Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MEDICAL WASTE DISPOSAL SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the disposal of contaminated items
and, in particular, to a system for use in a hospital or a similar environment
where
contaminated items are to be collected and disposed of without creating a
hazard
for patients or hospital personnel.
In hospitals, clinics and similar medical institutions, contamination
continues to be of utmost concern. The prevention of the spread of
communicable
to diseases is a major priority; therefore, disposable, single-use, patient
care products
have become prevalent.
Such patient care products are contaminated, once used, and can
transmit disease. These patient care products include devices such as
hypodermic
needles, intravenous needles, lasers, scalpel blades or other sharps -- all of
which
is are required to be disposed at their point of usage under current
guidelines of the
United States Centers for Disease Control.
Various disposal containers for medical waste have been proposed for
the purpose of preventing individuals from gaining access to contaminated
items,
such as sharps, once the waste has been deposited into the container. For
20 example, a waste container having a top with a slidable closure is
disclosed by
Mosior in U.S. Patent No. 5,531,346. The top of the waste container disclosed
by
Mosior has an access aperture, and the slidable closure on the top is
positioned to
slide between opened and closed positions. The closure includes a handle to
facilitate sliding movement of the closure. The closure disclosed by Mosior
can be
25 temporarily retained in a first closed position over the aperture, and
can be
permanently retained in a second closed position over the aperture.
A protective container is disclosed by Marek in U.S. Patent No.
3,333,721. A removable cover of the container disclosed by Marek is
interlockable
with panels of the container, and the removable cover has a door opening and a
30 slidable door positioned under the cover. The door of the container
disclosed by
Marek is moved by means of a cable that passes through the cover and is
fastened
at its lower end to a foot-pedal.
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Despite these proposed containers, there remains a need, however,
for an improved medical waste disposal system that can further reduce the
chance
of contact between the medical personnel and the medical waste and to help
prevent unauthorized access to medical waste held within the container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention, a container system is
provided with a container having a door mounted for pivotal reciprocation
about a
door pivot axis between opened and closed positions. The container system also
has a carrier with a body receiving the container and an arm coupled to the
body
io for pivotal reciprocation about an arm pivot axis that is oriented
substantially
parallel to the door pivot axis. The arm engages the door of the container,
and the
pivotal reciprocation of the arm reciprocates the door of the container
between the
opened and closed positions. A biasing member is directly coupled to the arm,
wherein the arm is reciprocally pivoted about the arm pivot axis against a
bias of
the biasing member.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a
carrier for holding a container having a door mounted for reciprocation
between
opened and closed positions, the carrier comprising: a body portion at least
partially defining a cavity to receive the container; an upper portion coupled
to the
body portion and movable between a first position and a second position, the
upper
portion covering at least a portion of the container, thereby inhibiting
removal of
the container from the carrier when the upper portion is in the first
position, and
allowing removal of the container from the carrier when the upper portion is
in the
second position; and an arm coupled to the upper portion for pivotal movement
with respect to the upper portion, the arm engagable with the door of the
container, and the pivotal movement of the arm capable of reciprocating the
door
of the container between the opened and closed positions.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a
container system comprising: a container having a door mounted for
reciprocation
between opened and closed positions; and a carrier receiving the container,
the
carrier having: a body portion; and an arm coupled for reciprocal movement
with
respect to the body portion, the arm having a first portion coupled to the
body
portion and a second portion pivotally coupled by a pivot linkage to the first
portion, the second portion being configured and dimensioned to selectively
engage
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the door of the container, wherein the second portion of the arm comprises a
contact surface positioned to facilitate manual pivoting of the second portion
with
respect to the first portion of the arm, the contact surface being defined by
a recess
formed in the second portion.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a
container system comprising: a container having a door mounted for
reciprocation
between opened and closed positions; and a carrier configured and dimensioned
to
receive the container, the carrier having: a body portion defining a cavity
for
receiving the container, the body portion having a wall portion that is
substantially
io hollow; an arm coupled for reciprocal movement with respect to the body
portion;
and a flexible member coupled to the arm to facilitate the reciprocal movement
of
the arm, the flexible member extending through the substantially hollow wall
portion of the body portion, wherein the arm engages the door of the container
and
the reciprocal movement of the arm reciprocates the door of the container
between
is the opened and closed positions.
A carrier is also disclosed having a body portion at least partially
defining a cavity receiving a container, an upper portion coupled to the body
portion and extending over at least a portion of the container, and an arm
coupled
to the upper portion for pivotal movement with respect to the upper portion.
