Disposable bag with self-closing valve

Claim 2

A valve comprising, a flexible tube, a semi-rigid panel externally secured to diametrically opposite portions of said tube, and means secured to said panel for bowing the panel and urging it into engagement with the tube to hold the opposed interior surfaces of the tube, adjacent said panel, in fluid tight engagement with each other.

Claim 3

A valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said bowing means comprises a flexible band having opposite end portions respectively secured to opposite edges of said panel and located on the side thereof remote from said tube.

Claim 4

A valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said tube comprises a pair of relatively flat sheets of flexible material sealed together along a pair of spaced edges.

Claim 5

A valve as defined in claim 3 wherein said sheets are formed of a vinyl plastic material.

Claim 8

A device as defined in claim 5 wherein said bowing means comprises a flexible band having opposite end portions respectively secured adjacent opposite edges of said panel and located on the side thereof remote from said tube, said band having an effective length between said panel edges that is less than the width of said panel between said edges, whereby said panel is bowed by said band and urged into engagement with said tube.

Claim 9

A device as defined in claim 6 wherein said bag comprises a pair of relatively flat and substantially coextensive sheets of flexible material joined along the adjacent peripheral edges thereof in fluid tight relation.

Claim 10

A device as defined in claim 7 wherein said tube forming means comprises substantially coextensive extensions of said sheets joined along a pair of adjacent edges, one of said extensions being longer than the other and folded inwardly of said bag to define a first flap, a second flap joined to said other extension along the free edge thereof and adjacent said first flap, said flaps being secured to each other along spaced lines to define said tube and fluid passageway therein.

Claim 11

A device as defined in claim 8 wherein said panel is secured to said tube adjacent said second flap and said band has substantially the same width as said panel and is secured to said panel at its edges on the side thereof adjacent said second flap and extends from its points of connection with said panel around the adjacent edges thereof and along the side of said panel remote from said second flap whereby the effective length of said band between said panel edges is less than the width of said panel.

Claim 12

An enema bag comprising, a pair of relatively flat, substantially coextensive sheets of flexible material having adjacent peripherial edge portions, said edge portions being joined in fluid tight relation to define a fluid receiving chamber, said sheets having substantially coextensive extensions joined along a pair of adjacent edges, to define a passageway therebetween, said extensions each having a free end portion with one of said extensions being longer than the other and folded inwardly of said passageway to define a first flap therein, a second flap in said passageway joined to said other extension along the free edge thereof and being located substantially contiguous to said first flap, said flaps being secured to each other in fluid tight relation along spaced lines to define a tube and fluid passageway providing communication with the interior of said bag, and valve means for closing said tube including a semi-rigid panel secured to one of said flaps exteriorly of said tube passageway, and means secured to said panel for bowing the panel and urging it into engagement with the adjacent flap to hold the opposed interior surfaces of said flaps, adjacent said panel, in fluid tight engagement with each other.

Claim 13

An enema bag comprising, a pair of relatively flat, substantially coextensive sheets of flexible material having adjacent peripherial edge portions, said edge portions being joined in fluid tight relation to define a fluid receiving chamber, said sheets having substantially coextensive extensions joined along a pair of adjacent edges, to define a passageway therebetween, said extensions each having a free end portion with one of said extensions being longer than the other and folded inwardly of said passageway to define a first flap therein, a second flap in said passageway joined to said other extension along the free edge thereof and being located substantially contiguous to said first flap, said flaps being secured to each other in fluid tight relation along spaced lines to define a tube and fluid passageway providing communication with the interior of said bag, and valve means for closing said tube including a semi-rigid panel secured to one of said flaps exteriorly of said tube passageway, and means secured to said panel for bowing the panel and urging it into engagement with the adjacent flap to hold the opposed interior surfaces of said flaps, adjacent said panel, in fluid tight engagement with each other.

Claim 14

An enema bag as defined in claim 10 wherein said bowing means comprises a flexible band having opposite end portions respectively secured adjacent opposite edges of said panel and located on the side thereof remote from said tube, said band having an effective length between said panel edges that is less than the width of said panels between said edges, whereby said panel is bowed by said band and urged into engagement with said tube.

Claim 15

An enema bag as defined in claim 11 including conduit means secured in internal communication with said bag for directing fluid in said bag to a selected point of application thereof.

Claim 16

An enema bag as defined in claim 11 wherein said flat sheet forming said bag comprises plastic sheets joined by heat sealing along said edges.