Urine collection container

Abstract

Provided is an extremely easy-to-use urine collection container that can be reduced in volume when not in use but can also be easily expanded. A bottomed cylindrical container body (11): has a bellows part (13) that expands in the axial direction at a circumferential surface (12); and can change shape between a basic shape state for accommodating urine and a folded compressed state. A bottom part (15) of the container body (11) has a grip (16) for grabbing and pulling to return the container body (11) to the basic shape state from the compressed state.

Description

Urine collection container

[0001] The present invention relates to a urine collection container for containing urine collected from a human body.

[0002] Various urine collection containers for storing urine have been proposed. For example, a common bag-type urine collection container is known, as shown in Figure 28, which is made by laminating and welding flexible sheets made of synthetic resin to form a bag shape. A catheter 1 for collecting urine from the patient's urethra or the like is connected to the top of the flat, bag-shaped bag 30, and a separate component, such as an outlet tube 31 for discharging the collected urine to the outside, is connected to the bottom of the bag 30.

[0003] However, with a bag-type urine collection container, the bag 30 is flexible and bag-shaped, so it cannot be placed on the floor and can stand on its own, but must be hung from something, which restricts its installation during use and is inconvenient. Moreover, the bag 30 requires welding sheets together to form a bag shape, or connecting a separate component to the bottom of the bag 30, which not only increases costs due to the large number of parts and assembly steps, but also raises the risk of urine leakage from the connection between the bottom of the bag 30 and the separate component.

[0004] Furthermore, bottle-type urine collection containers are known as a solution to the problems associated with bag-type urine collection containers (see, for example, Patent Document 1). These containers are made from ordinary plastic bottles made of synthetic resin, and a urine collection tube or the like is connected to a cap that screws onto the opening at the top. The plastic bottle itself is rigid enough to prevent its shape from easily deforming, and can be placed on the floor and used freestanding.

[0005] However, the bottle-shaped urine collection container has the drawback that it is not easily deformed, and the overall shape remains bulky, resulting in problems such as requiring a lot of space for transportation and storage when not in use. Also, to open and close the cap, such as when discharging urine stored in the container, the screw-type cap must be sufficiently turned both forward and backward, making the opening and closing operation cumbersome.

[0006] Furthermore, as a solution to the problems with bottle-shaped urine collection containers, a urine collection container is known in which the top and bottom surfaces of the container body are made of rigid, undeformable plate-like members, and the side surfaces of the container body are made of a flexible sheet (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In this case, the container body is formed by bonding both ends of a cylindrical sheet forming the side surfaces of the container body to the top and bottom plate-like members, respectively, and an outlet, etc. for discharging urine from the container body is provided in the bottom plate-like member.

[0007] Japanese Patent No. 6803096 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-93129

[0008] However, with the flexible sheet-sided urine collection container described above, while the sides of the container body can be folded to save space and the bottom can be placed on the floor for use, the shape of the sides is unstable and prone to collapse, making it difficult to use. Furthermore, in addition to bonding the sides of the container body to the top and bottom, connections such as an outlet on the bottom are also required, and as with the bag-type urine collection container described above, there are many connections between the components, which not only increases costs but also raises the risk of urine leaking from the connections between the components.

[0009] Furthermore, because the container body is designed so that the sides stretch as urine is stored in it, problems with the stretching of the sides can easily occur, leading to the risk of urine backflow. Therefore, it is conceivable to begin introducing urine by pulling the top and bottom surfaces of the container body apart in advance and stretching the sides (paragraph 0020 of Patent Document 2). However, even if there is a hanging device on the top surface, there are no handles on the bottom surface other than the outlet, etc., and there is a risk that pulling on components such as the outlet may damage them, making it difficult to stretch the container body in the vertical direction, resulting in problems with usability.

[0010] In addition, although the bottle-shaped urine collection container described above can be placed on the floor and used stably, it still requires a lot of space for transportation and storage when not in use.Furthermore, because the cap that closes the opening of the container is screw-on, the operation of rotating the cap to open and close it is cumbersome and troublesome, making it difficult to use.

[0011] The present invention was made in response to the problems associated with the prior art described above, and aims to provide a urine collection container that is extremely easy to use; it can be used in a stable, self-standing state, its volume can be reduced when not in use, and the container can be easily expanded from a retracted state.

[0012] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, one aspect of the present invention provides a urine collection container for storing urine, wherein the container body is cylindrical and has a bottom, at least a portion of the circumferential surface of which is formed in an accordion shape that expands and contracts in the axial direction, and is deformable between an original state when storing urine and a compressed state in which the accordion-shaped portion is folded, the container body has an opening provided on the upper end side thereof through which urine can be put in and out, and a bottom provided on the lower end side thereof which allows the container body to stand on its own when placed on a support surface, and the bottom of the container body is provided with a handle which can be grasped and pulled to return the container body from the compressed state to its original state.

