Patent Publication Number: US-2007106238-A1

Title: Waste collection system

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates, in general, to a medical waste collection and disposal system, and more particularly, to a system for effectively collecting, containing, and disposing contaminated medical fluids.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The collection, containment, and disposal of contaminated medical or physiological fluids has long been a concern in the waste disposal industry. These contaminated fluids often contain excess medications, blood and diseased fluids including HIV (AIDS), hepatitis, and other communicable diseases. Current procedures for collecting these fluids, such as during angioplasty procedures or catheterizations, include the use of open waste basins, towels, sponges and vinyl film bag/tubing systems. These techniques pose a significant health risk to medical personnel. Furthermore, if not properly disposed, these fluids can pose an environmental hazard as well.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,999 is directed to a waste collection system for containment and disposal of contaminated fluids. The waste collection system comprises a box shaped receptacle containing an absorbent pad therein and a molded plastic containment lid, which is fitted onto the receptacle in a fluid tight manner. The lid includes an opening within which the contaminated fluids may be deposited into the receptacle. A circular disc constructed of a foam material is placed in the opening. The foam material of the circular disc provides absorption and wicking action for fluids contacting the foam materials so that the fluids will readily pass through the foam material without splashing and without beading up. The circular disc is also provided with a number of slits so that fluid can readily be injected, for example, by means of a syringe by sticking the end of the syringe through the slits formed in the disc and depositing the contents onto the absorbent pad contained within the receptacle. The collection system can also include an additional lid which may be sealed onto the receptacle prior to disposal.  
      The waste collection system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,999 is a vast improvement of many of the techniques previously used for collecting medical/physiological fluids, however medical personnel are still at risk of exposure to these contaminated fluids. A major drawback in the (&#39;999) system is that the foam material, which comes into contact with the fluids, is exposed. Consequently, medical personnel run the risk of contacting this contaminated foam material with their hand, arm or other part of their body. Also, since this foam material is in the same plane as the bottom portion of the lid, some of the contaminated fluid may “pool” and/or remain on the surface of the lid, once again risking unwanted exposure to medical personnel. Thirdly, should the medical person depositing the waste material fail to fully insert the syringe containing the contaminated fluid through the slits in the foam, then this fluid would go into the foam. While the (&#39;999) patent relies upon wicking for the fluid to fall into the receptacle this wicking action takes time and thus the possibility of exposure to a greater amount of contaminated fluid exists.  
      Objects of the Invention  
      It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a waste collection system which draws contaminated fluid away from the opening to reduce exposure to the fluid by medical personnel.  
      It is still another object of the invention to provide a protective cover over the valve means to further reduce exposure to the fluid by medical personnel.  
      It is a further object of the invention to provide a waste collection system which effectively contains contaminated fluid for environmentally responsible disposal thereof. In addition to the above-described objects and advantages of the waste collection system, various other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to the persons who are skilled in the same and related arts from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and the appended claims.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Briefly, and in accordance with the forgoing objects, the present invention is directed to a waste collection system for the collection and containment of contaminated fluids that overcomes the problems associated with previously used waste collection systems. The waste collection system of the present invention comprises a receptacle for receiving contaminated fluids therein. The receptacle has at least one sidewall, a bottom portion and an open top portion. A containment means is engaged with the receptacle for sealing the open top portion of the receptacle in a fluid tight manner and for retaining the contaminated fluids within the receptacle. A valve means is associated with the containment means. The valve means extends a predetermined distance below the plane of the containment means. An aperture extends through the valve means. This aperture has a size and shape capable of allowing a fluid deposit member to extend there through. A fluid directing means is provided which extends from the aperture into the receptacle for directing contaminated fluid deposited therein away from the aperture and into the receptacle.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the waste disposal system of the invention.  
       FIG. 2  shows a top view of the waste disposal system of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  shows a side view of the waste disposal system taken along line A-A of  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 4  shows an enlarged view of the valve means shown in  FIG. 3 .  
