Sharps container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10617485-B2
Application number	US-201916436920-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2019
Priority date	Oct 23, 2015
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

A container for disposal of medical waste is provided that comprises a receptacle with an open top. A lid is attached to the receptacle to cover the open top of the receptacle. The lid has an elongated opening sized to permit the introduction of medical waste into the receptacle. A closure flap is connected to the lid to selectively close the lid opening. The closure flap is movable between an open position, a closed position and a locked position. The closure flap is attached to the lid by axial hubs that extend from each side of the closure flap through openings in the side walls of the lid. Covers attached to the outside of the side wall of the lid and engaged with the closure flap axial hub. The container may also include a locking external cabinet that encloses the receptacle and can be mounted to a wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A container for disposal of medical waste comprising:
a receptacle having an open top, a bottom wall and a side wall;
a lid attached to the receptacle, the lid comprising:
a top wall,
a back wall,
a front wall having an elongated opening sized to permit the introduction of medical waste into the receptacle, and
a first side wall having a first side wall opening extending through the first side wall;

a closure flap movable between an open position and a closed position, the closure flap comprising a first axial hub extending from a first side of the closure flap through the lid first side wall opening, wherein the axial hub comprises an annular opening; and
a non-rotating cover attached to the outside of the first side wall of the lid, the cover comprising an annular bushing that engages with the annular opening of the closure flap axial hub;
wherein the closure flap rotates relative to the non-rotating cover.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the closure flap comprises a barrier restricting access by a user to an interior of the receptacle.

3. The container of claim 2 wherein the closure flap is sized such that when the closure flap is in the open position a lower portion of the closure flap sweeps immediately adjacent to an interior portion of the lid back wall and restricts access by a user to an interior of the receptacle and lid assembly.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein the closure flap comprises a second axial hub extending from a second side of the closure flap opposite the first axial hub.

5. The container of claim 4 wherein the lid further comprises a second side wall having a second side wall opening extending through the second side wall.

6. The container of claim 5 wherein the second axial hub extends through the lid second side wall opening.

7. The container of claim 4 wherein the closure flap further comprises a rib.

8. The container of claim 7 wherein the rib provides structural rigidity to the closure flap.

9. The container of claim 7 wherein the rib extends across the flap between the first and second axial hubs.

10. The container of claim 1 further comprising a cabinet at least partially enclosing the receptacle.

11. The container of claim 10 wherein the cabinet comprises a bottom wall, a rear wall, opposite upstanding side walls, and a front wall.

12. The container of claim 11 wherein the front wall swings open to remove the receptacle from the cabinet.

13. The container of claim 10 wherein the cabinet comprises a top opening that exposes the lid top wall.

14. The container of claim 11 wherein the cabinet front wall comprises an opening through which the lid front wall elongated opening is accessed.

15. The container of claim 11 wherein a portion of a side wall of the cabinet covers the non-rotating cover attached to the outside of the first side wall of the lid.

16. The container of claim 1 wherein the closure flap is further movable to a locked position.

17. The container of claim 16 wherein the locked position is separate from the closed position.

18. The container of claim 1 further comprising a slot extending from an inside surface of the lid first side wall and hook extending from the flap, wherein the hook engages the slot.

19. A container for disposal of medical waste comprising:
a receptacle having an open top, a bottom wall and a side wall;
a lid attached to the receptacle, the lid comprising:
a top wall,
a back wall,
a front wall having an opening sized to permit the introduction of medical waste into the receptacle and a substantially horizontal shelf, and
a side wall having a side wall opening extending through the side wall;

a closure flap movable between an open position and a closed position, the closure flap comprising an axial hub extending from a side of the closure flap through the lid side wall opening and an upper portion extending upwardly from a rotational axis of the closure flap when the closure flap is in the closed position; and
a non-rotating cover attached to the outside of the side wall of the lid, the cover enclosing the closure flap axial hub.

20. The container of claim 19 wherein the closure flap further comprises a lower portion extending downwardly from the closure flap rotational axis when the closure flap is in the closed position.

Assignees

• Medline Ind Inc

Inventors

• Burgess James
• Bedoe Scott
• Tian Hongmeng

Classifications

• A61B2050/375

  for sponges · CPC title

• A61B2050/005

  with a lid or cover · CPC title

• A61B50/362

  for sharps · CPC title

• A61B50/37

  for absorbent articles, e.g. bandages, garments, swabs or towels · CPC title

• A61B50/36 Primary

  for collecting or disposing of used articles · CPC title