Manifold and filter assembly with filter basket

A manifold and filter assembly for directing and filtering medical waste flowing into a waste collection unit, said assembly comprising:

• a manifold housing defining a chamber and having at least one inlet fitting for receiving a suction line to draw the medical waste into said chamber and an outlet fitting dimensioned to be received in the waste collection unit to direct the medical waste from said chamber into the waste collection unit, said manifold housing including a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from said bottom wall;
• a filter basket disposed in said chamber and having a basket bottom wall and a basket peripheral wall extending upwardly from said basket bottom wall, said filter basket having a plurality of holes defined in said basket bottom wall and a plurality of elongated slots defined in said basket peripheral wall with each of said plurality of elongated slots terminating a predetermined distance from said basket bottom wall to define an imperforate section of said basket peripheral wall between said elongated slots and said basket bottom wall whereby said plurality of holes initially filter the medical waste until plugged with filtered material and then said plurality of elongated slots continue to filter the medical waste;
• and
• a plurality of spacers disposed between said peripheral walls and between said bottom walls to space said filter basket from said manifold housing to define a fluid bypass between said filter basket and said manifold housing whereby the medical waste can flow over said basket peripheral wall through said fluid bypass when said plurality of holes and said plurality of elongated slots become plugged with filtered material.