GB2530545A - Bedpan and bedpan support - Google Patents

Abstract

A bedpan comprising a base wall 16, an enclosing wall 18 extending up from the periphery of the base wall to define a receiving volume and a cover means 14 securable to the enclosing wall 18 to overlie a portion of the base 16. The cover 18 may form a seal and a resilient flap to form a recess which can engage a projection may be used as part of the engagement means. The base may have tapered projections 40 which extend up to engage the cover. The cover may have pivotally connected portions separated by a fold line. The cover may be formed from maceratable cardboard and the bedpan of dried, moulded paper pulp. Also disclosed is a support 110 for a bedpan with a base 116 and enclosing walls 118. The support may be arranged to engage a bedpan and include a handle.

Description

BEDPAN AND EDPAN SUPPORT

The present nvenhon Sstee to bedpana and bedpan ipporl A. Bedpa a are used by pat ent in ospta a, nursing homes and I e ke where:t n thFfculi or rnprm&bS for the pafant 1⁄4, vtt a b at. In order a reduce the nsi of ross4ifec on the use of ci sposeb a badpens is preferred 0 sposaole bedpans are made 1 am dred, m tiMed paper pul. wh Ii after use, are redue t sma partides rn a maceratar end thscharged nto th.. normal dra nage system o sposaoe bedp ne are not generay ca Sc of suppornng the weght a a user, amce the a e made ft m dred, mat ed paper pt It nih. etc a n alt u.

a disposab bedpa m n uncton w a reusab support n order to prevent h d spesable bedpan ram cc4lapsnq n use One type of known disposable bedpan s a socalled sllppe bedpan E amples of ouch be osne are tho e sod by Vemaca e® under the names Ma Sflppe Pan ner and Mith Slipper Pan nert& SI pper bedpans eve a ecesse ccc g orbo at their cc anc have a enerSy w dged-shaped pro de wth a i wer ro at the fro t of the b dpan a d a gher profie at be ear a the bed an The front port *n of sil per bedpans camp see a general y plane urface which ext da forwa d y beyond the front of e recessed rere.Hang cr1 on nd p ovdes a cur a t hch engages U t pa nt a therb partta l supports the pat ent's weight during use The wedgcshaped proill and planar f ant s pport s rtace tao tat po honi:9 of the bedpa enetth the ser and Imp a e the comfort of he bed an Howeve he p anar fron support curia e increases the overall size a the hrdpan bu dogs not Incrtase the vokim of the re evng pa on Mo cover, the tapering edge shaped profile ecu Is n a ra atvely o# front wall a the reressed rece ng port a whrh inhbts he capacit of the ce r.g okime a d aso no rses the kel hood a spHage dur ng emo a of he bedpan by the pat ent and ti nn $ bacquent transportation.

b I he frno vn sippe bedpans are moulded from tired paper ulp and are d sposed a after use n a macerator In se the bedpa are th re a e re easah sup orte n compeme tan y she ed reu able b dpan a ppo to prevent coUapsng or the bedpan.

3 A further arobem with the known si pper bedpars is that hc bedpan supp rt comprises a nanow support tim wh oh tends to ransfer some of the user's weght nto reka v&y nor ow oad areas Tha can ma e the bedpa uncomfo able for some isers Another type of disposable bedpan s he wcaHed French Sbpp r Pan which also has a qeneraüy wedge shaped profile for comfort and ease of use he recessed receivn porfion is defln"d by a base wall and a c.dC wli extendino around the penphery of the base wa but the front odion a he recevin porUon a covered #ah a to well which permanently secured to the pe iphery of a 2 orton f he side wal us ng adhes e, w ereby I e top aa pe ma ently ave es the front orb f the base wall.

