US 8,195,328 B2Granted

Combination disposal and dispensing apparatus and method

AssigneeVesta Medical, LLC

InventorsScott R. Mallett, Randall C. Danta, James R. Benson, Alan D. Corey, Alan A. Davidner, Peter Regla

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A system and method related to dispensing and disposing medical items is provided. The dispensing portion is generally configured to dispense medical items stored within compartments based on dispensing instructions. The disposal portion is generally configured to sort waste items into a plurality of containers according to applicable rules and regulations governing the handling and/or disposal of such items. In some embodiments, a system comprises sorting stations each of which houses a number of disposable containers. Each station can identify an item of waste, determine the most appropriate container for the item, and facilitate disposal of the item in the appropriate container.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A system for dispensing and disposing medical items, comprising:

a dispensing portion comprising:
a plurality of dispensing compartments, each of said dispensing compartments configured to hold at least one medical item;
a dispensing data entry device configured to receive at least one dispensing instruction;
and
a dispensing control system,
wherein said dispensing control system is configured to process said at least one dispensing instruction to select a medical item based on said dispensing instruction, and
wherein said dispensing control system is configured to allow access to said selected medical item;
and
a disposal portion comprising:
a plurality of waste containers, wherein each of said waste containers is associated with at least one of a plurality of waste categories;
wherein at least one of said waste containers is configured to receive at least one of said selected medical items that is dispensed by said dispensing portion after said selected medical item is at least partially used or expired;
a waste item identification device configured to receive identification data for a waste item, wherein said waste item identification device comprises a scanner;
a waste database comprising waste item classification information, said waste item classification information being derived from applicable rules regarding disposal;
and
a disposal control system configured to compare identification data received by the waste item identification device with information contained in the database,
wherein the disposal control system is configured to assign a waste item to at least one waste category, and wherein the disposal control system is configured to identify one of the waste containers based on the waste category;
wherein the disposal control system is configured to allow access to the identified waste container while preventing access to other waste containers of the disposal portion to ensure proper disposal;
and
wherein said dispensing portion and said disposal portion are coupled.

16 more elements

A system for dispensing and disposing a plurality of medical items, comprising:

a disposal portion comprising:
a plurality of waste containers, wherein each of said waste containers is associated with at least one of a plurality of waste categories;
and
a waste item identification device configured to receive identification data for a waste item, wherein said waste item identification device comprises a scanner;
wherein the system is configured to identify at least one of the waste containers based on the identification data received by the waste item identification device;
a disposal control system configured to compare identification data received by the waste item identification device to a waste database, said waste database comprising waste item classification information derived from, at least in part, applicable rules regarding disposal;
wherein the disposal control s stem is configured to classify the waste item into one of the plurality of waste categories and to allow access to one of the waste containers based on, at least in part, the identification data and the waste item classification information, while preventing access to other waste containers of a waste sorting station to ensure proper disposal;
a dispensing portion comprising:
a plurality of dispensing compartments, each of said dispensing compartments configured to hold at least one dispensable item;
a data entry device configured to receive a dispensing instruction;
and
a dispensing control system configured to process a dispensing instruction and allow access to an interior of a corresponding dispensing compartment.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/025,712Filed 4 Feb 2008 · continuation in part
Priority: 19 Sep 2003
Published: US 2008/0190953 A114 Aug 2008
Granted: 5 Jun 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification25 codes

A61L 11/00
Methods specially adapted for refuse
A61B 50/10
Containers, covers, furniture or holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments, e.g. sterile covers: furniture…
A61B 50/13
Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments: trolleys, e.g. carts
A61B 50/30
Containers, covers, furniture or holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments, e.g. sterile covers: containers…

Family

Application60/504,170Us provisional application · filed 19 Sep 2003
Application60/589,118Us provisional application · filed 19 Jul 2004
Application10/945,223Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 20 Sep 2004
Application60/649,819Us provisional application · filed 3 Feb 2005
Application60/679,187Us provisional application · filed 9 May 2005
Application60/712,256Us provisional application · filed 29 Aug 2005
Application60/742,212Us provisional application · filed 2 Dec 2005
Application11/347,823Parent of this continuation · filed 3 Feb 2006
Application60/888,266Us provisional application · filed 5 Feb 2007
Application60/888,269Us provisional application · filed 5 Feb 2007
Application11/777,243Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 12 Jul 2007
US 2008/0190953 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Aug 2008
US 7,487,100 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 7,275,645 B2Parent of this continuation
Application11/777,243Parent of this continuation
US 7,119,689 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application11/347,823Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2005/0065820 A1Published application
US 2006/0212306 A1Published application
US 2007/0250339 A1Published application
US 8,195,328 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.