Midstream urine collector

Claim 2

A sterile midstream urine collector comprising a tubular body having an upper inlet, a lower outlet, and a flow passage therebetween; a cup member having an upwardly-directed mouth and being mounted within said passage below said inlet; said cup member being substantially smaller than said passage to permit the downward flow of urine through said passage past said cup member; and urine-deflecting cover means having at least a portion thereof formed of a non-contaminating water-soluble polymeric material capable of disintegrating within 2 to 15 seconds upon direct exposure to a stream of urine; said cover means having a first operative state wherein said portion is intact and said cover means closes the mouth of said cup member and deflects the initial portion of a stream of urine entering said passage and impinging on said cover, and a second operative state wherein said portion of said cover means is dissolved by exposure to an initial portion of a stream of urine and the mouth of said cup member is exposed to receive an uncontaminated subsequent portion of said stream.

Claim 3

The collector of claim 1 in which said water-soluble polymeric material is capable of disintegrating within 3 to 8 seconds upon exposure to a stream of urine.

Claim 4

The collector of claims 1 or 2 in which said cover means includes a water-insoluble deflecting portion normally disposed in a first position extending over the mouth of said cup member when said cover means is in said first operative state, and means urging said deflecting portion into a second position displaced from the mouth of said cup member when said cover means is in its second operative state; said water-soluble portion of said cover means normally holding said deflecting portion in its first position but allowing said deflecting portion to shift into said second position when said water-soluble portion is dissolved.

Claim 5

The collector of claim 3 in which said means for urging said deflecting portion into said second position comprises a spring element having one end secured to said cover and having another end immobilized with respect to said cup member.

Claim 6

The collector of claim 4 in which said deflecting portion of said cover means is generally circular in configuration and said spring element is secured to said deflecting portion along one edge thereof; said water-soluble portion of said cover means being secured to said deflecting portion and said cup member at a point along the edge of said deflecting portion opposite from said spring element.

Claim 7

The collector of claim 3 in which said means for urging said deflecting portion of said cover means into its second position comprises the mouth of said cup member extending along an inclined plane, said deflecting portion being slidable away from the mouth of said cup member under the influence of gravity when said water-soluble portion of said cover means is dissolved.

Claim 8

The collector of claims 1 or 2 in which said water-soluble portion of said cover means extends over the mouth of said cup member and deflects urine flowing into said passage through said inlet when said cover means is in said first operative state; said water-soluble portion being dissolved to expose the mouth of said cup member when said cover means is in said second operative state.

Claim 9

The collector of claim 7 in which said water-soluble portion of said cover is generally dome-shaped.

Claim 10

The collector of claim 8 in which support means extends over the mouth of said cup member beneath said water-soluble portion of said cover means for supporting the same.

Claim 11

The collector of claim 9 in which said support means comprises a framework of struts for supporting said water-soluble portion of said cover means.

Claim 12

The collector of claims 1 or 2 in which said water-soluble portion is formed of polyvinyl alcohol.

Claim 13

The collector of claim 1 in which said body is funnel-shaped with said inlet being larger than said outlet.

Claim 14

The collector of claim 12 in which said funnel-shaped body has a generally frusto-conical upper section and a reduced lower section.

Claim 15

The collector of claim 13 in which said cup member is disposed in the upper portion of said lower section of said body.

Claim 16

The collector of claim 14 in which said frustoconical upper section includes an annular flange extension projecting downwardly and inwardly into the upper portion of said lower section above said cup member; said flange extension being provided with a plurality of circumferentially-spaced recesses having the outer limits thereof aligned with said flow passage radially outwardly of said cup member.

Claim 17

The collector of claims 12, 13, or 14 in which said cup member is coaxial with said body.

Claim 18

A sterile midstream urine collector comprising a tubular body having an upper inlet, a lower outlet, and a flow passage therebetween; a cup member having an upwardly-directed mouth and being mounted within said passage below said inlet; said cup member being substantially smaller than said passage to permit the downward flow of urine through said passage past said cup member; and urine-deflecting cover means having at least a portion thereof formed of a non-contaminating water-soluble polymeric material capable of disintegrating within 2 to 15 seconds upon direct exposure to a stream of urine; said cover means having a first operative state in which said water-soluble portion is intact and said cover means closes the mouth of said cup member and deflects the initial portion of a stream of urine entering said passage and impinging on said cover, and a second operative state wherein said water-soluble portion is dissolved by exposure to an initial portion of a stream of urine and the mouth of said cup member is exposed to receive an uncontaminated subsequent portion of said stream; and means defining an evacuation passage communicating with said cup member.

