RESTRICTED ACCESS WASTE SORTING SYSTEM

• US 20070278140A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vesta Medical LLC (Becton Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Vesta Medical LLC (Becton Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Davidner, Alan, Benson, James, Regla, Peter, Danta, Randall, Corey, Alan, Mallett, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 209/606
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/34 Sorting according to other particular properties material testing per se G01N; quality control G07C3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3404 according to properties of containers or receptacles, e.g. rigidity, leaks, fill-level control devices for cigarette or cigar packaging B65B19/28; investigation of fluid-tightness of structures G01M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3412 according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3422 using video scanning devices, e.g. TV-cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 7/005 Computer assisted manual sorting, e.g. for mail
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/30 Administration of product recycling or disposal
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 90/00 Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/93 Municipal solid waste sorting

Abstract

A system for disposing of medical waste is generally configured to sort waste items into a plurality of containers according to applicable rules and regulations governing the handling and/or disposal of such items. In some embodiments, a system comprises sorting stations each of which houses a number of disposable containers. Each station can identify an item of waste, determine the most appropriate container for the item, and facilitate disposal of the item in the appropriate container. In some embodiments, a detection system for determining a presence and/or a quantity of waste items within a container is also provided. In some embodiments, access to discarded waste items is restricted once the waste items have been placed in a container.

Claims

1. A waste sorting system, comprising:

a plurality of container compartments, each container compartment configured to receive a container;

a plurality of containers configured to be placed within the container compartments and adapted to receive a waste item;

at least one lid that that restricts access to the contents of at least one of said containers, while said container is open and capable of receiving said waste item;

an input device configured to receive information associated with the waste item;

a control system configured to classify said waste item into a waste category based on the information received from the input device;

wherein the control system is further configured to open one of the containers based on the waste category.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the container associated with said lid is adapted for disposal of narcotics.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said lid is adapted to restrict access to users that use the waste sorting system to dispose of waste items.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said lid is adapted to restrict access while said container is in said container compartment and adapted to permit access when said container is removed from said compartment.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the lid comprises a V-shaped cross section and circular outer edges.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wherein the lid comprises a shield that is configured to restrict access to the contents of the container.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the wherein the lid comprises a latch assembly.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the wherein the control system locks the lid in a closed position after said waste item is disposed into said container.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a scanner.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a touch screen.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a keyboard.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a scanner.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a barcode scanner.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect the level of waste within at least one of said containers.

15. A method for sorting waste, comprising:

providing a plurality of container compartments, each container compartment configured to receive a container;

providing a plurality of containers configured to be placed within the container compartments,

receiving information associated with a waste item;

classifying said waste item into a waste category based on said received information;

opening one of said containers based on said waste category; and

restricting access to the contents of said opened container, while said opened container is open and capable of receiving said waste item.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of restricting access to the contents of said opened container comprises providing a lid that comprises a V-shaped cross section and circular outer edges.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of restricting access to the contents of said opened container comprises providing a shield that is configured to restrict access to the contents of the container.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of receiving information associated with a waste item comprises reading a barcode located on said waste item.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of receiving information associated with a waste item comprises receiving information from a device selected from the group consisting of one or more of the following:

touch screen, keyboard, and scanner.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of classifying said waste item comprising comparing said received information with classification information contained in a database.