Tortuous path in-patient room medical waste disposal container

A portable and manually invertible medical discards container having a top inlet positioned above a storage space within said container, and a tortuous path means between said inlet and said space whereby medical discards deposited into said storage space via said inlet pass through a tortuous passageway, said tortuous path means comprising:

• a first normally stationary barrier element including a rear mounting wall engaging an inner wall of said container and a first barrier walla inclined downwardly from said inlet and facing in a given direction;
• a second barrier element including a second barrier wall inclined downwardly from said inlet and mounting means for mounting said second barrier wall to be normally stationary in use when said container is upright and which is generally opposite of and facing toward, but below, said first barrier wall relative said inlet whereby;
• medical discards released into said inlet initially engage and slide down said first barrier wall in a first direction and then drop onto said second barrier element and slide down said second barrier wall in a second direction into said storage space;
• and
• wherein said means for mounting said second barrier wall includes pivot means connected between said second barrier wall and a second inner wall of said container so as to cause said second barrier wall to fall by the force of gravity acting thereon into passageway closing relation to said first barrier wall when said container is turned upside down whereby medical discards within said storage space are retained therein against inadvertent release from said container when it is manually turned upside down.

A potable and manually invertible medical discards container having a top inlet positioned above a storage space within the container and tortuous path means within said container cooperating with said inlet whereby medical discards deposited into said storage space vis said inlet pass through a tortuous passageway, said tortuous path means comprising:

• a first barrier element including a first barrier wall inclined downwardly relative said inlet and facing in a given direction;
• a second barrier element including a second barrier wall inclined downwardly relative sad inlet;
• mounting means for mounting said second barrier wall generally opposite of sand below said firs barrier wall relative said inlet, said mounting means including pivot means connected between said second barrier wall and an interior portion of said container whereby;
• medical discards released into said inlet initially engage and slide down said first barrier wall in a first direction and then drop onto said second barrier element and slide down said second barrier wall in a second direction into said storage space and, in he event that said container is manually turned upside down said second barrier wall will fall by the force o gravity acting thereon into passageway closing relation to said first barrier wall whereby medical discards within said storage space are retained therein against inadvertent release from said container when it is upside down.

In an in-patient room medical discarded instruments receiving, storage and disposal container which is portable and manually invertible and has an open top storage bin, a hollow top housing having a discards inlet and an open bottom and means or connecting said top housing to said storage bin with said inlet communicating with the interior of said bin through said housing the improvement comprising the provision of:

• tortuous path means for providing a direction changing passage through said housing suitable for said medical instruments to fall from said inlet though said direction changing passage through said housing o the interior of said bin while preventing manual entry to said interior so as to prevent inadvertent contact between the hands of the container user and medical discards within said bin, said tortuous path means including:
• a first normally stationary barrier wall having a lower end and being inclined relative the vertical extent of said container, said first stationary barrier wall underlying said inlet to deflect discards received through said inlet in a first direction;
• a second normally stationary barrier wall disposed below said first barrier wall, spaced from said lower end to provide a space therebetween, being inclined relative the vertical extent of said container and facing opposite of said first barrier wall whereby said direction changing passage through said housing is provided by upper surfaces of said barrier walls and said space therebetween to provide for straightening of instruments deposited in said inlet into generally parallel alignment in the said bin;
• and wherein:
• mounting means are provided for normally positioning said second barrier wall in a stationary position during normal disposal operations with said container in an upright position and for allowing movement of said second barrier wall when inverted whereby upon manual inversion of said container said second barrier wall moves by the force of gravity acting thereon to close said space between said walls and thereby close said passage.

A medical instrument disposal container which is portable and manually invertible and has a hollow base, a hollow top housing and means for assembling said housing to said base, said housing having a generally rectangular entry port to receive discarded syringes and comprising:

• normally stationary tortuous path means to provide a tortuous entry passage into said base from said port which allows for the unrestricted passage f instruments including syringes past normally stationary surfaces while preventing manual entry to the interior of said base, said path means further including a first normally stationary barrier wall providing a first surface inclined downwardly relative the vertical extent of said container and positioned to receive instruments passed through said port to cause them to move in a first downward direction toward said interior of said base, an open space at an end of said first surface through which said instrument fall after they have moved downwardly along said first surface and a second normally stationary barrier wall providing a second surface inclined downwardly relative the vertical extent of said container, facing oppositely of said first surface and positioned below said space to receive instruments falling through said space and to direct them in a generally opposite direction relative the direction of movement of said instruments on said first surface for storage in said base;
• and wherein:
• mounting means are provided for normally positioning said second barrier wall in a station position during normal upright use of said container and for movement to a passage closing position when said container is manually inverted.