Device for automatic emptying of bedpans for collecting human excreta and apparatus including it

Abstract

A device for receiving and rotating a bedpan includes a frame (3), for attachment to the door (2) of a washing and thermodisinfection apparatus, and a bedpan holder (4) mounted on an arm (5), which in turn is attached to a rotation fulcrum (6) arranged on the frame (3) in such a position that in a loading / unloading position the arm (5) is oriented toward the side of the frame (3) from which the bedpan is loaded onto the holder (4), a biasing spring (7) pushing the arm (5) toward the loading / unloading position.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to apparatuses for the washing and thermodisinfection of bedpans used in medical settings to collect the excreta of bedridden patients, and specifically to a device for receiving into the apparatus a bedpan and automatically rotating it to the emptying and washing position.

[0002] It is well known that bedpans typically have an essentially "egg-shaped" outline equipped with a partial cover at the smaller end to form a "collection pocket" for the excreta, and a handle at the opposite end to handle the bedpan while keeping the operator's hand as far away from the excreta as possible. However, the insertion into the wash tank of a bedpan-washing machine requires placing the bedpan with the pocket open downward, to allow for gravity emptying and proper washing, and therefore handling the bedpan from the end opposite the handle, resulting in the operator's risk of touching areas with a higher probability of contamination.

[0003] To overcome this drawback, it is already known to include rotating devices in bedpan-washing machines that allow loading of the bedpan, emptying of its contents, and subsequent thermodisinfection by always handling it from the end of the handle. Rotation is essential to allow the bedpan, once inserted into the machine, to turn so that the contents inside are completely discharged to the bottom of the wash tank and then into the drain of the bedpan washer.

[0004] Known devices are of two types: manually operated or motorized. With regard to manually operated devices, it is the operator who, after placing the bedpan on a rotating holder, must manually move the latter through a handle placed on the rotating holder in a position to keep his or her hand away from the excreta emptying path. Such a solution reduces the risk of contamination but does not eliminate it completely; it also implies a risk of excreta dispersion if the operator operates the device with excessive force causing the bedpan to rotate so rapidly that the centrifugal force causes a spill of the excreta.

[0005] In the case of motorized devices with automatic rotation, the rotation is performed by electrical components such as motors, gearmotors, actuators, etc. In this way, the problems of manually operated devices are overcome, but a motorized device is much more complex, expensive, bulky, and subject to possible reliability problems due to the high temperature reached during thermodisinfection.

[0006] It is therefore the purpose of the present invention to provide a device that overcomes such drawbacks. Said purpose is achieved by means of a device that is non-motorized but does not require manual operation, since it takes advantage of the opening and closing motion of the door of the bedpan-washing machine to achieve rotation by a combined action of gravity and a biasing element. Other advantageous features of the present device are specified in the dependent claims.

[0007] The main advantage of the device according to the present invention is to be as economical and reliable as a manual device while providing the operational safety of a motorized device.

[0008] A second important advantage of this device comes from its simple structure with reduced number of components, which allows it to be made at a low cost. It is therefore possible to offer it as an upgrade so that it can be included in a piece of apparatus that had been fitted with a manual device during installation, which also has a marketing advantage.

[0009] These and other advantages and features of the device according to the present invention will be evident to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings in which: Fig.1 is a front view of the device mounted on the door of a bedpan-washing machine and with a bedpan loaded on the open door; Fig.2 is a top view similar to Fig.1; Fig.3 is a sectional view along line III-III of Fig.1, but without the bedpan and with an enlarged detail; Fig.4 is the same view as Fig.2, but without the bedpan and with an enlarged detail; Fig.5 is a side view of the machine of Fig.1 with the door in an intermediate position; Fig.6 is a sectional view along the line VI-VI of Fig.5; Fig.7 is a side view in transparency of the machine of Fig.1 with the door in the closed position; and Fig.8 is a sectional view along the line VIII-VIII of Fig.7.

[0010] Referring to the above figures, it can be seen that a bedpan-washing machine traditionally comprises a wash tank 1 closed at the front by a door 2 hinged at the bottom so that it rotates between an open position in which it is arranged almost horizontally (Fig.3) and a closed position in which it is arranged vertically (Fig.7). A device is mounted on door 2 that receives a bedpan P so that it can be easily loaded when the door is open (Figs. 1-2) by holding it by the handle, and then rotated so that when the door is closed, the bedpan P has its pocket facing downward and is arranged inside the wash tank 1 (Figs.7-8). For this purpose, the device includes a frame 3 attached to the door 2 and a bedpan holder 4 rotatably mounted on frame 3 so as to rotate between the loading / unloading position (Figs. 1-2) and the washing position (Figs.7-8).

