US 8,371,448 B1Granted

Storage system for medical waste materials

AssigneeBrian K. Reaux

InventorBrian K. Reaux

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Abstract

A storage system for storing used surgical towels, sponges or other medical waste materials includes a rear panel having an upper portion and a lower portion formed from a flexible sheet material. The upper portion of the rear panel has a coupling mechanism for coupling the device to a sterile structure of a surgical room. In certain embodiments, the rear panel may have a weakened partition area for separating the lower portion from the upper portion. A compartment assembly is formed by two or more flexible compartments provided on the lower portion of the rear panel. Each compartment may be liquid impervious and have an upper opening for introducing materials into the compartment. Each compartment has a forward wall that is at least partially transparent so that the contents of the compartment are observable. All components of the storage device may be sterile for use in a sterile environment. In certain embodiments, a storage system may be provided by coupling at least two storage devices together.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A storage device for storing used surgical towels, sponges or other medical waste materials, the storage device comprising:

a rear panel having an upper portion and a lower portion formed from a liquid impervious, polymeric flexible sheet material, the upper portion of the rear panel having a coupling mechanism for coupling the device to a sterile structure of a surgical room, the rear panel having a weakened partition area for separating the lower portion from the upper portion;
and
a compartment assembly formed by two or more flexible compartments formed from a liquid impervious, polymeric material provided on the lower portion of the rear panel, each compartment having an upper opening for introducing materials into the compartment, each compartment having a forward wall that is at least partially transparent so that the contents of the compartment are observable;
wherein all components of the storage device are sterile for use in a sterile environment;
wherein the coupling mechanism constitutes a layer of adhesive provided on the rearward surface of the upper portion of the rear panel;
and
the storage device is prepackaged with a mayo stand cover, wherein the storage device is adapted to be fixed to the mayo stand cover by the adhesive layer, and the lower portion is adapted to be removed from the mayo stand cover by separation at the weakened partition area.

4 more elements

A storage system for storing used surgical towels, sponges or other medical waste materials, the storage system comprising:

at least two sterile storage devices that are coupled together by coupling the upper portions of the rear panels together, each storage device comprising:
a rear panel having an upper portion and a lower portion formed from a layer of liquid impervious, polymeric flexible sheet material, having a weakened partition area between the upper portion and the lower portion for separating the lower portion from the upper portion;
and
a compartment assembly formed by two or more flexible compartments provided on the lower portion of the rear panel, each compartment being liquid impervious and having an upper opening for introducing materials into the compartment, each compartment having a forward wall that is at least partially transparent so that the contents of the compartment are observable;
and wherein
at least a portion of one of the at least two storage devices is releasable from the other to facilitate use of the other device
wherein the lower portion has a plurality of holes to facilitate hanging at least a portion of the storage device on a hanging structure when released from the other at least one storage device;
wherein
the lower portion has a plurality of hand openings, which are positioned between the weakened partition area and the plurality of holes, for carrying at least a portion of the device once released from the other at least one storage device;
and wherein
at least one of the two storage devices has a coupling mechanism formed by a layer of adhesive for coupling the storage devices to one another and for coupling the storage system to a structure.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/894,449Filed 30 Sep 2010 · us provisional application
Priority: 1 Oct 2009
Granted: 12 Feb 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

A61B 46/00
Surgical drapes
A61B 50/13
Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments: trolleys, e.g. carts
A61B 50/15
Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments: mayo stands; Tables
A61B 50/37
For collecting or disposing of used articles: for absorbent articles, e.g. bandages, garments, swabs or towels

Family

Application61/277,964Us provisional application · filed 1 Oct 2009
Application61/278,055Us provisional application · filed 2 Oct 2009
Application61/278,370Us provisional application · filed 6 Oct 2009
Application61/283,171Us provisional application · filed 30 Nov 2009
Application61/283,909Us provisional application · filed 10 Dec 2009
Application61/335,008Us provisional application · filed 30 Dec 2009
Application61/335,894Us provisional application · filed 12 Jan 2010
Application61/339,151Us provisional application · filed 1 Mar 2010
Application61/340,729Us provisional application · filed 20 Mar 2010
Application61/395,415Us provisional application · filed 13 May 2010
Application61/397,262Us provisional application · filed 9 Jun 2010
Application61/398,257Us provisional application · filed 23 Jun 2010
US 8,371,448 B1This patent

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