Patent Application
20060131318
The present invention relates to biohazard waste collection containers and more particularly, to a cover for a biohazard waste collection box.
Hospitals, clinics, medical offices, and other medical facilities generate medical waste and should properly dispose of that waste. Usually, medical waste including sharps (e.g., syringes, hypodermic needles, and scalpel blades) and solid or semi-solid waste (e.g., used gloves, bandages, and IV tubing) must be stored temporarily on-site while awaiting proper disposal. Medical waste is typically stored in large biohazard collection boxes (e.g., 40 lbs.) lined with plastic biohazard collection bags. The plastic biohazard collection bags are generally sealed after they are filled.
Until a biohazard collection bag is filled, however, it remains unsealed in the collection box. The biohazard collection bag itself may remain open or may be loosely folded in an attempt to form some semblance of closure. In many cases, the medical waste in the open or loosely closed biohazard collection bags can develop odors that may permeate the temporary storage site and may be offensive to personnel required to work in the general area. Also, these containers should be covered pursuant to an OSHA requirement governing blood borne pathogens. Further, an open biohazard collection container may allow particulates into the surrounding environment.
Accordingly, what is needed is a cover for temporarily covering biohazard waste collection containers while in use.
These and other features and advantages will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:
Referring to
One embodiment of the biohazard container cover 100 may include a panel 110 having a top surface 112 and a bottom surface 114. The cover 100 may include bumpers 120 extending from the bottom surface 114 of the panel 110. The bumpers 120 are located to restrict lateral movement of the biohazard container cover 100 when positioned on the biohazard waste collection container 102. The biohazard container cover 100 may also include a handle 130 extending from the top surface 112 of the panel 110 to allow the cover 100 to be removed from the biohazard waste collection container 102.
One embodiment of the panel 110 maybe rectangular or square shaped and may include side edges 116a, 116b and front and back edges 118a, 118b. In one example, the panel 110 may have a length and width of at least about 20 inches and more particularly of about 21 inches. The panel 110 may be made from a transparent material allowing users to determine if the biohazard container 102 can accept more waste or if it is full and needs to be sealed. The panel 110 may be made from an acrylic or a synthetic resin material including, but not limited to, polycarbonate or PMMA materials known under the names LEXAN or PLEXIGLASS. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the panel 110 may be fabricated from other materials or with other shapes and dimensions appropriate for collection containers of various sizes.
According to one embodiment of the biohazard container cover 100, the bumpers 120 may include pegs 122a-122d extending from the bottom surface 114 of the panel 110. The pegs 122a-122d may be spaced from the edges 116a, 116b, 118a, 118b such that, when the cover 100 is positioned on the container 102, some of the pegs 122a, 122b are positioned outside of the container 102 and some of the pegs 122c, 122d are positioned inside of the container 102 (see
According to one embodiment, the pegs 122a-122d may be made of an acrylic material and are solvent bonded to the bottom surface 114 of the panel 110. Bumpers 120 may also be constructed from other materials including, but not limited to, rubber, plastic, and/or synthetic resin material. Bumpers 120 may also be coupled to the bottom surface 114 of the panel 110 using other adhesive materials or using thermal or ultrasonic bonding techniques. Alternatively, bumpers 120 may be coupled to the bottom surface 114 of the panel 110 using fasteners, for example, but not limited to screws, bolts, and/or rivets. In another exemplary embodiment, bumpers 120 may be integrally formed as part of the panel 110, for example, as one piece.
A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the bumpers may have various other sizes, shapes and locations. For example, the bumpers may be elongated, extending along at least a portion of an edge. Elongated bumpers may be about the same length as the adjacent edge or shorter than the length of the adjacent edge. Elongated bumpers may be separated or connected to another bumper along another edge (e.g., bumpers may form a square shape corresponding to the sides of a collection box). Bumpers may be located on the panel 110 such that the bumpers are positioned outside and/or inside of the biohazard container 102 when the cover 100 is positioned on the biohazard container 102. Bumpers may also be located on the panel 110 such that the bumpers are spaced from the sides of the biohazard container 102 or in contact with one or more sides of the biohazard container 102.
