Methods of assembling a manifold for a medical waste collection system

A method of assembling a manifold for filtering waste liquid being drawn under influence of suction of a medical waste collection system, the manifold including a shell including an open distal end and a proximal end base defining an outlet opening, a cap including a cap skirt and a head at an end of the cap skirt, and a filter element, the method comprising:

• positioning the filter element within the shell;
• fitting basket hands of the filter element between first pairs of ribs of the cap skirt, thereby facilitating rotational alignment of the cap and the filter element;
• fitting fingers of the shell between second pairs of ribs of the cap skirt, thereby facilitating rotational alignment of the cap and the shell;
• and
• inserting the shell into the cap skirt so that a lip of the shell is seated on a step of the cap skirt to secure the cap to the shell and cover the open distal end of the shell.