Waste sensor for a disposable container

• US 7,303,080 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2004
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Vesta Medical LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Davidner, Alan A., Danta, Randall C., Corey, Alan D., Regla, Peter, Mallett, Scott R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss; John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brooks; Matthew L.
• Application Number:
  US10/946,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20050119916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 209583-930, 600/604, 607/2, 206366-370, 705/1, 220/346, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 209/702
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/0059 parallel to the lid plane
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/006 perpendicular to the lid plane, e.g. by a downward movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/185 Drawers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0805 automatically, e.g. by means of magnetic, optical or photoelectric detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/10 Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/13 Trolleys, e.g. carts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/15 Mayo stands; Tables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/18 Cupboards; Drawers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/36 for collecting or disposing of used articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/06 Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• 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 7/005 Computer assisted manual sorting, e.g. for mail
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/28 Frames, Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/30 Administration of product recycling or disposal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• 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: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• 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 disposable 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.

Claims

1. A system for determining the level of contents within a waste container, the system comprising;

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

a plurality of removable containers, wherein each of said removable containers comprises an opening;

a movable lid coupled with each of said removable containers;

wherein the removable containers are configured to be placed within the container compartments,

wherein each of the removable containers is associated with at least one of a plurality of medical waste categories,

wherein the movable lid is movable to an open position; and

wherein the movable lid is movable to a closed position;

a waste item identification device configured to read a barcode on an item of medical waste;

a control system configured to compare information obtained from the barcode to medical waste item classification information in a database;

wherein the control system is further configured to assign the item to at least one medical waste category; and

wherein the control system is further configured to identify one of the removable containers based on the medical waste category;

wherein the control system allows the movable lid coupled to the identified removable container to move to the open position; and

wherein the control system is further configured to lock the movable lid in a closed position when the control system determines that the removable container has reached a pre-determined fill level;

at least one optical source;

at least one optical detector; and

a processor configured to determine a level of contents of the at least one container by analysis of data received from the at least one optical detector.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical detector comprises an array of Cadmium Sulfide detectors.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the array of detectors comprises upper, middle and lower rows.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the middle row is positioned just below a desired fill line of the at least one container, and wherein the upper row is positioned just above the fill line.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical detector comprises a pinhole camera.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a color of the at least one container.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an alert device configured to indicate to a user a fill level of the at least one container.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one container comprises one or more translucent walls.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user alert device coupled to the processor, the user alert device being configured to alert a user when the level of contents in the container exceeds a threshold level.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical detector is configured to receive an output generated by the optical source.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical source comprises a light source, and wherein the optical detector detects a light from the light source.

12. A method of determining the level of contents within a container, the method comprising:

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

providing a plurality of removable containers, wherein each of said removable containers comprises an opening;

providing a movable lid coupled with each of said removable containers;

wherein the removable containers are configured to be placed within the container compartments,

wherein each of the removable containers is associated with at least one of a plurality of medical waste categories,

providing a waste item identification device configured to receive a waste item identifier from a waste item;

providing a decision system to classify waste items into waste categories using the waste item identifier and information contained in a waste classification database;

allowing the movable lid on at least one of the removable containers to move to the open position if the removable container is associated with the waste category;

providing an optical source;

providing an optical detector;

determining when at least one of the containers has reached a pre-set fill level based at least in part on information received from the optical detectors; and

locking the movable lid of the removable container when the removable container has reached said pre-set fill level.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said determining when at least one of the containers has reached a pre-set fill level contents comprises analyzing data received from the optical detectors according to a fuzzy logic routine.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the fuzzy logic routine is continually updated according to information received from the detectors.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising alerting a user when said pre-set fill level has been reached.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the optical detector detects an output from the optical source.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the optical detector detects a light from the optical source.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the optical source comprises a light source.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the optical detector comprises an array of photo detectors.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the photo detectors are cadmium sulfide detectors.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the optical detector comprises a pinhole camera.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the removable containers is disposable.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the removable containers is reusable.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein the waste item identification device comprises a scanner.

25. The method of claim 12, wherein the waste item identification device is configured to read a barcode on the waste item.

26. The method of claim 12, wherein providing a waste item identification device is configured to read a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag on the waste item.

27. The method of claim 12, wherein the waste item identifier comprises a barcode.

28. The method of claim 12, wherein the waste item identifier comprises a label readable by a scanner.

29. The method of claim 12, wherein the waste item identifier comprises a national drug code (NDC).

30. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of providing a waste item identification device configured to receive a waste item identifier from a waste item comprises providing a barcode scanner configured to receive a barcode located on the waste item.