Patent ID: 7918337

Claim:
A pharmaceutical waste disposal device, comprising: an upper portion adapted for receiving pharmaceutical waste and a lower portion adapted for collecting the pharmaceutical waste, the lower portion being selectively and removably engagable with the upper portion; wherein the upper portion includes: a hollow housing having an interior surface defining an internal cavity, an exterior surface, a length and a width, the housing defining respective top and bottom openings in communication with the internal cavity, the housing being configured to selectively engage with the lower portion, the top opening being divisible into adjacent respective first and second portions, the first and second portions each extending the length of the housing and collectively extending the width of the housing; a rotating wheel positioned within the housing, wherein the rotating wheel includes a plurality of paddles extending radially from a central rotating shaft, each of the paddles having a proximal edge rigidly engaged with the shaft and an opposite distal edge; a non-movable cover engaged with the housing at the top opening and positioned to cover the first portion of the top opening; a sliding lid engaged with the housing at the top opening and positioned to selectively cover the second portion of the top opening when at a closed position, the lid being configured to slide underneath the non-movable cover to an open position to reveal the second portion and provide access to the internal cavity therethrough, the sliding lid being configured to slide along the width of the housing, the sliding lid having opposing respective top and bottom surfaces; and a flap hingedly engaged with the sliding lid adjacent the bottom surface of the lid, wherein the flap includes a pivot edge hingedly engaged with the sliding lid and an opposite free edge movable within the internal cavity, the pivot edge being positioned closer to the non-moveable cover than the free edge when at the closed position, the flap being configured to pivot downward from the bottom surface an angular distance to a pivoted position, whereby sliding the lid from the open position toward the closed position causes the free edge to contact at least one of the paddles and urge the paddle to rotate the wheel to deposit pharmaceutical waste accumulated on the wheel into the lower portion; wherein the lower portion includes a hollow housing defining an internal cavity and a top opening in communication with the internal cavity, wherein the hollow housing of the lower portion is configured to selectively engage with the hollow housing of the upper portion so that the internal cavity of the upper portion is in communication with the internal cavity of the lower portion when the top and lower portions are engaged.