MEDICAL BASIN WITH APPENDAGE NOTCH

Abstract

A portable medical basin contains blood, other liquids, and other supplies and materials used in treating a wound to a patient's hand, arm, foot, or leg. The human or animal appendage or limb is positioned in a molded notch in one side wall of the basin or may be extended through opposing notches in opposite side walls of the basin, such that the wound is positioned over the basin. Then, the blood from the wound and liquids used in cleaning and treating the wound are captured in the basin for proper disposal. The notch includes a widened lip upon which the leg or arm rests. The lip minimizes discomfort, scratching and cutting of the arm or leg during the medical procedure.

Claims

1. A portable medical basin, comprising: a molded body having a flat bottom wall and upstanding side walls, and an open top; a first U-shaped notch molded in one of the side walls, and having a depth sufficient to receive a human limb.

2. The medical basin of claim 1 wherein the notch has a lip extending substantially perpendicular to the one side wall.

3. The medical basin of claim 1 wherein the notch has a rounded edge.

4. The medical basin of claim 1 wherein the notch is spaced above the bottom wall.

5. The medical basin of claim 1 wherein a second notch is molded in another of the sidewalls opposite the first notch.

6. The medical basin of claim 5 wherein both notches have a perimeter lip.

7. The medical basin of claim 5 wherein both notches include a rounded edge.

8. The medical basin of claim 5 wherein the notches have identical shapes and sizes.

9. The medical basin of claim 5 wherein the notches have different sizes.

10. The medical basin of claim 1 wherein the sidewalls have a height sufficient to retain fluids draining from or applied to the limb.

11. A method of containing fluids during a medical procedure on a human body appendage, comprising: positioning the appendage into a portable basin having sidewalls with at least one molded U-shaped notch, and a portion of the appendage residing in the notch; resting the appendage on a widened lip on the notch greater than a thickness of the sidewall in which the notch exits; and capturing fluids used in treating the appendage in the basin for later disposal.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising extending the appendage through a second notch in an opposite sidewall of the basin.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein positioning a wound on the appendage over the basin contains blood from the wound, and cleaning liquids and supplies used in treating the wound.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the notch has a width greater than a width of the appendage so that side edges of the notch are spaced from the appendage.

15. A portable medical basin for containing liquids, waste materials, and medical tools and supplies, comprising: a body with sidewalls; a notch formed in one of the sidewalls and sized to receive a human leg or arm; the notch being molded into the one sidewall with a horizontal edge having a thickness greater than a thickness of the sidewall.

16. The portable medical basin of claim 15 wherein the notch edge is a lip extending perpendicular to the one sidewall.

17. The portable medical basin of claim 16 wherein the body has a flat bottom.

18. The portable medical basin of claim 17 wherein the body is sterilized.

19. The portable medical basin of claim 18 wherein the body is plastic.

20. The portable medical basin of claim 18 wherein the sidewalls are tapered for stacking additional basins.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a medical basin according to the present invention, with a U-shaped notch molded in one sidewall of the basin.

[0018] FIG. 2 is an end elevation view of the basin, showing the molded notch.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

[0020] FIG. 3A is a sectional view showing an alternative embodiment of the notch having a radius.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the medical basin, with notches formed at opposite sides of the basin.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a prior art basin having a V shaped notch cut out of one wall using scissors or a knife.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] A medical basin or tub is generally designated in the drawings by the reference numeral 10. The basin 10 is preferable made of medical grade plastic, or alternatively, stainless steel or other lightweight material suitable for medical environments. The basin 10 is formed as one-piece so as to contain fluid or liquids, without the risk of leakage. The basin 10 can also hold other materials, such as bandages, sutures, cleaning supplies, and small medical equipment used on a wound. The basin 10 includes a bottom wall 12 and side walls 14, 16, 18, and 20. The top of the basin is open. The upper edge or perimeter of the basin 10 includes a molded or formed lip 22 extending substantially perpendicular to the upright side walls 14, 16, 18, and 20. The sidewalls 14, 16, 18, 20 may be slightly tapered from top to bottom so that multiple basins 10 can be stacked for storage or transport.

[0024] In the first embodiment, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a U-shaped notch or recess is molded or otherwise formed in the side wall 14, though it is understood that the notch 24 can be formed in any of the side walls. In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, a second notch 26 is formed in the sidewall 18, opposite the first notch 24. The opposing notches 24, 26 may be formed with the same size, or with different sizes or depths.

[0025] The notches 24, 26 are molded or formed with a lip 28 extending along the opposite sides and the bottom of the notch. The lip 28 preferably is a continuation of the lip 22 and extends substantially perpendicular to the side wall in which the notch 24, 26 is formed. The lip 28 provides a smooth notch surface having an increased thickness or width greater than the thickness of the side wall 14, 18. The lip 28 defines an L-shaped edge for the notches 24, 26, as shown in FIG. 3. In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 3A, the notches 24, 26 may have an inverted U-shaped lip 30 with a downwardly turned end, and/or may have a curved upper radius.

[0026] The basin 10 can be used by anyone treating an injury on a human or animal arm, hand, leg, or foot. The basin may be made in various sizes to accommodate different patients or different appendages/limbs. The basin to can be made of any suitable material, such as re-usable stainless steel, or disposable plastic or composite.

[0027] In use, when a patient has a wound or injury on their hand, arm, foot, or leg, the arm or leg can be positioned in the notch 24, or may extend through both notches 24, 26, such that the wound or injury resides above the bottom 12 and within the side walls 14, 16, 18, 20 of the basin 10. Any blood dripping from the wound will be captured in the basin 10. Also, fluids or liquids used by medical personnel to clean or treat the wound, and other materials and equipment, will also be retained in the basin 10. After the medical procedure is completed, the patient's arm or leg can be removed from the notch 24 or notches 24, 26, such that the contents of the basin can be disposed of safely. A weight may be attached or added to the basin opposite the notch 24 to stabilize the basin and prevent tipping.

[0028] Preferably, the basin 10 is sterilized before use with the patient. After use, the basin 10 may be re-sterilized for future use or may be discarded after a single use, depending on the basin construction material.

[0029] The smooth or rounded edge provided by the lip 28 or 30 prevents cutting, scratching, or irritation to the patient's arm or leg while the appendage rests upon the lip 28 or 30. In comparison, in the prior art, shown in FIG. 5, a notch 32 was created using scissors or a knife, which left a rough or sharp edge 34. The thin edge 34, which had a thickness corresponding to the thickness of the sidewall which was cut, could easily cut or scratch patient's skin, or otherwise irritate the arm or leg while the patient's wound was being treated. Such additional injury or discomfort to the patient is highly undesirable, and is completely eliminated by the molded notch 24, or pair of notches 24, 26, with the relatively wide lip 28, 30.

[0030] The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.