FR2772732A1 - Medical waste collection and disposal system - Google Patents

Abstract

The system consists of a bin (50) situated behind a panel (10) in a wall (60). The panel has an opening leading to a hinged chute (22) which delivers the waste material into the bin. The chute can be locked in its raised (closed) position and linked to a data reading unit which releases the chute when an appropriate card with a magnetic strip or electronic chip is inserted into a slot. The reading unit has a memory to store the number of the card the date and time of the deposit, enabling the source to be traced and the cost of disposal to be debited.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and device for collecting medical waste. The technical field of the invention is that of waste treatment.

It is known from application FR 94 11618 "a device for refrigerating and storing hospital-type waste which can be installed in a recycling center or in human or animal care centers intended for the rationalization of selective collection.

The device is mainly characterized by the functions of refrigeration, weighing of user identification deposits, datification of deposits, storage, the whole being managed by an automatic access control system.

The device is designed in the form of a closed enclosure equipped with an air treatment unit to confine possible pollution and protect users.

The integrated management system allows equitable invoicing of the tramoament of deposits to different subscribed users.
This device has drawbacks, in particular it requires heavy and expensive infrastructure. An objective of the present invention and to provide a simplified method and device for collecting medical waste.

According to a first aspect of the invention constitutes a device which comprises - A support structure capable of being fixed to a wall of a room - A receptacle or drawer mounted movable relative to the structure and capable of passing from a position d opening allowing the load because a first side of the wall (external side) of a portable container (closed) containing medical waste, has a closed position allowing evacuation by gravity, that is to say the fall of the portable container by a second side of the wall.

- A device for reading a portable data medium (magnetic or electronic), for example "smart card - A locking member for unlocking the mobile receptacle in the closed position connected to the reading device to authorize the opening of the mobile receptacle in function of the data read on the portable data carrier so that this collection device allows the automatic deposit of waste and its ejection by fall into a metal container intended for the temporary storage of rain-rs plastic containers and their transport to a @leu such as an incineration center.

- Preferably the support structure is generally in the form of a frame capable of being sealed in a vertical wall or slightly inclined.

- The receptacle or drawer is pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis.

- The support structure delimits a passage opening of the portable container of rectangular shape.

 - The support structure is equipped with the portable data support reader (such as a smart card).

The interaction between the portable medium and the reader which electronically annotates in its memory.

- The card number - The date and time of the deposit - Debiting the card from a unit corresponding to the estimated cost of the deposit ensures perfect traceability of the deposit making it easy to find the depositor in the event of non-compliance with the deposit.

- The support structure is equipped with a printer connected to the reader, issuing at the time of closure of the receptacle a ticket opposable to the administration on which is annotated the card number, date, time and place of deposit , the name of the carrier, the place of treatment of medical waste, but also configurable to include any other information made necessary by the evolution of legislation.

- Preferably in which the movable receptacle or drawer has two flat side walls (19), (20) parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axis (17) of horizontal pivoting and has a flat front wall r13) capable of receiving a container portable and a flat rear wall 22) extending from the front wall; 13) and inclined with respect thereto an angle (30) greater than 90 "and less than 1800 e preferably of the order of 100 to 150" (for facilitate the passage by sliding or falling of a portable container resting on the internal face. according to another aspect, the invention consists of a medical waste collection room characterized in that it comprises - A device'0) for collecting which is fixed to an opening provided in a wall of the room.

- A flat surface (40) capable of receiving a mobile metallic container (50) rolling for grouping several portable containers and extending along the wall (60) receiving the device (70) for collecting and in which the base of the collection device is located at a height (80) above the surface (40) which is at least equal to one meter, preferably of the order of 1.10 m to 1.40 m from the front wall (13) (in open position) towards the internal face of the rear wall (22) and its sliding and the fall of the portable container in the closed position, assembly characterized by physical impossibility of contact between the depositor and the previous deposits. according to another aspect, the invention consists of a medical waste collection system characterized in that it uses or comprises - A collection device.

 - Single-use portable or portable containers.

