume and the design requirements of the fluid collection device (100). The collection container (10) can be subdivided into one or more rows, each row having some of the plurality of compartments (20).

[0056] Referring again to Figures 1 to 3 , each of the plurality of compartments (20) can be connected to a fluid tube (16) via a valve assembly (30). The valve assembly (30) can be connected between at least one inlet (12) and the plurality of compartments (20). The valve assembly (30) can be defined as a housing (32) having one end connected to at least one inlet (12). The valve assembly (30) can include a plurality of configurations that are respectively connected to each of the plurality of compartments (20) via a plurality of conduits (25). The valve assembly (30) can be configured to selectively enable the flow of fluid from a reservoir to the plurality of compartments (20) at a predetermined interval. Each compartment is individually in fluid communication with the valve assembly (30). The valve assembly (30) can include a timer mechanism (70) and a flow control mechanism within the housing (32). The timer mechanism (70) and the flow control mechanism can be configured to selectively enable the flow of fluid from a reservoir to each of the plurality of compartments (20) at a predetermined interval. The timer mechanism (70) can be used to set a desired time interval, and the flow control mechanism can enable each of the plurality of compartments (20) to be filled with fluid periodically. Here, the timer mechanism (70) can adjust the flow control mechanism such that each compartment is filled with fluid until the desired time interval has elapsed, and then subsequent compartments are filled with fluid.

[0057] In one embodiment, the timer mechanism (70) can be a discrete control mechanism or a continuous control mechanism. The flow control mechanism for a continuous control mechanism can be configured to align a cam (80) to direct fluid to each of the plurality of compartments (20) at a predetermined interval. The timer mechanism (70) can include a biasing member having one end connected to the flow control mechanism and the other end connected to a knob for manually loading the biasing member and setting the desired time interval. The desired time interval can be changed by varying the stiffness of the biasing member. In one embodiment, the biasing member can be a compression spring, a tension spring, etc. In one embodiment, as in Figure 1As can be seen in a, the timer mechanism (70) can be a radial timer mechanism (70), or as in Figures 6a to 6d As can be seen, the timer mechanism (70) can be a linear timer mechanism (70). As in Figure 7b As can be seen, when the piston (72) of the timer mechanism (70) can rotate radially, the radial timer mechanism (70a) can regulate the flow of fluid into the plurality of compartments (20). And as in Figure 6a and 6c As can be seen, the linear timer mechanism (70b) can regulate the flow of fluid into the plurality of compartments (20) because the piston (72) of the linear timer mechanism (70b) can traverse in a linear direction along a portion of the fluid collection device (100). The configuration of the plurality of conduits (25) can vary based on the timer mechanism (70). For example, as in Figure 1 As can be seen, the plurality of conduits (25) can be a radial branch configuration, which corresponds to the radial timer mechanism (70a). For example, as in Figure 6c and 6d As can be seen, the plurality of conduits (25) can be a linear configuration defined along the collection container (10), which corresponds to the linear timer mechanism (70b). The timer mechanism (70) can be spring-loaded and can also optionally be controlled by an electric motor.

[0058] In addition, depending on the position of the cam (80), the flow control mechanism can be defined by the cam (80) having a flow path for fluid from the fluid tube (16) to one of the plurality of compartments (20). When the biasing member of the load timer mechanism (70) is loaded, the position of the cam (80) can be adjusted. The desired time interval setting of the flow control mechanism can be varied, for example, between 30 minutes and 60 minutes depending on the application requirements. In one embodiment, the flow control mechanism and the timer mechanism (70) are connected to each other such that the fluid does not contact the biasing member of the timer mechanism (70), preventing contamination, corrosion, and damage. Thereby making the flow control mechanism a reusable element and the collection container (10) a replaceable or disposable application. In one embodiment, the valve assembly (30) can include a weight scale and an estimated volume scale (22) to measure the total weight / volume of the collected fluid. The collection container (10) can be provided with a hook (18) at the top for supporting or hanging it on a support structure located near the user, such as a bed frame. The hook (18) can be configured to selectively expand and compress relative to the fluid collection device (100) based on the flow of fluid into the collection container (10). In one embodiment, the degree of expansion or compression of the hook (18) relative to the fluid collection device (100) can correspond to the change in the volume of fluid in the collection container (10). In one embodiment, the hook (18) can be a spring-actuated mechanism that can provide a relative amount of spring force, which can make the hook (18) flexible.

