EP3972519A1

EP3972519A1 - Portable carrier and method of filling such a portable carrier with clean care products

Info

Publication number: EP3972519A1
Application number: EP20725965.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Robin BOUTEN
Original assignee: Mensam Device BV
Current assignee: Mensam Device BV
Priority date: 2019-05-20
Filing date: 2020-05-06
Publication date: 2022-03-30
Also published as: WO2020235995A1; NL2023166B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a portable carrier, comprising: - a compartment defined by an envelope having a closure to selectively allow access via an opening to one or more than one care product inside the envelope; - a suspension that is disabled when the closure is closed; and - wherein the closure and suspension are arranged on opposite sides of the compartment. The invention further relates to a method of filling such a portable carrier with clean care products, comprising the steps of - providing a portable carrier; - filling the compartment of the portable carrier with clean care products; and - closing the compartment with the closure and disabling the suspension.

Description

Portable carrier and method of filling such a portable carrier with clean care products

The present invention relates to a portable carrier and to a method of filling such a portable carrier with clean care products.

There a multiple reasons, especially of a medical nature, why users may want to take care products. Although not limited thereto, especially users having a stoma are required to perform regular care of their stoma, which requires the use of care products. Especially when users having a stoma are outside their own home, they are often forced to perform their caring acts in sub-optimal spaces. As an example, most public toilets are far from optimal. Most of the time there is no suitable surface to place the clean care products in a hygienic way. Placement on the ground is of course not hygienic, and holding the care products would leave the user with only one free hand left for performing the caring actions. These performing actions include, besides washing of hands before and after, the removal of a partially filled stoma bag, cleaning of the skin around the connection with the stoma bag, placing an empty stoma bag, and disposal of care products used. Typical care products for a user having a stoma comprise, among others, a stoma bag, a disposal bag, a scissors, dry and wet gauze pads, and dedicated adhesive.

A prior art device for stoma users comprises a carrier that comprises a waist belt, which has a plurality of disadvantages. For example, the user lacks a work surface and the device is situated very closely to the body, thereby causing a serious risk for contaminating any clothing. Moreover, this type of device may not be used while sitting.

Publication DE 197 19 484 A1 is acknowledged as closest prior art, relative to which at least the characterizing features of claim 1 are novel. Said publication concerns a bag for capturing waste that is generated during drilling in a wall. A problem with such a bag is that is requires folding twice to close the bag and disable the glue strip with which it is attached to the wall. This reduces the usable volume and physical integrity of the bag. A further problem is that the front side of the bag is longer than the rear side of the bag, which is required for observation of and access to the drilling target.

Publications GB 2 250 975 A, US 2009/0060397 Al, US 4 498 590, and US 2015/0101616 Al are acknowledged as further prior art.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a carrier for care products, that is improved relative to the prior art and wherein at least one of the above stated problems is obviated.

Said objective is achieved with the portable carrier according to the present invention, comprising:

- a compartment defined by an envelope having a closure to selectively allow access via an opening to one or more than one care product inside the envelope; and - a suspension that is disabled when the closure is closed, wherein the closure and the suspension are arranged on opposite sides of the compartment.

By arranging the closure and the suspension on opposite sides of the compartment, the portable carrier of the invention has the advantages of, for example, requiring less material, greater useable volume and improved physical integrity compared to the prior art. Further advantages may be understood from the following. In use, the portable carrier may be affixed via the suspension to a wall or other constructive part. As the closure is arranged on a side of the compartment that is opposite relative to the suspension, the closure may face a user of the suspended portable carrier. Consequently, the closure may present an enlarged useable surface area to the user on which care products may be disposed. In closing the portable carrier, the user may operate the closure without first removing the portable carrier from the wall or other constructive part from which it is suspended. This simplifies closing the portable carrier, which may even be performed in one movement, and improves safeguarding of hygiene when dealing with care products.