The provision of a permanently see red top wS which a cr1 es a porton of the base wa ncreoses the aS of the.ece in volu no aft e bedpan a ci forms pocket in vnich conte te of the rece ving volume moj e rr ed tipping u the base a, Lhe:e y reducng the Fkeihood of spflage of the contents durinc transportation However, the Fre: oh Slipper Bedpan requires the top wall a be permnane tly secur;d wUi adhesive in ode to lam a enable ea between t a ti and the bed an This prevents bedpans from benc nec S wTh one another wh oh great y n reases the votume necessa for transportton and storage of bed ins Memo er, d spoS of a w ed bedpa n a maMrator s more diffcuft, etcause of the gued portion" t s an objec of he p cc nt nvcntian a provifie a bedpan a d a ppor for a bed an which Overcome or S e ate he probems as a d with the pno art n acco dance with a first aspect of the present invention, a bedpan compdses a O as waft an endosing wall extending upward y from the pa pha y of the base wall which. oge her with ne base wall. detnes a recewing vokirne an a cover means sec rabi to the a c osing wS to overe a porton of the base wall the cover means and the endos n wall comprSing nter onnectabki rate n g mean for eta ning he cver means and the eridosi g all n nqaqement wth each other The provision a a pantay4ormed cover means wh rh n engagth wdh the enclos ng vS immedia Sy p or to ue inc eases the efie tive ye uric of ra a v ng portion and so reduces the hkehhood sp age ihen the bedpan emoved icr disp sS Preferab y the nterco nectab a re ainng means retans the cover mae a sealing anjagemen with he nc o&ng wall The nte connec abe eta ni g mea s may comp ice a eess o 0 C of the cover means a d the endosing wall to ccc t of a portion of the other of the cover means and the en osin wall The ecess ma be defined by flap means Prefe ably the flap means s resi ently mouited and ay cx end around e enphe of the a gagemnt regon o t e cover mesn, and the en nsng well In a furthr embod met, the recess s located on the oer means Pre crab y, the upper edge o t e enclos:ng wa compnses a p ojectia wtich s engageabe nt ereces onthecovermans U Altcrnatvel or n addd on, he nte connectable rate mg means may oompnse a ro cot on on one of he cc e means or Cl the enclos rg wall cog geable Mth a ecess t I e ot r a the Mver means and the enclosng wau.

I e ccc s rn!=omprse an aperture and rn one errbodment prcject n s ocated on the bedpan and the recess s located the orner means.

Pr ferab y, he erojec on *oated on an p er edge of the endosng wafl There may be a pk4ral ty of projechons and aces s Alternat vely or in addft on the interconnelable rethnng means may omprise one or more rnerengag ng projelon and recesses on the undersurface of the cover mean and on the enc as ng wall n 0 c embod me th ne one tab e et m ng m an comprIses a pro ecron on the undersurface of the coier means whIch is snape to engage with a porhon of the nner face a the enclosng w at or toward it upper edge n another embothmnt, the ntercon eth e reta nrn means comp 5CC a r han a ended between the cove n cans and the under urface of th base wait.

S re eraSy he projech n extends from the cover means and s conhgu ed to engage whh the un era rface of the base waL Prefera the p ojechon xte: a tram a ace on adjacent to the peripher of the coder means Peferab1y t e p oecton s compSmentantpshaped with a porhon of the endosig wa n a pref' re embothrnent the proje on fomis art a the cover mean PrJerahy. the bedpa further compr see one or more pojec or exte dmg upward y am ha base we ano being engagnhe wñh the c ye means when be cover means s rcta ed n engagement wdh the encIosng wS Preferab he bedpa compnses a p aity a projectons extend rig pward y from he base wa The prrtnns are p ste aby tapered.

r ferab y, the a each p oe on s tntega y formed no a C: bodnient a cover s generafly p ana When th cover means s secured to the endoang waL t ma rverS a f ant porbon, a a portion a both front and ear portia a of the base wa L n onc embodme, the COVC: means compnses a f rat p *.ion adapted to overte a Ifrat port on of e base waH and cc o d port on cc netted o the b at port on, adapted to sWC Fe a second ponon of the base wal, when the COVO U1Cfl5 ecured to the en o mg we The first and set nd portons of the coy r mean a e p eferathy dispaceab a eat ye to eat other to xampe pvo abe ala e t each other.

Prferab y, one of the ret and sarnnd p rlions of the nwer meona s ctspaceebte rea ye to he ot er uf the frst w d secon poihons betwee a first pocrtion n whch oerhee a porVon of the base we and eeoc d posVon n wh oh he port on o the base wa! s exposed.

