US 11,883,577 B2
Fluid collection apparatus
Robert Gordon Maurice Selby, Royston (GB); Lawrence Mark Baker, Royston (GB); and Steven Paul Gowers, Royston (GB)
Assigned to ConvaTec Technologies Inc., Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed by ConvaTec Technologies Inc., Las Vegas, NV (US)
Filed on Jan. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/568,237.
Application 17/568,237 is a continuation of application No. 16/315,999, granted, now 11,266,774, previously published as PCT/US2017/041208, filed on Jul. 7, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/360,211, filed on Jul. 8, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0126013 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61M 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 1/602 (2021.05) [A61M 1/88 (2021.05); A61M 1/98 (2021.05)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fluid collection apparatus for negative pressure wound therapy comprising:
a flexible bag having a first opening and a second opening wherein the flexible bag includes:
i) a top layer and a bottom layer defining an interior for collection of a fluid, and a weld connecting the top layer and the bottom layer to define the interior of the bag, and the weld is located between an inlet and an outlet to define a circular fluid pathway for the fluid and to direct passage of the fluid from the inlet towards the outlet along the circular fluid pathway, wherein the inlet and the outlet are sandwiched between the top layer and the bottom layer, the inlet connected to the first opening and the outlet connected to the second opening, wherein the circular fluid pathway provides a space for fluid flow from the first opening to the second opening; and
ii) a load-bearing component including a plurality of pillars that provide a physical structure for the flexible bag to prevent the bag from collapsing below a threshold height upon application of a negative pressure to the flexible bag, wherein a position of the fluid collection apparatus is orientation independent as a result of the weld defining the circular fluid pathway.