System and method for collecting medical waste that monitors the waste for objects that may have been inadvertently discarded

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11676474-B2
Application number	US-202117513381-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2021
Priority date	May 30, 2008
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

A mobile cart that holds a bag for receiving solid waste generated during a medical or surgical procedure. The cart includes a sensor that monitors whether or not an object containing metal is placed in the bag. A processor monitors the signal output by the sensor. If the sensor signal indicates that an object with a minimal amount of metal is placed in the bag, the processor momentarily asserts an audible alarm and continuously asserts a light alarm. The light alarm remains asserted until turned off. If, while the light alarm is on, the sensor signal indicates a second object with the minimal amount of waste is placed in the container, the processor again momentarily asserts the audible alarm. This provides notice that it may be necessary to investigate the contents of the bag to determine if not one but two or more objects were inadvertently discarded.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable cart for containing medical waste, the cart including:
a mobile base for holding a medical waste container;
a frame attached to the base that is located above the base, the frame having an outer surface and an opening for being positioned adjacent an opening of the container such that medical waste disposed into the container passes through the opening;
a transducer configured to assert a transducer signal indicative of a first weight of the medical waste container at a first time and a second weight of the medical waste container at a second time subsequent to the first time;
a light alarm connected to the base or frame;
an audible alarm connected to the base or frame; and
a processor that receives the transducer signal and is configured to:
compare the first weight and the second weight indicated by the transducer signal to a predetermined weight level; and
responsive to the comparison indicating that the first weight and the second weight indicated by the transducer signal both exceed the predetermined weight level:
actuate the audible alarm for a defined period of time; and
actuate the light alarm until a user-generated command is received and, upon receipt of the user-generated command, negate the actuation of the light alarm.

2. The portable cart of claim 1 , wherein:
said processor is configured to receive a user-entered threshold signal defining the predetermined weight level.

3. The portable cart of claim 1 , comprising:
a loading station located adjacent the frame opening for receiving objects for disposal;
a sensor located adjacent the loading station for detecting if the objects on said loading station contain metal, the sensor being configured to assert a sensor signal to the processor when the objects on said loading station contain metal;
a transfer mechanism located adjacent said loading station for transferring the objects on the loading station into the container; and
a second transducer configured to detect a second weight of the objects on the loading station and assert a second transducer signal to the processor indicative of the second weight, wherein the processor is configured to, based on the sensor signal and the second transducer signal, actuate the audible alarm and the light alarm.

4. The portable cart of claim 1 , wherein the transducer is part of the base.

5. The portable cart of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
responsive to the comparison indicating that the first weight is greater than or equal to the predetermined weight level and the second weight is less than the predetermined weight level, not actuate the audible alarm and the light alarm.

6. The portable cart of claim 1 , comprising a sensor mounted to the frame and configured to detect if metal is passed through the frame opening and assert a sensor signal when metal passes through the frame opening, wherein the processor is configured to:
receive the sensor signal from the sensor; and
responsive to the received sensor signal indicating that metal has passed through the frame opening:
actuate a metal detection audible alarm for a defined period of time; and
actuate a metal detection light alarm until a user-generated command is received and, upon receipt of the user-generated command, negate the actuation of the metal detection light alarm.

7. The portable cart of claim 6 , wherein the audible alarm and the metal detection audible alarm are a same audible alarm, and the light alarm and the metal detection light alarm are a same light alarm.

8. The portable cart of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to:
determine a metal content-to-weight ratio based on the received sensor signal and the received transducer signal;
compare the metal content-to-weight ratio to a predetermined level; and
based on the comparison, actuate the audible alarm and the light alarm.

9. The portable cart of claim 1 , comprising a foot pedal coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to negate the actuation of the light alarm responsive to actuation of the foot pedal.

10. The portable cart of claim 9 , comprising a switch mounted to the frame, wherein the processor is configured to negate the actuation of the light alarm responsive to actuation of the switch.

11. The portable cart of claim 10 , wherein the foot pedal is moveably mounted to the base of the cart and the switch is positioned on a side of the cart opposite a side of the cart with the foot pedal.

12. The portable cart of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to actuate the transfer mechanism to transfer the objects on the loading station into the container responsive to the second weight indicated by the second transducer signal being greater than a second predetermined weight level.

13. The portable cart of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to, based on the sensor signal and the transducer signal, actuate the audible alarm and the light alarm by being configured to:
determine a metal content-to weight ratio based on the sensor signal and the transducer signal;
compare the metal content-to weight ratio to a predetermined level; and
actuate the audible alarm and light alarm based on the comparison.

14. The portable cart of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to actuate the sensor to scan the objects for disposal for metal responsive to the second weight indicated by the second transducer signal being greater than or equal to a second predetermined weight level.

15. The portable cart of claim 3 , wherein the container is a bag, and the transfer mechanism comprises a bag constraining device configured to constrict a portion of the bag below the opening of the bag such that an upper portion of the bag functions as the loading station.

Assignees

• Stryker Corp

Inventors

• Henniges Bruce D
• Huyser Richard F
• Philipp Chris
• Stratton Dennis A

Classifications

• B65F2240/145

  Medicine · CPC title

• B65F2210/1125

  Colors · CPC title

• A61B50/10

  Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments · CPC title

• B65F2210/1525

  for metal · CPC title

• B62B3/106 Primary

  the objects being bags · CPC title