Preterab, It a second porfion a the c war mar. abi ts the firM porhon of e cover mean when u, te second po hon P.eferaby, he m arconne tabe retanng mea a i configured to retn ne first porbon o ho cov*r means n engage n wth cc o mg wak The fir t nd second pothons o he cc er means may con icr en be ormed from a common membe The common membe may comprise a forward ne or hinge Ir wh jons a f rat and second porti ri of the cove rreans P eferabv he common monte froni wuch the at and second port one of the cover means CC formed s ge erafly p'anar The cover may convenentJy c mpnse cardboa d Preferaby the over means a niaceratabe a preferred embodiment ic shape of he cover means correspond to the shape ot the port on o the enclosuiq wall wdh wh ch t s engaqeable 11 e bedpan preferably ompuses drIed. m uldcd paper pulp Preferably, he bedpan s mace etch e In accordance w Lb a secon aspect at the present nvenbon a bedpan a comprIses a a e wall, an enclo mg w e»=te* drng p iard y from he ped her o the base iaU wtu h, together w th the base ssa I ebnes a re e vng Va um, an cover means a erlying a portion of e base wal he base wa comprkh g O C C more up' ardly extencth g p cecho s conf gured to engage a be ngageab e. wdh toe cover mea *s o u a a porton of he wegh a user wU be borne b the cover mea q At east part of ths weght wO he trans e ed to the bedpan by the upwarthy exteth gpjarho.

P efersbij. the bedpan composes a pIer ty a orojrhons extendrng upwardly f cm the base wall and may cc pose one or more tapered pr jechoris P et rabl, the or each proje ho is integra form4 Ir one embothment, the cover is generally planar The cover may convenientl be farmed from cardboard and prefe abl s mace atabIe Preferably the shape of the cove moe:5 corresponds to the shape of the endo&ng wa wth vhch the cove means a engageab e.

referab y, a bed n c mp drted mu ded papa up and p etc ab'y is aceratab ri eccodance with a thfrd aspart of the resent in 1enU n, a support for a dpan comprises a base wa aid a enHor g afl extending up verdy kern the pa phery of the base wa whc oether w lb he b se wa defines a edpan ccc v g vSurne the base wal compñs rig one more upward yexte di g ro ections Prefe ab y, the bedpan cumpmes a p ura rty o upward& extend rg project ens and p eteraby one or more of thc projecU n-s i tapered Pr4erab y the or each projec wn is ntegraHy formS Pt crab y, the or each upwardy extend rig proic on s crnflgurr] to enqage w1 h the correspond ng v shaped pan on oft e bedpan n th w&y, the porten of ie weht o a uee a Fed e the c r rnens wV be transfe red to he p oct ris n the bAdp n wh ch a turn wH beta starred to the projectons a he support.

a efered embothrnent he a pport comp see a handle, which may con e en ybe sod attherea porhono thesu art By way a eampe ony spec tic mbothment of the present erhon wV ow be described, with eference to the accompanyng drewngs, n w ich F g 1 s n exp Sad perspec e ve of a firs embodrnen o a bed an and support for a bedpan, m accordance wrth the resent invention 3 a pers. tf:t.. ve' Orn r,!(w f Ho J i:SY?C1!Ve vtw OE ih bdian cf 2 q 4 a i'e.cina:i ( 3:q :_-.t:..-t:,:: : r *.

"!Q t. 35.: 4;GU-'! th car: ,flfl vtnprt J Ho I:pipr r! at'mteci :!c.eC:Cfl-I 1w.t of th-:?3 Ufl 4u'k.r: fl &. bLi arr' %h:* oagerr:er c;f cr V'I! 13 t:&U..çredQ C. B ?<r.)oc&J C:speT;: V!i:.Sfl)1i': a.-ovi O i Sf1CO1U tC2.3: a 1dcan ar:I. *.unr fr.! :ieiDafl, fl:Th'tfl;i with th pr:n S;,civectw')n:1nw L r..!jt.nt tar 20.j 31.

Fq. 1-2 ac&apcUve vw fm e fti bec. oar in-3-wr r3 Hg. ¶E: I z per5pcve yew from b&ow of t'& becap.n sFcvn u-a B. I Lni-tratess thposae be-an:.tch s * eaah y neLahe n. aid: supponabe by, ieus bedan stgnori I E Tt-bvdpan. 10 c-mr es car-cave. ece3vn orJen 12 and a qney p.nar cover porf!an 14 wh!ci S con ur t; be rqaeahe with and ecurbe to, Vs front end of e rere vLn2.

ricnor-12. s w be epa3ned The Spen formed rcm deo. rw:.dded papa pSp and the cover portion 14 s cut ram c:r boar and bet the bedpan 0 and the cor portIon 14 are maeeratabe, a they can a di pace a n a macera or.

