# US 5,348,235 A · Medical waste disposal system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,348,235 A - Document ID: US5348235A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 07/908,246 - Filed: 1992-07-06 - Granted: 1994-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 1992-07-06 - Inventors: Charles A. Pappas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5348235A ## CPC - B02C 19/0075: {specially adapted for disintegrating medical waste (sterilisation of refuse A61L11/00; disposal of medical waste B09B3/00)} - A61L 11/00: Methods specially adapted for refuse {(disintegrating medical waste B02C19/0075; disposal of medical waste B09B3/00)} - B02C 19/0056: {specially adapted for specific materials not otherwise provided for} - B02C 19/186: {Use of cold or heat for disintegrating (B02C4/44, B02C7/17, B02C11/08 take precedence)} - B09B 3/32: Compressing or compacting - B09B 3/35: Shredding, crushing or cutting - B09B 3/50: involving radiation, e.g. electro-magnetic waves - B09B 2101/65: Medical waste - Y10S 241/606: Medical/surgical waste comminution - B02C: CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING IN GENERAL; MILLING GRAIN ({household tools and machines for pulverising foodstuffs, e.g. coffee and spice mills A47J42/00; pharmaceutical mortars A61J3/02; mechanical processing of refuse and garbage B03B9/06; dressing mould materials by grinding B22C5/04}; obtaining metallic powder by crushing, grinding or milling B22F9/04; {recovery of plastics by disintegrating B29B17/00; crushing raw materials in starch making C08B30/02; beaters for papermaking D21D1/02; crushing devices specially for transport in mines E21F13/002; slag crushing devices F23J1/00; fuel milling devices in combustion apparatus F23K1/00; household devices for crushing coal F24B15/02; ice disintegrating devices F25C5/02}) - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - B09B: DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A medical waste disposal system includes an assembly for superheating a quantity of untreated medical waste which is partially saturated with water to an internal temperature of at least 275 degrees Fahrenheit for at least thirty minutes. After such superheating the vessel is rotated to cool the same to under 100 degrees Fahrenheit after which the contents are deposited into a matrix of grinding elements having surfaces of different grinding dimensions and capabilities such that the output thereof is unrecognizable as medical waste. Such output is then deposited into a microwave assembly to further disinfect and decontaminate the medical waste. After such treatment the output of the system may be treated in the same fashion as conventional household refuse. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A medical waste disposal system, comprising: (a) fluid-tight means for superheating a quantity of untreated medical waste that has been at least partially water saturated to a temperature of at least 275 degrees Fahrenheit for a period of at least thirty minutes, said fluid-tight superheating means having selectably openable and closeable inputs and outputs; (b) means for substantially cooling said fluid-tight means after super-heating of said medical waste has been completed; (c) a matrix of grinding elements having input surfaces thereof located proximately to said output of said fluid-tight means and having surfaces of respectively different grinding dimensions proportioned to dimensions of medical waste to be processed; and (d) means for uniformly exposing to microwave energies ground waste output of said matrix of grinding elements, said exposing means including fluid-misting means directed to said ground waste output prior or during microwaving by said microwave exposing means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, said system further comprising: lazy susan means for receiving an output of said grinding matrix and, thereafter, for furnishing such output into said microwaving exposing means. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: continuous conveyor belt means for receiving the output of said grinding element matrix and for advancing the same into said microwave exposing means. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, in which said fluid-tight superheating means comprises: a vessel surrounded by resistance heating coils which are selectable actuatable to achieve said internal temperature of at least 275 degrees Fahrenheit for at least thirty minutes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system as recited in claim 4 in which said means for cooling said superheating means comprises: means for selectably rotating said fluid-tight means, said means including cooling means formed integrally to the exterior surface of said fluid-tight means. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: hepafilters provided at all interior-exterior interfaces of said system during the operation thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: compacting means for processing output of said microwave energy exposing means. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising encapsulating means for processing output of said microwave energy exposing means.