Self-cleansing portable urine collection device

Abstract

A self-cleansing portable urine collection device and method of collecting urine in a self-cleansing portable urine collection device. The collection device includes a housing that houses a urine collection receptacle, a cleansing container, a reservoir, and a vacuum suction pump. The receptacle is movable between a stored position and a use position in which the receptacle is configured to collect urine from a user. The cleansing container is configured to supply a cleansing solution to the receptacle. The reservoir is configured to receive the urine and the cleansing solution collected by the receptacle. A vacuum suction pump is disposed within the housing downstream of the reservoir and is configured to transport the urine and the cleansing solution from the receptacle to the reservoir.

I/we claim: 
     
         1 . A self-cleansing portable urine collection device comprising:
 a housing;   a urine collection receptacle movable between a stored position in which the receptacle is positioned within the housing and a use position in which the receptacle is positioned outside of the housing and configured to collect urine from a user;   a cleansing container disposed within the housing and configured to supply a cleansing solution to the receptacle when the receptacle is in the stored position;   a reservoir disposed within the housing and coupled to the receptacle, the reservoir adapted to receive the urine and the cleansing solution collected by the receptacle; and   a first pump disposed within the housing downstream of the reservoir, wherein the first pump is a vacuum suction pump coupled to the reservoir and configured to apply a vacuum thereto and further configured to suction the urine and the cleansing solution from the receptacle to the reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a first conduit coupled between the reservoir and the first pump and a second conduit coupled between the receptacle and the reservoir. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second pump coupled to the cleansing container and a third conduit coupled between the second pump and a cleansing solution discharge nozzle, wherein the second pump is configured to transfer cleansing solution from the cleansing container to the receptacle via the third conduit and the discharge nozzle. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , further comprising a control device coupled to at least one sensor and to at least one of the first and second pumps, wherein the control device and the at least one sensor cooperate to at least one of activate and deactivate at least one of the first and second pumps. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the control device includes a timer, wherein the control device is configured to deactivate the first pump based at least in part upon a time condition utilizing the timer, wherein the control device is configured to deactivate the first pump a predetermined time after activation of the first pump. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the second pump is activated at least in part by the receptacle being positioned in the stored position, the at least one sensor being configured to detect the receptacle in the stored position, wherein the at least one sensor transmits a signal to the control device to activate the second pump upon the detection of the receptacle being positioned in the stored position. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 4 , further comprising a housing access door movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the second pump is activated at least in part by the closing of the housing access door to the closed position, the at least one sensor being configured to detect the housing access door in the closed position, wherein the at least one sensor transmits a signal to the control device to activate the second pump upon the detection of the closing of the housing access door to the closed position. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the second pump is activated at least in part by the combination of the closing of the housing access door to the closed position and the receptacle being positioned in the stored position, the at least one sensor further being configured to detect the receptacle in the stored position, wherein the at least one sensor transmits a signal to the control device to activate the second pump upon the detection of the closing of the housing access door to the closed position and the positioning of the receptacle in the stored position. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the control device includes a timer, wherein the control device is configured to activate the second pump based at least in part upon a time condition utilizing the timer, wherein the control device is configured to activate the second pump a predetermined time after the detection of the closing of the housing access door to the closed position and the positioning of the receptacle in the stored position. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 3 , further comprising a switch associated with at least one of the first and second pumps, the switch being operable by the user to selectively activate and deactivate at least one of the first and second pumps. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a fourth conduit extending from the vacuum suction pump for the discharge of air. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect a presence of fluid within the receptacle. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a measuring apparatus for measuring the level of fluid within at least one of the cleansing container and the reservoir, the measuring apparatus being external to at least one of the cleansing container and the reservoir. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a control device and an alarm coupled to the measuring apparatus, wherein the measuring apparatus measures the level of fluid within the reservoir and cooperates with the control device to sound the alarm upon detection of the level of fluid within the reservoir approaching a predetermined reservoir level to provide a warning to the user to empty the reservoir. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a control device and an alarm coupled to the measuring apparatus, wherein the measuring apparatus measures the level of fluid within the cleansing container and cooperates with the control device to sound the alarm upon detection of the level of fluid within the cleansing container approaching a predetermined cleansing container level to provide a warning to the user to refill the cleansing container with cleansing solution. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir includes a reservoir cap having a seal plate coupled thereto and an inlet tube and an outlet tube coupled to the seal plate, wherein the seal plate and the inlet and outlet tubes form an adjustable assembly configured to move relative to the reservoir for removal of the reservoir from within the housing, wherein the inlet tube connects to the second conduit and the outlet tube connects to the first conduit. 
     
     
         17 . A method of collecting urine in a self-cleansing portable urine collection device, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a urine collection device including:
 a housing including a housing access door; 
 a urine collection receptacle movable between a stored position in which the receptacle is stored within the housing and a use position in which the receptacle is positioned outside of the housing and configured to collect urine from a user; 
 a cleansing container disposed within the housing and configured to supply a cleansing solution to the receptacle when in the stored position; 
 a reservoir disposed within the housing and coupled to the receptacle, the reservoir adapted to receive the urine and the cleansing solution collected by the receptacle; 
 a first pump disposed within the housing downstream of the reservoir, the first pump being coupled to the reservoir and configured to transport the urine and the cleansing solution from the receptacle to the reservoir by way of the application of a vacuum to the reservoir; 
 a second pump configured to transport the cleansing solution from the cleansing container to the receptacle when the receptacle is in the stored position; and 
 a control device coupled to the first and second pumps configured to provide automatic activation and deactivation of the first and second pumps; 
   opening the housing access door;   moving the receptacle to the use position;   collecting urine within the receptacle;   transferring the urine from the receptacle to the reservoir via suction applied through a first conduit to the reservoir;   positioning the receptacle in the stored position;   supplying the cleansing solution from the cleansing container to the receptacle via a second conduit; and   transferring the cleansing solution from the receptacle to the reservoir via suction applied through the first conduit thereby flushing any residual urine within the collection device to the reservoir.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of transferring the urine from the receptacle to the reservoir includes activating the first pump for a predetermined time period, wherein activation of the first pump creates the vacuum within the reservoir via a third conduit coupled between the reservoir and the first pump, wherein at least one of the steps of opening the housing access door, positioning the receptacle in the use position, and collecting urine within the receptacle triggers the control device to activate the first pump. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of supplying the cleansing solution from the cleansing container to the receptacle includes activating the second pump for a predetermined time period, wherein at least one of the steps of positioning the receptacle in the stored position and closing a housing access door triggers the control device to activate the second pump. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of transporting the cleansing solution from the receptacle to the reservoir includes activating the first pump for a predetermined time period, wherein activation of the first pump creates vacuum pressure within the reservoir via a third conduit coupled between the reservoir and the first pump, wherein the vacuum pressure suctions the cleansing solution from the receptacle and transports the cleansing solution to the reservoir via the first conduit, wherein the step of supplying the cleansing solution to the receptacle triggers the control device to activate the first pump.