The cev ng portion 12 a the bedpan 10 comprises a SUbtCflL a p anar base wall 18 and a andos g wa 18 which toga her d fne the iecewng olume 12 for recp of urine and faeces The bedpan 10 formed from dSd, mouded papa pup and s designed Lo be d pa ad of cite i a n a mace ator, whch edu as he bedpan an its co eMs nto pa ides wh oh a a emS enough to be thscharge' into the co ye nonal sewerage synm.

The enclo ing vall 18 compnsss a narr w, straight f ont wal portion and a wkler et aght rear al port art 24, wruch s s bstantiaH paraLe a the front waI port on 2, cnC two side wall poflons 2$ mteLonnechng th rant and rear waU orhons 2 24 T a corners between the front rca and ada waU port ons re oundad. The sde wall portia: s 25 eac compnse a front sechon 25a and a rear seahon 26b he rear 5CGtOfl 26b exten&' substant a! y perpenth ifia ly rein t a rear alt port on 24 towards the font wa porhon 22 of the bedpan 10, and erg' . a t a front aechon 2$a whch a nclned ina dat am he ear aecti.n 26 so as ate a to ar a thee ds of the narrower tro wS porton The heght oft a:aar wS porho 24 s greater than the heght of the front wa I porhu 22, and c nsequerttly U a e ght of a ada w-U porhons 25 &minshes graduallj from t a ear wall pa ion 24 to the iron we porto 22, thereby 2' ass ming a genarall wedge-shaped prote rant sect on 26a is ale p a dad W: h an ntegra!y4ormed elongate nwardly projecting g 28, located towa. da the r ci part of the Ire. t section 26a substantiaHy adjace t to whee t mci es w h he rear seMi n 2$b o the sd we patton 26 T a lag 28 exte. de substantial y half to wo th da of the heght of th rLarmos part f the front sec on 26a end comprises rounded come s, a shothder portion 28a ext-ndhg a ou d he periphery a d having a rounded had portion 28b t should a so be noted that Ic e idhsi ig wS f are utwar y from lb ower end S to supper nd wh eby a plural of bed ens 10 can he nec aby sac ed wth one snot e he base wa 16 a the re e ving porti ri 12 c mp(ses fr n and rear go. era y planar base dll port na lBs lBb whch a e s pare ed by a transverse j IC extending straight sep or shoulder portion 36 boded approA mateby hlfway be men the f ont no rear waU port one 2.2 24, w ccc j the rca most edge of th fran wS portie ISa s at a ci ght h gher ieve han the front edge of the rear base wall *ort on 16b.

The Iront portion ISa of the S a wall 6 comprises six n egra y-formed upward y extendino, spaced apart projec ions 40a to 40f around the pa if:Pr of the front sect'on 16a Th space epa project aria 40a to 40f are etonga e n plan view hay rig taiering ede wab a wich con erge towards a elongate rounced had 42 Th jechon 40a to 40f taper uriwa thy from io base wall 16 a a ri hI of approximately two thi ds of the height of the enS ing wet at The adjace portion, nereby the a nded heads 42 a the projection 40 contact or alma t contact the u de side of he coy r 14 when it L secured ant the b'don 1 as wUl be expla na T ic bdsi o each projection 4Cc to AtDf also omnpnsss periphera shouder portion 44. to areas the strength of the projections.

