COLLECTOR OF LIQUID

INVENTION PURPOSE

The present invention refers to a collector of liquid, preferably surgical liquid, with a multi-layered structure and a design and configuration which facilitate the effective and silent absorption of liquid which has been spilt on the floor and make it possible for people to step over the collector without the liquid spreading out of the collector.

INVENTION BACKGROUND AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS TO BE RESOLVED

In surgical operations, especially in endoscopic process in which a lot of serum is used, a large proportion of the liquids used in the operation end up on the floor mixed with patients' blood. Once the operation has ended, it is therefore necessary to collect this liquid before cleaning and disinfecting the surgery floor.

This collection and cleaning is time consuming, therefore systems to try to solve the root of the problem have been proposed, for example the use of pads or bags which minimise the liquid content falling to the floor whilst the surgical operation is carried out. However, they are not one hundred per cent effective when it comes to eliminating spillages of liquid on the floor.

Furthermore, there are various systems to collect and evacuate liquid which has been spilt on the floor. Documents WO 2008 153 545 A1, EP 0 547 496 B1 and EP 1 474 060 A1 show a flat structure with an absorbent upper layer and an area which catches the liquid in the lower part. In this area which catches the liquid, there is a suction tube used to evacuate the liquid collected.

The problem with these systems lies in their configuration and design which do not lead to the effective collection of liquid. Moreover, they are noisy owing to air being absorbed by the suction tube as well as liquid.

Many of these systems are also problematic or inconvenient because they cannot be placed in areas where people are working in the surgery, given that if somebody stood on one, the liquid absorbed by these systems would once again spread on the floor, as is the case with a wet sponge.

INVENTION DESCRIPTION

With the aim of meeting goals and avoiding the abovementioned difficulties, the invention proposes a collector of liquid with a multi-layered structure whose layers are joined together by their edges using high frequency heat soldering.

This collector focuses fundamentally on eliminating noise from the suction part of the system, thus enabling the concentration of people carrying out work in an area close to the collector. It also focuses on the possibility of stepping on this collector, object of the invention, significantly improving mobility of the people working in close proximity of it.

The multi-layered collector of liquid comprises a first layer, which in turn comprises a set of openings and a third layer which comprises another set of openings. It also comprises a second layer, located above the first layer and below the third layer, comprising a vacuum tube and a material with structural consistency. This material enables a uniform vacuum area for liquid collection to be created and maintained at all times. Furthermore, it comprises a fourth layer, located immediately above the third layer, comprising a material that absorbs by capillarity.

A characteristic of the invention is that liquid coming from the first and third layers is evacuated via the vacuum tube of the second layer connected to a suction system serving to extract liquid. The first layer absorbs the liquid directly from the floor whilst liquid reaches the third layer after having been absorbed by and distributed uniformly on the fourth layer by the material that absorbs by capillarity.

Another characteristic of the collector of liquid, object of the invention, is that a fifth layer might also be included immediately above the fourth layer. This fifth layer would be made of one of the following non-woven materials: cellulose, polypropylene, a combination of cellulose and polypropylene, printed hydrophilic polyethylene wool, polyester and polyethylene. This fifth layer is capable of absorbing and passing to the fourth layer any amount of liquid which may be spilt on it without retaining it. This prevents liquid being splashed and forming puddles around the feet of those working in the area. Likewise, it prevents the fourth layer from tearing when people working in the area graze the collector of liquid with their shoes.

Given that this fifth layer does not absorb liquid, it prevents the collector of liquid from becoming too heavy to throw away easily and hygienically. However it does retain liquids for the necessary amount of time to allow the other layers to evacuate it via capillarity and vacuum, according to their distinct functions.

Another characteristic of the invention is that the set of openings in the first and third layer may be blocked off by a water-soluble material i.e. poly vinyl alcohol.

The first layer comprises at least one opening near to each of its corners and at least one opening in the middle which create a suction effect, thus allowing the first layer to stick to the floor. On the other hand, the set of openings of the third layer are arranged symmetrically along the entire surface and are more numerous than the set of openings of the first layer.

The first layer comprises either PVC (polyvinyl chloride), polyurethane or polyethylene. The second layer comprises one of the following coarse mesh materials: warped polyethylene sackcloth or multifilament polypropylene. The third layer comprises a PVC (polyvinyl chloride), polyurethane or polyethylene material. The fourth and fifth layers comprise a viscose sheet made of one of the following materials: cellulose, polypropylene, a combination of cellulose and polypropylene, printed hydrophilic polyethylene wool, polyester or polyethylene.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to facilitate the easy understanding of the description herein, a series of drawings accompany the invention, serving as a non-limiting example of its use:

FIG. 1 is a cross section of the collector of liquids, object of the invention, illustrating the distribution of layers in the collector of liquids which comprises a vacuum tube, according to one of the embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a top elevation of a first layer of the collector.