[0013] The urine collection container according to the present invention can be used in a stable, self-standing state, and the volume of the container can be reduced when not in use. The container can also be easily expanded from a reduced size, making it extremely user-friendly.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a urine collection container according to a first embodiment of the present invention with a catheter attached and the container body extended to its original shape. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a urine collection container according to a first embodiment of the present invention with a catheter attached and the container body contracted to a compressed state. FIG. 3 is a perspective view from above showing the state in which the lid is being removed from the container body of the urine collection container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a front view showing the state in which the lid is being removed from the container body of the urine collection container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view from above showing a urine collection container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a right side view showing a urine collection container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the state in which the lid is being removed from the container body of the urine collection container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a urine collection container according to the first embodiment of the present invention with the lid removed from the container body. FIG. 9 is a perspective view from below showing a urine collection container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view from above showing the state in which the lid is being removed from the container body of the urine collection container according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a perspective view from below showing a urine collection container according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a front view showing a urine collection container according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a right side view showing a urine collection container according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a urine collection container according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 22A and 22B are plan and front views, respectively, of a urine collection container according to a second embodiment of the present invention with the lid removed from the container body. 22B are plan and front views, respectively, of a urine collection container according to a second embodiment of the present invention with the lid removed from the container body. 22C are plan and front views, respectively, of a urine collection container according to a second embodiment of the present invention with the lid removed from the container body. 22D are plan and front views, respectively, of a urine collection container according to a second embodiment of the present invention with the lid removed from the container body. 22E are plan and front views, respectively, of a urine collection container according to a second embodiment of the present invention with the lid removed from the container body. 22F are cross-sectional views taken along line A-A in FIG. 22A and line B-B in FIG. 22A and line B-B in FIG. 22B are right and front views, respectively, of a urine collection container according to a second embodiment of the present invention with the lid removed from the opening of the urine collection container. 22C are cross-sectional views taken along line C-C in FIG. 22A and line B-B in FIG. 22B are right and front views, respectively, of a urine collection container according to a second embodiment of the present invention with the lid removed from the opening of the urine collection container. 22D are cross-sectional views taken along line C-C in FIG. 22A and line B-B in FIG. 22B are right and front views, respectively, of a urine collection container according to a second embodiment of the present invention with the lid removed from the opening of the urine collection container. 22E are cross-sectional views taken along line C-C in FIG. 22A and line B-B in FIG. 22B are right and front views, respectively, of a urine collection container according to a second embodiment of the present invention with the lid removed from the opening of the urine collection container. 22F are cross-sectional views taken along line C-C in FIG. 22A and line B-B in FIG. 22B

[0015] Various embodiments representative of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 to 9 show a urine collection container 10 according to a first embodiment. The urine collection container 10 according to the first embodiment is designed to contain urine collected from a human body and includes a cylindrical, bottomed container body 11 and a lid 20 that fits over an opening 140 at the top end of the container body and can seal the container. The components, shapes, numerical values, etc. shown in the embodiments described below are merely examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Terms indicating directions such as "up" and "down" are used based on the position of the urine collection container 10 when placed on a substantially horizontal surface such as a floor or bed.

[0016] 1, the container body 11, which forms the main part of the urine collection container 10, has an internal space capable of storing urine, and is integrally molded into a bottle shape from a synthetic resin that is rigid enough to maintain its overall shape even when urine is stored. At least a portion of the peripheral surface 12 of the container body 11 is formed into a bellows shape that expands and contracts in the axial direction (vertical direction), and is deformable between an original state when storing urine (see FIG. 1) and a compressed state in which the bellows portion 13, which is the bellows-shaped portion, is folded (see FIG. 2).

[0017] The upper end of the container body 11 is formed as a disk-shaped upper portion 14, and a cylindrical opening 140 that communicates with the interior of the container body 11 is formed in the center of the upper portion 14 so as to protrude upward. Meanwhile, the lower end of the container body 11 is formed as a generally horizontal disk-shaped bottom portion 15 that allows the container body 11 to stand on its own when placed on a support surface, and is provided with a handle 16, as described below. Specifically, this container body 11 can be blow-molded from a synthetic resin such as polyethylene terephthalate. Therefore, there are no connections, such as seams between separate components, between the circumferential surface 12 of the container body 11 and the upper portion 14 or bottom portion 15, or between the individual portions themselves.

[0018] <<Bellox portion 13>> The bellows portion 13 on the peripheral surface 12 of the container body 11 is formed so that the outer diameter of the apex of the mountain fold portions 13a is the same from the upper end side to the lower end side of the peripheral surface 12. Furthermore, between adjacent mountain fold portions 13a on the top and bottom, there are valley fold portions 13b that are folded back inward into the container body 11 and can maintain the compressed state. With this bellows portion 13, when a compressive force or a tensile force is applied from above and below along the axial direction of the container body 11, the alternating mountain fold portions 13a and valley fold portions 13b bend and deform, allowing the container body 11 to expand and contract and be able to maintain each of the expanded and contracted states.

[0019] In the first embodiment, the number of mountain folds 13a in the bellows portion 13 is five, and the number of valley folds 13b is six, but these numbers are design factors that can be determined as appropriate. Also, in the first embodiment, almost the entire peripheral surface 12 of the container body 11 is the bellows portion 13, but for example, the upper, lower, central, etc. in the axial direction of the peripheral surface 12, and at least a part of the peripheral surface 12 may be formed as the bellows portion 13. Note that the shape of the mountain folds 13a and the valley folds 13b of the bellows portion 13 is not limited to the concave-convex shape with a substantially triangular cross section shown in the figure, and can be determined as appropriate to be, for example, rectangular, semicircular, etc.

[0020] When the container body 11 is in its original state, the pitch of the bellows in the bellows portion 13, i.e., the lines on the peripheral surface 12 formed by the mountain folds 13a and the valley folds 13b, also serve as a scale for measuring a fixed volume. These scales allow the amount of urine stored inside the container body 11 to be easily checked visually. The capacity of the container body 11 in its original state is a design factor that can be determined as appropriate, but it is preferable to set it to, for example, 2500 cc, which is several times the amount of urine a person urinates in one go. The container body 11 is molded from a transparent or translucent synthetic resin so that the interior can be seen through.