if pro cc a a 40a to 40' are proded n pairs wtb two den cab Pr JCO ons 40a 4Gb boa ed awards e rca edge of the front portion ISa of the base v a I w th their e rigs e axes nc in d sflght y.o the flnsvers di cation two deniost intermeda pro cot ons 4Cc 40d located urthe orward, pith the r e ongate aces nchned a a greater are to the trans eras direction than ha rearmost projecbons 40a 4Gb an wo idenhca ft n projec 0 S 40e 40f locted towards the fran of the front base wal porhon 16a and whose ong tuthna axs are incthned very skght j to tho udna (fore and aft) rection oft r bSpa The upper & ge of the enc osng wat 18 s formed nb an eve med peipheral p 48 extendng aroun he whole periphery of the coo osng wS. and whose up et curia i generay panar a ci u tanha!y p ra& to the cc aH 16 Howeve, the oenphera ip 40 s dc pray dod with two rtegraUy moulded c u ugs 50 r me opt ri car espond:n apertures 52 rn the c var port on 4, 0 The two upwardy-pro ectng uas 50 are Ia ated on the generSty 4anar surface of the penpher hp 48 and a ubsWntay the nie award pos on as the Mc rea most spaced ape p ojec ons 40a 40b whi h extend 1' rn the front base wall port n ia of the bedpan The covn po ion 14 is genera I apezodaM -shape* n an view, w h ounded front corners 54, and Is perimeter s complenientanIyshaped wit respect to the front porton of the overt irned penphera In 4I o the bed an. M show ri t e Agu es the cov port on 4 s also p ovded wit an arcua e recess 56 ri pper face, wh oh forms an arcuate projecton 58 n the lotir to o The can nuous auto st edge of the ojoot on 8 c a Igured engage wfth I e UC: ma' end of the fran art n of the enclosi g wall 18 nnmethate y adjacent to the overt med pa pheral hp 48, when the cc em portion 14 s engaged wflh he pedphera rp 40, as wi I a plained a Thecov rpo ion 14 madefom ca dboard a ci as ll sap arenJrom g -o particular th edge of the cover portion 4 s aided o farm a dowrturnecl penphera p 60 alonc ts front and s S edges (but the ip does not extend along the a raig: rear dge 62). In add lion an arcuate secunng s ip 70 is secured to the unders rface of the cover port.n 14 and cv ends contnuous v nround the two side edges and front edge of cove porton 14 bu at the straght ear edge 2, The serur]ng strh 70 comprises a p anar base po'i on 72 wn oh a permanen ly secured by means of adhesive along the wtioe of he strip to the undersurface a the cover portion 14 at a location immothate v inwardly of the dowotun ed peripheral p 50 a id is fodeci to form a downwardly and nward directed reSent v connected flange or fap 74 The flange 74 s resthenUy coni cc ed hinged) to the base p rtio 1 72 long fold h nge) hne 75 nd the securing a r*p 70 and the undersurface of the cover portion 14 together define a pocket or ecess 76 for rec&pt of the peiiphera Ii 48 of the enclosing wa 3 at he rontcifthebedpan aswTheexplaned.

As shown r Figs. I and 6. the bedpan 10 s configu S to nest with, and be rote ved by, the reusable past ca bedpan support 110 The support l1t a generalI camp ementari yshapS with ewect to the bedpan 10 and camp see a suostantially planar base wa ft 116 and an enclo&ng we] ii 8 extending upward y from the periphery of the base wall which together define a vo unw for ccc p1 of he bedpan 10 The enclos ng wall 118 is upwardlk flared, in a manner complementary to the enclosing wall a of the bedpan 10, so that the bedpan can be nestably recened 4n the support The support is ho owwalled, and so the base waft 116 and the enc osing wall 118 are armed from inner and outer space&apart wall skinC 11 6i 1160, 1181, 1180.

The enclosing wall 118 s of the same general shape as tne endosing wa 16 of the bedpan, huts ig y large in order to re'ewe the eipan 10 nestably therein The enccs'ng we] 116 comprises a narrow, straight front we ft port on 122, a as wider straight rear wall porbor 124. which is substantially pare ftei to the front waft portIon 122, and two side wall portions 126 inkrconnec ng the front and rear we] portions The corners bet%een the rear and side walls are rounded.

In the seine way as for the bedpan the side wall portions 126 each comorise a front and a rear secton I 26a, I 26b. th the rear section 1 26b extending sub tentiafly perpenthctarly from he rear wau portion 124 cwards the fro t wSl porto: 122, and me gng mto the fron sea on t26a whch s nc ned inwards r m the rear sect on I 28b so as La taper rd he nd of the rant waU oortion 122 As for the bed an, the he h of the ear waU ortion 24 is geri er than the height of the fran.eU por&ol 122 and a neequenti the heght of tn side wal at:15 126 d rninbhe raduaIly horn he ar wal ortk?n 24 to the ant we o cn 122, thereby assuming a genera wedge shaped ofile complerne tariy to the shape a the s e wa#s 126 of the bedpan 0.