The suspension is disabled when the closure is closed. Conversely, when the closure is opened, the suspension may be enabled and used to suspend the portable carrier, e.g. to a wall or a door. In this way, the suspended portable carrier may provide a user a temporary work surface that allows the user to take care of e.g. a stoma or catheter, or to perform any other (medical) care, in a comfortable and hygienic manner. The suspension being disabled when the closure is closed prevents inadvertent suspension, e.g. attachment to an inside of a (hand)bag of the user when then suspension is embodied as an adhesive.

The invention further relates to a method of filling such a portable carrier with clean care products, comprising the steps of

- providing a portable carrier according to the invention;

- filling the compartment of the portable carrier with clean care products; and

- closing the compartment with the closure and disabling the suspension.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the portable carrier further comprises a further compartment. This is particularly advantageous in a situation were more than one care product or more than one category of care products are required. For these situations, it is beneficial if the portable carrier comprises a further compartment in addition to the compartment. For example, when the portable carrier is used with clean care products and used care products, the clean care products can be separated from the used care products to avoid or minimize

contamination. Health risks are thus reduced. The portable carrier may further comprise a waste containing state wherein it contains used care products. The waste containing state allows the portable carrier to be used as a disposal device in which waste is hygienically encapsulated.

Preferably, the further compartment is a waste compartment. A waste compartment allows separation of care products from waste (such as used care products) from which a risk of contamination may arise. The further compartment as a waste compartment allows a user to use care products from the portable carrier and depose waste in the portable carrier without risking cross-contamination. Furthermore, the user is free to use the compartment and further compartment as well as their contents separately, thus enabling various care procedures to be carried out using the portable carrier. For example, waste such as used care products may first need to be deposited in the further compartment before a clean or new care product has to be taken from the compartment.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the further compartment and the suspension are arranged on opposite sides of the compartment. This arrangement is especially advantageous if, for example, the further compartment is a waste compartment or contains used care products and the compartment contains new or clean care products. After all, the suspension will face the wall or other constructive part to which the portable carrier is suspended. If the further compartment is arranged on an opposite side of the compartment relative to the suspension, the compartment will be arranged in between the suspension and the further compartment, which is the waste compartment. Consequently, a user may take clean care products out of the most rearward compartment relative to the user, and can put used care products in the compartment which is closest to the user. Thus, there is no need to pass used care products over clean care products inside the compartment, thereby safeguarding hygiene.

Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The various aspects and features described and shown in the specification can be applied, individually, wherever possible. These individual aspects, and in particular the aspects and features described in the attached dependent claims, may be made subject of divisional patent applications.

In the following description preferred embodiments of the present invention are further elucidated with reference to the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portable carrier according to a first

embodiment, in a suspended state thereof;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portable carrier according to a second embodiment, in a suspended state thereof;

Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of the portable carrier of Figure 2 in intermediate steps of closing thereof; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the portable carrier of Figure 2 in a closed state; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portable carrier according to a third embodiment, in a suspended state thereof.

The portable carrier 1 according to the invention comprises a compartment 2 defined by an envelope 3 having a closure 4 to selectively allow access via an opening 5 to one or more than one care product inside the envelope 3, and a suspension 6 that is disabled when the closure 4 is closed. The closure 4 may cover the suspension 6 when the closure 4 is closed, thereby disabling the suspension 6.

In the shown embodiments, the suspension 6 is formed by an adhesive, more in particular an adhesive tape. Alternatively, the suspension 6 may comprise a (not shown) suction cup or even a hook. An adhesive or suction cup is especially suitable for suspending the portable carrier 1 on a flat surface, such as a door, a wall, or e.g. a mirror attached to a wall. The suspension is typically arranged on an outside of the compartment 2.

An adhesive may provide a convenient way to temporarily suspend the portable carrier 1 to a surfaces of a plurality of types and materials. If the closure 4 covers the suspension 6, the adhesive is prevented from sticking to undesired surfaces, such as an inside of a (hand)bag.