[0021] <<Upper Part 14>> As shown in Figure 3, the upper part 14 of the container body 11 is basically formed in a flat, disk-like shape, and a mouth part 140 that communicates with the inside of the container body 11 and allows urine to be let in and out is integrally provided in the central part of the upper part 14. The periphery of the upper part 14 is continuous with the upper end of the peripheral surface 12 in a curved cross section at approximately right angles. The mouth part 140 is formed in the shape of a cylindrical short tube that opens in a perfect circle centered on the axis at the central part of the upper part 14, and its size (outer diameter) is approximately half the diameter of the upper part 14. A male thread 141 for attaching the lid body 20, which will be described later, is provided on the outer periphery of the mouth part 140.

[0022] Additionally, a pair of upper handles 143 are integrally formed on the upper surface of the upper portion 14, aligned in the diametric direction with the opening 140 between them. Each upper handle 143 is formed as a small protrusion that protrudes perpendicular to the upper surface of the upper portion 14, and has a small hole 144 through which a strap or the like can be passed. The side edge of each upper handle 143 closest to the opening 140 is spaced from the outer periphery of the opening 140 by the thickness of the peripheral wall of the lid 20, which will be described later.

[0023] <<Bottom 15>> As shown in Figure 9, the bottom 15 of the container body 11 is also formed in a flat, disk-like shape perpendicular to the axis, like the upper part 14, but the bottom 15 does not have any opening structure that communicates with the inside and outside of the container body 11, like the opening 140. This bottom 15 allows the container body 11 to stand on its own when placed on a substantially horizontal placing surface. However, a handle 16 is provided on the underside of the bottom 15 to be grasped and pulled when returning the container body 11 from a compressed state to its original state.

[0024] The handle 16 is thinner than the upper handle 143 and is formed in a flexible sheet shape. Therefore, when the bottom portion 15 is placed on a support surface, the handle 16 can be deformed to a flat state that fits along the underside of the bottom portion 15. More specifically, the handle 16 is formed in a horizontally elongated tongue shape that fits within the range of the underside of the bottom portion 15, and its upper edge is joined in the diameter direction of the bottom portion 15. One horizontally elongated edge (joint portion) of the handle 16 is joined to the bottom portion 15 by adhesive or heat welding, but it may also be molded integrally with the underside of the bottom portion 15.

[0025] The handle 16 is flexible and easily deformable. That is, when the bottom 15 is placed on a support surface, the handle 16 collapses or collapses from one edge to lie flat along the underside of the bottom 15 (see FIG. 9 ), but when grasped and pulled, it can stand up from the underside of the bottom 15 (see FIG. 5 ). The handle 16 has a horizontally elongated oval hole 17 that can be hooked with a finger for easy grasping. The joint portion, which is one edge of the handle 16, is positioned so that it overlaps the diametric line connecting the pair of upper handles 143 on the top 14 in a plan view.

[0026] 1 , the lid 20 can be fitted onto the mouth 140 of the container body 11 to seal it, and is integrally molded, for example, from a synthetic resin, into a cap shape. The top surface of the lid 20 is perfectly circular in plan view, and the inner periphery of the inside of the lid 20 is provided with a female thread (not shown) that screws into the male thread 141 on the outer periphery of the mouth 140. The top surface of the lid 20 is also provided with an introduction section 21 for introducing urine into the container body 11 when the lid 20 is fitted over the mouth 140 to close it, and a vent section 22 for discharging air from the container body 11 to the outside. The introduction section 21 and the vent section 22 are arranged on the top surface of the lid 20 so as to be aligned in the diameter direction at equal intervals from the axis.

[0027] The introduction section 21 is integrally provided on the top surface of the cover 20 so as to protrude in the form of a small-diameter short tube, and can be connected by fitting the base end 1b of the catheter 1 onto it. The catheter 1 is, for example, a flexible tube used for urinary drainage, such as a urinary catheter with a balloon, the tip 1a of which is placed transurethrally in the bladder. The catheter 1 is fitted with accessories such as a clip 2 for closing the lumen and a bifurcated connector 3. The catheter 1 is not necessarily limited to a urinary catheter placed in the bladder, but may also be, for example, a urinary conduit or the like that is connected to a urine receiving section (not shown).

[0028] Similar to introduction part 21, ventilation part 22 is integrally provided on the top surface of lid 20 so as to protrude in the shape of a small-diameter short tube, and a filter cap is attached to it. Here, the filter cap is, for example, a small-tube-shaped cap filled with high-density sterilized paper or a nonwoven fabric made of synthetic resin, and allows air to pass through but not liquid. When urine is introduced into container body 11 from introduction part 21, air inside container body 11 escapes through ventilation part 22 (filter cap), allowing urine to be introduced into container body 11 quickly.

[0029] <Function of urine collection container 10 according to first embodiment> Next, the function of the urine collection container 10 according to the first embodiment will be described. In Figure 2, the container body 11 is in a compressed state in which its internal volume is reduced. That is, the bellows portion 13 on the peripheral surface 12 of the container body 11 is compressed from above and below along the axial direction, maintaining the container body 11 in a compact state with a low overall height. As a result, by keeping the container body 11 in a compressed state when the urine collection container 10 is not in use, it does not require bulky space for transportation or storage, and can meet the demand for space saving.

