Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – With soil removing – coating – lubricating – sterilizing and/or... – Drip collection
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-10
2004-04-13
Huson, Gregory (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
With soil removing, coating, lubricating, sterilizing and/or...
Drip collection
C141S31100A, C141S098000, C141S110000, C206S366000, C604S110000, C604S192000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06719017
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to waste collection systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to waste collection systems for receiving contaminated fluids in a manner which reduces splashing or spilling.
2. State of the Art
The collection, containment, and disposal of contaminated fluids are becoming increasing concerns with respect to environmental protection and the protection of persons involved in handling such fluids. Perhaps nowhere is the concern greater than in the context of handling and disposing of contaminated physiological fluids. For example, physiological fluids must be handled, collected, contained, and then disposed of on a daily basis in catheter labs.
In many catheter lab procedures it is common to have a table set up in the back of the lab which is often referred to as the “back table.” This table is used for setting up many types of medical instruments, and their associated couplings, to intravenous tubing and the like. The back table is also commonly used for collection and disposal of contaminated physiological fluids, both during and after a particular procedure has been performed.
For example, during angiography and angioplasty procedures, a great deal of blood and other fluids that may have been administered intravenously are accumulated. Numerous procedures involve the injection of fluids or other substances into the body for evaluation by x-ray or other imaging. Fluids may be transferred to or from the body via needle-type syringes and into intravenous lines via blunt-tip syringes that must be drained before disposal. Doctors and medical personnel need a convenient and rapid system for collecting and disposing fluids, especially due to the growing risk to health care personnel who may come in contact with blood or other physiological fluids that may have become contaminated with the HIV (AIDS) virus, hepatitis, or other communicable diseases. Thus, the health care industry is constantly looking for ways to improve the working environment by minimizing the possibility of contacting contaminated fluids.
Traditionally, catheter labs used products such as vinyl film bags with tubing lines that require attachment of a manifold or syringe for the collection of blood and other fluids procedures. Other catheter labs simply use open basins to collect waste or let the contaminated fluid waste collect on an absorbent towel. Such procedures and methods for collecting and disposing contaminated fluids are inadequate. Use of the vinyl film bags is often overly complicated and time consuming and requires the interconnection of various components. Such products are also unduly complicated and costly. When open basins or absorbent towels are used, personnel are not adequately protected against splash, spillage, and the like. Another example of a product used in catheter labs is the receptacle described by U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,314 to Pittman. However, the Pittman receptacle uses fibrous absorptive material that often contacts and thus contaminates the syringe used to deliver fluids to the receptacle. Further, the Pittman receptacle does not sufficiently retain waste within the receptacle.
One product that overcomes the shortcomings in the prior art is the waste collection system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,999 to Lampropoulos et al., assigned to the assignee herein, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 1
illustrates one aspect of the Lampropoulos et al. waste collection system
100
′ including a receptacle
20
′ housing an absorbent layer
24
′, a first containment layer
22
′ and a second containment layer
34
′. The first containment layer
22
′ is shown having a plurality of channels
38
′ which slope downward toward a central opening
40
′. A valve member
42
′ rests over the central opening
40
′ such that any fluid in the channels
38
′ must pass through the valve member
42
′ to enter the receptacle
20
′. However, fluid may contain viscous material which may be trapped in the channels
38
′ against the valve member
42
′ and may prevent additional fluid from passing through the valve member
42
′ and into the receptacle
20
′. Further, the valve member
42
′ may create a lock wherein pressure below the valve member
42
′ is too high and fluid pools on top of the first containment layer
22
′, which creates safety problems for personnel. Further, the illustrated embodiment does not provide an easily accessible portion for collecting particulate waste or storing objects that may be associated with the collection and disposal of contaminated fluids. Additionally, the preferred embodiment is not large enough to accommodate fluid collected during many procedures.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a container for handling and disposing fluids that would more easily accommodate storage and both fluid and particulate waste. Additionally, it would be desirable to design a waste collection system for improved drainage for fluids having viscous matter. Further, it would be desirable to provide a waste collection system configured to minimize a syringe, or other fluid delivery vessel, from becoming contaminated during collection of fluids.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention provides a waste collection system including a receptacle housing having at least one chamber configured to accept waste. The receptacle may include at least a first chamber configured to accept fluid waste and at least a second chamber configured to accept particulate waste or to serve as a storage compartment. The waste collection system may further include at least one containment layer, lid or insert configured to retain waste within the at least one chamber. Alternatively, the at least one containment layer may be configured to retain waste within the multi-chambered receptacle.
At least one chamber may include at least one vent. The vent may be an S-shaped or L-shaped recess in a portion of an at least one containment layer or a recessed portion of a sidewall of the at least one chamber or a portion of the at least one containment layer. When an at least one containment layer is used with the receptacle, the vent allows fluids to drain more quickly into the receptacle by allowing gases to escape from a covered receptacle.
At least one containment layer may be configured to assist in the collection of fluid waste. In this embodiment, the at least one containment layer includes a plurality of surfaces sloping toward at least one opening therein. A plurality of channels may be formed between the plurality of sloping surfaces and may be configured to deliver waste into the at least one opening. The opening may be circular, funnel-shaped or frusto-conical. In one embodiment, the at least one containment layer further includes a hood partially covering the at least one opening. Further, in one embodiment, the at least one containment layer and receptacle are formed as a unitary member.
The waste collection system may further include a valve member positioned adjacent the at least one opening. The valve member may be configured to accept and retain waste below the at least one containment layer and may have characteristics of a valve, baffle, dam and the like. The valve member may be a funnel-shaped member or a circular disc and formed from foam, rubber or plastic. In one embodiment, the valve member includes a plurality of flaps extending from the at least one containment layer and surrounding a central aperture.
The valve member may rest on a ledge surrounding the at least one opening and between each channel such that a gap is formed between the valve member and the plurality of channels. This design may allow waste to enter the at least one opening through the gap rather than through the valve member.
The at least one containment layer may cover the entire multi-chambered receptacle as well as accept a second receptacle of a second waste col
Lampropoulos Fred P.
McArthur Greg
Nelson Arlin D.
deVore Peter
Huson Gregory
Merit Medical Systems Inc.
TraskBritt
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