The handle 130 may include a bar 132 coupled to the top surface 112 of the panel 110. According to one embodiment, the bar 132 may be made of an aluminum, steel, or other rigid material and may be coupled the panel 110 using one or more legs 134a, 134b. The legs 134a, 134b may be threaded into the bar 132, and threaded fasteners 136a, 136b may pass through the panel 110 and into the legs 134a, 134b. The legs 134a, 134b may provide spacing sufficient for a user to grab the bar 132 and lift the cover 100.
Alternatively, the handle 130 may include a knob or other structure that may be gripped to allow the cover 100 to be manipulated. The handle 130 may also be formed from other rigid materials including, but not limited to, a stiff wire, rubber, plastic, and/or synthetic resin material or from a compliant material including, but not limited to, plastic, rubber, or vinyl tubing such as the type sold under the name TYGON, and/or soft plastic strapping. The handle 130 may also be coupled to the panel 110 using, for example, screws, bolts, and/or rivets. The handle 130 may also be coupled to the panel 110 using a hinge (not shown) constructed from, for example, but not limited to, plastic, metal, or synthetic resin material.
In use, the biohazard container cover 100 may be placed over the biohazard waste collection container 102 containing the open biohazard collection bag, thereby sealing the open biohazard collection bag and preventing odors and particulate matter from escaping the open bag. As shown in
The biohazard collection bag 104 may still be accessible to allow medical waste to be placed in the collection box by grasping the handle 130 and lifting the biohazard container cover 100 to open the biohazard container 102. In the exemplary embodiment, the handle 130 may be used to lift the front portion of the cover 100 while the pegs 122c, 122d contact a rear side of the container 102 such that the cover 100 pivots upwardly to provide access to the container 102. The biohazard container cover 100 may be closed after additional waste is added to the container 102. When the biohazard container 102 is full, the biohazard container cover 100 may be removed entirely to allow the bag 104 to be sealed for proper disposal. The biohazard container cover 100 may then be cleaned and reused on another container.
Referring to
One embodiment of the door 240 may have a bi-fold configuration including first and second door sections 242, 244. The first door section 242 may be coupled to the panel 210 using one or more hinges 246a, 246b coupled to a hinge support 247. The second door section 244 may be coupled to the first door section 242 using one or more hinges 248a, 248b. The panel 210, door sections 242, 244, hinges 246a, 246b, 248a, 248b, and hinge support 247 may be made of an acrylic material or other suitable material. A handle 250, such as a knob, may be coupled to the door 240 to allow a user to open the door 240 and gain access to the opening in the panel 210.
In use, the biohazard container cover 200 may be positioned on a biohazard waste collection container in the manner described above. Using this embodiment of the biohazard container cover 200, the door 240 may be opened to access the container and add waste materials to the container. The entire cover 200 may be removed when the container is ready for proper disposal.
In summary, a biohazard container cover, consistent with embodiments of the present invention, may be used to cover temporarily a biohazard waste collection container. Consistent with one embodiment, a biohazard container cover includes a panel having top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of bumpers located on the bottom surface. The bumpers may be positioned and spaced such that the bumpers prevent lateral movement of the cover while positioned on a biohazard container. The cover may also include a handle coupled to the panel.
Consistent with another embodiment, a method includes placing a biohazard collection bag inside a collection box and positioning a biohazard container cover over an opening of the collection box. The biohazard container cover sits on a top edge of the collection box and is prevented from lateral movement on the collection box but is capable of being removed from the collection box.
While the principles of the invention have been described herein, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation as to the scope of the invention. Other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the present invention in addition to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/637,822, filed on Dec. 21, 2004, which is fully incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60637822 | Dec 2004 | US |