[0030] When using the urine collection container 10, with the container body 11 in a compressed state, the lid 20 attached to the opening 140 of the container body 11 is placed upward, and the lid 20, either the upper handles 143, or the string or strap threaded through the upper handles 143 is held in one hand while the handle 16 on the bottom 15 is grasped and pulled downward with the other hand. This causes the bellows portion 13 of the container body 11 to expand in the axial direction, and the container body 11 returns to its original shape, which is maintained due to the plasticity and rigidity of the synthetic resin material.

[0031] This ensures that the container body 11 has sufficient capacity to store a sufficient amount of urine when the urine collection container 10 is in use. Furthermore, because the handle 16 is located on the bottom 15, which is difficult to grasp by hand, when returning the container body 11 from a compressed state to its original shape, the container body 11 can be easily expanded to its original shape by pulling the handle 16. The handle 16 is a flexible, soft sheet, and when the container body 11 is lifted with the opening 140 facing up, it hangs down from one edge (joint) of the underside of the bottom 15, as shown in FIG. 5 . Therefore, the handle 16 can be easily grasped.

[0032] As shown in Figure 6, the handle 16 (at one edge of the joint) on the bottom 15 of the container body 11 is positioned so that it overlaps in plan view with the line connecting the upper handles 143 on the upper part 14 located on the opposite side of the axial direction (vertical direction). This makes it easy to pull the handle 16 and the upper handle 143 in opposite directions, allowing the container body 11 to be extended to its original shape with minimal force. Furthermore, when the container body 11 is integrally molded, the elongated hole 17 in the handle 16 faces the direction in which the mold opens when the molded product, the container body 11, is removed from the mold, which simplifies the mold structure and improves moldability.

[0033] Before collecting urine from a patient using the urine collection container 10, the container body 11 is returned to its original state as described above, and with the opening 140 closed with the lid 20, the container body 11 is placed on a support surface, for example, next to the patient's bed. When placing the container body 11 on the floor, it is recommended to lay a sheet or the like on the support surface rather than placing it directly on the floor. When the container body 11 is placed on a support surface such as the floor, the handle 16 on the bottom 15 flattens to fit along the underside of the bottom 15, so that the container body 11 can stand upright without being hindered from standing upright.

[0034] Furthermore, the container body 11 can be freestanding on a placement surface, or, if necessary, can be hung from a bedside frame or stand using a strap or the like passed through a small hole 144 in an upper handle 143 on the top portion 14. When installing such a urine collection container 10, whether it is placed on a surface or hung, the container body 11 is positioned lower than the tip 1a of the catheter 1 to be inserted into the patient.

[0035] When collecting urine using the urine collection container 10, the base end 1b of the catheter 1 is connected to the introduction part 21 in the lid 20, and the catheter 1 is connected to the inside of the container body 11. Here, the base end 1b of the catheter 1 may be connected to the introduction part 21 in advance by heat welding or the like. The tip 1a of the catheter 1, which is on the opposite side to the base end 1b that is connected to the inside of the container body 11, is inserted into the patient's bladder through the urethra and left there. Urine collected by the catheter 1 passes through the catheter 1 and is stored inside the container body 11 via the introduction part 21.

[0036] The container body 11 itself has enough rigidity that the bellows portion 13 does not deform under the weight of urine in its original state, so it can stand stably on a support surface and can store a sufficient amount of urine up to the capacity of the container body 11. Furthermore, the pitch of the bellows in the bellows portion 13 of the container body 11, i.e., the lines on the peripheral surface 12 formed by the mountain folds 13a and the valley folds 13b, also serve as scales in fixed volume units. Therefore, the amount of urine stored inside the container body 11 can be easily confirmed visually.

[0037] When discharging urine from the container body 11, the lid 20 is removed from the opening 140 of the container body 11 and the container body 11 is turned upside down, allowing the urine inside to be easily and quickly discharged through the opening 140. When discharging urine from the container body 11, there is a risk that urine may adhere to the inner wall of the bellows portion 13, but it is preferable to make the dimension of the valley fold 13b of the bellows portion 13 that is folded inward and recessed as short as possible. This makes it possible to prevent urine from adhering to and remaining on the inner wall of the bellows portion 13 when discharging urine stored inside the container body 11.

[0038] After use of the urine collection container 10, the top 14 and bottom 15 of the container body 11 are pressed axially against each other, crushing the bellows portion 13 in the axial direction and deforming the urine collection container 10 into a compressed state. At this time, the handle 16 or top handle 143 need not be grasped; simply place the bottom 15 in the palm of the hand or on a support surface and press the lid 20 on the top 14 side downward. As mentioned above, the urine collection container 10 with the container body 11 in the compressed state does not require bulky space for transportation, storage, or disposal, thereby meeting space-saving demands.

[0039] 10 to 27 show a second embodiment of the present invention. A urine collection container 10A according to the second embodiment has the same basic configuration as the urine collection container 10 according to the first embodiment described above, but differs in the structure for attaching and detaching the lid 20A to (the outer periphery of) the mouth 140 of the container body 11, as well as the configuration of the handle 18 provided on the bottom 15. The following mainly describes the differences from the first embodiment, and the same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and redundant description will be omitted.

