Mobile instrument assembly for use as part of a medical/surgical waste collection system, the assembly including a vacuum source to which a mobile waste collection cart can be releasably attached

An assembly for use during a medical or surgical procedure, the assembly comprising:

• a mobile chassis, said chassis shaped to define a void space dimensioned to removably receive a mobile waste collection cart that has at least one container for storing waste withdrawn from a patient, wherein said mobile chassis does not include a fluid coupling for receiving fluid discharged from the at least one container of the waste collection cart;
• at least one inlet fitting mounted to said chassis, said inlet fitting configured to receive a suction line that establishes a fluid communications path from a patient;
• a chassis coupler mounted to said chassis, said coupler positioned and configured so that, when the mobile waste collection cart is disposed in the void space of said chassis, a connection is established between said chassis coupler and a complementary cart coupler attached to the cart so as to establish a fluid communications path to the at least one container and wherein, said at least one inlet fitting is in fluid communications with said chassis coupler;
• a valve disposed between said inlet fitting and said chassis coupler to regulate fluid flow from said inlet fitting into the at least one container of the waste collection cart;
• a rack integral with said chassis, said rack shaped to define at least one compartment wherein, said rack is configured to receive in the at least one compartment an instrument capable of performing at least one of:
• controlling the operation of a medical or surgical instrument;
• monitoring a biological state of a patient;
• or controlling the flow of fluid applied to or withdrawn from a patient;
• a vacuum pump mounted to said chassis;
• and
• a cart retention feature attached to said chassis for removably securing a mobile waste collection cart in the chassis void space that said chassis, including said rack, and the waste collection cart can move as a single unit and be disconnected from each other so that said chassis, including said rack, and the mobile waste collection cart are able both to move independently of each other;
• a chassis vacuum coupling separate from said chassis coupler is mounted to said chassis and connected to the vacuum pump, said chassis vacuum coupling positioned so that when the waste collection cart is secured in the chassis void space, a connection is established between said chassis vacuum coupling and a complementary cart vacuum coupling to establish a path over which a vacuum can be drawn by the vacuum pump on the at least one container of the mobile waste collection cart;
• a vacuum regulator mounted to said chassis for regulating the level of suction drawn by said vacuum pump on the at least one container of the mobile waste collection cart;
• and
• a valve controller mounted to said chassis for selectively establishing an open/closed state of said valve.