20 Also disclosed is a container system is provided with a carrier
having a
body portion and an arm coupled for reciprocal movement with respect to the
body
portion, the arm having a first portion coupled to the body portion and a
second
portion pivotally coupled to the first portion and engaging a surface of the
door.
Also disclosed is a container system is provided with a carrier having a
25 body with a wall portion that is substantially hollow. An arm is coupled
for
reciprocal movement with respect to the body portion, and a flexible member is
coupled to the arm to facilitate reciprocal movement of the arm. The flexible
member extends through the substantially hollow wall portion of the body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
30 The invention is best understood from the following detailed
description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing. It is
emphasized, according to common practice, that various features illustrated in
the
drawing are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various
features
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are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. Included in the drawing are
the
following figures:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a container system
according to this invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container than can be used as a
component of the container system illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container system illustrated in FIG.
1, as the container illustrated in FIG. 2 is being inserted into or withdrawn
from a
carrier component of the container system illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a base portion of the container system
illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a body component
of the container system illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5B is a left side view of the body component illustrated in FIG.
5A.
FIG. 5C is a rear view of the body component illustrated in FIG. 5A.
FIG. 5D is a front view of the body component illustrated in FIG. 5A.
FIG. 5E is a top view of the body component illustrated in FIG. 5A.
FIG. 5F is a bottom view of the body component illustrated in FIG. 5A.
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FIG. 6A is a top view of an embodiment of a hood component of the
container system illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 66 is a right side view of the hood component illustrated in FIG.
6A.
FIG. 6C is left side view of the hood component illustrated in FIG. 6A.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an extension or arm
control assembly adapted for use in the container system illustrated in FIG.
1.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an extension or arm
component of the arm control assembly illustrated in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a locking member component of the arm
control assembly illustrated in FIG. 7.
FIG. 10 is a plan view of an embodiment of a cable assembly adapted
for use in the container system illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 11A is a perspective view of another embodiment of a container
system according to this invention, with a container door in the closed
position.
FIG. 116 is a perspective view of the container system shown in FIG.
11A, with the container door in the open position.
FIG. 11C is a side view of the container system shown in FIG. 116.
FIG. 12A is a perspective view of the container system shown in FIG.
11A, with the container removed.
FIG. 126 is a rear view of the container system shown in FIG. 12A, with
the container removed.
FIG. 12C is a perspective view of the container system shown in FIG.
12A, with the container removed and an upper portion opened.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an upper portion of
the container system shown in FIG. 12A.
FIG. 14A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a portion of an arm
of the container system shown in FIG. 12A.
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FIG. 14B is another perspective view of the arm portion shown in FIG.
14A.
FIG. 15 is a side view of an embodiment of a component of the arm
portion shown in FIG. 14A.
FIG. 16A is a perspective view of the upper portion of the container
system shown in FIG. 13, with an outer body portion removed to reveal internal
details.
FIG. 16B is another perspective view of the upper portion of the
container system shown in FIG. 16A, also with the outer body portion removed
to
io reveal internal details.
FIG. 16C is an enlarged perspective view of the upper portion of the
container system shown in FIG. 16A.
FIG. 16D is a further enlarged perspective view of the upper portion of
the container system shown in FIG. 16A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Exemplary details of this invention will now be described with reference
to preferred embodiments selected for illustration in the Figures. It will be
appreciated that the Figures have not been rendered to any particular scale or
proportion. Also, it will be appreciated that the scope of this invention is
not limited to
the embodiments selected for illustration in the Figures. Instead, the scope
of this
invention is defined separately in the appended claims.
Generally, referring to the Figures, this invention provides a carrier 100
that is configured to hold a medical waste container 20 having a door 26
mounted for
reciprocation between opened and closed positions. The carrier 100 includes a
body
105 that is adapted to receive the medical waste container 20. The carrier 100
also
includes an extension or arm 202 coupled for reciprocal movement with respect
to the
body 105. The arm 202 is adapted for engagement with the door 26 of the
medical
waste container 20. The reciprocal movement of the arm 202 is adapted to
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reciprocate the door 26 of the medical waste container 20 between the opened
and
closed positions.
This invention also provides a container system 10 including the medical
waste container 20 in combination with the carrier 100. The system 10 has been
discovered to reduce contact between medical professionals and the medical
waste
container 20 during use. The system 10 has also been discovered to resist
unauthorized use of, and unintended access to the interior of, the medical
waste
container 20.