[0040] 11 , the handle 18 of the second embodiment is a flexible sheet-like member similar to the handle 16, but is formed in the shape of a narrow strip that diametrically crosses the underside of the bottom 15 of the container body 11. One end and the other end of the handle 18 are not joined to the underside of the bottom 15, but to the lower end of the peripheral surface 12 that is continuous with the bottom 15 and does not overlap the first-stage valley fold portion 13b. Here, the one end and the other end of the handle 18 are joined to the lower end of the peripheral surface 12 by adhesive or heat welding, but they may also be integrally formed.

[0041] The effective length of the handle 18, i.e., the length excluding the attachment portion that is joined to the peripheral surface 12, is set to a dimension that allows a finger to be inserted between the handle 18 and the bottom surface of the bottom portion 15 so that the handle 18 can be hooked on. The handle 18 is soft and easily deformable, and fits flat along the underside of the bottom portion 15 when the bottom portion 15 is placed on a support surface.

[0042] The handle 18 of the second embodiment can be formed very easily, just like the handle 16. Its simple structure makes it easy to hook a finger and to securely grasp and pull, making it easy to use. Furthermore, when the handle 18 is grasped and pulled, it is possible to prevent localized force from being applied to the bottom 15 of the container body 11, and the bond strength of the handle 18 is increased, making it less likely to break.

[0043] 10 , the lid body 20A of the second embodiment can be attached to and detached from the mouth 140 of the container body 11, similar to the lid body 20 described above, but is configured to be attached and detached with an easier operation. That is, the lid body 20A is configured to fit into the mouth 140 simply by pressing it against the mouth 140 in the axial direction, and to be detached from the mouth 140 simply by rotating it slightly in one direction around the axis relative to the mouth 140.

[0044] As in the first embodiment, the mouth 140 of the container body 11 is formed in the shape of a short cylindrical tube that opens in a perfect circle about the axis at the center of the upper portion 14. However, as shown in Figures 10 and 16 to 18, the outer periphery of the mouth 140 does not have the male thread 141, and instead has an annular engaged portion 142 that protrudes with a semicircular cross section around the entire periphery near the lower end of the mouth 140.

[0045] 10 and 17, a protrusion 145 that protrudes slightly upward from the upper surface of the upper portion 14 is integrally provided on the upper surface of the upper portion 14 between one side edge of each upper handle 143 closer to the opening 140 and the outer periphery of the opening 140. The protrusion 145 is formed as a protruding piece that is integrally connected to the lower end side of one side edge of the upper handle 143. The protrusion 145 is a portion that abuts relatively slidably against the opening edge of the lid 20A.

[0046] 19 to 21 , the lid 20A is integrally molded in a cap shape from, for example, an elastically deformable synthetic resin, and its inner periphery and outer periphery are formed into an elliptical shape as peripheral walls of a constant thickness that fit around the outer periphery of the mouth 140. In Fig. 20 , the minor axis S of the inner periphery of the lid 20A approximately matches the outer diameter of the mouth 140, which is a perfect circle, and the major axis L of the inner periphery of the lid 20A is set to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the mouth 140.

[0047] The mouth 140 is elastically deformable, and the area or shape of the circular opening changes slightly, and the lid 20A is also elastically deformable, and the area or shape of the elliptical opening changes slightly. More specifically, since the container body 11 is actually molded from a softer resin than the lid 20A, the mouth 140 is more likely to change elastically, but the lid 20A can also change shape, for example, to become slightly closer to a circle.

[0048] 19 and 20(b), a pair of engagement portions 23 are provided on the inner periphery of the lid 20A at positions facing each other in the longitudinal direction and protruding toward the center. More specifically, the engagement portions 23 are formed as convex stripes with a substantially triangular cross section, extending in an arc shape parallel to the opening edge at positions close to the opening edge on the inner periphery of the lid 20A. The specific length of the engagement portions 23 is set, for example, to a length extending at a central angle of approximately 25 degrees on both sides of the major axis L passing through the center of the engagement portions 23.

[0049] When lid body 20A is placed over mouth 140 and pressed in the axial direction, engaging portion 23 overcomes engaged portion 142 around the outer periphery of mouth 140 due to elastic deformation of at least one of lid body 20A itself and mouth 140, and engages with the underside of engaged portion 142. In Figure 10, when lid body 20A is pressed against mouth 140, the relative rotation angle position of lid body 20A and mouth 140 about the axis is defined as a "predetermined rotation angle position" where a line connecting a pair of upper handles 143 on both sides of mouth 140 overlaps a line connecting introduction portion 21 and ventilation portion 22 in lid body 20A in a plan view.

[0050] 19 and 21 , the opening edge of the lid 20A is provided with a tapered portion 24 whose starting end abuts exactly against the convex portion 145 beside the mouth 140 when the lid 20A is fitted onto the mouth 140 at the predetermined rotational angle position. When the lid 20A is rotated in one direction about the axis relative to the mouth 140 from the predetermined rotational angle position, the elastic deformation of the lid 20A and the mouth 140 causes the convex portion 145 to move relatively along the slope of the tapered portion 24, climbing up from the starting end 24 a, against the engaging force between the engaged portion 142 and the engaging portion 23. Thus, the lid 20A is designed to be able to be removed from the mouth 140.

[0051] 20(b), the opening edge of the lid body 20A is divided into four equal parts by the major axis L and the minor axis S. One pair of opposing parts (shown in light gray in the figure) is formed as flat edges 25, each extending along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction, i.e., not inclined relative to said plane. The other pair of parts is formed as the tapered portions 24, each inclined from a starting end 24a connected to the flat edge 25 toward the top surface of the lid body 20A so as to move away from said plane toward its end, and then continues to the flat edge 25 via a stepped notch 24b.

