SYSTEM AND MEANS FOR REMOVING ODOUR FROM BEDPANS

The above invention concerns the system and means for suction and depuration of exhalations caused by infirm persons obliged to use bedpans and the special receptacles contained in sanitary chairs, when away from normal hygienic services. Infirm, disabled or elderly people often have to carry out their bodily functions far from a bathroom, when in bed or when able to use specially designed seating in rooms used by others.

Various types of equipment exist to meet the needs of these persons, such as bedpans with handles for those who cannot leave their beds, and the special sanitary chairs whose seats contain receptacles for the same purpose as that of a bedpan.

Bedpans and the receptacles referred to receive the organic waste which is then emptied by a member of the family or by nursing staff, if the patient is in hospital. During use of these means unpleasant and even infectious odours are inevitably produced to the detriment of others present since such means must be employed outside specially designated spaces such as bathrooms.

While the contents of these receptacles can be rapidly removed, since the action of evacuation is accompanied by an unpleasant smell, this spreads throughout the room creating serious sensoπal and even health problems.

The main purpose of this invention is to lessen these drawbacks by eliminating or reducing diffusion of such exhalations Another purpose is to produce simply conceived means that can be manufactured at a limited cost

Yet another purpose of the invention is to obtain means that can be incorporated into sanitary equipment such as sanitary chairs when these are being built, or else provided in the form of a kit that can be easily mounted on already existing equipment

A further purpose is to contrive in kit form a small portable accessory to be applied to bedpans, chamber-pots, receptacles generally at the time of use

Subject of the invention is a system for suction and depuration of exhalations caused by the bodily functions of aged and disabled people when these are performed away from a bathroom, especially during use of bedpans and of the receptacles included in sanitary chairs The invention comprises a suction body, a fan worked by an electric motor and a filter placed between entry and exit apertures In one type the suction body is box-shaped with entry and exit apertures for air fitted with grids, and with a flat wide base so that it can be laid on the floor This suction body can be associated to a cloak, cape and the like of a size sufficient to cover the chair completely and the seated user to shoulder level, or if necessary the entire bed in which the patient is lying, extending down to the floor and so forming a substantially airtight chamber The suction body can be placed inside said chamber, for example under the seat of the chair or beside the bed to permit suction and depuration of odours while the bedpan or receptacle is in use

The suction body can exhibit an outlet aperture to be connected by a flexible tube to a vent possibly made in the wall of the room, especially if in a hospital, communicating with the open air, or even connected by a flexible tube to some cavity between a window frame and the window

itself, or even again to a vent fitted into a hole made in the glass of a window in a house.

In this way suitable ventilation is created.

In one type of execution the entry aperture of the suction body is connected, by means of a flexible tube, to an intake mouth to be fitted into a hole in the side of a sanitary chair receptacle or bedpan, or else to an intake mouth that can be mounted on the edge of said receptacle or bedpan.

In said intake mouth there is preferably an oblong aperture at one end so that said mouth can rest, causing minimum bulk, on the edge of the receptacle or bedpan.

A hook-shaped extension can be added to the edge of said oblong aperture making it grip the edge of the receptacle or bedpan and so remaining firmly in position.

The suction body may be compact and oblong in shape and preferably contain, in variable succession, a filter, an electric motor with fan, the suction aperture, an elbow-shaped pipe such as would fit round the structure of a sanitary chair.

A structure as the one described permits placing the suction body at the side of the chair, the elbow-shaped pipe extending as far as the centre of the seat back.

Said pipe terminates in an intake mouth suitable for placing on the edge of the receptacle in the chair, or of the bedpan, to favour suction of exhalations.

Said suction body is fitted with simple means for fixing it temporarily to the structure of the chair seat, preferably under the seat at the side of the area occupied by the receptacle.

The electric motor can be run by a battery incorporated in the suction body or be fed from mains current.

In addition to having an outlet aperture downstream of the filter that returns the cleaned air to the environment, the suction body may have a second outlet aperture to be connected by a flexible tube to a vent in the wall of the room occupied by the patient.

The fan can be operated by a manually turned switch preferably placed on the body of the fan or by switches automatically turned on by olfactive sensors.

An advantageous type of filter contains active carbon. The invention offers evident advantages. With means that are at once simple, inexpensive and easy to use, the serious problems of noxious and even unhealthy odours is avoided, a problem created by the fact that infirm, disabled or aged persons who lack self-sufficiency, cannot reach bathrooms to perform their bodily functions and must make use of bedpans or sanitary chairs. With the invention here explained, exhalations resulting from these functions are instantly removed, to the great relief of personnel and of the infirm persons themselves, while the environment is freed from any unpleasant odours attached to the process.