The base wa 1 6 a the bedpa compnses front and rear generaflj planar base wail p rflona: The, 16b whoh are sep rated b' a t ansve cc ye tend'ng s ía ght step r shoulde port on 13e heated apprax maely hal a he wean the rant and rear wa porbons 22 124, as a complementa y ft to t e base wa orhcris Ba, 16 of the bed an 1C. :3

The rant plane base t al p rho lea s also pro Sd wtth o ntegrally armed, upiiard y extendhg, s aced apart proje1ons 1 40a 14Gb. The p ojechons 140a, 140b a e camp em ntent.-shsped wi h e shape of t e ndersuthce a he arojeotions 40a 40d extending r rn t a f ant base wall atari iSa a the hedpa 0 nd are pastioned and onntated a oh that they are receved n, and en aged w, the undrsurkce a:e projec ons 40a 40 when the bedpan 0 s rceved in the unport 11 It v II a so be ob erved that the u per edge of the enclo ng we I 18 is formed nto a p anar pa ph raIl 130 thu h $ cornplementa: ly shaped w ri esnecL the ndersu ace o the p 48 a the bedpan 1C and hich engages wtth the ride surface a he ho 48 when the bedpan 10 is nested n, a d sippo Led by the suppo 1 0 t w also be observed that an ntegrafl y4orned hande 132 extens porpen&cu any from the rear wall portor 124 and at the same ant to the base wall 116cc he plane of the perpheralhp 130 ci thea pport 110.

t shoud e noted that the bedpan 10 aid assocated cove porton 14 are ncrmay supped 3fl ho unassemb ed state. This aows a oluahty of bedpans to be nested ogether in a stack and greatly reduces the volume required for storage, as compared with a bedpan 10 filed with the cover porno, 14, which cannot be nested.

Mnen a bedpan 0 is required by a patient, a cover portion 14 is offered to tt a front end of the bedpan 10. so that the pocket 78 defined between the flange 74 of the securing strip 70 and the undersurface of the cover port on 4 s agned wrth the utwardlyexte dinq peripheral I p 48 at he top of the fr rt nU portion 22 and the fro.t sde wa sect one Ba of the bedpan 10 The bedpan 10 and cover portion 14 are then manoeuvred so hat those port one of the penphsral p 48 of the bedpan are received in he porket 76 of the cover portion 14. The cover po oi 14 is if en fld nto posi io, whereupon he dewniurned pe pherl flange 74 of the cover port on 14 is deformed downwardly When the coder portion 14 is in its a tached pcsWon, he outer edge of the downturned perpheraI lip 48 of the bedpan is located at the bottom of the pocket 76 of the coder portion 14 adjacent the fold/h nge line 75. n this position tne two uptaardiyprojecting ugs 50 on the planar surface of the penpheral Up 4a of the bedpan 10 engage wh the orrespond ng aped es 52 in the cover port on 14. the cbs secu ng the over porUon 14 and t e bec an 10 to9ethe. a d p event ng inade Le t dismantling In this position, in addition, the outer periphery of the arcus a projection 58 projecting from the lower lace o the cover portior 14 engages the bedpan mmed ately ratha ly inwardly of the perpher& lip 48. thereby further ocating, and eecur:ng, the cover port:on 14 ind bedpan 10.

t M aso be observed thai when the cover port on 14 is engaged wah the bedpan 10, the reed ent y deformable flange 74 of the securing strip 70 s resflenty pressed aganst t e ndersuräce of the pe pherat up 45 along the whole ength of the stnp 70, thereby pressing the upper su ace zf the perphe al p 46 into seang rontact with the. ndersurface of the cover port on 14.