In a simplest embodiment, the portable carrier 1 comprises only one compartment 2 as shown in Figure 1. In this case, the closure 4 may be formed by a flap 7, which may fold over the opening 5 and cover the suspension 6. Figure 1 shows a suspended state, although a wall to which the suspension 6 may be connected is not shown to provide a free view on the portable carrier 1.

The portable carrier 1 comprises a suspended state, which is shown in Figure 2 for the first embodiment and in Figure 3 for a further and more preferred embodiment. In the suspended state, the closure 4 is open and the one or more than one care product inside the envelope is readily available for a user.

More in particular, the suspension 6 is configured to suspend the portable carrier 1 on an upright surface, such as on a wall or a door of a toilet or a bathroom. This allows people who have to take care of e.g. their stoma or catheter to arrange their care products hygienically in a close distance, where it is readily available. Since the portable carrier 1 is suspended, the person has two hands available for handling any care product. The portable carrier 1 thus provides people a comfortable and clean portable working surface that may even be conveniently used in public toilets.

The portable carrier 1 preferably comprises a waste containing state wherein it contains used care products. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the waste may be put into compartment 2, which is especially applicable to situations, wherein a user only requires one care product. The user may than take the clean care product out of compartment 2, and use the same compartment 2 for waste, i.e. for storing the care product after use thereof.

However, in most situations a user may need more than one care product.

Especially for these situations, it is beneficial if the portable carrier 1 comprises a further compartment 8 as shown in the second embodiment of Figures 3-5. This further compartment 8 may be a waste compartment.

The further compartment 8 and the suspension 6 are preferably arranged on opposite sides of the compartment 2, which is especially advantageous if the further compartment is a waste compartment. After all, the suspension 6 will face the wall or other constructive part to which the portable carrier 1 is suspended. If the further compartment 8 is arranged on an opposite side of the compartment 2 relative to the suspension 6, the compartment 2 will be arranged in between the suspension 6 and the further compartment 8, which is the waste compartment.

Consequently, a user may take clean care products out of the most rearward compartment 2 relative to the user, and can put used care products in the compartment 8 which is closest to the user. Thus, there is no need to pass used care products over clean care products inside the compartment 2, thereby safeguarding hygiene.

The further compartment 8 may comprise an extension 9 that extends past the opening 5 of the envelope 3 that defines the compartment 2. This extension 9 of the further compartment 8 may form the closure 4 of the compartment 2. As can be best seen in Figures 3 and 4, the extension 9 of the further compartment 8 is configured to fold over the opening 5 of the envelope 3 that defines the compartment 2. The extension 9 then covers and disables the suspension 6 (Figure 5).

The further compartment 8 may comprise a further closure 10, which may be embodied as a flap 11. If a user is ready with taking care and after having put used care products in the further compartment 8 that serves as waste compartment, the user may compress the further compartment 8 and close it with the further closure 10. In Figures 3 and 4, the user may fold flap 11 to close the waste compartment 8 according to arrow F. Once flap 11 is folded against the extension 9, they may be jointly folded to close the compartment 2. The extension 9, together with flap 11 , acts as closure 4 for compartment 2.

In the waste containing state of the portable carrier 1 as shown in Figure 5, the further compartment 8 is a waste compartment that contains used care products and that is closed with the further closure 10, i.e. flap 11, and the extension 9 of the further compartment 8, possibly together with further closure 10, forms the closure 4 that closes the compartment 2 and that disables the suspension 6 by covering thereof.

The portable carrier 1 is preferably disposable, allowing the user to dispose the used care products in a closed portable carrier 1. In a preferred embodiment, the portable carrier 1 comprises a pre-packed state wherein the compartment 2 is filled with clean care products. A healthcare supplier may provide pre-packed portable carriers 1, containing all necessities for dedicated care, especially for users having a stoma or catheter. The care products than comprise care products for care of the stoma or the catheter.

