초록 ▼

A waste collection and disposal system for use in health care facilities is provided. The system includes a mobile waste collection unit for moving between use areas in the health care facility to collect waste material generated during medical procedures including body fluids, body tissues, saline,

A waste collection and disposal system for use in health care facilities is provided. The system includes a mobile waste collection unit for moving between use areas in the health care facility to collect waste material generated during medical procedures including body fluids, body tissues, saline, etc. The waste collection unit includes stacked upper and lower waste containers for receiving the waste material. During use, the upper waste container can be emptied into the lower waste container for temporary storage. In addition, different vacuum levels can be provided in the waste containers during complex procedures. Once a user desires to empty the waste collection unit, the waste collection unit is wheeled to a docking station. At the docking station, the waste material is off-loaded to a waste drain and the waste collection unit is cleaned and rinsed for further use.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A waste collection unit for collecting waste material through suction lines during a medical procedure, said unit comprising: a first waste container having a maximum storage volume and a port for receiving a first suction line through which medical/surgical waste is drawn in

What is claimed is: 1. A waste collection unit for collecting waste material through suction lines during a medical procedure, said unit comprising: a first waste container having a maximum storage volume and a port for receiving a first suction line through which medical/surgical waste is drawn into said first waste container; a first pressure sensing assembly positioned to monitor pressure in said first waste container and configured to generate a first pressure signal representative of the pressure in said first waste container; a second waste container having a maximum storage volume larger than said maximum storage volume of said first waste container and having a port for receiving a second suction line through which medical/surgical waste is drawn into said second waste container; a second pressure sensing assembly positioned to monitor pressure in said second waste container and configured to generate a second pressure signal representative of the pressure in said second waste container; a single vacuum source; a vacuum control assembly connected at one end to said vacuum source and at a second end to said waste containers and connected to receive the pressure signals, said vacuum control assembly configured to, when said vacuum source is actuated, selectively and independently connect said vacuum source to both said first waste container and said second waste container so that simultaneously separate vacuums are drawn in each of said waste containers, the vacuums being at different levels based on the received pressure signals so that, simultaneously material can be drawn through the first suction line at a first vacuum level and material can be drawn through the second suction line at a second vacuum level different from the first vacuum level; and a transfer valve disposed between said waste containers and operable between open and closed positions for allowing the transfer of waste material from said first waste container to said second waste container. 2. The waste collection unit of claim 1, wherein: said first waste container, said second waste container, said vacuum control assembly and said transfer valve are all mounted to a cart having wheels; and said vacuum source is a single vacuum pump also mounted to said cart. 3. The waste collection unit of claim 1, wherein: said first waste container is located above said second waste container; and said transfer valve is located between said waste containers so that, upon opening of said transfer valve, gravity can assist in causing material in said first waste container to flow into said second waste container. 4. The waste collection unit of claim 1, wherein: said first waste container, said second waste container, said vacuum control assembly and said transfer valve are all mounted to a cart having wheels; said first waste container is located above said second waste container; said transfer valve is located between said waste containers so that, upon opening of said transfer valve, gravity can assist in causing material in said first waste container to flow into said second waste container; said cart includes a coupling connected to and located below said second waste container through which waste material from said second waste container can be discharged, said coupling including a coupling valve for regulating flow out of said coupling. 5. The waste collection unit of claim 1, wherein said vacuum control assembly includes: a first vacuum-setting valve that selectively connects said first waste container to said vacuum source; and a second vacuum-setting valve that selectively connects said second waste container to said vacuum source, wherein said vacuum-setting valves operate independently of each other. 6. The waste collection unit of claim 1, wherein said vacuum control assembly includes: a first vacuum-setting valve that selectively connects said first waste container to said vacuum source, to atmosphere or to neither said vacuum source or to atmosphere; and a second vacuum-setting valve that selectively connects said second waste container to said vacuum source, to atmosphere or to neither said vacuum source or to atmosphere, wherein said vacuum-setting valves operate independently of each other. 7. The waste collection unit of claim 1, further including a level monitoring assembly include: a sensing element in each of said waste containers configured to monitor the volume of material in said waste containers and produce a signal as a function of the monitored volume; a display; and a signal processing circuit configured to receive the signals produced by said sensing elements and, based on the signals, output on said display indications of the volume of material in each of said waste containers. 8. The waste collection unit of claim 1, further including: a first manifold removably attached to said first waste container wherein said first manifold includes said port for receiving the first suction line; and a second manifold removably attached to said second waste container wherein said second manifold includes said port for receiving the second suction line. 9. The waste collection unit of claim 1, further including: a user interface that allows user setting of separate vacuum levels for said first waste container and said second waste container, said user interface configured to generate vacuum level signals representative of the user-set vacuum levels; and wherein, said vacuum control assembly is connected to said user interface to receive the vacuum level signals and is further configured to selectively and independently connect said vacuum source to said waste containers based on the received vacuum level signals. 