System, methods and apparatus for urine collection and storage

Abstract

A method and apparatus for collecting and storing urine comprises a collecting funnel and collection tank. The funnel has a valve that opens flow of urine begins and closes once the flow stops based on a flow sensor. The flow time of urine is recorded and used to regulate the evacuation and inert gas filling of a head space in the collection container once the urine is collected. The inert gas protects the urine from oxidation so that degradation is minimized while in the collection container. A similar control can be exercised when a bottle is filled with urine from the collection container, wherein head space in the bottle is filled with inert gas for oxidation protection to form a finished package. The head space of finished package can be evacuated to minimize degradation of the urine once the urine is accessed an initial time in the finished package.

Claims

1. A system for collecting and storing animal urine comprises, a funnel, a valve, and a collection container, the valve positioned between a discharge end of the funnel and an inlet end of the collection container, the valve controlling flow of the animal urine entering the funnel into the collection container, the collection container having a side portion and a bottom portion with an outlet therein, the collection container in communication with a discharge end of the funnel, a sensor positioned with respect to the funnel to detect a presence and absence of the animal urine flowing into the funnel, and means for opening the valve when urine flow begins in the funnel and closing the valve when the urine flow in the funnel stops, means for determining a period of time of urine flow at least into the funnel, and means for removing air in the collection container at least prior to opening of the valve and entry of urine into the collection container, and optionally after filling supplying inert gas to the collection container containing the urine.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the funnel and the collection container are chilled.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the funnel is chilled.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the collection container is chilled.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the collection container is chilled.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve is a gate valve and a controller is the means for opening and closing the gate valve, the controller responding to a signal from the sensor that indicates flow of the animal urine for gate valve opening or an absence of flow of the animal urine for gate valve closing.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for removing provides a supply of inert gas to the collection container.

8. A system for producing a plurality of bottles of animal urine having a head space consisting of inert gas comprising: an apparatus for collecting and storing animal urine comprising: a funnel, a valve, and a collection container, the valve positioned between a discharge end of the funnel and an inlet end of the collection container, the valve controlling flow of the animal urine entering the funnel into the collection container, the collection container having a side portion and a bottom portion with an outlet in the bottom portion, the collection container in communication with a discharge end of the funnel, a sensor positioned with respect to the funnel to detect a presence and absence of the animal urine flowing into the funnel, and means for opening the valve when the animal urine flow begins in the funnel and closing the valve when the animal urine flow stops in the funnel, means for determining a period of time of animal urine flow into the funnel, and means for removing air in the collection container at least prior to opening of the valve and entry of the animal urine into the collection container, and, optionally after filling, by supplying inert gas to the collection container containing the animal urine; and a bottling apparatus in communication with the outlet of the collection container for filling and capping a plurality bottles in a continuous fashion, the improvement comprising a means to first supply inert gas to each of the plurality of bottles, each bottle being open to receive the inert gas, a means to subsequently supply animal urine from the collection container to each of the plurality of bottles, and means for applying a cap to each of the plurality of bottles, wherein each capped bottle includes a quantity of the animal urine and a head space above a surface of the animal urine that consists of an inert gas.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of bottles has a threaded open end to receive the cap, the cap removably attachable to the open end.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising an assembly for preserving an oxygen-free state of a bottle of animal urine containing a head space of inert gas comprising a portable vacuum pump and plug assembly for evacuating the head space from the bottle after being opened or a second container to remove any oxygen that is or may be present in the head space, the plug configured to attach to an opening of the bottle or the second container for evacuation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of one embodiment of the apparatus of the invention showing a system for collection of urine.

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing showing a part of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

(3) FIGS. 3(a) to 3(d) are schematic drawings showing a bottling apparatus for filling bottles with urine with different bottling steps illustrated.

