Tap

Details Tap Tap

2001-10-09

2004-04-20

Look, Edward K. (Department: 3754)

Valves and valve actuation

Lost motion between actuator and valve

Lever

Reexamination Certificate

active

06722624

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a tap, particularly to a tap for a urine drainage system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such systems often utilise a catheter for drainage of urine from a patient's bladder into a urine collection bag. Such bags require to be drained periodically, for which purpose where is usually a tap on an outlet tube. The tap is operated by the patient, nurse, or carer. The taps need to be effective in operation even for those with limited dexterity, with no leakage, to avoid soiling and possible cross-contamination, light and with the ability to avoid snagging on clothing or bed clothes.
Such taps often include a lever, but this can be separated from the system under repeated usage, which leads to failure and leakage.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to seek to mitigate this disadvantage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a tap for a urine drainage system, comprising a body and a barrel with a through bore which is mounted in the body for rotation between a position for through flow of liquid and a position which obturates fluid flow, characterised by a lever (
4
) which is mounted on the body (
1
) for reversible rotation therearound, the arrangement being that on such rotation the barrel (
2
) is movable between said two positions.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a urine drainage system including a tap as hereinbefore defined.
The lever and body may be snap-engaged, preferably by the lever having a peripheral flange and the barrel a circumferential groove in which the flange is snap-engaged.
There may be a lost motion connection between the lever and barrel whereby the lever can lie substantially alongside a tube of the system in each of two end, rotated positions, the lost-motion connection preferably comprising a projection from the lever received in a circumferentially longer gap in a facing end of the barrel.
Suitably there may be two spaced projections each received in a respective gap, which gaps and projections may be diametrically opposed, for a balanced operation.
The lever may have an angled free end for gripping by a user, which free end may comprise a bar mounted asymmetrically with respect to the lever.
The component parts may comprise of polypropylene or other polymeric materials and the body may have a blind cylinder in which the barrel is mounted for rotation.
A tap for a urine drainage systems embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4540156 (1985-09-01), Cross
patent: 5076540 (1991-12-01), Murphy
patent: 5496010 (1996-03-01), Collyer
patent: 0 428 331 (1991-05-01), None
patent: 2 093 164 (1982-08-01), None
patent: 2 166 222 (1986-04-01), None
patent: 198 238 (1989-08-01), None
patent: 198 150 (1990-09-01), None
patent: 91/03217 (1991-03-01), None

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