[0059] Now referring Figures 4a to 5 , the device (100) can include an envelope (40) detachably connected or fitted to the collection container (10). The envelope (40) can include one or more printed conductive strips (42) that can act as capacitance sensors to electronically measure the total volume / weight of the fluid collected in each compartment. In one embodiment, one or more printed conductive strips (42) can act as non-conductive capacitance volume sensors. The printed conductive strips (42) can be communicatively connected to at least one control unit (not explicitly shown in the figure). At least one control unit can be communicatively connected to the device (100). The printed conductive strips (42) can extend along the length of the envelope (40) to independently monitor the liquid levels at different positions, such as in each compartment. Each printed conductive strip can be encapsulated in an insulating film to prevent the printed conductive strips (42) from short-circuiting due to the fluid. Each printed conductive strip (42) can be electrically actuated by at least one control unit to obtain different signals from which a differential signal is determined. This differential signal can then be compared with a predetermined maximum differential signal value to estimate the volume of fluid present in each compartment (20). In one embodiment, the envelope (40) can be an additional envelope (40) for connecting it to the collection container (10).

[0060] In addition, the collection container (10) may be embedded with a volume scale (22), a digital refractometer (50), and a urinometer (not explicitly shown in the figure) to measure specific gravity, as well as instructions for recording and measuring a predetermined fluid collected in the compartment (20) when the compartment (20) expands. The volume scale (22) on the collection container (10) may be a quantity measurement scale ranging from 10 milliliters to 200 milliliters, with sub-scales of every 1 milliliter for every 5 milliliters. In one embodiment, the measure of the urinometer for specific gravity in the urine collection container (10) is from 1.0 to 1.04. In one implementation, for greater precision, the specific gravity measured by the urinometer may be adjusted for the ambient temperature. The grading of the volume may vary depending on the expected collected fluid, ranging from a few milliliters to a larger fluid volume. In one implementation, each compartment (20) is provided with at least one sealed port (24) for inserting the needle of a syringe for fluid sample collection. These sealed ports (24) enable easy and rapid collection of fluid samples, which can be used for routine pathology, microscopy, or culture sensitivity at any point in time. At least one sealed port (24) is made of a flexible material such as rubber and other medical-grade materials, etc.

[0061] Now referring to Figures 7a to 7d , the device (100) may include a radial timer mechanism (70) connected to a fluid tube (16) to regulate the flow of fluid into the device (100). As visible in the figure, the container is depicted in a cubic configuration to accommodate a plurality of conduits (25) and the radial timer mechanism (70). As visible in Figure 7b , a plurality of conduits (25) may be linearly defined along the lateral direction of the device (100), and the plurality of conduits (25) extend perpendicularly towards the radial timer mechanism (70).

[0062] In one embodiment, at least one control unit may be communicatively coupled to a fluid collection device (100). The at least one control unit may receive one of a set of images from an image capture device communicatively coupled to the at least one control unit. The image capture device may be disposed within the fluid communication device (100), or may be disposed external to the fluid collection device (100), or may be disposed within a mobile communication device such as, but not limited to, a smart phone, a computer, etc. The at least one control unit may be configured to receive the set of images from the image capture device (100) to determine the volume, flow rate, specific gravity, and weight of the fluid. In one embodiment, the device (100) may include a plurality of assay strips (60) disposed within a collection container (10). Each assay strip (60) may include a plurality of reagent-coated patches (62) that serve as chemical indicators to assist in detecting parameters of a body fluid such as white blood cells, glucose, ketones, bilirubin, blood, specific gravity, protein, urobilinogen, nitrite, ascorbic acid, and pH value, etc. When the fluid can contact the assay strip (60), the color of the reagent-coated patch (62) changes. The color change of the reagent-coated patch (62) may be manually checked against a standard color change reference to detect the parameter. In one embodiment, the compartment (20) may be pre-filled with reagents to immediately detect various parameters. In one embodiment, the color change of the reagent-coated patch (62) may be captured by an image capture device for detecting fluid parameters and transmitted to the at least one control unit.

