Fluid Collection Bag Orientation for Floor Contamination Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fluid collection systems used in hospitals often contaminate when medical beds are in a low position, as the fluid collection bags rest on the floor, risking bacterial spread due to the outlet location at the bottom.
Innovation Solution
A fluid collection bag with an elongated length and shorter height, equipped with a mounting bracket and reversible attachment system, allowing it to hang from a bed frame without touching the ground, thus preventing contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the fluid collection bag is suspended from a bed rail, then the bag is easily accessible and drainage is facilitated, but when the medical bed is in a low position the bag contacts the floor causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial orientation of the bag by rotating it 90 degrees from a vertical hanging position to a horizontal position where the outlet tube extends upward. This dimensional change allows the bag to maintain proximity to the bed for easy drainage while elevating the outlet above floor level to prevent contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of suspending the bag vertically with the outlet downward (conventional approach), the patent inverts the orientation so the bag hangs horizontally with the outlet tube extending upward. This inversion resolves the contradiction by maintaining drainage accessibility while preventing floor contact contamination.
2Productivity
If the outlet tube is positioned at the bottom of the bag for gravity drainage, then drainage efficiency is improved, but the outlet becomes vulnerable to contamination when the bag rests on the floor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the outlet tube from a downward-pointing vertical orientation to an upward-pointing horizontal orientation. This dimensional change maintains the gravitational drainage advantage while physically separating the outlet from the contamination zone (floor level).
Solution Approach 2:
The outlet tube acts as an intermediary element that extends upward from the bag body, creating a spatial buffer between the drainage function and the contaminated floor environment. This allows gravity drainage to function while the outlet remains elevated and protected.
3Reliability
If the bag is positioned low for patient safety, then fall risk is reduced, but the fluid collection bag contacts the floor creating infection risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent rotates the bag from a vertical to horizontal orientation, changing the spatial dimension in which the bag occupies space. This allows the bag to be positioned low on the bed frame (maintaining patient safety) while the outlet tube extends upward in a different dimensional plane, avoiding floor contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an asymmetric configuration where the bag body hangs horizontally while the outlet tube extends upward at an angle. This asymmetric arrangement allows the bulk of the bag to remain in the safe, low position while the critical outlet portion is elevated asymmetrically to prevent contamination.
Data Source
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AI summary
According to one aspect, a fluid collection bag comprises an inlet opening adapted to receive an inlet tube located on a first side of the fluid collection bag. The fluid collection bag has a length greater than the height. The first side of the fluid collection bag is generally parallel with a length of the fluid collection bag. The fluid collection bag further comprises an outlet opening located on a second side of the fluid collection bag. The fluid collection bag may be reversible such that a first surface or a second opposing surface of the fluid collection bag may face a support element.