Claims
- 1. In a fluent material handling system for handling dissimilar fluent materials of dissimilar origin and intended for dissimilar delivery destinations, said system including a supply chain for barrier enclosures therefor, a method of increasing supply chain efficiency comprising the steps of;
constructing a prime manifold barrier enclosure with port structures for ingress and egress of dissimilar fluent materials, fitting said port structures with passage conduit structures coaptated for connecting said enclosure with fluent material sources and delivery destinations, displacing and replacing said dissimilar fluent materials from and to said enclosure and said sources and said enclosure and said delivery destinations, whereby supply chain efficiency is increased by reducing supply costs and quantities of said enclosures.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said barrier enclosure has a variable cubic capacity.
- 3. The method of claim 2 including the further step of collecting one or more waste fluent materials in said enclosure for disposal thereof.
- 4. The method of claim 3 including the further step of applying printed and graphic symbols, instructions and other indicia on the surface of said enclosure teaching conservation, recycling, supply chain efficiency and environmental awareness.
- 5. The method of claim 2 wherein said displacing and replacing step is controlled by application of differential pressure between said barrier enclosure and said sources and said delivery destinations.
- 6. The method of claim 2 wherein said displacing and replacing step is effected by the force of gravity.
- 7. The method of claim 2 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from rigid material.
- 8. The method of claim 2 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from semi-rigid material.
- 9. The method of claim 2 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from flexible material.
- 10. The method of claim 3 wherein said fluent material handling system is applied to fluent materials in human health care procedures.
- 11. The method of claim 10 wherein said fluent material handling system is applied to a continuum of care procedures for a health care patient.
- 12. In a fluent material handling system for handling dissimilar fluent materials of dissimilar origin and intended for dissimilar delivery destinations, said system including a supply and disposal chain for said fluent materials and barrier enclosures therefor, a method of increasing supply and disposal chain efficiency comprising the steps of,
constructing a prime manifold barrier enclosure with a plurality of ports for ingress and egress of dissimilar fluent materials, fitting said ports with passage conduits coaptated for connecting said enclosure with dissimilar sources and delivery destinations for dissimilar fluent materials, displacing and replacing said dissimilar fluent materials from and to said enclosure and said dissimilar sources and delivery destinations, collecting one or more waste fluent materials in said enclosure, and conditioning said enclosure and said waste fluent material for disposal, whereby supply and disposal chain efficiency is increased by reducing supply costs and quantities of said enclosures, quantities and cost of disposal of said enclosures and waste fluent materials, and environmental impact therefrom.
- 13. The method of claim 12 wherein said barrier enclosure has a variable cubic capacity.
- 14. The method of claim 13 wherein said displacing and replacing step is controlled by application of differential pressure between said barrier enclosure and said sources and said delivery destinations.
- 15. The method of claim 13 wherein said displacing and replacing step is effected by the force of gravity.
- 16. The method of claim 13 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from rigid material.
- 17. The method of claim 13 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from semi-rigid material.
- 18. The method of claim 13 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from flexible material.
- 19. The method of claim 12 said fluent material handling system is applied to fluent materials in human health care procedures.
- 20. The method of claim 19 wherein said fluent material handling system is applied to a continuum of care procedures for a health care patient.
- 21. A method of handling dissimilar fluent materials of dissimilar origin comprising the steps of,
constructing a prime manifold barrier enclosure with port structures for ingress and egress of dissimilar fluent materials, fitting said port structures with passage conduit structures coaptated for connecting said enclosure with fluent material sources, displacing and replacing said dissimilar fluent materials from and to said enclosure and said sources, whereby supply chain efficiency for said enclosures is increased by reducing supply costs and quantities.
- 22. The method of claim 21 wherein said barrier enclosure has a variable cubic capacity.
- 23. The method of claim 22 including the further step of collecting one or more waste fluent materials in said enclosure for disposal thereof.
- 24. The method of claim 23 including the further step of applying printed and graphic symbols, instructions and other indicia on the surface of said enclosure teaching conservation, recycling, supply chain efficiency and environmental awareness.
- 25. The method of claim 23 wherein said displacing and replacing step is controlled by application of differential pressure between said barrier enclosure and said sources and said delivery destinations.
- 26. The method of claim 22 wherein said displacing and replacing step is controlled by application of differential pressure between said barrier enclosure and said sources and said delivery destinations.
- 27. The method of claim 23 wherein said displacing and replacing step is effected by the force of gravity.