(4) FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) show two different types of storage containers for the urine using a bottle and vacuum pump.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) One embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. The apparatus aspect of the invention entails a system 10 for the collection of urine in such a way that the urine is minimally exposed to oxygen until it is accessed by a user in its finished package. The system 10 includes a urine collection apparatus 20 and a bottling apparatus 30. The urine collection apparatus basically collects the urine from one or more animals like deer from a stall in a way that the urine is kept free from oxygen once collected. The urine collected in the apparatus 20 can then be supplied to the bottling apparatus 30, wherein the urine is bottled in such a way the urine is shielded from oxygen during the bottling process and packaged under an inert gas atmosphere until the finished package is opened by a user.

(6) Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the collection apparatus 20 includes a funnel 21, that is disposed beneath a typical stall 22 used to collect urine from an animal. Since these stalls are well known in the art, a further description is not deemed necessary for understanding of the invention.

(7) Included with the funnel is a valve 23 and a collection container 25. The valve 23 controls the flow of urine from the stall 22 to the collection container 25. While any valve can be used, a preferred valve is a gate valve. The valve is also one that provides an air tight seal to the collection container 25.

(8) The apparatus 20 also includes a sensor 27, which is designed to sense the beginning and end of the flow of urine into the funnel, preferably a contact sensor that detects contact of urine with the funnel wall 29. This can be any type of sensor that would detect contact with the wall by a material such as urine. These contact sensors are well known in the art so that a further description of them is not needed for understanding of the invention. Of course other sensors may be employed that will detect the flow of urine into the funnel, e.g., ones using light.

(9) The sensor 27 is linked to a controller 31, with the controller 31 designed to control the flow of an inert gas source, designated as 32 in FIG. 1, through valve 33 and pressure regulator 34 into the collection container 25. The controller 31 also includes a timer that measures the time of urine flow into the collection container by the sensor 27 first detecting urine flowing into the funnel 21 and then sensing the termination of the urine flow, hereinafter the urine flow time. The inert gas is also supplied to the collection container with the valve 23 closed and prior to its receipt of urine. This means that the urine enters an inert gas filled collection chamber and does not see oxygen as it enters the collection container 25.

(10) The collection container 25 and funnel are preferably cooled or chilled to around 60 degrees F. so that the urine when contacting the funnel wall 29 and entering the collection container 25 is chilled. The cooling is shown as coils 35 on the funnel and coils 37 on the collection container, wherein a cooling fluid (not shown) is supplied to the coils 35 and 37 for cooling purposes. Of course, other known ways to chill the funnel and collection container can be employed.

(11) The collection container can also be equipped with a discharge line 39 that is in communication with the bottling apparatus 30 with its use described hereinafter.

(12) The assembly of the collection container, the funnel, the controller, sensor, inert gas supply, and valve are considered means for collecting and storing urine in an oxygen free atmosphere to minimize the degradation of the urine during the collection and storage thereof. The supply of the inert gas is essential for filling the collection container prior to its receipt of urine and then can be optionally employed to provide additional inert gas once the flow of urine ceases and the valve 23 closes.

(13) In the method aspect of the urine collection, the valve 23 is in its closed state and the collection container is filled with an inert gas at a pressure around atmospheric. Once urine begins to fall into the funnel 21 and contact the funnel wall 29, the sensor 27 detects the urine and signals the controller 31 to open the valve 23. Because the inert gas is heavier than air, it occupies the volume of the collection container 25 and the urine passes through the inert gas and towards the bottom of the collection container 25.

(14) Once the sensor 27 determines that no more urine is flowing into the funnel 21, the controller 31 closes the valve 23 and the urine is held in the collection container under cover of the inert gas, thus not in the presence of oxygen.

(15) Once the valve 23 is closed, the controller 31 can, optionally, supply additional inert gas to the collection container to ensure that it only contains inert gas. This is an optional step because once the urine is funneled into the collection container 25; the inert gas therein is displaced out through the valve opening during the filling step. Therefore, the inert gas should still occupy the volume of the collection container 25 remaining after urine is collected therein. The supply of the inert gas to the collection container 25 assures the oxygen free state of the urine while in the collection chamber.