[0052] In the urine collection container 10A of the second embodiment, when the mouth 140 of the container body 11 is closed with the lid 20A, the lid 20 is aligned with the mouth 140 at a predetermined rotational angle and then pressed axially. The lid 20A then fits onto the mouth 140 until the start 24a of the tapered portion 24 on the periphery of the opening of the lid 20A abuts against the protrusion 145 beside the mouth 140. During this time, due to elastic deformation of the lid 20A and the mouth 140, the engaging portion 23 on the inner periphery of the lid 20A climbs over the engaged portion 142 around the outer periphery of the mouth 140 and engages with the underside of the engaged portion 142, as shown in FIG. 25( a).

[0053] As shown in Figure 26, the engaging portion 23 is located on the inner periphery of the lid 20A at a position facing the long axis, i.e., at a position where there is a slight gap from the outer periphery of the mouth 140. Therefore, the engaging portion 23 can engage with the engaged portion 142 so as to easily overcome it. Also, as shown in Figure 25(b), the portion of the inner periphery of the lid 20A facing the short axis simply abuts against the engaged portion 142, and there is no engagement between the engaging portion 23 and the engaged portion 142. Note that unless the lid 20A is pressed against the mouth 140 at a predetermined rotational angle position, the protrusion 145 beside the mouth 140 will hit the tapered portion 24 on the lid 20A side at any other position, and the lid 20A will not be able to be completely fitted onto the mouth 140.

[0054] On the other hand, to remove the lid 20A from the opening 140 of the container body 11, it is sufficient to rotate the lid 20A slightly in one direction (the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 27 ) about the axis from the predetermined rotation angle position relative to the opening 140. By rotating the lid 20A in this manner, the convex portion 145 beside the opening 140 moves relatively along the tapered portion 24 from the starting end 24a to approach the notch 24b at the end.

[0055] In this way, as the protrusion 145 rides up onto the tapered portion 24, the lid body 20A moves away from the mouth 140, the engaging portion 23 disengages upward from the engaged portion 142, and the lid body 20A is released from the mouth 140. At this time, the mouth 140 undergoes elastic deformation, and the lid body 20A also undergoes elastic deformation so as to become slightly closer to a circle. Note that the angle by which the lid body 20A is rotated does not need to be one full rotation (360 degrees); a central angle of about 45 degrees from the axis of the tapered portion 24 is sufficient.

[0056] With the urine collection container 10A of the second embodiment, the lid 20A can be very easily removed from the opening 140 without any screwing. In this way, the lid 20A can be attached and detached very easily without the need for forward and reverse rotation operations like with screw-on caps in the prior art.

[0057] 19 and 23, an annular seal 26 is integrally provided on the underside of the top surface of lid 20A, fitting tightly to the inner periphery around the opening edge of spout 140. Seal 26 is a perfect circle that fits the inner diameter of the opening of spout 140, and is formed as a convex strip with a substantially rectangular cross section around the entire periphery. Such seal 26 can prevent urine from leaking from container body 11 through gaps in lid 20A that close spout 140, and can maintain stable sealing.

[0058] <Configuration and Effects of the Present Invention> Although the first embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The present invention derived from the above-described embodiment will be described below.

[0059] First, the present invention provides a urine collection container 10, 10A for storing urine, wherein the cylindrical, bottomed container body 11 has at least a portion of its circumferential surface formed in an accordion-like shape that expands and contracts in the axial direction, and is deformable between an original state when storing urine and a compressed state in which the accordion-like portion is folded; the container body 11 has an opening 140 provided on the upper end side thereof, through which urine can be put in and out, and a bottom 15 provided on the lower end side thereof, which allows the container body 11 to stand on its own when placed on a support surface; and the bottom 15 of the container body 11 is provided with handles 16, 18 that can be grasped and pulled to return the container body 11 from the compressed state to its original state.

[0060] With this urine collection container 10, 10A, the bellows-shaped portion 13 on the circumferential surface of the container body 11 expands and contracts in the axial direction, allowing the container body 11 to deform between its original state and a compressed state. Therefore, when the urine collection container 10, 10A is not in use, the container body 11 can be compressed and kept compact, eliminating the need for bulky space for transportation and storage, thereby meeting space-saving requirements.

[0061] The opening 140 for putting urine in and out of the container body 11 is provided on the upper end side of the container body 11, so there is no need to provide an outlet or the like for discharging urine at the lower end side of the container body 11 as in the prior art. Here, the lower end side of the container body 11 forms a bottom 15 that allows the container body 11 to stand on its own when placed on a support surface, and the container body 11 can also be used in a stable state when placed on a support surface.

[0062] Moreover, the bottom 15 of the container body 11 is provided with handles 16, 18 that can be grasped and pulled when returning the container body 11 from a compressed state to its original state. This makes it easy to expand the container body 11 to its original state, making it easier to handle and more convenient to use.

[0063] In addition, in the present invention, the handles 16, 18 are formed in the form of flexible sheets, and are capable of being deformed into a flat state that conforms to the underside of the bottom 15 when the bottom 15 is placed on a support surface.

[0064] With this configuration, when the bottom 15 at the lower end of the container body 11 is placed on a placement surface, the handles 16, 18 on the bottom 15 deform to fit along the underside of the bottom 15, and do not prevent the container body 11 from standing upright. Therefore, the container body 11 can stand upright in a stable state regardless of the presence of the handles 16, 18 on the bottom 15.