Referring specifically to FIG. 1, the medical waste container system 10
to includes a carrier 100 that can receive the medical waste container 20.
The carrier
100 includes several features to facilitate the mobility of the medical waste
container
system 10. Specifically, the carrier 100 includes four (4) wheels 112 mounted
at the
base of the carrier 100 so that the medical waste container system 10 can
easily and
readily be transported from one position to another by a user of the system
10. Two
(2) of the four (4) wheels 112 are preferably lockable so that movement of the
system
10 along the ground can be prevented or controlled.
Also, an extendable handle 120 extends upwardly and outwardly from
the carrier 100 so that the container system 10 can be pulled by a user. More
specifically, the handle 120 is formed from thick metallic wire formed into an
elongated loop that terminates at its base with a pair of loops 122. Those
loops 122
engage a pair of vertically-extending handle guides 118 which are fixed to the
body of
the carrier 100. A loop 119 extends between the handle guides 118 toward the
top
portion of the handle guides 118, thereby forming a support against which the
upper
portion of the handle 120 rests.
It will be understood that the handle 120 can be extended upwardly and
outwardly with respect to the carrier 100 by virtue of the sliding
relationship between
the loops 122 at the base of the handle 120 and the handle guides 118 to which
the
loops 122 are slidingly engaged. As the handle loops 122 slide upwardly along
the
handle guides 118, the handle 120 extends upwardly and outwardly with respect
to
the carrier 100, while still resting against the loop 119 toward the top of
the handle
guides 118. When in this extended position, a user of the system 10 can easily
move
the carrier 100 from one location to another. When finished, the user can
release the
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handle 120 to the retracted position as the loops 122 at the base of the
handle 120
slide downwardly along the handle guides 118.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a preferred embodiment of a medical waste
container 20 is illustrated, which container can be used in the medical waste
container system 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. An exemplary waste container is
disclosed by Mosior in U.S. Patent No. 5,531,346. An exemplary waste container
is
also available from Tyco Healthcare Group LP of Mansfield, Massachusetts (see,
e.g., Product Nos. 8938, 8998S, 8935, 8936SA, 8939 and 8934).
The medical waste container 20 includes a receptacle 22 on which a
lo lid 24 is engaged. A door 26 is mounted for sliding reciprocation with
respect to
the lid 24. More specifically, the door 26 slides with respect to the lid 24
in the
direction indicated by the arrow labeled Dl. In FIG. 2, the door 26 is shown
in the
closed position. As the door 26 slides in the direction D1, the door 26 moves
from
the closed position (as illustrated) to an opened position (not shown in FIG.
1).
is When the door 26 is in the closed position, access to the interior of
the medical
waste container 20 is prevented. Conversely, when the door 26 is in the opened
position, access is provided to the interior of the receptacle 22 so that
medical
waste can be inserted for disposal.
It will be understood that the medical waste container system 10
20 illustrated in FIG. 1, helps to reduce contact between the user of the
system 10 and
the medical waste container 20. More specifically, as will be described later
in
further detail, is no longer necessary for the user of the system 10 to make
hand
contact with the door 26 of the medical waste container 20 in order to open
the
container 20 and gain access to the interior of the receptacle 22 (in order to
discard
25 medical waste) or to close the door 26 to prevent such access. Also, the
medical
waste container system 10 makes it possible to prevent unauthorized or
inadvertent access to the interior of the medical waste container 20, as will
be
described later in further detail.
Referring now to FIG. 3, the removal of the medical waste container
30 20 from the carrier 100 is illustrated. A body component 105 of the
carrier 100
includes a pair of opposed guide rails 102 (only one shown in FIG. 3) in order
to
support the medical waste container 20 when it is positioned within the
interior
defined by the carrier 100. More specifically, the guide rails 102 provide a
pair of
supports against
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which the lip of the receptacle 22 and/or skirt of the lid 24 can rest. The
container 20
can therefore be suspended and/or supported by the carrier 100.
The carrier 100 also includes a hood component 104 that is coupled by
means of a hinge 106 to the body 105 of the carrier 100. The hinge 106 makes
it
possible to rotate the hood 104 with respect to the body 105 so that the hood
104 can
be moved between an opened position (as shown in FIG.3) and a closed position
(as
shown in FIG. 1) The view provided in FIG. 3 also reveals a door retractor
assembly
108, which is used to open and close the door 26 of the medical waste
container 20,
as will be described in further detail later.
io When the hood 104 is rotated by means of the hinge 106 into a
closed
position (as shown in FIG. 1), removal of the medical waste container 20 from
the
carrier 100 is prevented. Also, a lock 110 is preferably provided on the hood
104 in
order to lock the hood 104 in a closed position with respect to the body 105
of the
carrier 100. Lock 110 can be a simple key lock, wherein rotation of the key
brings
is about (or releases) engagement between the hood 104 and the body 105.