(16) The timer of the controller 31 is used in conjunction with the supply of inert gas after collection of urine and closing of the valve 23. That is, the timer tracks the time that the valve 23 is open and then provides a flow of inert gas from source 32 via opening of the inert gas valve 33 that matches or approximates the time that the valve 23 is open. Of course, the controller 31 could be designed to supply inert gas to the collection container 25 for a period longer than the valve 23 opening time, if so desired, to provide further assurance of an absence of oxygen into the collection chamber.

(17) Once a quantity of urine is collected, it can be sent to the bottling apparatus 30 via the discharge line 39. Prior to sending the collected urine to the bottling apparatus 30, the supply line is purged of any air with inert gas. This assures that the travel of the urine in the oxygen-free state in the collection container 25 does not encounter any oxygen on the way to the bottling apparatus 30. This purging can be done in any conventional way and further details of this step are not deemed necessary for understanding of the invention.

(18) Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 3a-d, the bottling apparatus is similar to a wine bottling apparatus in that empty bottles are conveyed through the apparatus, filled, and capped. Thus, the transport and handling of the bottles is deemed conventional and a further description is not needed for understanding of the invention.

(19) One difference in the bottling apparatus and method of filling is that the apparatus 30 includes a feed line for inert gas and a feed line for urine. This aspect of the apparatus is shown schematically in FIG. 3a-3d with the inert gas feed line designated as 41 and the urine feed line designated as 43. The bottle to be filled with the urine is designated by reference numeral 45.

(20) In FIG. 3a, the inert gas feed line 41 supplies inert gas to the bottle 45. Enough inert gas is fed into the bottle 45 to at least fill it. Since the inert gas is heavier than air, it will displace the oxygen in the bottle 45. In FIG. 3b, the inert gas feed line 41 is removed from the bottle and the urine feed line 43 is lowered so that its open end is below the level of the inert gas residing in the bottle. The urine is then pumped into the bottle 45, providing a volume 47 as shown in FIG. 3c. Above the level of urine is a head space 49, which is the inert gas.

(21) In FIG. 3d, the bottling apparatus, then attaches the cap 51 to the bottle 45 such that a finished package 53 is provided with an amount of urine and inert gas. With the cap 51 in place, there is no oxygen in the bottle 45 so that the urine will not ammoniate over time (change to a brown color from its natural yellow color). Thus, the urine is of high quality for the end user, particularly when collecting deer urine. The feed lines of the bottling apparatus are considered means for filling the bottles with urine and providing the inert gas head space in the bottle once the bottle is capped. Of course, other ways could be employed to fill the bottles with inert gas and then urine than the feed lines. The bottles could be moved with respect to stationary feed lines.

(22) The invention also entails a system to preserve as much as possible the oxygen free state of the urine in the finished package 53. With reference to FIGS. 4a and 4b, an assembly is shown of a container 55, a vacuum plug 57, and a vacuum pump 59. The plug 57 and pump 59 are similar to those used in the wine industry to evacuate a wine bottle air space after it has been opened. In FIG. 4a, the container is different from the bottle 45 produced by the bottling apparatus 30. This situation may occur if the bottle 45 does not have the right bottle opening to mate with a standard vacuum plug. In this instance, the user of the finished package, after opening of the bottle 45 and using the urine for its intended purpose, would transfer the urine into the container 55. Once the urine is in the container 55, the plug 57 and pump 59 would be employed to remove the air in the container 55 to keep the urine in an oxygen free state.

(23) In FIG. 4b, the opening of the bottle 45 of the finished package 53 is configured so that it can directly mate with the vacuum plug 57. In this mode, the user, after opening the bottle 45 and using an amount of urine can just plug the bottle 45 with the vacuum plug and evacuate the head space in the bottle to remove air and create an oxygen free head space. In this embodiment, the user of the finished package avoids the transfer step of putting the urine from the finished package 53 into another container 55. In either case though, the evacuation of the container 55 or bottle 45 enhances the life of the urine by removing oxygen.

(24) While a typical vacuum plug or rubber stopper and vacuum pump are preferred, any means that would be able to remove air (evacuate it) in a container holding an amount of urine can be employed in conjunction with the finished package.