Portable catheter unit

Claim 1

A portable catheter unit adapted to be retained in the possession of a patient and periodically employed for selfcatheterization, comprising: A. a portable catheter case including a rigid tubular body having means defining within one end thereof an access opening concentrically related to the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the tubular body; B. a body of liquid sterilant substantially filling said tubular body; C. sealing means for selectively sealing said access opening including a cap having coupling means for releasably coupling the cap with said case and a closure pad affixed thereto for engaging said tubular body in sealing relation with said access opening; D. a tubular catheter concentrically related to said tubular body partially immersed in said body of liquId sterilant with the base end portion thereof being disposed above the level of said body of liquid sterilant and including means defining an annular shoulder projected radially therefrom; E. catheter retention means for suspending said catheter within said body of liquid sterilant including an annulus seated in the tubular body of said portable case, adjacent to one end thereof, and having an annular shoulder coaxially aligned with said access opening and a helical spring concentrically related to said catheter and seated on said shoulder in coaxial alignment with said annulus and disposed in supporting engagement with the radially projected shoulder of said catheter for continuously urging the catheter in axial displacement toward said access opening, whereby the catheter is supported for axial motion as it is suspended within said body of liquid sterilant; and F. alerting means mounted on said cap for periodically alerting a patient to a need for catheterization.