Patent ID: 8216199

Claim:
A medical/surgical waste collection assembly, said assembly including: a waste collection unit including: a container for holding medical/surgical waste; a vacuum regulator connected between a suction source and said container, said vacuum regulator configured to selectively apply suction from the suction source to said container to regulate the level of suction the suction source draws on said container; a manifold receiver, said manifold receiver having: a bore with an open distal end; a base that forms an at least partially closed proximal end of the bore; a longitudinal axis that extends between the distal and proximal ends of the bore; and a conduit that extends from an opening in said base into said container so that suction drawn on said container is drawn on the conduit; and a valve plate disposed in said manifold receiver bore adjacent the manifold receiver base so as to extend over the base opening, said valve plate moveably mounted to said manifold receiver so as to move in a plane parallel to the base opening, said valve plate having a closed position in which said valve plate covers the base opening and an open position in which said valve plate allows fluid communication between the manifold receiver bore and the base opening into the conduit; and a valve driver disposed in the manifold receiver bore and shaped to be engaged by a manifold disposed in the manifold receiver bore, said valve driver moveably mounted to said manifold receiver so as to be displaced upon rotation of a manifold in the manifold receiver bore and being connected to said valve plate so that the displacement of said valve driver moves said valve plate between the closed and open positions; and a manifold, said manifold, having: a housing, said housing having opposed proximal and distal ends, a void space between the ends and shaped to be seated in and rotate in the manifold receiver bore; at least one fitting connected to said housing adjacent the distal end, said fitting dimensioned to receive a suction line and to define a fluid communications path into the housing void space; a base plate that extends over the proximal end of said housing, said base plate having a discharge opening; and a drive feature shaped to releasably engage said valve driver so that the rotation of said manifold results in the displacement of said valve driver.