The bedpan 10 is t.ien nested in the reusable support 110 ca s ng engagement of the projections 14a 14Db ox end ng from the front planar base waD porhon Ii 2a of the support with he recessed undersurfac of the projecions 40c, 40d n the undersurface of the front base wa porhon 32a of the bedpan 10 The aaemhed bedpan 0. cover porUon 14 and support 110 a a then offered to the pa icr, usrng the handle 132 of the support 119, and the bedpan s used n the conventional manner. n ths wai part of the patient s we ght s borne by e cover port on 14, which is n turn arg& tansferred to the upstandrng pro ectona 40a b 40f protecting pwardg from the front porflon The of t bae wail 16 of the bedpan 10, and which s in turn transferred to the front portion 116a of the base waD 116 of the support I C both dwecfly and v'a the two orojections 140a, 14Db extenthng from the front ptanar base wo I port'on 1 iSa of the s pp-f 110 In this way, a portion ci the weigh on the coier port en 14 s transfe ad to t a support 110 Tt e used bedpan then re noved by men of ft e nandle 132 A e buppLrt and s then taken to a macerator for disposal in t e conventional manner The kelihood of sp liege of the contents of the bedpan dunng removal and transport of the bedpan is onsiderabty reduced as compared with the p io art >s ipper bedpans Firstly the effective capacity of fre bedpan is increased as compared wth sipper bedpans, as the recewrg volume extends under the cover portion 14 Moreover ii the bedpan is tilted forwardly stightly during transport.

the contents of 1 is bedpan wil tend to move under the cover portion 4 which wil reduce th hke ihood of naddertn spifiage The sea ng engagement of t a underw1ace o tM cover port on 14 with the overturnS pen herci ip 48 of the bedpan 10 prevents Skage from the portion of the bedpan beneath th cover port on 14 n such circumstances.

The p esent ii Va: hun the elore p ovides a bedpa w c ca bc nes aby stacked p or to use, the eby m nim Sng ste age space. and can qucKIy convenienity and securey be assembled w en requi ea, t p odde a beøpan of ncreased capeci nd eying a port on of the rece ving voktme which is 0 covered, thereby reduc ng t a kekhood of inadvertent spiHage. The seaembed bedpan 10 ano c er porbon 14 c n then be isposed of in aerator, in the con ie.ntons manner A second embodiment f the ventio: s shown Figs 8 to 1. The second enibodme t s a var ation of the first en odment, end corresponding features are den fled with the same reference numeraki w!th the additon of a prime Q. I:6 isposa e bedpan 10' is extremefr sim her to the bSpsn 10 a the first embodiment The o ty thfferences are that (a he ear base wil portion 16 pro ided w fri ado ble kidney shaped recess 150 in he centre of % h oh:ormed a c iso-waVed re ang her projection 152 in order to increase sf n cc, and (b) the circular lugs 0 on t e periphera hp 48 oft e endosing wa 8 are omitted The reusab e phestics bedpan support 1 0 at he second embod!me t cMffers from that 10 at the r& embothrnent ony theft. so ter a in 1160 0 the base we 1 EY s prov'ded M an elongate recess 154 extend ng from the entre f the wall the fore-aft drect on n o der to increase stiffness The bed an cove: 80 o the cc and embodiment s made Ii ci mace atabhe cardboard and comprses a front phena pcrticn 62 or cove rig t a f on base 1' we port on 6a of the bedpan 11 and a rca p Ci p mon 184, h ngedl attached to the fr n p ana orbo 162 about a traneversel e, erdrng to d or sea e kne 1 6 for coveong the rear base we portion I Sbt of the bedpan S The cove po rnn 160 a she a cc rpond to the s ape and d mern:ons of he a ertu ed pedpheral hp 48 of the bedpan 1 3. An arcuate seang tnp 0, dent cal to t e eahng st p 0 of the ml embo ment. s ecured to he undersurface a the front pie ci cove onion:62 and extertds cont nuously around the to sde edge and front e ge of the front planar cove port n 162 0 The eaSing Mr p 70 composes a panar base portion 72 Much permenentl ecured y mean of adheswe aonq he whole o the stnp to he ur.de urface of he rant penar cover parbon 182, an rn folde a far a downward an owardly drected reOe fly connected a ge a ap 74' 1 flange or flap 7 is ntly connecte (h ged to the base porhon 7 ala g fol ( rnge) ne 75 a d the securng errap 70 and the unders: a of the front planar cover parho 62 to ether defne a poc at or re ass 6 fo recept of the periphe S lip 48' of he enclosing we 8 at e front of h b cipa, as wi bee plain d A bes a en ri flge 0 and I, a 5ecU:ng ab 170 a secured to, and extends 23 from he undersurface of the seunng strip 70 fro the cent e of the front ad a a the strip 70' he ecunna a 170 compnse a generalj rectangula planar porhoi 172, far engagement wth the undo surface of a bedpan 0, wt'ic nerges conthuouslj wth a curved portrnn 174 whch:5 cornpementar y shape wiL the front we pa ion 22 of the b dpan 10 and a secu g flange 176 wt"ich cu d t* he un ersurac of the seru og s np 0' ith a hesive n wch extends pa S at to the b parie gag g rectangular planar porbon 1 2 The sac ng tab 170 s ada from ahve y bu m eratable, ca dboard and as best seer rn Fig. 11, the bedpanengagfrig rectangular p1 na porhon 17 is Pr vwied Mth c -*ou 178 w oh are po oned an ahaped a corn de w h the e see in he ndersurface of the bedpan 0 formed by the ntermedsate proiechons4Oc, 4Cd' on the front bae waD porti n 6a' of th bedpan 10 The rear panar per ion 164 of the cover 160 s hngeab be ween a firs r hon n whi h it 1es fat aganst he uppe face of the f ont panar perfon 16 and a second pee ton in thich t en ages the peephera p 48' of the bedpan 0', and s shown n a postion rite me tate t se two ext eme postions. A semi circu ar pressouL tab 1 0, h gedly connected aong L thameAr, a provided sVghtly nward of he centre of the rear sra gh edge I 2 of the rear panar porti n 164, Tha tab 150 can be preaed war y to engage the nne a.e of e rear waU portori 2' of the bedpan otd the rear p ar portion 164 of tie cover 160 engagernenL w1th t e penpheral lip 48 of the bdp n 10 a w be expl fled W en a bedpan 10 a required by a pa lent, a cover 160 a offe ed to the front 16 end of the bedpan 10, so that the pocket 76' dafned between ha flange 74' f he SCCU: rig stnp 70 and he ndersurfac o the front portion 162 of the cover p&ton GD is Sgned with the outwardyex1ending penpherat bp 48 at the top of the front waR portion 22' and the front a de w sect o a 26a of the bedpan 10 n th a pction, the distai end of the rectanguar p anar portion 72 of the secunng tab 170 wi be in e gagement th the front end of the u dersurface of the bedpan 10'. The cover 80 and bedpan 101 are then mance ired so that those portions of the perpherS Fp 48' are rece vS in the pocket 76 of the cover and so that the curved portion 174 of the secunng tab 170 engages the front wait portion 22 of e bedpan 10'. When he cover 160 is n its attached P080fl: tie outer edge of the downturned per pheral p 48 of the bedpan is located at the bottom of t e pocket 6 adjacent the fod/h nge inc 75. he engagement of the secur ng tab 170 with the front i&al 22 and he undersurface a the bedpan 10 assets fri retaining the cover m th s postion, ILl n thi pcstho as ri t e rst a bodmert a res en y deformable lange 74' of the scour rig strip 70 s reshent presed agan the undersurface of a pedphcra p 4S alonc the whole length of a shp 70 thereby press ng the uppe surface of he perpheal p 46' n o seeing contact wah the undersurfa a S of he cover 160.