Claim 19

A sterile midstream urine collector comprising a tubular body having an upper inlet, a lower outlet, and a flow passage therebetween; a cup member having an upwardly-directed mouth and being mounted within said passage below said inlet; said cup member being substantially smaller than said passage to permit the downward flow of urine through said passage past said cup member; and urine-deflecting cover means having at least a portion thereof formed of a non-contaminating water-soluble polymeric material capable of disintegrating within 2 to 15 seconds upon direct exposure to a stream of urine; said cover means having a first operative state in which said water-soluble portion is intact and said cover means closes the mouth of said cup member and deflects the initial portion of a stream of urine entering said passage and impinging on said cover, and a second operative state wherein said water-soluble portion is dissolved by exposure to an initial portion of a stream of urine and the mouth of said cup member is exposed to receive an uncontaminated subsequent portion of said stream; and means defining an evacuation passage communicating with said cup member.

Claim 20

The collector of claim 17 in which said water-soluble polymeric material is capable of disintegrating within 3 to 8 seconds upon direct exposure to a stream of urine.

Claim 21

The collector of claim 17 in which said cover means includes a water-insoluble deflecting portion normally disposed in a first position extending over the mouth of said cup member when said cover means is in said first operative state, and means urging said deflecting portion into a second position displaced from the mouth of said cup member when said cover means is in its second operative state; said water-soluble portion of said cover means normally holding said deflecting portion in its first position but allowing said deflecting portion to shift into said second position when said water-soluble portion is dissolved.

Claim 22

The collector of claim 19 in which said means for urging said deflecting portion into said second position comprises a spring element having one end secured to said cover and having another end immobilized with respect to said cup member.

Claim 23

The collector of claim 20 in which said deflecting portion of said cover means is generally circular in configuration and said spring element is secured to said deflecting portion along one end thereof; said water-soluble portion of said cover means being secured to said deflecting portion and said cup member a point along the edge of said deflecting portion opposite from said spring element.

Claim 24

The collector of claim 19 in which said means for urging said deflecting portion of said cover means into its second position comprises the mouth of said cup member extending along an inclined plane, said deflecting portion being slidable away from the mouth of said cup member under the influence of gravity when said water-soluble portion of said cover means is dissolved.

Claim 25

The collector of claim 17 in which said water-soluble portion of said cover means extends over the mouth of said cup member and deflects urine flowing into said passage through said inlet when said cover means is in its first operative state; said water-soluble portion being dissolved to expose the mouth of said cup member when said cover means is in its second operative state.

Claim 26

The collector of claim 23 in which said water-soluble portion of said cover is generally dome-shaped.

Claim 27

The collector of claims 17, 19, 20, 22, or 23 in which said means defining said evacuation passage communicates with said cup member at the lower end thereof; and means provided by said body for supporting a container communicable with said evacuation passage means for receiving urine collected by said cup member.

Claim 28

The collector of claim 25 in which said means defining said evacuation passage includes a tubular spike having a pointed end adapted to penetrate the membrane of the stopper of a collection tube.

Claim 29

The collector of claim 26 in which said means for removably supporting a container communicable with said evacuation passage means comprises a guideway for slidably supporting a collection tube adjacent said spike.

Claim 30

The collector of claim 27 in which a collection tube is slidably supported within said guideway and has a membrane oriented for engagement with said spike for the piercing of said membrane and the withdrawal of urine from said cup member into said collection tube when the membrane of said collection tube is pierced by said spike.

Claim 31

The collector of claim 26 in which a collection tube in the form of a syringe is removably supported by said supporting means; said syringe having a tip equipped with a resilient self-sealing stopper into which said spike projects.

Claim 32

The collector of claim 29 in which said supporting means comprises a housing defining an open-topped cavity for removably supporting said syringe; said syringe being supported for limited tipping movement within said cavity; and a resilient member within said cavity engaging said syringe and restraining tipping movement thereof.

Claim 33

The collector of claim 17 in which said body is funnel-shaped with said inlet being larger than said outlet.

Claim 34

The collector of claim 31 in which said funnel-shaped body has a generally frusto-conical upper section and a reduced lower section.

Claim 35

The collector of claim 32 in which said cup member is disposed in the upper portion of said lower section of said body.

Claim 36

The collector of claim 33 in which said cup member is coaxial with said body.

Claim 37

The collector of claim 17 in which said water-soluble portion of said cover means is formed of polyvinyl alcohol.

