Automated waste sorting system

• US 8,560,460 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2009
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Mallett, Scott R., Danta, Randall C., Benson, James R., Corey, Alan D., Davidner, Alan A., Regla, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): KELLEY, HEIDI RIVIERE
• Application Number:
  US12/502,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20090272677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,555 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/308
• US Class Current: 705/308
• 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 sorting system for sorting a plurality of medical waste items, 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 the removable containers comprises an opening;

a plurality of movable lids, wherein each of the movable lids is configured to cover a corresponding one of the 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 each of the movable lids is movable to an open position via rotation on an axis to expose a receiving cavity having a generally v-shaped cross section for acceptance of a medical waste item, wherein the movable lid blocks access to contents of the corresponding removable container while moving to and while in the open position; and

wherein each of the movable lids is movable to a closed position via rotation on the axis to partially invert the receiving cavity having a generally v-shaped cross section above the corresponding removable container, wherein the movable lid blocks access to the contents of the corresponding removable container while moving to and while in the closed position;

an input device configured to receive a first information on the medical waste item, wherein the first information comprises a waste item identifier, the input device configured to query a user for a second information as to whether the medical waste item is empty or not empty;

a control system configured to classify the medical waste item based on the first and second information;

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

wherein the control system is configured to identify one of the removable containers based on the medical waste category and allow the movable lid of the identified removable container to move to the open position to receive the medical waste item.

2. The sorting system of claim 1, further comprising a key reader configured to read a machine-readable identification key located on each of the removable containers, wherein the machine-readable identification key defines the type of waste the removable container is adapted to receive.

3. The sorting system of claim 1, wherein the medical waste item comprises a controlled substance.

4. The sorting system of claim 1, wherein the input device is further configured to query the user as to whether the waste item is sharp.

5. The sorting system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a scanner to receive the first information and a touch screen to receive the second information.

6. The sorting system of claim 5, wherein the scanner is a wireless or a wired handheld device.

7. The sorting system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a scanner to receive the first information and a keyboard to receive the second information.

8. The sorting system of claim 7, wherein the scanner is a wireless or a wired handheld device.

9. The sorting system of claim 1, wherein the input device is further configured to query the user regarding a volume of remaining contents in the medical waste item.

10. The sorting system of claim 1, wherein the first information is contained in a barcode.

11. The sorting system of claim 1, wherein the control system classifies the medical waste item based on environmental or drug enforcement regulations for medical waste.

12. The sorting system of claim 1, wherein the lid is configured to lock in a closed position after the user manually closes the moveable lid.

13. The sorting system of claim 1, wherein each of the removable containers is sized to have an internal volume of about 1 gallon to about 20 gallons.

14. The sorting system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to generate a manifest that identifies the medical waste items disposed in at least one of the removable containers.

15. The sorting system of claim 1, wherein said removable containers are color-coded to correspond to different waste categories.

16. The sorting system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the medical waste items comprises a drug vial having an institution-specific label generated by a hospital or pharmacy.

17. The sorting system of claim 16, wherein the institution-specific label comprises at least one of the first or second information.

18. The sorting system of claim 16, wherein the institution-specific label comprises colors, numerals, letters or combination thereof.

19. The sorting system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the system is provided on a wheeled cart.

20. A sorting system for sorting a plurality of medical waste items, the sorting system comprising:

a control system;

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

a plurality of removable containers, wherein each of the removable containers comprises an opening and a machine-readable identification key associated with at least one of a plurality of waste categories such that the machine-readable identification key indicates the removable container'"'"'s type to the control system, wherein the container type defines a category of waste to be placed in the removable container;

a plurality of movable lids, wherein each of the movable lids is adapted to cover a corresponding one of the removable containers,

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

wherein each of the movable lids is movable to an open position via rotation on an axis to expose a receiving cavity having a generally v-shaped cross section for acceptance of a medical waste item, wherein the movable lid blocks access to contents of the corresponding removable container while moving to and while in the open position;

wherein each of the movable lids is movable to a closed position via rotation on the axis to partially invert the receiving cavity having a generally v-shaped cross section above the corresponding removable container, wherein the movable lid blocks access to the contents of the corresponding removable container while moving to and while in the closed position,

a scanner for receiving barcode information from the medical waste item; and

at least one key reader within the sorting system that reads the machine readable identification keys associated with the removable containers to determine the container types of each of the removable containers;

wherein the control system is configured to electronically assign a scanned medical waste item to at least one waste category based at least in part on the information obtained from the scanner and a database comprising waste item classification information;

wherein the control system is configured to determine an appropriate removable container, of the plurality of removable containers, based at least in part on the waste category to which the scanned medical waste item is assigned and the container types;

wherein the control system is configured to identify the appropriate removable container to a user by automatically moving the moveable lid associated with the appropriate removable container to the open position to permit disposal of the medical waste item; and

wherein the movable lid associated with the appropriate container is configured to lock in the closed position after the moveable lid is manually closed.