- 28. The method of claim 23 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from rigid material.
- 29. The method of claim 23 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from semi-rigid material.
- 30. The method of claim 23 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from flexible material.
- 31. The method of claim 23 wherein said fluent material handling system is applied to fluent materials in human health care procedures.
- 32. The method of claim 31 wherein said fluent material handling system is applied to a continuum of care procedures for a health care patient.
- 33. A method of handling dissimilar fluent materials of dissimilar origin and intended for dissimilar destinations comprising the steps of,
constructing a prime manifold barrier enclosure with a plurality of ports for ingress and egress of dissimilar fluent materials, fitting said ports with passage conduits coaptated for connecting said manifold barrier enclosure with dissimilar sources and delivery destinations for dissimilar fluent materials, displacing and replacing said dissimilar fluent materials from and to said enclosure and said dissimilar sources and delivery destinations, collecting one or more waste fluent materials in said enclosure, and conditioning said enclosure and said waste fluent disposal, whereby supply and disposal chain efficiency is increased by reducing supply costs and quantities of said enclosures, quantities and cost of disposal of said enclosures and waste fluent material, and environmental impact therefrom.
- 34. The method of claim 33 wherein said barrier enclosure has a variable cubic capacity.
- 35. The method of claim 34 wherein said displacing and replacing step is controlled by application of differential pressure between said barrier enclosure and said sources and said delivery destinations.
- 36. The method of claim 33 wherein said displacing and replacing step is effected by the force of gravity.
- 37. The method of claim 33 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from rigid material.
- 38. The method of claim 33 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from semi-rigid material.
- 39. The method of claim 33 wherein said burrier enclosure is constructed from flexible material.
- 40. The method of claim 33 wherein said fluent material handling system is applied to fluent materials in human health care procedures.
- 41. The method of claim 40 wherein said fluent material handling system is applied to a continuum of care procedures for a health care patient.
- 42. A fluent material handling system for dissimilar fluent material of dissimilar origin and intended for dissimilar delivery destinations, comprising;
a prime manifold barrier enclosure with port structure for ingress and egress of said dissimilar fluent materials, passage conduit structures operatively associated with said barrier enclosure and coaptated for selectively connecting said barrier enclosure with sources of said dissimilar fluent materials and said delivery destinations, and means for selectively creating material movement between said sources of fluent material and said barrier enclosure and said barrier enclosure and said delivery destinations.
- 43. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein said fluent material handling system is applied to fluent materials in human health care procedures.
- 44. The apparatus of claim 43 Wherein said fluent material handling system is applied to a continuum of care procedures for a health care patient.
- 45. In a supply and disposal chain for dissimilar fluent materials and barrier enclosures therefore said fluent materials having dissimilar origins and being intended for dissimilar destinations, a fluent material handling system comprising;
a prime manifold barrier enclosure with a plurality of port structures for ingress and egress of dissimilar fluent materials, passage conduit structures operatively associated with said barrier enclosure and coaptated for selectively connecting said barrier enclosure with sources of said dissimilar fluent materials and said delivery destinations, and means for selectively creating material movement between said sources of fluent materials and said barrier enclosure and said barrier enclosure and said delivery destinations to selectively displace and replace dissimilar fluent materials therebetween, whereby a reduced number of barrier enclosures is required to perform a plurality of separate procedures involving dissimilar fluent materials having dissimilar origins to thereby increase supply and disposal chain efficiency of said dissimilar fluent materials and said barrier enclosure.
- 46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein said barrier enclosure has a variable cubic capacity.
- 47. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein said displacing and replacing step is controlled by application of differential pressure between said barrier enclosure and said sources and said delivery destinations.
- 48. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein said displacing and replacing step is effected by the force of gravity.
- 49. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from rigid material.
- 50. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from semi-rigid material.
- 51. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein said barrier enclosure is constructed from flexible material.
- 52. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein said fluent material handling system is applied to fluent materials in human health care procedures.
- 53. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein said fluent material handling system is applied to a continuum of care procedures for a health care patient.
- 54. The apparatus of claim 46 including the further step of applying printed and graphic symbols, instructions and other indicia on the surface of said enclosure teaching conservation, recycling, supply chain efficiency and environmental awareness.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is based on PCT International Application No. PCT/US01/40668 filed on May 2, 2001 which claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/201,451 filed on May 3, 2000.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/US01/40668 |
5/2/2001 |
WO |
|