[0063] The at least one control unit may include a processor and a storage unit communicatively coupled to the processor. The processor may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, state machines, logic circuits, and / or any device that manipulates signals based on operational instructions. The storage unit may store processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to receive one or more command signals associated with user input from a user interface unit coupled to the device (100). In one embodiment, the user interface unit may be coupled to the at least one control unit to receive input from a user for measuring the total volume of fluid in each compartment.

[0064] Referring again to Figures 4a to 5, the fluid collection device (100) may include a plurality of sensors disposed in the fluid collection device (100) to measure the volume, weight, and specific gravity of the fluid and transmit signals corresponding to the volume, weight, and specific gravity of the fluid. At least one control unit is configured to compare the volume and specific gravity of the fluid with a set of predetermined values. The at least one control unit may be configured to determine the flow rate of the fluid based on the input provided by the plurality of sensors. The fluid collection device (100) may include a plurality of sensors disposed in the collection container (10) to separately sense the volume, weight, and specific gravity of the fluid, wherein the plurality of sensors measure each of the volume, weight, and specific gravity parameters. The at least one control unit may be configured to estimate the flow rate, volume, weight, and specific gravity of the fluid based on a comparison with the set of predetermined values. As seen in Figure 4b , the plurality of sensors may include a digital refractometer (50) configured to sense the refraction of the fluid and transmit at least one signal corresponding to the refraction of the fluid to at least one control unit. The at least one control unit may be configured to determine the specific gravity of the fluid based on at least one signal corresponding to the refraction of the fluid transmitted by the refractometer (50). Real-time measurement of the fluid specific gravity may be accomplished via a conventional digital refractometer (50) sensor system consisting of an LED diode, a sensing plate, and a photodiode. The liquid may be retained within the collection device (100) and may not come into contact with the sensors in the controller. The collection container (10) may include a window designed within the bag for sampling, which is connected to the digital refractometer (50) sensor on the controller. In one embodiment, the plurality of sensors may include a displacement sensor configured to measure the elongation of the hook (18) and transmit at least one signal corresponding to the elongation of the hook (18). The at least one control unit may be configured to determine the total weight of the collection container (10) based on at least one signal corresponding to the elongation of the hook (18).

[0065] In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the user interface unit may include various software and hardware interfaces, such as a network interface, a graphical user interface, etc. Additionally, the device (100) may include a communication module that facilitates the interaction of the device (100) with applications installable on a computing device, through which the operation of the flow controller can be remotely configured and controlled. In one embodiment, the computing device includes, but is not limited to, a notebook computer, a desktop computer, a workstation, a mainframe computer, a server, a network server, a cloud, a handheld device, a wearable device, etc. The communication between the device and the computing device can be carried out through a variety of network and protocol types, including wired networks such as LAN, cable, etc., and wireless networks such as WLAN, cellular, or satellite. In one embodiment, the communication can occur via RF, radio frequency [RF], Bluetooth Low Energy, LoRa, ZigBee, etc. In one embodiment, the display of the computing device can also be used as the user interface unit. Additionally, the at least one control unit is connected to a power source to actuated the printed capacitor strip. In one embodiment, the power source is a battery.

[0066] In one embodiment, the control unit is disposed on at least one of the envelope (40), the valve assembly (30), or the collection container (10), or in a mobile communication device communicatively connected to the fluid collection device (100).

[0067] In one embodiment, each compartment (20) includes an outlet tube (26) connected to a plurality of assay strips (60). The fluid in each compartment (20) can be selectively introduced into the assay strips (60) by manually compressing at least one compartment (20) to force the fluid into the assay strips (60).

[0068] In an embodiment, machine-readable optical tags such as barcodes, QR codes are provided on the assay strips, which provide a standard color change reference when scanned. Based on this, an early detection of a disease can be determined.

[0069] In another embodiment, a computer vision algorithm application can be used to capture a set of images for analyzing and detecting the color change of the reagent-coated patch (62). The computer vision algorithm application corrects / normalizes the illumination conditions within the captured images for accurately evaluating and detecting a disease based on the detected parameters.