[0065] In addition, in the present invention, the handle 16 is formed in a tongue shape that fits within the range of the underside of the bottom 15, and when the bottom 15 is placed on a support surface, it fits flat along the underside of the bottom 15, but when it is grabbed and pulled, it can stand up from the underside starting from the joint part.

[0066] This configuration allows the handle 16 to be formed extremely easily, and the simple configuration allows it to be securely grasped and pulled, providing excellent operability. Moreover, the handle 16 fits compactly under the bottom 15 of the container body 11, so there is no risk of it spreading out to the side from the bottom 15 and getting caught on something else.

[0067] In addition, in the present invention, the handle 18 is formed in a band shape that crosses the lower surface of the bottom 15 in the diameter direction, and one end and the other end are joined to the lower end side of the peripheral surface that is continuous with the lower surface of the bottom 15.

[0068] Even with this configuration, the handle 18 can be formed extremely easily, and the simple configuration allows it to be securely gripped and pulled, resulting in excellent operability. Moreover, when gripping and pulling the handle 18, the load is not concentrated on the bottom 15 of the container body 11, and the bonding strength of the handle 18 can also be increased.

[0069] The present invention is also characterized in that an upper handle 143 is provided on the upper end side of the container body 11, next to the mouth 140, opposite the handles 16, 18 on the bottom 15 in the vertical direction of the container body 11, and is grasped and pulled together with the handles 16, 18 when returning the container body 11 from a compressed state to its original state.

[0070] With this configuration, when returning the container body 11 from the compressed state to its original state, in addition to the handles 16, 18 that can be grasped and pulled at the bottom end of the container body 11, an upper handle 143 that is separate from the opening 140 at the top end of the container body 11 can be grasped and pulled in the opposite direction from the handles 16, 18. This allows the container body 11 to be reliably extended from the compressed state to its original state. The upper handle 143 can be grasped not only directly with fingers but also indirectly by pulling it through a string or the like.

[0071] The present invention is also characterized in that it has a lid body 20, 20A that can be removably fitted onto the mouth portion 140 to seal it, and is configured so that the lid body 20, 20A is fitted into the mouth portion 140 by pressing it axially against the mouth portion 140, and can be detached from the mouth portion 140 by rotating the lid body 20, 20A in one direction around the axis relative to the mouth portion 140.

[0072] With this configuration, the opening 140 of the container body 11, through which urine is introduced and released, can be closed and opened by the lids 20 and 20A. The lids 20 and 20A are fitted to the opening 140 simply by being pressed against the opening 140 in the axial direction. On the other hand, the lids 20 and 20A that close the opening 140 can be easily removed by simply rotating them in one direction about the axis relative to the opening 140.

[0073] Further, in the present invention, the mouth 140 is formed in a tubular shape with a perfect circular opening, and a ring-shaped engaged portion 142 that protrudes outward over the entire circumference is provided on the outer periphery of the mouth 140; the lid 20A has an elliptical shape whose inner periphery fits onto the outer periphery of the mouth 140, the minor axis of the inner periphery of the lid 20A approximately matches the outer diameter of the mouth 140, and an engaging portion 23 that protrudes toward the center on the inner periphery of the lid 20A at a position opposing the major axis direction is provided on the inner periphery of the lid 20A, and when the lid 20A is placed over the mouth 140 at a predetermined rotation angle position and pressed in the axial direction, elastic deformation of at least one of the lid 20A and the mouth 140 causes an engaging portion 23 to overcome the engaged portion 142 and engage with the engaged portion 142; A convex portion 145 that abuts against the opening edge of the lid body 20A is provided near the mouth 140 on the upper end side of the container body 11, and when the lid body 20A is fitted onto the mouth 140 at the predetermined rotation angle position, the starting end of the lid body 20A abuts against the convex portion 145 at the opening edge of the lid body 20A, and when the lid body 20A is rotated in one direction around the axis from the predetermined rotation angle position relative to the mouth 140, a tapered portion 24 is provided that is inclined in a direction to ride on the convex portion 145 against the engaging force of the engaged portion 142 and the engaging portion 23, and to remove the lid body 20A from the mouth 140.

[0074] With this configuration, when the mouth 140 of the container body 11 is closed with the lid 20A, the lid 20A is aligned with the mouth 140 at a predetermined rotation angle and pressed axially. Then, the lid 20A fits onto the mouth 140 until the start end 24a of the tapered portion 24 on the opening periphery of the lid 20A abuts against the protrusion 145 beside the mouth 140.

[0075] At this time, due to elastic deformation of the lid body 20A and the mouth portion 140, the engaging portion 23 on the inner periphery of the lid body 20A climbs over the engaged portion 142 around the outer periphery of the mouth portion 140 and engages with the engaged portion 142. The engaging portion 23 is located at a position on the inner periphery of the lid body 20A that faces the engaged portion 142 in the longitudinal direction, i.e., at a position where there is a slight gap from the outer periphery of the mouth portion 140. Therefore, the engaging portion 23 can be engaged so as to climb over the engaged portion 142 without any difficulty.

[0076] On the other hand, to remove the lid body 20A from the mouth 140 of the container body 11, the lid body 20A is rotated in one direction about the axis from the predetermined rotation angle position relative to the mouth 140. At this time, the convex portion 145 beside the mouth 140 moves relatively along the tapered portion 24. As a result, the lid body 20A moves away from the mouth 140, making it extremely easy to remove the lid body 20A from the mouth 140.

