Colostomy Clip Bag Closure Assistant
DESCRIPTION:
The colostomy is a surgical procedure where a section of the colon has been removed due to a medical condition. The resulting condition from the procedure creates a situation where normal function of the bowel is no longer possible. Feces can no longer exit the body in the natural way. In some cases, the procedure is temporary until a section of the colon is allowed to heal before it can resume its normal function. The colostomy can be reversed in some cases. Many cases however, involve a permanent colostomy especially when the damage to the colon is irreparable. The subsequent condition of the patient in such cases where the colostomy is permanent means that the patient will have to deal with the re-routing of bowel movements to an ostomy pouching system or colostomy bag. The fitting of the colostomy bag requires that a “stoma” or opening be created in the abdomen to allow the waste to be collected and disposed of. The waste can be collected and disposed of several times a day depending on the individual and the frequency of activity. The further up the intestinal track the stoma is located the more frequent the need to empty the pouch or colostomy bag. A pouch or colostomy bag is usually replaced every 1 to 4 days.
Closure devices for drainable pouches or colostomy bags have seen a variety of changes over the years. Previous bulldog clamps and elastic bands have been replaced by superior integrated clips that are used to close the bags and are disposed of after several uses. The closure clips allow the user to empty the contents of the bags. The use of these clips has a great advantage over the older methods in that they are more reliable.
While the clips are an outstanding improvement from the old bulldog clamps and elastic bands they still can present a problem for many people who are less able to manipulate the opening and closing of the modern clips and the proper positioning of the bag. The elderly and persons who have medical conditions such as arthritis can have difficulty operating the clips.
The Colostomy Clip Bag Closure Assistant presents a new and innovative solution to the difficulty of manipulating the clips to go on a colostomy bag. The Colostomy Clip Bag Closure Assistant consists of a flat panel approximately one-half of an inch thick and four to five inches wide. The construction is of high-quality medical grade materials. The Colostomy Clip Bag Closure Assistant panel has three slots in the upper surface that are designed to fit either curved bag clips or straight clips. The users would place the edge of the appropriately shaped clip in the respective slot, and the stabilization of the clip in the Colostomy Clip Bag Closure Assistant aids the user in closing the clip. The Colostomy Clip Bag Closure Assistant will stabilize the process of manipulating the clips, and it will also aid in the location of the clip onto the bag to help eliminate mistakes with resultant malfunction.
Anyone lacking strength in their hands or who has difficulty holding the small clips will appreciate the stabilization and leverage the Colostomy Clip Bag Closure Assistant will bring. The device will help maintain the independence of persons suffering from medical issues requiring an ostomy pouching system or colostomy bag and all the problems that come with wearing such a device.
SPECIFIC, UNIQUE FUNCTIONS OF INVENTION:
- Easy to operate
- Fits most types of clips on ostomy pouching systems
- Simple sturdy construction
- Medical grade quality materials
- Three slots in upper area of panel for right & left handed people
- Aids in stabilizing procedures for closing clips and alignment of bag
- Helps in locating clips for closing by being capable of a straight forward pressure rather than a pinching or squeezing motion
- The slots on the device are located so they can be used as a measuring standard to give the proper distance to fold the bag before closure with the clip
PRODUCT COMPONENT CLARIFICATION:
The “Colostomy Clip Bag Closure Assistant” is an innovative health and hygiene product that has been designed to aid the user in closing the clips on the drainable colostomy bag. The slots in the plastic board hold the clip while the bag is positioned over it, and then holds it at the proper orientation while the clip is being closed over the bag, sealing it. This allows people with small, arthritic, or weak hands to orient and close these small clips effectively. After use, the plastic board can be washed with soap and water and even disinfected, if desired, to make it ready for the next use.
Currently, the user has to juggle the colostomy bag, the small clip, and try to close it at the correct location in the bag to seal it properly. This can be very difficult for those with shaky or arthritic hands, weakened muscles, or small hands. Not closing the bag properly, can lead to leaks and other embarrassing problems during use.
The “Colostomy Clip Bag Closure Assistant” resolves almost all of these problems by allowing the integrated closure clips to be securely held so the colostomy bag can be placed in it and supported while the closure clip is being pressed shut. These newer style, colostomy bag clips seal more reliably than the bulldog clamps and the rubber bands they replaced, but can be harder to close because they are smaller and take a bit more force. The product is designed to accept either curved or straight clips and will hold them securely while the bag is being placed in the clip and the upper section snapped into place. This allows the elderly with shaky, arthritic, or weaker hands, and those with other medical conditions, to position and close the clips more easily over the colostomy bag tail. After use, the plastic board can be washed with soap and water, and even disinfected if desired, to make it ready for the next use. The product is durable, easy to use, and easy to clean, providing the optimum aid for the user.
The plastic retainer board: This retainer board is fabricated from 0.5” thick, medical grade, polyethylene plastic sheet stock. This plastic is very durable, is highly resistant to household and hospital chemicals, and is typically used in this type of application. The boards can be supplied in almost any vibrant color, so a distinctive color may be chosen to enhance the product recognition factor, which can dramatically improve the market adoption of the product. In fabrication, the 4.5” wide by 8.0” long product is cut to size on a computer controlled water jet machining center. After cutting to shape, it is passed along to the CNC milling center where the slots are milled into the top surface of the sheet to a depth of 0.25” using a 0.25” diameter end mill. There are three slots of 3.5” in length, 1 straight and 2 curved, which fit the standard colostomy clips on the market. After fabrication, the product is subjected to a vibratory deburring operation to gently radius all corners and edges. After the deburring operation, it is machined washed in disinfecting soap and water, rinsed, dried, and then inserted into a sanitary, vacuum sealed plastic bag.
The Colostomy Clip Bag Closure Assistant is designed to be aesthetic and effective in the application. The relative ease of manufacture and the moderately inexpensive components provide good marketability for the manufacturer. The user benefits from improved orientation and more reliable sealing, which should provide considerable market interest in the product.
The invention is illustrated in the following drawings of the essential points as explained to us in the documentation.
Drawing 1, Block 1: Colostomy Clip Bag Closure Assistant – Front And Side Views
(1) The medical grade plastic sheet is cut to shape from 0.5” thick stock using a water jet machining center, which provides vertical edges and the rounded corners as shown.
(2) The product is slotted using computer numerically controlled milling center and a 0.25” diameter milling bit.
(3) The slots are on 1.0” centers and are machined 0.25” deep.
(4) The finished product overall size is 4.5” wide by 8.0” long as shown here, but could be made somewhat longer if the ergonomics are improved by this change.
(5) The product holds either curved or straight clips securely and assists the user while they close the clip on the colostomy bag.
(6) The 0.5” thick plastic sheet’s strength is not materially affected by the 0.25” milling depth.
(7) The plastic can be supplied in almost any vibrant color, so a distinctive color may be chosen to enhance the product recognition factor, which can dramatically improve the market adoption of the product.
(8) The plastic is easily cleaned using soap and water, can be air dried, and is impervious to almost any disinfectant, including alcohol.
(9) The edges are radiused to provide a comfortable grip when the product is handled for use
Although a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the above detailed description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment developed herein, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This document has been prepared for the manufacturer’s elucidation. The manufacturer’s decision makers should consider this product for licensing (providing intellectual property protection for their sales of the product in return for a royalty payment for a period of years) or an outright purchase of the patent for a negotiated fee. The inventor and his team are standing by to consider offers for licensing or outright purchase of the patent.