- Preferably a system in which the said single-use containers are made of rigid plastic material, of cylindrical or frustoconical shape, preferably in the form of a bucket closed by a lid and provided with a handle. according to another aspect, the invention consists of a method of collecting medical waste, characterized in that - The waste is deposited in a portable container.

- It causes the unlocking of a mobile receptacle of a collection device by inserting a smart card in a reader fitted to the device.

 - The container is placed in the mobile receptacle.

- The mobile receptacle is closed to cause the container to fall inside the room fitted with the device.

The present invention will be explained in more detail with the aid of examples in the following description given in conjunction with the appended drawings in which - Figure 1 shows the collection device in the closed position.

- Figure 2 shows the device of Figure 1 in the open receptacle position.

- Figure 3 shows the device, after closing the movable receptacle, the ejection by gravity of the portable or portable container for single use thanks to the shape of the receptacle.

FIG. 4 shows, in profile, the collection device, a mobile metal container belonging to a legal disposal channel for medical waste intended for storing and transporting portable containers, the appropriate room intended to receive the collection device and the mobile container.

- Figure 6 shows, in profile, the reader protection box, used as a mounting bracket for the tic: ticket printer as well as the ticket chute.

- Figure 6 shows, according to a particular embodiment, a collection system with a cylindrical receptacle pivoting about a vertical axis.

- Figure 1 shows the collection system in the closed position, the system (10) is embedded in a wall (12) by t 'Intermediate of a support structure (11) I frame)
The system includes a receptacle (13) pivoting about a lower horizontal axis (17). The receptacle (13) is provided with a recessed handle (14) to facilitate use. The collection system comprises a slot (16) through which a portable information medium, for example a smart card, is introduced into the reader (63) intended for this purpose. During a first action, the smart card is introduced into the slot (16), it is driven in the reader (63) and is temporarily inaccessible to the user. Its introduction triggers the unlocking (18) of the receptacle closing latch.

- Figure 2 illustrates the second stage of operation of the window (10). user, thanks to the recessed handle (14) in Figure 1) opens the swivel receptacle by; e pulling towards it. a third stage of operation is the removal of the portable container in the receptacle. The flat lateral sides (19) and (20) and the front protection (21) allow the safe removal of a portable container of medical waste without risk of falling to the ground. The rear face (22) of the receptacle in the open position avoids any possibility of contact with the previous deposits.

- The fourth operating step is the closing of the pivoting receptacle (13) thanks to the handle (14) with locking of the keeper (18).

- The fifth step is illustrated by Figures 3 and 4.

It is the ejection of the portable plastic container (31) in the metal container 650). The lateral planes (19) and (20) of the pivoting receptacle (13) serve as a chute for guiding the plastic container (31) by sliding in the metal container (50) the angle (30) between the plane of the front face ( 13) and that of the rear face of the receptacle, as well as the height of the front protection (21) are calculated so that the ejection of the portable container (31) occurs only when the bucket is no longer visible of the depositor ensuring perfect security for the depositor, FIG. 4 illustrates the collection room with the flat surface (40) capable of receiving a metal container (50) extending along the wall (60) and receiving the device (10 ) of collection and in which the base of the collection device is located at a height (80) above the surface 40). a ia Figure 6 illustrates the housing (62) on the back of the window which has a triple'function.

- Protection cover for the smart card support reader (63). support of the receipt printer (65), its pivoting around the horizontal bottom axis (64) allows an easy change of the paper roll (66) thereof.

- Due to its shape of downspout (67) from the ticket to the cutout (15).

- Figure 5 shows according to a particular embodiment a window having a receptacle of cylindrical shape (51), pivoting about a vertical axis (52).

This embodiment allows the design of two depositing cells (53) and (54) of different sizes allowing the deposit of buckets of different sizes.

Waiting window the rounded flat face closes the receptacle.

Depending on the type of smart card introduced, the reader will allow pivoting either from the right allowing it to be placed in the socket (53) or by the left allowing it to be placed in the socket (54). Full rotation of the receptacle will result in ejection into the metal container. The rounded flat face (56) closes the window again, while the previous descriptions of the shape of the window receptacle have been limited to two copies. It is clear that the invention encompasses any form of receptacle allowing
The automatic passage of the bucket from the outside into the recovery container, preventing any contact between the depositor and the previous deposits, the examples are simply given by way of nonlimiting illustration of the invention as defined in the claims.

