Waste disposal system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11426737-B2
Application number	US-202016791800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2020
Priority date	Feb 25, 2019
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

A waste disposal system for the disposal of consumables through a waste chute into a waste container includes a waste chute having a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is situated outside the waste container and the second opening opens toward the waste container. The first opening and the second opening are arranged at a first distance from one another, wherein the waste chute includes a plurality of self-resetting lamellae for the partial or complete closure of the openings. The lamellae form at least two lamella annuli arranged at a second distance above one another, wherein at least one first lamella annulus closes the first opening and at least one second lamella annulus closes the second opening, and the second distance between the lamella annuli is at least one third, preferably at least half and particularly preferably at least three quarters of the first distance.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A waste disposal system for the disposal of consumables through a waste chute into a waste container, the waste disposal system comprising a waste chute having a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is situated outside the waste container and the second opening opens toward the waste container, wherein the first opening and the second opening are arranged at a first distance from one another, wherein the waste chute comprises a plurality of self-resetting lamellae for the partial or complete closure of the first and second openings, wherein the lamellae form at least one first lamella annulus and one second lamella annulus, wherein the first lamella annulus and the second lamella annulus are arranged at a second distance above one another, wherein at least the first lamella annulus closes the first opening and wherein at least the second lamella annulus closes the second opening, wherein the second distance between the first lamella annulus and the second lamella annulus is at least one third of the first distance, and wherein the waste chute has a first inner diameter in a respective region of the first and the second lamella annuli and has a second inner diameter extending continuously for most of the second distance in a region between the first lamella annulus and the second lamella annulus, the second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter.

2. The waste disposal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein no lamellae and/or lamella annuli are arranged between the first lamella annulus and the second lamella annulus.

3. The waste disposal system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a ramp for the diversion of consumables, wherein the ramp is arranged below the second opening such that consumables falling through the second opening into the waste container fall onto the ramp and are diverted thereby.

4. The waste disposal system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the ramp comprises sidewalls and is rectangular in its cross section with rounded corners and sloping sidewalls.

5. The waste disposal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the consumables are cuvettes or pipette tips.

6. The waste disposal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lamellae consist of an elastic material or are connected elastically to the waste chute.

7. The waste disposal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lamellae consist of plastic, rubber or metal.

8. The waste disposal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lamellae are separably connected to the waste chute.

9. The waste disposal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lamellae form a lamella insert.

10. The waste disposal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an opening mechanism for a cuvette gripper is attached to the waste chute, wherein the opening mechanism comprises a structure which is similar in shape to a prism having a triangle as base and top surface.

11. The waste disposal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second distance between the first lamella annulus and the second lamella annulus is at least half of the first distance.

12. The waste disposal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second distance between the first lamella annulus and the second lamella annulus is at least three quarters of the first distance.

13. An automatic analytical instrument comprising a waste disposal system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the automatic analytical instrument further comprises a cuvette gripper and at least one measurement device for the optical or electronic quantitative detection of at least one analyte in a sample.

14. A waste disposal system for the disposal of consumables through a waste chute into a waste container, the waste disposal system comprising:
a waste chute having a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is situated outside the waste container, and the second opening opens toward the waste container, wherein the first opening and the second opening are arranged at a first distance from one another, wherein the waste chute comprises a plurality of self-resetting lamellae for the partial or complete closure of the first opening, wherein the lamellae form at least one first lamella annulus, wherein the first lamella annulus and the second opening are arranged at a second distance above one another and the second distance is at least one third of the first distance, and wherein the waste chute has a first inner diameter in a region of the first lamella annuli and has a second inner diameter extending continuously for most of the second distance in a region between the first lamella annulus and the second opening, the second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter; and
a tube having a first and a second end, wherein the first end of the tube is attached to the waste chute in a region of the second opening and wherein the second end is situated within the waste container.

15. The waste disposal system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the tube is a mesh tube, an elastic grommet or a star tube.

16. A waste disposal system for the disposal of consumables through a waste chute into a waste container, the waste disposal system comprising:
a waste chute having a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is situated outside the waste container, and the second opening opens toward the waste container, wherein the first opening and the second opening are arranged at a first distance from one another, wherein the waste chute comprises a plurality of self-resetting lamellae for the partial or complete closure of the first opening, wherein the lamellae form at least one first lamella annulus, wherein the first lamella annulus and the second opening are arranged at a second distance above one another and the second distance is at least one third of the first distance, and wherein the waste chute has a first inner diameter in a region of the first lamella annuli and has a second inner diameter extending continuously for most of the second distance in a region between the first lamella annulus and the second opening, the second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter; and
a self-closing flap comprising a living hinge, wherein the flap is attached to the waste chute in a region of the second opening and closes the second opening.

Assignees

• Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Products Gmbh

Inventors

• Kalbfell Heiko
• Bernhard Joachim

Classifications

• B01L1/50 Primary

  for storing hazardous materials in the laboratory, e.g. cupboards, waste containers (sample containers B01L3/50) · CPC title

• B01L2200/082

  Handling hazardous material · CPC title

• B65G11/023

  for articles · CPC title

• G01N2035/0406

  Individual bottles or tubes · CPC title

• B01L2300/046

  Function or devices integrated in the closure · CPC title