When the medical waste container 20 is desired to be removed from the
carrier 100 (e.g., when the container 20 is filled with medical waste), it can
be
removed from the carrier 100 by unlocking the lock 110 on the hood 104,
rotating the
hood 104 from the closed position shown in FIG. 1 to the opened position shown
in
zo FIG. 3 by virtue of the hinge 106, and removing the medical waste
container 20 from
the carrier 100 in the direction designated by the arrow 02 in FIG. 3. The
removal
procedure can be reversed in order to introduce the medical waste container
20, or a
replacement container 20, into the interior defined by the carrier 100.
The body 105 of the carrier 100 includes a pair of detents 113 that are
25 positioned to mate with a corresponding pair of recesses 115 in the hood
104. The
mating engagement of detents 113 and recesses 115 provides for alignment
between
the hood 104 and the body 105 when the hood 104 is being closed.
Referring now to FIG. 4, a lower portion of the medical waste container
system 10 is illustrated. The carrier 100 of the system 10 includes a lever
114, such
30 as a foot pedal for example, in order to open and close the door 26 of
the medical
waste container 20. More specifically, the lever 114 is depressed downwardly
by the
foot of a user in the direction designated in FIG. 4 by the arrow 03. As will
be
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described later in further detail, a cable coupled to the lever 114 runs from
the lever,
extends through the interior of the hollow body 105 of the carrier 100, and is
coupled
to a mechanism (arm control assembly 200 shown in FIG. 7) for opening and
closing
the door 26 of the medical waste container 20.
Although the foot pedal version of lever 114 shown in FIG. 4 can be
replaced by a hand operated lever, the preferred operation of the lever 114 by
the
foot of a user obviates the need for the user to use his or her hand to
contact the
medical waste container system 10 in order to open the door 26. Instead, the
user
merely depresses the lever 114 with his or her foot to open the container 20.
io Another preferred feature of the medical waste container system 10
is a
mechanism for preventing a user from depressing the lever 114. It has been
discovered that such a mechanism helps to prevent unauthorized users from
opening
the medical waste container by mere operation of the lever 114. Also, it has
been
discovered that such a mechanism helps to prevent authorized users from
operating
the lever 114 inadvertently. For example, when the waste container 20 is
filled and
no additional waste should be introduced into the receptacle 22, a mechanism
for
preventing a user from depressing the lever 114 helps prevent the inadvertent
introduction of additional waste.
In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, a bracket 116 is
mounted to the body 105 of the carrier 100 at its ends for rotation with
respect to the
body 105 of the carrier 100. More specifically, the bracket 116 can be rotated
from a
retracted position (shown in FIG. 1) to the extended position shown in FIG. 4.
It will
be appreciated that, when the bracket 116 is in the locking position shown in
FIG. 4, it
is difficult or impossible for an unauthorized user to move the lever 114 in a
direction
indicated by the arrow D3. Inadvertent operation of the lever 114 by
authorized users
is also discouraged by the bracket 116 when it is in the position shown in
FIG. 4.
In order to release the locking function of the bracket 116, the bracket
116 can be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow D4 and returned to
the
position shown in FIG. 1. The bracket 116 can be operated by the foot of a
user when
it is located near the bottom of the carrier 100. Foot operation of the
bracket 116 is
preferred in order to reduce or eliminate hand contact between the user and
the
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system 10. Alternatively, if the lever 114 and bracket 116 are located for
hand
operation, the user can position the bracket to block the lever by hand.
Referring now to FIGS 5A -5F, one preferred embodiment of the body
component 105 of the carrier 100 is illustrated. It should be noted that the
body 105
could be formed in a wide variety of shapes, configurations, materials, sizes,
and
proportions. The shape and configuration of the body 105 are not dictated by
its
function. Instead, the configuration of the body 105 provides the carrier 100
with an
ornamental appearance that is appealing to the eye.