10. A waste collection unit for use in a medical/surgical procedure, said unit including: a first waste container having a port for receiving a first suction line through which medical/surgical waste is drawn into said first waste container; a first pressure sensor in fluid communication with said first waste container and configured to monitor the pressure in said first waste container and to generate a first pressure signal representative of the monitored pressure; a second waste container having a port for receiving a second suction line through which medical/surgical waste is drawn into said second waste container; a second pressure sensor in fluid communication with said second waste container and configured to monitor the pressure in said second waste container and to generate a second pressure signal representative of the monitored pressure; a transfer valve disposed between said waste containers for selectively allowing flow between said waste containers; a single vacuum source; and a vacuum regulating assembly including: a first vacuum valve connected between said vacuum source and said first waste container configured to selectively connect said first waste container to said vacuum source; a second vacuum valve connected between said vacuum source and said second waste container configured to selectively connect said second waste container to said vacuum source; and a control assembly that receives the first pressure signal and the second pressure signal and that is connected to said vacuum valves for regulating said vacuum valves, said control assembly configured to, based on the received pressure signals, control said vacuum valves so that said vacuum valves independently connect said waste containers to said vacuum source so that vacuums at different levels are simultaneously developed in each of said waste containers so that material can be drawn through the first suction line at a first vacuum level and, simultaneously therewith, material can be drawn through the second suction line at a second vacuum level. 11. The waste collection unit of claim 10, wherein: said first vacuum valve selectively connects said first waste container to said vacuum source, to atmosphere or to neither said vacuum source or to atmosphere; and said second vacuum valve selectively connects said second waste container to said vacuum source, to atmosphere or to neither said vacuum source or to atmosphere. 12. The waste collection unit of claim 10, wherein: said first waste container, said second waste container, said transfer valve and said vacuum regulating assembly are all mounted to a cart having wheels; and said vacuum source is a single vacuum pump also mounted to said cart. 13. The waste collection unit of claim 10, wherein: said first waste container is located above said second waste container; and said transfer valve is located between said waste containers so that, upon opening of said transfer valve, gravity can assist in causing material in said first waste container to flow into said second waste container. 14. The waste collection unit of claim 10, wherein: said first waste container, said second waste container, said transfer valve and said vacuum regulating assembly are mounted to a cart having wheels; said first waste container is located above said second waste container; said transfer valve is located between said waste containers so that, upon opening of said transfer valve, gravity can assist in causing material in said first waste container to flow into said second waste container; said cart includes a coupling connected to and located below said second waste container through which waste material from said second waste container can be discharged, said coupling including a coupling valve for regulating flow out of said coupling; and said vacuum source is a single vacuum pump mounted to said cart. 15. The waste collection unit of claim 10, wherein: said first waste container includes a first manifold, said first manifold including said port for receiving the first suction line; and said second waste container includes a second manifold, said second manifold including said port for receiving the second suction line. 16. The waste collection unit of claim 10, further including: user-set control members that allow user setting of separate vacuum levels for said first waste container and said second waste container, said control members configured to generate vacuum level signals representative of the user-set vacuum levels; and wherein, said control assembly is connected to said control members to receive the vacuum level signals and is further configured to independently control said vacuum valves based on the received vacuum level signals. 17. A waste collection unit for collecting medical waste, said unit including: a cart having wheels; a single vacuum pump mounted to said cart; a first waste container having a port for receiving a first suction line through which medical/surgical waste is drawn into said first waste container; a first pressure sensor in fluid communication with said first waste container and configured to monitor the pressure in said first waste container and to generate a first pressure signal representative of the monitored pressure; a second waste container having a port for receiving a second suction line through which medical/surgical waste is drawn into said second waste container, said second waste container being located below said first waste container; a second pressure sensor in fluid communication with said second waste container and configured to monitor the pressure in said second waste container and to generate a second pressure signal representative of the monitored pressure; a vacuum control assembly connected at one end to said vacuum pump and at a second end to said waste containers and connected to receive the pressure signals, said vacuum controller configured to, when said vacuum pump is actuated, independently connect said vacuum pump to both said first waste container and said second waste container so that simultaneously separate vacuums are drawn on each of said waste containers, the vacuums being at different levels based on the received pressure signals so that, simultaneously material can be drawn through the first suction line at a first vacuum level and material can be drawn through the second suction line at a second vacuum level different from the first vacuum level; a transfer valve disposed between said waste containers for selectively allowing gravity flow from said first waste container to said second waste container; a discharge outlet connected to said second waste container that is located below said second waste container through which material from said second waste container can be discharged, said discharge outlet including a valve for regulating flow through said outlet. 18. The waste collection unit of claim 17, wherein: said cart has a bottom section located above said wheels and inward of any side walls; and said discharge outlet is mounted to said cart to extend from the bottom section of said cart so as to be accessible from below said cart. 19. The waste collection unit of claim 17, wherein: said first waste container includes a first manifold receiver and a first manifold that is removably seated in said first manifold receiver, said first manifold including said port for receiving the first suction line; and said second waste container includes a second manifold receiver and a second manifold that is removably seated in said second manifold receiver, said second manifold including said port for receiving the second suction line. 20. The waste collection unit of claim 17, further including: user-set control members that allow user setting of separate vacuum levels for said first waste container and said second waste container, said control members configured to generate vacuum level signals representative of the user-set vacuum levels; and wherein, said vacuum control assembly is connected to said user interface to receive the vacuum level signals and is further configured to independently connect said waste containers to said vacuum pump based on the received vacuum level signals.