Abstract
A check valve between a catheter and a urine collection bag for an incontinent person must pass urine in the forward direction without significant head and must be free of back leakage to prevent infection. This valve has a rigid body so that the elastomeric sealing member mounted therein is not disturbed by the wearer's clothing. The sealing member has a pair of flat, parallel, normally spaced apart, sealing leaves integrally joined together along their lateral edges by webs to define a flat tube having a flat normally open passage therethrough. Means are provided for pressing on the lateral edges of the leaves for forcing the edges of the passage closed. The leaves are thin, soft elastomer, and the side edges are free to deflect laterally so that urine will pass forwardly through the valve in drop-wise fashion, and the valve can also handle appreciable flow rates. Back pressure on the valve urges it closed. Preferably the means holding the valves leaves together are clips...
Filing date: Jan 3, 1975
Issue date: Jul 6, 1976
Inventor: Roy Gregory
Assignee: Urocare Products, Inc.
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What is claimed is:
1. A liquid check valve having no back leakage and capable of draining substantially dry in the forward direction comprising:
- a rigid body having a passage therethrough;
- an elastomeric sealing member mounted within the body, said sealing comprising:
- a pair of flat, parallel, normally spaced apart, sealing leaves;
- a web among each lateral edge of the sealing leaves and integral therewith for joining the adjacent edges of the leaves together, said leaves and webs collectively defining a flat tube having a flat, normally open, passage therethrough; and
- a peripheral end flange integral with the leaves for mounting the sealing member in the body; and
- means for pressing on the lateral edges of the leaves for forcing the lateral edges of the flat passage closed, comprising spaced apart wall portions extending longitudinally in the rigid body for receiving the lateral edges of the sealing leaves, said wall portions being spaced apart no more than the thickness of the elastomer portion of the sealing member therebetween.
2. A liquid check valve having no back leakage and capable of draining substantially dry in the forward direction comprising:
- a rigid body having a passage therethrough;
- an elastomeric sealing member mounted within the body, said sealing member comprising:
- a pair of flat, parallel, normally spaced apart, sealing leaves;
- a web among each lateral edge of the sealing leaves and integral therewith for joining the adjacent edges of the leaves together, said leaves and web collectively defining a flat tube having a flat, normally open, passage therethrough; and
- a peripheral end flange integral with the leaves for mounting the sealing member in the body;
- a longitudinally extending lateral flange portion adjacent each web; and
- means for pressing on the lateral edges of the leaves for forcing the lateral edges of the flat passage closed, comprising a slot in the body for receiving the flanged portion and having a width no more than the thickness of the elastomeric portion of the sealing member received within the slot.
3. A liquid check valve as defined in claim 2 wherein the flanged portion comprises a pair of flanges defining a T-shaped lateral edge along each lateral edge of the leaves, and wherein the longitudinal slot in the body has a T-shaped cross-section.
4. A liquid check valve as defined in claim 2 wherein the sealing member further comprises a longitudinally extending groove in a leaf adjacent the flange portion for reducing cross section of the respective leaf and reducing resistance to deflection.
5. A liquid check valve having no back leakage and capable of draining substantially dry in the forward direction comprising:
- a rigid body having a passage therethrough;
- an elastomeric sealing member mounted within the body, said sealing member comprising:
- a peripheral end flange;
- a pair of edge flanges extending downward from the end flange;
- a pair of flat, parallel, normally spaced apart sealing leaves integral with the end flange wherein each leaf is relatively thinner nearer the peripheral end flange and relatively thicker remote from the end flange;
- a hollow spherical membrane interconnecting the ends of the leaves nearer the end flange to the end flange; and
- means for pressing on the lateral edges of the leaves for forcing the lateral edges of the flat passage closed, comprising a slot in the body for receiving the flanged portion and having a width no more than the thickness of the elastomeric portion of the sealing member received within the slot.
6. A liquid check valve having no back leakage and capable of draining substantially dry in the forward direction comprising:
- a rigid body having therethrough;
- an elastomeric sealing member mounted within the body, said sealing member comprising:
- a pair of flat, parallel, normally spaced apart, sealing leaves;
- a web among each lateral edge of the sealing leaves and integral therewith for joining the adjacent edges of the leaves together, said leaves and web collectively defining a flat tube having a flat, normally open, passage therethrough; and
- a peripheral end flange integral with the leaves for mounting the sealing member in the body; and
- a generally U-shaped rigid clip along each lateral edge of the leaves for forcing the edges of the leaves together, and hence closing the normally open passage, said clips being separate from the rigid body and from each other.
7. A liquid check valve as defined in claim 6 further comprising a T-shaped flange portion along each lateral edge of the leaves overlapping the web and an edge portion of the normally open passage, each U-shaped clip compressing the T-shaped flange portion and closing an edge of the normally open passage.
8. A liquid check valve as defined in claim 7 wherein the passage has tapered or feathered lateral edges without any sharp corners.
9. A liquid check valve as defined in claim 6 wherein each clip includes a relief groove adjacent the web for accommodating bulging of the sealing member upon compression of the flange portion.
10. A liquid check valve as defined in claim 6 wherein each leaf is relatively thinner at the end nearer the end flange and relatively thicker at the end remote therefrom.
11. In an elastomeric sealing member for a urine check valve comprising a pair of flat, parallel, normally spaced apart, sealing leaves; a web along each lateral edge of the sealing leaves and integral therewith for joining the adjacent edges of the leaves together, said leaves and webs collectively defining a flat tube having a flat passage therethrough; a peripheral flange at one end for mounting the sealing member; and a funnel-like section integral with the flange and leaves for forming a transition therebetween,
- the improvement wherein the flat passage between the leaves is normally open with the leaves spaced apart a small distance, and wherein each leaf is relatively thinner adjacent the funnel-like section and relatively thicker at the end remote therefrom, and the faces of the leaves defining the flat passage are uniformly spaced apart through the length of the passage.
12. In an elastomeric sealing member for a urine check valve comprising a pair of flat, parallel, normally spaced apart, sealing leaves; a web along each lateral edge of the sealing leaves and integral therewith for joining the adjacent edges of the leaves together, said leaves and webs collectively defining a flat tube having a flat passage therethrough; a peripheral flange at one end for mounting the sealing member; and a funnel-like section integral with the flange, and leaves for forming a transition therebetween,
- the improvement wherein the flat passage between the leaves is normally open with the leaves spaced apart a small distance, and there is a generally U-shaped rigid clip along each edge of the leaves, the sides of each U-shaped clip being spaced apart no more than the thickness of the elastomeric material therebetween for forcing the edges of the normally open passage closed.
13. In a combination as defined in claim 12 the further improvement wherein each clip further comprises a relief groove adjacent the web for accommodating bulging of the sealing member upon closing of the edges of the normally open passage.
14. In an elastomeric sealing member for a urine check valve comprising a pair of flat, normally spaced apart, sealing leaves; a web along each lateral edge of the sealing leaves and integral therewith for joining the adjacent edges of the leaves together, said leaves and webs collectively defining a flat tube having a flat passage therethrough; a peripheral flange at one end for mounting the sealing member; and a funnel-like section integral with the flange and leaves for forming a transition therebetween,
- the improvement wherein the flat passage between the leaves is normally open with the leaves spaced apart a small distance and wherein the leaves are substantially continuously tapered in thickness with the thinner part adjacent the funnel-like section.