Claim 38

A sterile midstream urine collector comprising a tubular body having an upper inlet, a lower outlet, and a flow passage therebetween; a cup member having an upwardly-directed mouth and being mounted within said passage below said inlet; said cup member being substantially smaller than said passage to permit the downward flow of urine through said passage past said cup member; urine-deflecting cover means having at least a portion thereof formed of a non-contaminating water-soluble polymeric material capable of disintegrating within about 2 to 15 seconds upon direct exposure to a stream of urine; said cover means having a first operative state wherein said water-soluble portion is intact and said cover means closes the mouth of said cup member and deflects the initial portion of a stream of urine entering said passage and impinging on said cover, and a second operative state wherein said water-soluble portion of said cover means is dissolved by exposure to an initial part of a stream of urine and the mouth of said cup member is exposed to receive an uncontaminated subsequent part of said stream; means defining an evacuation passage communicating with said cup member and including a tubular spike adapted to extend through and be removable from a self-sealing stopper of a sample collection tube; and means provided by said collector for removably supporting a collection tube adjacent said body.

Claim 39

A sterile midstream urine collector comprising a tubular body having an upper inlet, a lower outlet, and a flow passage therebetween; a cup member having an upwardly-directed mouth and being mounted within said passage below said inlet; said cup member being substantially smaller than said passage to permit the downward flow of urine through said passage past said cup member; urine-deflecting cover means having at least a portion thereof formed of a non-contaminating water-soluble polymeric material capable of disintegrating within about 2 to 15 seconds upon direct exposure to a stream of urine; said cover means having a first operative state wherein said water-soluble portion is intact and said cover means closes the mouth of said cup member and deflects the initial portion of a stream of urine entering said passage and impinging on said cover, and a second operative state wherein said water-soluble portion of said cover means is dissolved by exposure to an initial part of a stream of urine and the mouth of said cup member is exposed to receive an uncontaminated subsequent part of said stream; means defining an evacuation passage communicating with said cup member and including a tubular spike adapted to extend through and be removable from a self-sealing stopper of a sample collection tube; and means provided by said collector for removably supporting a collection tube adjacent said body.

Claim 40

The collector of claim 36 in which said means defining said evacuation passage communicates with said cup member at the lower end thereof.

Claim 41

The collector of claim 36 in which said means for supporting a collection tube includes a guideway; and an air-evacuated collection tube is slidably supported by said guideway and has a membrane oriented for engagement with said spike for the piercing of said membrane and the withdrawal of urine from said cup member into said collection tube when the membrane of said collection tube is pierced by said spike.

Claim 42

The collector of claim 36 in which said cover means includes a water-insoluble deflecting portion normally disposed in a first position extending over the mouth of said cup member when said cover means is in said first operative state, and means urging said deflecting portion into a second position displaced from the mouth of said cup member when said cover means is in its second operative state; said water-soluble portion of said cover means normally holding said deflecting portion in its first position but allowing said deflecting portion to shift into said second position when said water-soluble portion is dissolved.

Claim 43

The collector of claim 39 in which said means urging said deflecting portion into said second position comprises a spring element having one end secured to said cover and another end immobilized with respect to said cup member.

Claim 44

The collector of claim 40 in which said deflecting portion of said cover is generally circular in configuration and said spring element is secured to said deflecting portion along one edge thereof; said water-soluble portion of said cover means being secured to said deflecting portion and said cup member at a point along the edge of said deflecting portion opposite from said spring element.

Claim 45

The collector of claim 39 in which said means for urging said deflecting portion of said cover means into its second position comprises the mouth of said cup member extending along an inclined plane, said deflecting portion being slidable away from the mouth of said cup member under the influence of gravity when said water-soluble portion of said cover means is dissolved.

Claim 46

The collector of claim 39 in which said water-soluble portion is formed of polyvinyl alcohol.

Claim 47

The collector of claim 36 in which said water-soluble portion of said cover means extends over the mouth of said cup member and deflects urine flowing into said passage through said inlet when said cover means is in its first operative state; said water-soluble portion being dissolved to expose the mouth of said cup member when said cover means is in its second operative state.

Claim 48

The collector of claim 44 in which said water-soluble portion of said cover is generally dome-shaped.

Claim 49

The collector of claim 45 in which support means extends over the mouth of said cup member beneath said water-soluble portion of said cover means for supporting the same.

Claim 50

The collector of claim 46 in which said support means comprises a framework of struts for supporting said water-soluble portion of said cover means.

Claim 51

The collector of claim 36 in which a collection tube in the form of a syringe is removably supported adjacent said body; said syringe having a tip equipped with a stopper into which said spike projects.

Claim 52

The collector of claim 48 in which said tubular spike is flexible.

Claim 53

The collector of claim 49 in which said collector includes a housing defining an open-topped cavity for removably supporting said syringe adjacent said body; said syringe being supported for limited tipping movement within said cavity; and a resilient member within said cavity engaging said syringe and restraining tipping movement thereof.