[0011] As mentioned above, the innovative aspect of the device according to the present invention lies in the automatic rotation of holder 4 during the closing and opening movement of door 2 by exploiting only gravity and a biasing element. To achieve this, holder 4 is mounted on an arm 5 which in turn is attached to a rotation fulcrum 6 arranged on frame 3 in an eccentric position. More specifically, the position of fulcrum 6 is such that in the loading / unloading position arm 5 is oriented toward the side of frame 3 from which the bedpan is loaded (Fig.4).

[0012] In this way, the weight component of the bedpan P+holder 4+arm 5 assembly acting in the plane orthogonal to fulcrum 6 generates a torque around fulcrum 6 that causes bedpan P to rotate so that the pocket is at the top and the handle at the bottom, clockwise in the example shown (Figs.4, 6, 8). The biasing element is preferably a torsion spring 7, which is mounted on fulcrum 6 so as to counteract the aforementioned torque and limit the rotation speed of holder 4, so as to prevent the spilling of excreta by centrifugal force.

[0013] In addition, spring 7 returns holder 4 to the loading / unloading position in the final stage of the opening of door 2 and, to account for the different weight that bedpans of different models and / or with different contents may have, its return force is preferably adjustable by means of a preload adjustment system 8 (see detail of Fig.4). The arc of rotation of holder 4 is preferably defined by a pair of end stops 9 mounted on frame 3 (see detail of Fig.3).

[0014] In the light of the above description, the simple and effective operation of the device according to the invention is immediately understandable.

[0015] In the open position of door 2 illustrated in Figs. 1-4, the operator can easily load bedpan P by holding it by the handle, then lift door 2 to close the bedpan-washing machine, and when door 2 reaches an inclination such that the torque generated by gravity around fulcrum 6 overcomes the resistance of the torsion spring 7, arm 5 begins to rotate together with holder 4 (Figs. 5-6). When door 2 reaches the closed position, arm 5 has completed its rotation around fulcrum 6 bringing bedpan P to the washing position (Figs.7-8).

[0016] At the end of the washing and thermodisinfection cycle, the operator opens door 2, and when the gravity-generated torque around fulcrum 6 returns to be less than the biasing force of the torsion spring 7, arm 5 returns holder 4 to the unloading position.

[0017] It is clear that the embodiment of the device according to the invention described and illustrated above is only an example susceptible to many variations. In particular, the exact type and arrangement of the elements could be varied according to specific constructional requirements, realizing variations that are within the reach of a person skilled in the art based on the description given above.

[0018] For example, the biasing element could be different from the torsion spring 7, such as a linear spring arranged between arm 5 and frame 3 so as to operate by tension or compression, or a pneumatic cylinder. Similarly, the shape of holder 4 and its placement on arm 5 may vary depending on the type of excreta collection container, which could have a different shape from the traditional bedpan P shown in the figures.

[0019] Also, the arc of rotation of arm 5 might be greater than that illustrated if holder 4 is shaped to receive bedpan P from the top of frame 3 instead of from the side.

Claims

1. A device for receiving and rotating a container for the collection of human excreta, comprising a frame (3) configured to be attached to the door (2) of a washing and thermodisinfection apparatus, and a holder (4) rotatably mounted on said frame (3) and configured to receive said container, so as to rotate between a loading / unloading position and a washing position, characterized in that said holder (4) is mounted on an arm (5) which in turn is attached to a rotation fulcrum (6) arranged on the frame (3) in such a position that in said loading / unloading position said arm (5) is oriented towards the side of the frame (3) from which the container is loaded onto the holder (4), and in that it includes a biasing element which pushes the arm (5) towards the loading / unloading position.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the biasing element consists of a torsion spring (7) mounted on the rotation fulcrum (6).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises means for adjusting the force of the biasing element.

4. A washing and thermodisinfection apparatus comprising a wash tank (1) closed frontally by a door (2) hinged at the bottom, so as to rotate between an open position in which it is disposed nearly horizontally and a closed position in which it is disposed vertically, characterized in that it comprises a device according to any of the preceding claims attached to the door (2).

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