Patent Publication Number: US-2012024864-A1

Title: Container assembly

Description:
This invention concerns container assemblies, and particularly but not exclusively such assemblies for receiving medical waste. 
     When carrying out medical operations such as surgical operations it is often required to provide a container to receive medical waste such as swabs. In such procedures it is important to ensure that all foreign material is removed from the body. Accordingly, it is important that the waste can be checked to ensure that all foreign materials have been placed in a waste container. 
     With swabs for instance, it is conventional for these to be provided in fives, and it is therefore desirable to be able to see that all five swabs have been used and are now clear of a patient. Also such swabs are often packed or tied in fives, and it is also important to ensure that any packaging or ties has not been left in the body. 
     According to the present invention there is provided a container assembly for receiving medical waste such as used swabs, the assembly including a body which defines a plurality of in use open topped main compartments, each for receiving medical waste, and a lid locatable on the body in a shut condition to close the main compartments whilst permitting their contents to be viewed. 
     The body may also define an ancillary open topped compartment for receiving additional waste material, with the contents of the ancillary compartment being visible when the lid is in a shut condition. 
     The body may also define a label area upon which information can be provided, the label area being visible when the lid is in a shut condition. 
     A liquid retaining formation may be provided in the base of the main compartments. The liquid retaining formation may comprise a plurality of capillary passages. 
     The body may be formed of a material which when incinerated at a required temperature substantially leaves no residue. 
     The body may be formed of a plastics material and may be formed of APET (amorphous polyethylene terephthalate). 
     The body may be stackable with other such bodies. 
     Snap fit formations may be provided on the lid and/or body to enable the lid to be retained on the body. 
     The lid may include an area upon which information can be entered. 
     The lid may be made of a transparent material. 
     The assembly may also include support apparatus for supporting the body in position to receive material in the compartments. 
     The support apparatus may include a bracket member engageable with the body. The bracket member may be engageable with the underside of the body and may be engageable around a perimeter of the body. The support apparatus may include a plurality of bracket members, and the support apparatus may be integrally formed of metal. The support apparatus may be mountable on a ground engaging stand. 
    
    
     
       Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:— 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic plan view of part of a container assembly according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic side view of the part of the assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic perspective view of the part of the component of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view from above of the part of the assembly of  FIG. 1  being supported by a support apparatus; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of a lid usable with the part of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the lid of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a similar view to  FIG. 1  but of a part of a second container assembly according to the invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view from above of the part of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
       FIGS. 1 to 6  show a first container assembly  10  suitable for receiving swabs or other waste material during an operation. The assembly  10  has a body  12  which defines five open topped main compartments  14 . The main compartments  14  taper gently downwardly, and extend below a substantially planar support part  16 . The support part  16  is rectangular with four square main compartments one at each corner, and a rectangular main compartment between two of the outer main compartments  14 . 
     Provided between the other two corner main compartments  14  is a smaller shallower ancillary compartment  18 . Adjacent the ancillary compartment  18  is a recessed area  20  which can be written on or can receive a label. 
     A liquid retaining formation  22  is provided in the base of each of the main components  14 . The formation  22  comprises a plurality of capillary passages  24  which could for instance extend to a depth of around 1 mm. 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  show a lid  26  mountable on the body  12  to close same. The lid  26  includes a snap fit formation  28  on each corner for engagement with a lip  30  provided around the perimeter of the support part  16 . The part of the lid  26  which overlies the recessed area  20  is clear such that any material provided in the area  20  can readily be read through the lid  26  which is formed of a transparent material. The lid  26  also comprises a plurality of strengthening ribs  32 . The body  12  and lid  26  are formed of a transparent APET (amorphous polyethylene terephthalate) plastics material. 
       FIG. 4  shows a support apparatus  34  which can support up to four bodies  12 . The support apparatus  34  includes a ground engaging stand  36 . The stand  36  includes a wheeled base  38  with a height adjustable upright  40 . The upright  40  mounts a support part  42  which four rectangular openings  44 , each of which can slidingly receive a body  12  with a rim of the support part  16  engaging around the edge of the opening  44 . Two spaced support bars  46  extend across each opening  44 , and locate between respective compartments  16  on a body  12 . In  FIG. 4  two bodies  12  are being supported in respective openings  44 , with their lids  26  resting across the other two openings  44 . 
     In use, the or each body  12  is mounted on the Support apparatus  34 . When swabs are used they are generally supplied with five swabs tied in a string. The string can be undone and placed in the ancillary compartment  18 . The swabs are then used and each swab is placed in a respective one of the compartments  14 . The liquid retaining formations  22  substantially retains any blood or other body fluids within the respective compartment  14 . 
     If required a patient&#39;s name or other details can be written in the recessed area  20 , or a label could be applied thereto. Once all the swabs have been used, the lid  26  can be fitted on the body  12 , and a readily visual indication is provided that all five swabs have been removed as has the string. If required information can be written or applied onto the lid  26 . 
     The used body  12 , can then be disposed of, generally by incineration. With incineration at a required temperature, the APET will burn off substantially leaving no ash, and providing combustion products of carbon dioxide and water. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  show a second container assembly  48  which is similar to the first container assembly but includes deeper main compartments  50 . The middle main compartment  52  is rectangular in plan view to provide a required volume whilst providing sufficient space for the ancillary compartment  54 , 
     There are thus described container assemblies which provide for a number of advantageous features. The bodies can be stacked together before use and then used on a support apparatus. The body and lid permit a visual indication to readily be provided that all of the appropriate materials have been located therein. The bodies can readily be labelled and the liquid retaining formations help to reduce the danger of spillage of liquid. The use of APET substantially prevents hazardous emissions due to burning of the assembly bodies, whilst substantially providing no ash and therefore no residue which requires emptying from an incinerator. 
     Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance the bodies may take a different form and could have a different number of compartments as required by particular situations. A different support arrangement could be provided for the bodies. A different lid arrangement could also be used. 
     Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.