FIG. 3 is a top elevation of a second layer with a detailed representation and within this detailed representation, a detailed representation of A-A.

FIG. 4 is a top elevation of a third layer of the collector.

Below is a list of the various elements represented in the figures which form part of the invention:

1=First layer

2=Second layer

3=Third layer

4=Fourth layer

5=Fifth layer

6′=Opening of the first layer (1)

6″=Opening of the third layer (3)

7=Vacuum tube

8=Soldering

9=Floor

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED INVENTION

As already explained and further demonstrated in FIG. 1, the collector of liquid, object of the invention, is determined from a series of layers being placed over one another, these layers being joined together at their edges by means of high-frequency heat-soldering (8), the aggregate having a total ply of 5 to 50 mm.

There is a fifth layer (5) in the upper part of the collector, situated immediately above the fourth layer (4) which is in turn situated immediately above the third layer (3) and so on and so forth until the first layer (1) is reached. A vacuum tube (5) can be seen in the second layer which is connected to a surgery suction system and used to create a vacuum whilst it absorbs liquid.

This first layer (1), made of PVC, polyurethane or polyethylene, as shown in FIG. 2, is the layer which will contact the floor (9). This first layer (1) comprises a set of openings (6′) blocked by a water-soluble material which prevents air from being absorbed instead of liquid. This eliminates the noisy stage at the beginning of surgical operations, especially in endoscopic processes during which a large amount of serum is used. This is because the suction process does not begin until the openings (6′) have opened up, upon coming into contact with liquid (mainly serum but perhaps also blood) and also because the flow of liquid which previously came into contact with the collector, object of the invention, thereby absorbed by it, is great enough to generate continuous flow through the openings (6′).

The set of openings (6′) of the first layer (1) are distributed in such a way that at least one opening (6′) is near to each of its corners and with at least one opening (6′) in the central area. These openings (6′) serve two purposes: absorbing liquids from the surgery floor (9) and creating a suction effect which enables the first layer (1) to stick to the floor (9) when liquid is not flowing through the openings (6′). However the first layer (1) comprises an anti-slip material which helps this layer (1) to remain stuck to a certain point thus preventing the staff stepping over the collector, object of the invention, from slipping.

Moreover, the third layer (3) made of PVC, polyurethane or polyethylene and represented in FIG. 4, also comprises a set of openings (6″). These openings (6″) have a similar diameter to those openings (6′) of the first layer (1) but are greater in number and are arranged symmetrically along the length of the third layer (3). This set of openings constrict to allow liquid to flow through once the water-soluble material which was blocking them has dissolved in the same way as the set of openings (6′) of the first layer (1). In this instance the liquid arrives descending from the upper part of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a more detailed representation of the second layer (2) which serves to create a uniform vacuum area, thus preventing the first (1) and third (3) layers from collapsing when the vacuum is created by suction, i.e., preventing the first layer (1) to come into contact with the third layer (3).

In order to prevent the abovementioned vacuum collapse, the second layer (2) is made of warped polyethylene sackcloth or multifilament polypropylene mesh, which, alongside maintaining a permanent hollow inside the collector, makes it possible for the collector, object of the invention, to be stood on without running the risk of liquid suction becoming less effective, even at points far away from the vacuum connector. This vacuum connection consists of at least one vacuum tube (7) being inserted in the second layer (2).

The fourth layer (4) is a viscose sheet made of polypropylene and hydrophilic polyethylene wool which absorbs by capillarity. This fourth layer (4) serves to spread the liquid falling on in it along the length of the layer (4) thus improving the invention's suction efficiency.

The fifth layer (5) is a sheet of printed, high-density hydrophilic polyethylene wool and serves to prevent liquid from being splashed on the feet of those working above the collector and in the areas surrounding it when they step on the fifth layer (5). This layer (5) is highly absorbent and does not require the vacuum system to be working thus preventing the collector from forming puddles.

Now the nature of the invention has been described, its opportune effects will be stated though the use of the collector is not limited to this statement. Rather, opportune modifications may be introduced provided that they do not alter its essential characteristics.