The bedpan icr is then nested ri the reusable support I I0, causrng engagement of the priections 1 40a'. 14Db of the support Nth the recessed undersurface of the p eject ens 40a', 40b in the undersurface of the front base waU porhon 32a of ID the bedpan. The cut-outs iTh ri the securing tab 170 a OW t P project ons 140a, 4W, to be race ved f aey ni the recesses The rae pianar porUon 64 oF the cover portion 60 is then ía dad forward y so that r enqages the upper face of the fran pana pardon 162, thereby openi g the cover 160 so that he rear base we portion I IGn s exposed The assembed edpan 0', coer portion 160 and support 110' are then offered to the patient, as n the first embothment, and a used n the con ient one! manner Atter use, the rear planar cover priori 164 s then folded backward y so that ye lies t a ear base wa portion 115 of he bedpan 10 and engages t a peripheral Ip B of the bedpan 10'. It may be secured in this pos Hon by pressng cu the tab 183 so that t engages the nner face of the rear wafl portion 24' of the bedpan The used bedpan is then disposed of n a macera or in the same way as for the first embodinien.

The second embod merit a ows the used bedpan to be completely coiered after use This reduces the likehhood of splage from the bedpan further reduces the likelihood of infection spreading and improes he working en ronment for health are norksra The rnven on s no rest ced to the details of the o egong embod ments C mis