Patent ID: 8915897

Claim:
A manifold for connection to a medical/surgical waste collection unit, the waste collection unit having a receiver for receiving said manifold, said manifold comprising: a housing defining a void space, said housing including: at least one fitting for receiving a suction line, said fitting defining a fluid communications path into the void space; a housing base having an outer surface and formed with an outlet opening, the outlet opening dimensioned to receive a fitting integral with the waste collection unit receiver; and a lip that extends outwardly from the outer surface of said housing base that extends circumferentially around and is spaced radially outwardly from the outlet opening; and a seal fitted to the housing outlet opening, said seal having: a seal base seated over the outer surface of said housing base so as to be located within said housing lip and extend around the housing outlet opening, said seal base having an exposed surface located over the outer surface of the housing base and that defines an opening in said seal base for receiving the fitting of the waste collection unit receiver, the exposed surface having a taper such that extending inwardly from a proximal end of the surface towards the housing outlet opening, the diameter of the exposed surface decreases; and a seal member connected to said seal base, said seal member dimensioned to, when the fitting of the receiver of the waste collection unit is disposed in the opening of the seal base, establish a barrier between said housing and the fitting; and a first valve disposed in said housing adjacent the outlet opening, said first valve being normally closed to block fluid flow out of the housing outlet opening and being positioned to be actuated by the seating of the fitting of the waste collection unit receiver in the outlet opening so that, upon the seating of the fitting in the outlet opening, the fitting opens the valve.