Non-refluxing suction canister system and components therefor

A fluid container system, comprising:

• a rigid container having a sidewall and a bottom defining a first cavity, said container having a wall defining an opening;
• a removable lid, normally covering said opening;
• and
• a flexible liner located in said first cavity, said flexible liner having a sidewall extending longitudinally and a bottom portion and further having a first relaxed shape wherein the liner sidewall extends to the bottom portion sufficiently so that the bottom portion is adjacent the container bottom portion when said removable lid is covering said opening and so that the bottom portion is longitudinally movable in the bottom of the rigid container, and a second expanded shape extending through said opening when said removable lid is removed.

A device for collecting fluids, comprising:

• a rigid canister, said canister having sidewalls and a bottom connected to said sidewalls to define a first cavity having a first top opening, said canister having a first vacuum port;
• a flexible liner having a longitudinal length extending from an upper liner portion to a lower liner portion and comprising a substantially longitudinally nonexpandable sidewall portion that remains substantially unexpanded when the liner is filled with fluid and wherein the nonexpandable sidewall portion has a length, extending in the same direction as the liner length, which is less than the longitudinal length of the liner and which is substantially the same before and after the liner fills with fluid, said liner being shaped to generally conform to said first cavity to define a second cavity, said liner having a second top opening, said liner also having expansion means for allowing said liner to expand in a direction toward said top opening and having a length before the liner fills with fluid that is less than an expanded length after the liner fills with fluid;
• a lid, said lid being sealed to said second top opening of said liner, and having clip means for releasable sealed engagement with said first top opening of said canister in a configuration to cause said liner to be disposed within said first cavity of said canister when said lid is releasably sealed to said first top opening of said canister, said lid having
• a second vacuum port in fluid communication with said second cavity;
• a fluid intake port;
• collection means attached to said fluid intake port for collecting fluid from an outside source;
• a first valve in fluid communication with said collection means to prevent fluid from flowing from said second cavity toward said collection means when said second cavity is filled with fluid;
• a second valve in fluid communication with said second vacuum port which closes when said second cavity is filled with fluid;
• suction means for temporarily connecting:
• a first suction through said first vacuum port to said first cavity of said canister when said liner is placed in said first cavity;
• to cause said lid to be pulled toward said first top opening of said canister to seal said lid against said first top opening, and
• to subsequently pull said second cavity of said liner against said first cavity of said canister;
• and
• a second suction through said second vacuum port in said lid to produce suction in said second cavity of said liner which produces suction through fluid inlet port to cause fluid from an outside source to be suctioned into said second cavity,
• whereby when said second suction is disconnected and said first and second valves are closed, said expansion means will cause said second cavity to expand in a direction toward said second top opening to release said lid from said first top opening.

A fluid collection system comprising:

• a canister defining an inner cavity and having an opening and a bottom;
• a lid covering the opening of the canister;
• and
• a liner positioned within the inner cavity of the canister, the liner having a volume capacity for receiving collected fluid and having a sidewall extending longitudinally between the lid and the canister bottom, the sidewall of the liner being formed with a substantially longitudinally nonexpandable lower sidewall portion that remains substantially unexpanded when the liner is filled with fluid and wherein the nonexpandable sidewall portion has a length, extending in the same direction as the liner length, which is less than the longitudinal length of the liner and which is substantially the same before and after the liner fills with fluid, and a substantially longitudinally expandable upper sidewall portion having a length before the liner fills with fluid that is less than an unexpanded length after the liner fills with fluid that may expand if the liner fills with fluid to increase the volume capacity of the liner and reduce reflux.