       FIG. 5  shows an enlarged view of the hinge means for attaching the lid to the receptacle/containment means of the waste disposal system of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the waste disposal system according to another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Before describing the invention in detail, the reader is advised that, for the sake of clarity and understanding, identical components having identical functions have been marked where possible with the same reference numerals in each of the Figures provided in this document.  
      Referring now to  FIGS. 1-3  there is shown the waste disposal system of the invention, generally indicated as  10 . The waste disposal system comprises a receptacle  12  for receiving contaminated fluids therein. The receptacle has at least one sidewall  14 , a bottom portion  16 , and an open top portion  18 . A containment means  20  is engaged with the receptacle  12  for sealing the open top portion  18  of the receptacle  12  in a fluid tight manner and for retaining the contaminated fluids within the receptacle  12 . A valve means  22  is associated with the containment means. The valve means  22  extends a predetermined distance below the plane of the containment means  20  to reduce “pooling” of the contaminated fluid on the containment means  20 . An aperture  24  extends through the valve means  22 . This aperture  24  has a size and shape capable of allowing a fluid deposit member  26  to extend there through. A fluid directing means  28  is provided which extends from the aperture  24  into the receptacle  12  for directing contaminated fluid deposited therein away from the aperture  24  and down into the receptacle  12 .  
      The receptacle  12  may be in the shape of a box having four sidewalls  14 , a bottom portion  16  and an open top portion  18 . The containment means  20  will then have a predetermined size of at least one of a square and a rectangle which is capable of engaging with and sealing the open top portion  18  of the receptacle  12 .  
      In an alternative design, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the receptacle  12  may be cylindrical in shape having a cylindrical sidewall  14 , a round and/or ovular bottom portion  16  and a round and/or ovular open top portion  18 . The containment means  20  will have a predetermined size of at least one of a circle and an oval which is capable of engaging with and sealing the open top portion  18  of the receptacle  12 .  
      Preferably, the receptacle  12  is a molded plastic article having a snap ring  50  formed as a rim around the open top portion  18 . The containment means  20  is a molded plastic article having a shoulder  52  molded around its periphery thereof. This shoulder  52  is capable of cooperating with the snap ring so as to form a fluid tight seal between the receptacle  12  and the containment means  20 .  
      The containment means  20  includes at least one sloped portion  30  that slopes downwardly to meet a top edge portion  32  of the valve means  22 . Preferably, the containment means  20  includes multiple sloped portions that slope downwardly to meet at the top edge portion  32  of the valve means  22 .  
      The sloped portions  30  include a channel  46  having end portion  48  which runs underneath the valve means  22  so that any contaminated fluids deposited on the containment means run down the channel  46 , under the valve means  22 , and into the receptacle  12 .  
      The valve means  22  includes an absorbent material  48  around its edges to absorb contaminated fluids which run down the channel  46  and underneath the valve means  22 .  
      As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the valve means  22  includes a protective top cover  34  and the aperture  24  extends through the protective top cover  34 . The protective top cover  34  is impermeable to prevent splash back from contaminated fluid being deposited within the receptacle  12 .  
      The valve means  22  includes a first absorbent member  36  positioned between the protective top cover  34  and the fluid directing means  28  for absorbing any residual contaminated fluid which is deposited into the valve means  22 .  
      As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a second absorbent member  38  is positioned adjacent the bottom portion  16  of the receptacle. This second absorbent member  38  may comprise one of a sponge, an absorbent pad, loose absorbent material, and the like.  
      A lid  40  is provided which is capable of being attached to containment means/receptacle for disposal of the waste containment system. The lid  40  includes an attachment means  42  which is attached to either the containment means  20  or the sidewall  14  of the receptacle  12 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the attachment means  42  includes at least one folding member  44  which is molded into the attachment means  42  to allow the lid  40  to flip open and closed. The lid  40  is preferably formed of a molded plastic material and is capable of forming a fluid tight seal with the containment means/receptacle so that the waste collection system can be disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner.  
      The invention has been described in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms so as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same. It should be understood that variations, modifications, equivalents and substitutions for components of the specifically described embodiments of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Persons who possess such skill will also recognize that the foregoing description is merely illustrative and not intended to limit any of the ensuing claims to any particular narrow interpretation.