Multi-inlet port manifold for a medical waste receiver having an elevated filter element and tethered inlet port caps

• US 7,163,618 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Beckham, Scott, Patel, Nilesh, Emis, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Cecil; Terry K.
• Application Number:
  US10/413,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20030213733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 222/145.1, 222/145.7, 137602-607, 422/101, 210/449, 210459-463, 210/136, 210/335, 210/473, 604/317
• US Class Current: 210/136
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/79 Filters for solid matter specially adapted for dental use A61C17/065
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/188 Multiple filtering elements having filtering areas of different size
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/301 Details of removable closures, lids, caps, filter heads
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/153 Anti-leakage or anti-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/30 Filter housing constructions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7837 Direct response valves [i.e., check valve type]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7976 Plural separating elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87571 Multiple inlet with single outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 Valve in each inlet

Abstract

A filter system especially useful in the treatment of waste material, in particular liquid waste material which may include particulate matter therein. The filter system includes a series of filters of progressively finer porosity in order to selectively eliminate particulate (or semi-particulate) matters from a carrier material, typically but not exclusively, of a fluid or liquid nature. The filters are mounted within a housing which includes an outlet port and a plurality of inlet ports, wherein each inlet port includes a check valve.

Claims

1. A manifold for receiving medical waste, said manifold including:

a head, the head having a side wall assembly that defines an enclosed void space within said head, the void space having a cross-sectional area;

a plurality of adjacent inlet ports, each inlet port configured to receive a separate tube through which medical waste is flowed; and

a base that is a bottom-located structural member of said head, the base having a cross sectional area;

a stem that extends below said base, said stem having a cross sectional area less than the cross sectional area of said base so that the stem can be inserted in a conduit of a medical waste receiver; and

a through bore, wherein said head base is formed with an opening between the head void space and the stem through bore, the base opening having a cross sectional area that is less than the cross sectional area of the head void space;

a filter member disposed in the head void space that extends upwardly against an interior surface of the side wall assembly to define within the head void space a hollow space, wherein said inlet ports each open directly into the hollow space;

a filter element disposed in the head void space that is above and spaced away from the base opening, that extends to and abuts the at least one interior surface of said head and that has a surface area, the surface area of said filter element being greater than the cross sectional area of the base opening; and

a plurality of caps, each said cap shaped to selectively cover a separate one of the inlet ports, wherein each said cap is connected to said head by a tether.

2. The manifold of claim 1, wherein said filter element is a planar structure.

3. The manifold of claim 1, wherein said head base is shaped to slope downwardly to the base opening.

4. The manifold of claim 1, wherein a check valve is disposed in each said inlet port.

5. The manifold of claim 1, wherein each said inlet port is in the form of an elongated, open ended finger that extends away from said head.

6. The manifold of claim 1, wherein:

said head has a longitudinal center axis; and

said stem is centered along the longitudinal center axis of said head.

7. A manifold for use with a medical waste receiver, said manifold comprising:

a head having a top and a base opposite said top, said base having a cross sectional area;

a side wall assembly extending between said base and said top, said base, said top and said side wall assembly having interior surfaces that collectively define a head void space having a cross sectional area, wherein said base is shaped to define an opening, the base opening having a cross sectional area, the cross sectional area of the base opening being less than the cross sectional area of the head void space;

a plurality of adjacent inlet ports that extend to said head, each said inlet port shaped to receive a tube through which medical waste is flowed, said inlet ports providing fluid communication from the tubes to said head;

a plurality of caps, said caps shaped to fit over and closing said inlet ports, each said cap being connected to said head by a tether;

a filter element disposed in the head void space that abuts at least one of the head interior surfaces and that is located above and over the base opening, said filter element having a surface area, the surface area of the filter element being greater than the surface area of the base opening;

a filter member disposed around the interior surface of the side wall assembly of said head to create a hollow space within the head void space, wherein each said inlet port opens directly into the hollow space; and

a stem that extends downwards from said head base, said stem shaped to fit in a conduit of a medical waste receiver and having a cross sectional area less than the cross sectional area of the head base and bore that extends from said base opening through said stem.

8. The manifold of claim 7, wherein said filter element is a planar structure.

9. The manifold of claim 7, wherein said filter element extends to an interior surface of said head defined by said side wall assembly.

10. The manifold of claim 7, wherein said side wall assembly includes a plurality of wall panels.

11. The manifold of claim 7, wherein said head base is shaped to slope downwardly to the base opening.

12. The manifold of claim 7, wherein a check valve is disposed in each said inlet port.

13. The manifold of claim 7, wherein said inlet ports are elongated, open ended tubular fingers that extend from said head away from the hollow space, and each said finger is formed with an inlet bore into the hollow space.

14. The manifold of claim 7, wherein:

said head has a longitudinal center axis; and

said stem is centered along the longitudinal center axis of said head.