[0070] In one embodiment, the current device (100) is adapted to determine urine output, which helps to detect the amount of urine for each time interval according to the clinical environment in which it is used. In particular, measuring urine helps in the earlier detection of infections, acute kidney injury, and oliguria. Additionally, collecting different body fluids helps in understanding the condition of the user's vital organs.

[0071] In another embodiment, the device (100) can facilitate the collection and analysis of samples from external environmental sources such as water bodies, chemical plants, etc. Additionally, the device (100) can be connected to an external device that periodically and continuously supplies the fluid to be tested.

[0072] In one embodiment, the structure and size of the device (100) can be designed to vary based on requirements / applications.

[0073] In one embodiment, the device (100) requires a minimum number of components and can be manufactured economically.

[0074] In one embodiment, the device (100) provides high-precision and real-time analysis of body fluids.

[0075] In one embodiment, the device (100) is compact and enables the collection of an increased volume of body fluid to monitor changes in the properties of the body fluid over a longer duration.

[0076] The at least one control unit can consist of a processing unit. The processing unit can include at least one data processor that is used to execute program components for executing user-generated or system-generated requests. The processing unit can be a dedicated processing unit such as an integrated system (bus) controller, storage management control unit, floating-point unit, graphics processing unit, digital signal processing unit, etc. The processing unit can include a microprocessor such as an AMD Athlon, Duron, or Opteron, an ARM application, embedded, or security processor, an IBM PowerPC, Intel's Core, Itanium, Xeon, Celeron, or other series of processors, etc. The processing unit can be implemented using mainframe, distributed processor, multi-core, parallel, grid, or other architectures. Some embodiments can utilize embedded technologies such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

[0077] The at least one control unit may be configured to communicate with one or more storage devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, etc.) via a storage interface. The storage interface may be connected to the storage devices, including but not limited to storage drives, removable disk drives, etc., using connection protocols such as Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA), Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE), IEEE-1394, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Fibre Channel, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), etc. The storage drives may also include magnetic drums, disk drives, magneto-optical drives, optical disc drives, Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID), solid state storage devices, solid state drives, etc.

[0078] Now referring to Figure 8 , Figure 8 is an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, which illustrates a method for analyzing a fluid in a fluid collection device (100).

[0079] The method may describe the at least one control unit in the general context of processor-executable instructions. Generally, the executable instructions may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, procedures, modules, and functions that perform specific functions or implement specific abstract data types.

[0080] The order of the described method is not intended to be construed as limiting, and any number of the described method blocks may be combined in any order to implement the method. Additionally, individual blocks may be deleted from the method without departing from the scope of the subject matter described herein. Furthermore, the method may be implemented in any suitable hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof.

[0081] At block 201, the fluid collection device (100) may be configured to receive a user's fluid into a plurality of compartments (20) through at least one inlet (12). The at least one control unit may receive one of a set of images from an image capture device communicatively connected to the at least one control unit. The image capture device may be disposed within the fluid collection device (100), or may be disposed external to the fluid collection device (100), or may be disposed within a mobile communication device, such as but not limited to a smartphone, laptop computer, etc.

[0082] At block 202, at least one control unit may be configured to determine the volume, flow rate, specific gravity, and weight of a fluid when receiving the set of images from an image capture device. In one embodiment, the device (100) may include a plurality of assay strips (60) disposed within the collection container (10). Each assay strip (60) may include a plurality of reagent-coated patches (62) that serve as chemical indicators to assist in detecting parameters of a body fluid, such as white blood cells, glucose, ketones, bilirubin, blood, specific gravity, protein, urobilinogen, nitrite, ascorbic acid, and pH value, etc. When the fluid can contact the assay strip (60), the reagent-coated patch (62) changes color. The color change of the reagent-coated patch (62) can be manually checked against a standard color change reference to detect the parameter. In one embodiment, the compartment (20) may be pre-filled with reagents to immediately detect various parameters. In one embodiment, the color change of the reagent-coated patch (62) can be captured by an image capture device for detecting fluid parameters and transmitted to at least one control unit. The fluid collection device (100) may include a plurality of sensors disposed in the collection container (10) to separately sense the volume, weight, and specific gravity of the fluid, where the plurality of sensors measure each of the parameters of volume, weight, and specific gravity.

