Urine collection apparatus and method

A method for collecting urine from a human body comprising the steps of:

• providing a rigid polymeric collector having a lip configured to surmount the urethra of said body and engage skin adjacent thereto in urine collecting relationship, said collector having a collection cavity with a top wall portion incorporating a vacuum control orifice having an air entry opening, said collector collection cavity having a lower disposed urine collection well generally oppositely disposed from said top wall portion and extending below said lip in fluid flow communication with said collection cavity;
• providing a urine collection tank having an internally disposed, normally upstanding sidewall, a urine input port, a vacuum port and a removable upwardly disposed cap;
• providing a urine collection conduit having a collection opening within said well and having a urine expulsion end extending through said tank input port, and having at least a transparent region for observing urine flow;
• providing a vacuum assembly including a vacuum conduit having an air intake opening extending through said collection tank input port and actuable between on and off conditions to respectively form a vacuum condition and remove said vacuum condition within said collection tank;
• actuating said vacuum assembly from said off to said on condition;
• positioning said collector lip in an orientation surmounting the urethra of said body wherein said collection cavity top wall portion is generally upwardly disposed and said urine collection well is generally downwardly disposed;
• admitting atmospheric air into said collection cavity at the region of said collection cavity top wall portion in an amount effective to effect removal of urine from said urine collection well and to effect a drying of skin located within said lip;
• detecting the termination of urination by observing a cessation of urine flow at said urine collection conduit;
• and
• actuating said vacuum assembly from said on to said off condition at the termination of urination.

Apparatus for collecting urine from a body, comprising:

• a collector having a lip configured to surmount the urethra and engage skin adjacent thereto in urine collecting relationship, a collection cavity extending outwardly from said lip having a normally upwardly disposed top wall portion and including an orifice at said top wall portion having an air entry opening selected to facilitate the passage of atmospheric air in contacting adjacency with the skin adjacent said urethra and having a normally downwardly disposed urine receiving well disposed oppositely from said top wall:
• a urine collection tank having an internally disposed normally upstanding side wall, a urine input port, a vacuum port and a removable upwardly disposed cover;
• a urine collection conduit having a collection opening positioned at said well for collecting urine from said collector urine receiving well in a substantially liquid state and having a urine expulsion end extending through said urine input port;
• and
• a vacuum assembly including a vacuum conduit having an air intake opening extending through said collection tank vacuum port spaced from said urine collection conduit urine expulsion end.