The third preferred embodiment shown in Figure 6 is closely related to the first embodiment shown in Figure 1. The distinguishing features are the suspensions 6 and 12.

Suspension 6 was already shown in Figure 1 as two independent attachment areas, but now extends substantially along the width of the portable carrier 1. Furthermore, an optional additional suspension 12, that may be embodied as a glue strip such as also used on envelopes, may be arranged on the flap 7 defining the closure 4. Flap 7 may fold over the opening 5 and cover the suspension 6, whereas the suspension 12 may provide an even more secure attachment for closing the closure 4, also when the attachment power of suspension 6 would have possibly been degraded, e.g. due to it previously being attached to a wall. The skilled person will understand that suspension 6 and 12 according to the third embodiment may also be applied to the second embodiment shown in Figure 2.

The invention is further related to a method of filling a portable carrier 1 with clean care products, comprising the steps of:

- providing a portable carrier 1 as described above;

- filling the compartment 2 of the portable carrier 1 with clean care products; and

- closing the compartment 2 with the closure 4 and disabling the suspension 6.

Although they show preferred embodiments of the invention, the above described embodiments are intended only to illustrate the invention and not to limit in any way the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that where features mentioned in the appended claims are followed by reference signs, such signs are included solely for the purpose of enhancing the intelligibility of the claims and are in no way limiting on the scope of the claims. Furthermore, it is particularly noted that the skilled person can combine technical measures of the different embodiments. The scope of the invention is therefore defined solely by the following claims.

Claims

1. Portable carrier, comprising:

- a compartment defined by an envelope having a closure to selectively allow access via an opening to one or more than one care product inside the envelope; and

- a suspension that is disabled when the closure is closed,

characterized in that

- the closure and the suspension are arranged on opposite sides of the compartment.

2. Portable carrier according to claim 1 , comprising a further compartment.

3. Portable carrier according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the portable carrier comprises a waste containing state wherein it contains used care products.

4. Portable carrier according to claims 2 and 3, wherein the further compartment is a waste compartment.

5. Portable carrier according to any of claims 2-4, wherein the further

compartment and the suspension are arranged on opposite sides of the compartment.

6. Portable carrier according any of the foregoing claims, wherein the closure is configured to at least one of:

- cover the suspension when the closure is closed; and

- allow the one or more than one care product inside the envelope to be readily available for a user when the closure is open in a suspended state of the portable carrier.

7. Portable carrier according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the suspension at least one of:

- is arranged on an outside of the compartment;

- is configured to suspend the portable carrier on an upright surface, such as on a wall or a door of a toilet or a bathroom;

- comprises an adhesive, in particular an adhesive tape; and

- comprises a suction cup.

8. Portable carrier according to any of claims 2-7, wherein the further

compartment comprises an extension that extends past the opening of the envelope that defines the compartment, wherein the extension of the further compartment preferably forms the closure of the compartment.

9. Portable carrier according to claim 8, wherein the extension of the further compartment is configured to fold over the opening of the envelope that defines the compartment and to cover the suspension.

10. Portable carrier according to any of claims 2-9, wherein the further compartment comprises a further closure.

11. Portable carrier according to at least claims 4 and 10, wherein, in the waste containing state:

- the further compartment is a waste compartment that contains used care products and that is closed with the further closure; and

- the extension of the further compartment forms the closure that closes the compartment and that disables the suspension by covering thereof.

12. Portable carrier according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the portable carrier is disposable.

13. Portable carrier according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the portable carrier comprises a pre-packed state wherein the compartment is filled with clean care products.

14. Portable carrier according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the care products comprise care products for care of a stoma or catheter.

15. Method of filling a portable carrier with clean care products, comprising:

- providing a portable carrier according to any of the foregoing claims;

- filling the compartment of the portable carrier with clean care products; and

- closing the compartment with the closure and disabling the suspension.