초록 ▼

A disposable cover for enclosing the outlet spout of a drainable stoma pouch. The cover includes front and rear walls sealed along side and bottom edges, with an unsealed upper edge. Preferably, one or more stiffening ribs extend longitudinally across the front and rear walls near the unsealed upper

A disposable cover for enclosing the outlet spout of a drainable stoma pouch. The cover includes front and rear walls sealed along side and bottom edges, with an unsealed upper edge. Preferably, one or more stiffening ribs extend longitudinally across the front and rear walls near the unsealed upper edge. The presence, spacing and relative orientation of such ribs on the external surfaces of the front and rear walls render the disposable cover self-opening such that it may be easily placed over to enclose the outlet spout of a drainable stoma pouch. Once positioned, the cover is clamped onto the tail section of the pouch to provide effective odor and moisture containment therein.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A disposable cover having an external, self-locking clamping device in combination with a drainable stoma pouch, said cover comprising a front wall and a rear wall joined along respective bottom and side edges, unsealed upper edges of said walls defining an opening for receiving an outlet spout o

1. A disposable cover having an external, self-locking clamping device in combination with a drainable stoma pouch, said cover comprising a front wall and a rear wall joined along respective bottom and side edges, unsealed upper edges of said walls defining an opening for receiving an outlet spout of a stoma pouch, said external, self-locking clamping device securing the walls of said cover to said stoma pouch following insertion of an outlet spout within said opening by sealingly pressing said front and rear walls of said cover against one another with said stoma pouch sandwiched therebetween across a full width thereof and without folding of either said stoma pouch or said cover to thereby seal a lower portion of said pouch above said outlet spout with said clamping device locked thereon and prevent escape of stoma pouch contents during regular use of the pouch by a stoma patient to collect discharge from the stoma within the pouch, said cover, when so secured to the stoma pouch, trapping any liquid or gases resident in said outlet spout beneath said clamping device.2. The cover as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one rib on an external surface of each of said front and rear walls, said ribs extending substantially parallel with and adjacent said unsealed upper edges and being prestressed with an outward bowing curvature such that said upper edges are self-opening, facilitating placement of said outlet spout within said opening, said ribs remaining separated from one another when the pouch is closed by clamping of the cover thereagainst.3. The cover as set forth in claim 2, wherein said at least one rib on said front wall is opposed to said at least one rib on said rear wall.4. The cover as set forth in claim 2, wherein said at least one rib on said front wall is vertically displaced relative to said at least one rib on said rear wall.5. The cover as set forth in claim 4, wherein said rear wall includes a lip portion extending above at least a portion of the unsealed upper edge of said front wall, said at least one rib on said rear wall being affixed to said lip portion.6. The cover as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said front wall and said rear wall includes a fragrance element.7. The cover as set forth in claim 2, wherein said front wall includes a first plurality of ribs and said rear wall includes a second plurality of ribs.8. The cover as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first plurality of ribs is opposed to said second plurality of ribs.9. The cover as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first plurality of ribs is vertically displaced relative to said second plurality of ribs.10. The cover as set forth in claim 9, wherein said rear wall includes a lip portion extending above at least a portion of the unsealed upper edge of said front wall, said second plurality of ribs being affixed to said lip portion.11. The cover as set forth in claim 2, wherein said ribs loop over the side edges to extend from the front wall to the rear wall, thereby causing the unsealed upper edges to automatically spread apart to open said cover.12. The cover as set forth in claim 2, wherein said front and rear walls are joined with said ribs on inner surfaces thereof, said cover thereafter being turned inside-out prior to use so that said ribs are external to said cover and through inherent spring force separate said walls at said opening.13. A disposable self-opening cover system in combination with a drainable stoma pouch, said cover system comprising a cover having a front wall and a rear wall joined along respective bottom and side edges, unsealed upper edges of said walls defining an opening in said cover, each of said front and rear walls including at least one rib on a surface thereof adjacent said unsealed upper edges and causing said upper edges to be self-opening; and a self-locking clamping device for compressing the walls of said cover against said stoma pouch following insertion of an outlet spout within said opening, said self-locking clamping device sealingly pressing said front and rear walls of said cover against one another with said stoma pouch sandwiched therebetween across a full width thereof and without folding of either said stoma pouch or said cover to thereby seal a lower portion of said pouch above said outlet spout with said clamping device locked thereon and preventing escape of stoma pouch contents from said stoma pouch, said self-locking clamping device sealing said cover against said stoma pouch in a region below said ribs such that said ribs do not contribute to closure of said cover or said pouch but remain separated from one another, said cover, when so secured to the pouch by said clamping device, trapping any liquid or gases resident in said outlet spout.14. The cover system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said front wall includes a first plurality of ribs and said rear wall includes a second plurality of ribs.15. The cover system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said first plurality of ribs is opposed to said second plurality of ribs.16. The cover system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said first plurality of ribs is vertically displaced relative to said second plurality of ribs.17. The cover system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said rear wall includes a lip portion extending above at least a portion of the unsealed upper edge of said front wall, said second plurality of ribs being affixed to said lip portion.18. The cover system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said ribs loop over the side edges to extend from the front wall to the rear wall, thereby causing the unsealed upper edges to automatically spread apart to open said cover.19. The cover system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said cover is fabricated with said ribs on inner surfaces of said front and rear walls and is thereafter turned inside-out prior to use so that said ribs are external to said cover and through inherent spring force separate said walls at said opening.20. A method of sealing a drainable stoma pouch, having a stoma opening and a tail section with an outlet spout, using a disposable self-opening cover and a clamping device, said cover having front wall and a rear wall joined along respective bottom and side edges, unsealed upper edges of said walls defining an opening, each of said front and rear walls including at least one rib on an external surface thereof to facilitate opening of said upper edges, which comprises the steps of:squeezing the ribs of said cover toward one another to expand a breadth of said opening;sliding the cover over the outlet spout of said stoma pouch and sufficiently upward in a direction toward the stoma opening so that a portion of said tail section extends within said cover and below said ribs; andclamping the walls of said cover against said tail section at a point below said ribs.21. The cover as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cover is attached to said stoma pouch only by said clamping device.22. A disposable cover for a drainable stoma pouch comprising a front wall and a rear wall joined along respective bottom and side edges, unsealed upper edges of said walls defining an opening for receiving an outlet spout of a stoma pouch, each of said front and rear walls having at least one rib on a surface thereof adjacent said unsealed upper edges, said ribs looping over the side edges to extend from the front wall to the rear wall and thereby causing the unsealed upper edges to be self-opening, and a clamping device for securing the walls of said cover to said stoma pouch following insertion of an outlet spout within said opening, said clamping device pressing said front and rear walls against one another to contain liquid and gases emitted from the stoma pouch within the cover.