[0077] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the lid body 20, 20A is provided with an introduction section 21 for introducing urine into the container body 11 and an air vent section 22 for discharging air from the container body 11 to the outside.

[0078] With this configuration, urine can be introduced into the container body 11 from the introduction portion 21 in the lid 20, 20A while the opening 140 of the container body 11 remains sealed with the lid 20, 20A. Furthermore, when urine is introduced into the container body 11 from the introduction portion 21, air inside the container body 11 escapes through the ventilation portion 22, allowing urine to be introduced quickly into the container body 11. To discharge urine from inside the container body 11, the lid 20, 20A can be removed.

[0079] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications and additions that do not depart from the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiments, urine collected using a catheter 1 is stored in the urine collection container 10, 10A, but urine may also be introduced into the container body 11 via a tube using a separate urine collector. Furthermore, the specific shapes and relative sizes of the container body 11 and the lids 20, 20A, etc. are not limited to those shown in the drawings.

[0080] The urine collection container according to the present invention is not limited to the case where it stores urine collected using a catheter 1, but can also be used as a container for storing urine collected by various other methods.

[0081] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 10A... Urine collection container 11... Container body 12... Peripheral surface 13... Bellows portion 14... Upper portion 140... Mouth portion 141... Male thread 142... Engaged portion 143... Upper handle 145... Convex portion 15... Bottom portion 16... Handle 18... Handle 20, 20A... Lid body 21... Introduction portion 22... Ventilation portion 23... Engagement portion 24... Tapered portion

Claims

1. A urine collection container (10, 10A) for storing urine, comprising a cylindrical, bottomed container body (11) having at least a portion of its circumferential surface formed in a bellows shape that expands and contracts in the axial direction and is deformable between an original state when storing urine and a compressed state in which the bellows-shaped portion is folded, the container body (11) having an opening (140) provided at the upper end side of the container body (11) through which urine can be put in and out, and a bottom (15) provided at the lower end side of the container body (11) for allowing the container body (11) to stand on its own when placed on a supporting surface, the urine collection container (10, 10A) being characterized in that the bottom (15) of the container body (11) is provided with a handle (16, 18) that can be grasped and pulled to return the container body (11) from the compressed state to its original state.

2. The urine collection container (10, 10A) of claim 1, characterized in that the handle (16, 18) is formed in a flexible sheet-like shape and can be deformed to lie flat and conform to the underside of the bottom (15) when the bottom (15) is placed on a supporting surface.

3. The urine collection container (10) of claim 2, characterized in that the handle (16) is formed in a tongue shape that fits within the range of the underside of the bottom (15), and lies flat along the underside of the bottom (15) when the bottom (15) is placed on a supporting surface, but can rise up from the joint part above the underside when grasped and pulled.

4. A urine collection container (10A) as described in claim 2, characterized in that the handle (18) is formed in a band shape that diametrically crosses the underside of the bottom (15), and one end and the other end are joined to the lower end side of the peripheral surface that is continuous with the underside of the bottom (15).

5. A urine collection container (10, 10A) as described in claim 1, characterized in that an upper handle (143) is provided on the upper end side of the container body (11) next to the opening (140), facing the handle (16, 18) on the bottom (15) in the vertical direction of the container body (11), and which is grasped and pulled together with the handle (16, 18) when returning the container body (11) from a compressed state to its original state.

6. A urine collection container (10, 10A) as described in claim 1, characterized in that it has a lid body (20, 20A) that can be detachably fitted onto the mouth portion (140) to seal it, and is configured so that the lid body (20, 20A) is fitted into the mouth portion (140) by pressing it in the axial direction against the mouth portion (140), and can be detached from the mouth portion (140) by rotating the lid body (20, 20A) in one direction about the axis relative to the mouth portion (140).

7. The mouth portion (140) is formed in a tubular shape with a perfect circular opening, and an annular engaged portion (142) that protrudes outward over the entire circumference is provided on the outer periphery of the mouth portion (140); the lid body (20A) is formed in an elliptical shape with its inner periphery fitting onto the outer periphery of the mouth portion (140), the minor axis of the inner periphery of the lid body (20A) approximately matches the outer diameter of the mouth portion (140), and an engaging portion (23) is provided on the inner periphery of the lid body (20A) that protrudes toward the center at a position opposed in the major axis direction, and when the lid body (20A) is placed over the mouth portion (140) at a predetermined rotation angle position and pressed in the axial direction, an engaging portion (23) is provided that overcomes the engaged portion (142) and engages with the engaged portion (142) due to elastic deformation of at least one of the lid body (20A) and the mouth portion (140); 7. The urine collection container (10A) according to claim 6, characterized in that a convex portion (145) that abuts against an opening edge of the lid body (20A) is provided beside the mouth portion (140) on the upper end side of the container body (11), and a tapered portion (24) is provided that has a starting end that abuts against the convex portion (145) when the lid body (20A) is fitted around the mouth portion (140) at the predetermined rotational angle position, and that when the lid body (20A) is rotated in one direction around the axis from the predetermined rotational angle position relative to the mouth portion (140), rides up onto the convex portion (145) against an engaging force between the engaged portion (142) and the engaging portion (23), thereby removing the lid body (20A) from the mouth portion (140).

8. A urine collection container (10, 10A) as described in claim 6, characterized in that the lid body (20, 20A) is provided with an introduction section (21) for introducing urine into the container body (11) and an aeration section (22) for discharging air within the container body (11) to the outside.

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