Integral tortuous path receptacle cover
AssigneeSherwood Services AG
InventorM. Finnestad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle and a method of manufacturing a cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle. The cover generally comprises a body portion configured to substantially close an open end of the receptacle and a lid portion hingedly interconnected to the body portion via an integrally formed hinge extending between the lid portion and a portion of the body portion. The body portion includes a covering surface with an access opening therethrough and at least a first, fixed sloped slide surface depending from the covering surface configured to provide a fixed tortuous path extending from the access opening.
Claims49
A cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle, said receptacle defining a receptacle open end and a receptacle body extending from the open end, the receptacle body having an axis extending in a given direction, said cover comprising:
- a body portion configured to substantially close said receptacle open end, said body portion defining a tortuous path access opening having opposed, axially spaced, first and second lateral edges, the body portion including at least a first integral sloped slide surface that defines the first lateral edge;
- and
- wherein said first and second lateral edges are configured such that a plane extending through said first and second lateral edges is at an angle of from 0 degrees to about 25 degrees relative to a plane parallel to the given direction and extending through said second lateral edge.
A method of forming a cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle having an open end, said method comprising the steps of:
- disposing of moldable material within a mold assembly that is linearly separable in a given direction, the mold assembly having a cavity portion configured to form a cover body portion defining an access opening having opposed, axially spaced first and second lateral edges, the body portion including at least a first integral sloped slide surface that defines the first lateral edge, the cavity portion configured such that a plane extending through said first and second lateral edges is at an angle from 0 degrees to about 25 degrees relative to a plane parallel to the given direction and extending through said second lateral edge;
- separating said mold assembly in the given direction;
- and
- removing from the mold assembly a formed cover with an integrally formed tortuous path access opening.
A cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle, said receptacle defining a receptacle open end, said cover comprising:
- a body portion including a covering surface configured to substantially close said receptacle open end except for an access opening therethrough, said body portion further including integrally formed, fixed first and second sloped slide surfaces depending from the covering surface adjacent the access opening,
- wherein the first and second slide surfaces are axially spaced in non-overlapping relation to define a tortuous path extending from the access opening.
A method of forming a lid assembly for a medical waste disposal receptacle having an open end, said method comprising the steps of:
- disposing of moldable material within a linearly separable mold assembly having a first cavity portion configured to form a covering surface configured to substantially close said receptacle open end, a second cavity portion in fluid communication with the first cavity portion and configured to form a first sloped slide surface extending from the covering surface, and a third cavity portion in fluid communication with the first cavity portion and configured to form a second sloped slide surface extending from the covering surface, the second and third cavity portions configured such that the first and second slide surfaces are axially spaced in non-overlapping relation to one another;
- separating the mold assembly in a linear direction;
- and
- removing from the mold assembly a formed cover with the first and second slide surfaces defining a tortuous path access opening.
A cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle, said receptacle defining a receptacle open end, said cover comprising:
- a body portion including a covering surface configured to substantially close said receptacle open end, said body portion having a given perimeter and having an access opening through the covering surface, the body portion further including at least a first fixed sloped surface integrally depending from the covering surface adjacent the access opening;
- a lid portion configured to selectively close said access opening;
- and
- an integrally formed hinge extending along a portion of said given perimeter and hingedly interconnecting said lid portion to said body portion.
A method of forming a cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle having an open end, said method comprising the steps of:
- disposing of moldable material within a linearly separable mold assembly having a first cavity portion configured to form a body portion having a covering surface configured to substantially close the receptacle open end except for an access opening therethrough, a second cavity portion in fluid communication with the first cavity portion adjacent the access opening and configured to form a sloped slide surface, a third cavity portion configured to form a lid portion of the cover, and a fourth cavity portion extending between and in fluid communication with the first and third cavity portions and configured to form a hinge;
- and
- removing a formed cover from the mold assembly with the lid portion integrally hinged to the body portion and a fixed sloped slide surface depending from the covering surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.