[0083] At block 203, at least one control unit may be configured to identify the volume and specific gravity of the fluid when receiving signals from a plurality of sensors disposed in the fluid collection device (100). In one embodiment, the set of images from the image capture device and the signals from the sensors may be received in real time by at least one control unit. At block 204, at least one control unit may be configured to compare the volume and specific gravity of the fluid with a set of predetermined values. The set of predetermined values may be stored in a memory associated with at least one control unit. In one embodiment, the at least one control unit may be configured to integrate the determined volume and specific gravity of the fluid with the historical values of the user stored in the memory for comparison. In one embodiment, the set of predetermined values may correspond to clinical guidelines. At block 205, the at least one control unit may be configured to estimate the flow rate, volume, weight, and specific gravity of the fluid based on the comparison with the set of predetermined values. The at least one control unit may be configured to transmit an alert based on the comparison of the volume and specific gravity with the set of predetermined values to indicate the health risk of the user, etc.

[0084] In one embodiment, at least one control unit may utilize a machine learning model for analyzing the fluid.

[0085] Equivalents:

[0086] Regarding the use of substantially any plural and / or singular terms herein, those skilled in the art can convert from plural to singular and / or from singular to plural as appropriate to the context and / or application. For clarity, various singular / plural permutations may be explicitly set forth herein.

[0087] Those skilled in the art will understand that, generally, the terms used herein, particularly those used in the appended claims (e.g., the bodies of the appended claims), are generally intended to be "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to", the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least", the term "includes" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to", etc.). Those skilled in the art will further understand that if the intention is for a particular number of introduced claim recitations, such intention will be expressly recited in the claim, and if no such recitation is present, no such intention exists. For example, for purposes of illustration, the following appended claims may contain the use of introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed as implying that a claim recitation introduced by the indefinite article "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to an invention having only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes an introductory phrase "one or more" or "at least one" as well as an indefinite article such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and / or "an" should generally be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one or more"); this applies equally to the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. Additionally, even if an introduced claim recitation is expressly recited as a particular number, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation will generally be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., a bare recitation of "two recitations" without further modifiers will generally mean at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Further, in those instances where an idiomatic expression such as "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is used, generally speaking, such grammatical construction means the meaning of the idiomatic expression as understood by those skilled in the art (e.g., a "system having at least one of A, B, and C" will include, but not be limited to, systems having only A, only B, only C, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where an idiomatic expression such as "at least one of A, B, or C, etc." is used, generally speaking, such grammatical construction means the meaning of the idiomatic expression as understood by those skilled in the art (e.g., a "system having at least one of A, B, or C" will include, but not be limited to, systems having only A, only B, only C, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc.).Those skilled in the art will further understand that, whether in the specification, the claims, or the drawings, any disjunctive word and / or phrase that actually introduces two or more alternative terms should be understood as contemplating the possibility of including one of the terms, either of the two terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase "A or B" will be understood to include the possibility of "A" or "B" or "A and B".

[0088] In addition, in the case where the features or aspects of the present disclosure are described in terms of a Markush group, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present disclosure is also thereby described in terms of any single member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.

[0089] Although various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be limiting, and the true scope and spirit are indicated by the appended claims.

[0090] Reference numerals:

[0091] Description Reference Numerals Apparatus 100 Collection Container 10 Inlet Portion 11 Inlet 12 Outlet 14 Tube 16 Hook 18 Multiple Compartments 20 Volume Scale 22 Sealed Port 24 Catheter 25 Outlet Tube 26 Valve Assembly and Housing for Refractometer, Digital Controller 30 Outer Housing 32 Envelope 40 Printed Conductive Strip 42 Refractometer 50 Multiple Analytical Strips 60 Reagent-Coated Patch 62 Timer Mechanism 70 Radial Timer Mechanism 70a Linear Timer Mechanism 70b Piston 72 Cam 80

