Medical/surgical waste collection and disposal system including a rover and a docker, the docker having features facilitating the alignment of the docker with the rover

A waste collection and disposal system for collecting and disposing of waste material collected through a suction line during a medical procedure, said system comprising:

• a rover, said rover including:
• a mobile cart having a base that is elevated above ground level;
• at least one waste container supported by said cart, said container having a connecting member for receiving a suction line through which medical/surgical waste is drawn into the container from a surgical handpiece applied to a surgical site;
• a first rover coupling attached to said cart base and configured to convey waste from said at least one waste container, said first rover coupling being mounted to said cart so as to open below said cart base;
• a second rover coupling attached to said cart base through which fluid is flowed into the at least one waste container, said second rover coupling being mounted to said cart so as to open below said cart base;
• and
• at least one guide member mounted to said cart so as to extend downwardly below the portion of said cart base to which said rover couplings are mounted;
• a vacuum source that provides a vacuum to said at least one waste container to draw the waste through the suction line into said waste container;
• and
• a docker, said docker comprising:
• a fixed frame;
• a floating frame that is moveably attached and able to move relative to said fixed frame, said floating frame being positioned so that said cart base can be positioned over said floating frame;
• a first docker coupling configured to mate with the first rover coupling and that is connected to a drain line;
• a second docker coupling configured to mate with the second rover coupling and that is connected to a water line;
• and
• a mating interface that holds said first and second docker couplings to said floating frame so that said docker couplings can move relative to said floating frame between a disengaged position in which the docker couplings are spaced from said rover couplings and an engaged position in which the docker couplings are mated to said rover couplings
• wherein, said floating frame is positioned so that, when said rover cart base is positioned over said floating frame, said rover guide member engages said floating frame so that the engagement of said floating frame with said guide member results in the positioning of said floating frame so that said docker couplings are at least partially aligned with said rover couplings.