According to a particular embodiment, the smart card reader can be replaced by a "contactless" card reader with radio frequency proximity reading as is known in the art.

 - A sixth operating step is an interaction between the reader, the printer and the smart card with - A debit of one unit on the card corresponding to the estimated cost of the deposit.

- An electronic recording by the reader of the event, namely: the card number, the date, the time and the place of the deposit allowing perfect traceability of the deposit.

- The edition of a ticket by the printer including ,. in addition to the preceding elements, the name of the transporter and the place of processing of the waste, the number of units still available on the card, but may include, by simple configuration, any other indication made necessary by changes in legislation.

- The ejection of the chip card from the reader.

Claims (8)

 CLAIMS 1. Medical waste collection device characterized in that it comprises - a support structure capable of being fixed to a wall of a room - A receptacle or drawer mounted movable relative to the structure and capable of passing from one open position allowing the loading by a first side of the wall (external side) of a portable container (closed) containing medical waste, has a closed position allowing evacuation by gravity, that is to say the fall of the portable container by a second side of the wall. - A device for reading a portable data carrier (magnetic or electronic), for example "smart card". - A locking member for unlocking the mobile receptacle in the closed position connected to the reading device to authorize the opening of the mobile receptacle according to the data read on the portable data medium so that this collection device allows the automatic deposit of waste and their ejection by fall into a metal container intended for the temporary storage of several plastic containers and their transport to a treatment place such as an incineration center. 2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that - The support structure is in the general shape of a frame capable of being sealed in a vertical wall or slightly inclined. 3. Device according to claims 1 and 2 characterized in that - The receptacle or drawer is pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis. 4. Device according to claims 1, 2 and 3 characterized in that - The support structure is equipped with the portable data carrier reader (such as a smart card). The interaction between the portable medium and the reader which annotates electronically in its memory. - The card number - The date and time of the deposit - Debiting the card of a unit corresponding to the estimated cost of the deposit ensures perfect traceability of the deposit making it easy to find the depositor in the event of non-compliance with the deposit. - The support structure is equipped with a printer connected to the reader, issuing at the time of closure of the receptacle a ticket opposable to the administration on which is annotated the card number, date, time and place of deposit , the name of the carrier, the place of treatment of medical waste, but also configurable to include any other information made necessary by the evolution of legislation. 5. Device according to claims 1, 2 or 3 characterized in that the movable receptacle or drawer has two flat side walls (19), (20) parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axis (17) of horizontal pivoting and comprises a flat front wall (13) adapted to receive a portable container and a flat rear wall (22) extending the front wall (13) and inclined relative to the latter by an angle (30) greater than 90 "and less than 1800 preferably of the order of 100 "to 150" (to facilitate the passage by sliding or falling of a portable container deposited on the internal face. 6. Device for collecting medical waste according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that it comprises - A room (70) for collection comprising an opening provided in one of these walls and in which is installed a mobile receptacle according to any of the above claims.  (80) above the surface (40) which is at least equal to one meter, preferably of the order of 1.10 m to 1.40 m from the front wall (13) (in the open position) towards the face internal of the rear wall (22) and its sliding and the fall of the portable container in the closed position.  (50) mobile metallic rolling grouping of several portable containers and extending along the wall (60) receiving the collecting device (70) and in which the base of the collecting device is situated at a height - A flat surface (40) capable of receiving a container 7. Device for collecting medical waste characterized  in that it uses or comprises - A mobile collection receptacle according to any one of claims 1 to 3. - Portable or portable disposable containers. Said disposable containers being preferably made of rigid plastic, of cylindrical or frustoconical shape, preferably in the form of a bucket closed by a lid and provided with a handle. 8. A method of collecting medical waste, characterized in that - The waste is placed in a portable container. - It causes the unlocking of a mobile receptacle of a collection device according to one of claims 1 to 3, by inserting a smart card in a reader fitted to the device. - The container is placed in the receptacle. - The mobile receptacle is closed to cause the content to fall inside the room equipped with the device.