Claims

1. A fluid collection device (100), which comprises: a collection container (10) defining a reservoir, wherein the reservoir is defined to have a plurality of conduits (25); at least one inlet (12) defined on an entry portion (11) of the collection container (10), the inlet being fluidly connected to receive fluid from a user; a plurality of compartments (20) defined within the reservoir, wherein each of the plurality of compartments (20) is configured to receive and collect different amounts of fluid; and a valve assembly (30) connectable between the at least one inlet (12) and the plurality of compartments (20), the valve assembly (30) including a plurality of configurations connected to each of the plurality of compartments via the plurality of conduits (25), wherein the valve assembly (30) is configured to selectively enable the flow of fluid from the reservoir to the plurality of compartments (20) at a predetermined interval.

2. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inlet (12) is fluidly connected to the user through a fluid tube (16).

3. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the valve assembly (30) is defined to have a housing (32), one end of the housing (32) being connected to the at least one inlet (12).

4. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 3, wherein the valve assembly (30) includes a timer mechanism (70) and a flow control mechanism within the housing (32), the timer mechanism (70) and the flow control mechanism being configured to selectively enable the flow of fluid from the reservoir to each of the plurality of compartments (20) at a predetermined interval.

5. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 4, wherein the timer mechanism (70) is a discrete control mechanism.

6. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 4, wherein the timer mechanism (70) is a continuous control mechanism.

7. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 4, wherein the flow control mechanism is defined by a cam having a flow path for fluid from the fluid tube (16) to one of the plurality of compartments (20).

8. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 4, wherein the timer mechanism (70) is configured to adjust the flow control mechanism such that each of the plurality of compartments (20) is filled with fluid until a predetermined interval has elapsed and subsequent compartments (20) are filled with fluid.

9. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 4, wherein the timer mechanism (70) includes a biasing member, one end of the biasing member being connected to the flow control mechanism and the other end being connected to a knob for manually loading the biasing member and setting the predetermined interval.

10. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 1, which includes at least one control unit communicatively connected to the fluid collection device (100).

11. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 10, wherein the at least one control unit is configured to receive one of a set of images from an image capture device and signals from a plurality of sensors provided in the fluid collection device (100) to measure the flow rate, volume, and specific gravity of the fluid.

12. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 11, wherein the at least one control unit is configured to compare the volume and specific gravity of the fluid with a set of predetermined values and determine the flow rate of the fluid based on the input provided by the plurality of sensors.

13. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 12, the at least one control unit is configured to estimate the flow rate, volume, weight, and specific gravity of the fluid based on the comparison with the set of predetermined values.

14. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 1, which includes a hook (18), the hook (18) can be connected to the collection container (10) at the top and is configured to selectively expand and compress relative to the fluid collection device (100) based on the flow of the fluid entering the collection container (10).

15. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 10, the hook (18) is a spring-actuated mechanism.

16. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 11, the plurality of sensors includes a refractometer (50), the refractometer is configured to sense the refraction of the fluid and transmit at least one signal corresponding to the fluid refraction to the at least one control unit.

17. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 16, wherein the at least one control unit is configured to determine the specific gravity of the fluid based on at least one signal corresponding to the fluid refraction transmitted by the refractometer (50).

18. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 1, which includes a plurality of analysis strips (60), the analysis strips (60) are in fluid communication with the plurality of compartments (20) and are configured to receive the fluid for fluid analysis.

19. The fluid collection device (100) according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of compartments (20) is defined to have at least one sealed port (24), the sealed port (24) is configured to enable fluid sample collection.

20. A method for analyzing the fluid in a fluid collection device (100), the method comprises: receiving the user's fluid into a plurality of compartments (20) through at least one inlet (12), wherein the fluid collection device (100) is defined to have the plurality of compartments (20) and the at least one inlet (12); identifying the volume and specific gravity of the fluid by at least one control unit when receiving one of a set of images captured by an image capture device (100) and signals from sensors provided in the fluid collection device (100); comparing the volume and specific gravity of the fluid with a set of predetermined values by the at least one control unit; determining the flow rate of the fluid by the at least one control unit based on the input provided by a plurality of sensors; and The flow rate of the fluid is estimated by the at least one control unit and compared with a predetermined value of the group for analyzing the fluid.

Images