Sharps disposal system
First Claim
1. A disposal apparatus for processing hospital waste, including medical waste and medical sharps, said disposal apparatus comprising a disposer for processing the waste into small particles of processed waste, a sterilant recirculation system for delivering sterilant into said disposer, and a waste receptacle for said processed waste, said waste receptacle comprising an influent port through which said processed waste enters said receptacle, a container that holds said processed waste from said disposer, said container being constructed of a fluid impermeable material, an effluent port through which said sterilant exits said container, and a filter positioned between said container and said effluent port, said sterilant recirculation system extending between said disposer and said waste receptacle to circulate sterilant between said disposer and said waste receptacle and to capture sterilant flowing through said effluent port of said waste receptacle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sharps disposal apparatus is provided for reducing contaminated medical sharps into unrecognizable, ordinary waste. The disposal apparatus comprises a disposal unit including a disposer, disposable waste receptacle, and sterilant recycling system. During the destruction and sterilization operation, the sterilant recycling system introduces sterilant into the disposer to sterilize the contaminated medical sharps while the disposer is grinding the sharps into small fragments. Once the medical waste is reduced to small fragments and is sterilized, the reduced waste is deposited in the disposable waste receptacle. Excess disinfectant flows through the waste receptacle and is recovered by a reservoir to be recycled. After the waste receptacle is full, the waste receptacle is easily removed from disposal unit, without the reduced medical waste coming into contact with human hands, and is disposed as ordinary waste.
54 Citations
22 Claims
- 1. A disposal apparatus for processing hospital waste, including medical waste and medical sharps, said disposal apparatus comprising a disposer for processing the waste into small particles of processed waste, a sterilant recirculation system for delivering sterilant into said disposer, and a waste receptacle for said processed waste, said waste receptacle comprising an influent port through which said processed waste enters said receptacle, a container that holds said processed waste from said disposer, said container being constructed of a fluid impermeable material, an effluent port through which said sterilant exits said container, and a filter positioned between said container and said effluent port, said sterilant recirculation system extending between said disposer and said waste receptacle to circulate sterilant between said disposer and said waste receptacle and to capture sterilant flowing through said effluent port of said waste receptacle.
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12. A disposal apparatus for processing hospital waste, including medical waste and medical sharps, said disposal apparatus comprising:
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a disposer for processing the waste into small particles of processed waste, said disposer comprising; a grinding chamber which receives the waste; a shear ring defining an interior annular surface supporting an array of spaced teeth which project inwardly towards the center of said shear ring, each tooth extending from said interior annular surface at an angle from and in a plane parallel to a central vertical axis of said disposer, each tooth having a generally flat, bottom surface defining a shearing edge, a plurality of said teeth comprising top portions extending above the tops of the other said teeth and at a greater angle relative to said central axis to define inverted, generally L-shaped teeth in said array of spaced teeth; and a disk rotatable about said central axis, said disk carrying a cutter element forming a shearing surface and positioned to engage said shearing surfaces defined by the array of teeth and to cooperate with said teeth to shear the waste as said disk rotates; a disposable waste receptacle which receives said processed waste from said disposer, said waste receptacle comprising; an influent port through which said processed waste enters said receptacle; a container that holds said processed waste from said disposer, said container being constructed of a fluid impermeable material; an effluent port through which said sterilant exits said container; and a filter positioned between said container and said effluent port; and a sterilant recirculation system that circulates sterilant between said disposer and said waste receptacle and captures sterilant flowing through said effluent port of said waste receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22)
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Specification