These advantages are even more important in hospitals with their crowded wards and where bodily needs are a frequent occurrence.

Environmental depuration obtained by simple, compact and inexpensive means, within the reach of any family or public administration, makes clear the exceptional advantages offered by this invention. In its various forms, including those of a kit applicable only for the necessary time, or one that can be mounted onto sanitary chairs after they have been built, or again in the structure associable to those of a sanitary chair, the invention proves versatile and adaptable to all kinds of purposes and to all circumstances.

Characteristics and purposes of the invention will be made still clearer by the following examples of its execution illustrated by diagrammatically drawn figures. Fig. 1 The invented suction body in a type fitted to a sanitary chair, view perspective. Fig. 2 Detail of a suction body, perspective. Fig. 3 Suction body, as here invented, floor based type placed under a sanitary chair with seated patient under a cape, side view Fig, 4 Detail of a suctin body, perspective.

Fig 5 Hospital ward showing a pipe connected between the receptacle of a sanitary chair and a wall vent connected to a suction system.view in perspective Fig 6 Hospital ward showing sanitary chair receptacle connected through a flexible tube to a suction body with vent on the wall, perspective The kit-type suction body 10, of oblong structure 11 , houses one after another a battery 12, a filter 13, an electric motor 14 with switch 18, a suction fan 15, a narrow entry aperture 16 connected to an elbow-shaped pipe 20 and an exit aperture 17 to which is fitted a tube leading to a vent At the opposite end of said elbow pipe 20 is a joint 22 at 90° on an intake mouth of substantially trapedzoidal shape, whose oblong aperture 24 is substantially parallel to the lower geometrical plane of the suction body At the lower end of aperture 24 to the intake mouth 23 is a rim 25 projecting at practically 90° in relation to the body of said intake mouth, said rim forming a kind of hook that grips the edge of the receptacle 40 inside the sanitary chair 30.

The structure of said chair 30 comprises the frame 31 , wheels 32, seat 33 and backrest 34.

At the front of the seat is an aperture 35.

The receptacle 40 is placed below said aperture with which it communicates freely

The suction body 10 exhibits means 36 for temporary or stable connection of the oblong body 1 1 of suction kit 10

Fig 1 clearly shows how said oblong body 1 1 is placed parallel to the lower plane of the seat 33 and how the projecting edge 25 of the intake mouth 24 grips the receptacle, the ends of the pipe 20 connecting said mouth to the suction body 10

It will be seen that as exhalations are produced, the fan 15, operated by the manual switch 18, draws in said exhalations, aided by the filter 13, and so prevents their diffusion in the environment Fig 3 illustrates the same chair 30 on which a patient 50 is seated and over whom has been placed a cape 51 , substantially closed up to the

neck by the closing means 52, while its lower ends 53 touch the floor 60 all round.

Below the sanitary chair 30 is the suction body 70, flat and substantially parallelepiped in shape, whose feet 71 rest on the floor 60. In said suction body is an entry grid for air 72 above and an exit grid for air 73 at the side downstream of the active carbon filter 75.

Inside it is a fan worked by an electric motor connected by a cable 80 and plug 81 to the main network by a wll socket 82.

The lateral aperture 85 can be connected by a flexible tube 86 to the intake aperture 23 with its oblong aperture 24 and hook-on edge 25. It will be seen that odours formed inside the receptacle and surroundings are at once drawn in by the fan 75, and, when cleaned, are expelled through the grid 73.

Fig. 5 shows a hospital ward 100 with bed 101 and sanitary chair 30 with its receptacle 40 to which the intake mouth 23 is applied at the end of a flexible pipe 89 connected to the outlet 102 on the wall 103 communicating with a suction system.

Fig. 6 shows a hospital ward 105 with a sanitary chair 30 and receptacle 40 on whose edge is placed the intake mouth 23 at the end of a flexible tube 95 which departs from a suction body 90 containing a fan worked by an electric motor connected to the main electricity supply by a wire 92.

On the opposite side of the mouth 91 is another mouth 93 connected by a flexible tube 96 to a vent 98 in the wall 106.

It will be seen that the exhalations formed in the receptacle 40 are immediately drawn in, filtered and expelled outside tne hospital ward 105 by means of the fan 90.