The body 105 is preferably formed from plastic such as polyethylene
io (PE) for example, most preferably linear low density polyethylene
(LLDPE), but a
metallic body is also contemplated. Preferably, when the body 105 is formed
from
plastic, the body 105 is preferable formed by a molding process. Most
preferably, the
body 105 is formed by a rotational molding process.
Referring specifically to the perspective view shown in FIG. 5A, the body
is 105 of the carrier 100 includes a base portion 124 to which the wheels
112 (shown in
FIG. 4) can be mounted. The body 105 also includes a pair of lower side
portions 126
and 128, a pair of upper side portions 130 and 132, and an upper front portion
142
that extends between the upper side portions 130 and 132.
The upper side portion 132 of the body 105 is provided with a series of
20 hinge mounting holes 134 (four (4) shown), which facilitate the mounting
of the hinge
connecting the hood 104 to the body 105. The upper side portion 132 of the
body
105 is also provided with a series of guide rail mounting holes 136 (three (3)
shown)
to facilitate the mounting of the guide rails 102 to the body 105. Only one
set of
guide rail mounting holes 136 is shown in FIG. 5A, and it will be understood
that guide
25 rail mounting holes 136 are also provided on the upper side portion 130
of the body
105.
Toward the base portion 124 of the body 105, a pair of bracket
mounting holes 138 (only one shown in FIG. 5A) is provided for the mounting of
terminal end portions of the bracket 116 shown in FIG. 4. The mounting holes
138
30 permit rotation of the bracket 116 with respect to the body 105 from a
retracted
position (FIG. 1) to an extended position (FIG. 4) and back again. Similarly,
a pair of
handle guide mounting holes 140 are provided near base portion 124 for
mounting the
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lower portions of the handle guides 118. The mounting holes 144 for the upper
portions of the handle guides 118 are shown in FIG. 5C and will be described
later.
Referring now to FIG. 5B, a left-hand side view of the ornamental body
105 is illustrated. The ornamental body 105 extends from the lower side
portion 126
to the upper side portion 130 in a series of contours.
Referring to the rear view of the body 105 illustrated in FIG. 5C, the
body 105 includes an ornamental upper front portion 142 that extends between
the
upper side portions 130 and 132. A pair of handle guide mounting holes 144 is
provided on the upper front portion 142 in order to mount the upper portions
of the
to handle guides 118 shown in FIG. 1. A lower front portion 143 of the body
105
extends between the lower side portions 126 and 128.
FIG. 5D, which provides a front view of the body 105, illustrates
additional ornamental features of the upper front portion 142 (extending
between the
upper side portions 130 and 132 of the body 105) and the lower front portion
143
ts (extending between lower side portions 126 and 128). Also, FIG. 5D
illustrates
another view of the handle guide mounting holes 140, which accommodate lower
portions of the handle guides 118.
Top and bottom views of the body 105 are illustrated in FIGS. 5E and
5F, respectively. FIG. SE reveals additional ornamental features of the upper
side
20 portions 130 and 132 and the upper front portion 142 of the body 105.
FIG. 5E also
illustrates the hinge mounting holes 134 provided in upper side portion 132 of
the
body 105.
The bottom of body 105 is illustrated in FIG. 5F, which bottom includes
four (4) wheel mounting holes 146 to facilitate the mounting of four (4)
wheels 112 to
25 the body 105 of the carrier 100. A recess 148 is provided in the bottom
surface of the
base portion 124 of the body 105 in order to accommodate the lever or foot
pedal
114. The lever 114, when mounted to the base portion 124 of the body 105 as
illustrated in FIG. 4, can reciprocate by rotation about an axis defined by a
portion of
the foot pedal that runs perpendicular to the direction in which the lever 114
is
30 depressed. That portion of the lever 114 extends through a recess 149,
and a pair
blocks (not shown), each attached to the body 105 by a set of four (4)
fasteners,
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captures the lever 114 so that its movement is limited to rotational movement
about
the axis of the recess 149.
Another portion of the lever 114 (not shown) extends perpendicularly
with respect to axis about which the lever 114 rotates. More specifically,
that portion
s of the lever 114 is oriented to extend through a channel 150 in the base
portion 124.
That portion of the lever 114 moves upwardly when the lever 114 is depressed
by the
foot of a user. By doing so, as will be described in further detail later, the
lever 114
retracts a cable (not shown), thereby actuating the carrier 100 to open the
door 26 of
the medical waste container 20.
io Referring now to FIGS 6A - 6C, preferred ornamental features of the
hood component 104 of the carrier 100 will now be described. Referring first
to the
plan view shown in FIG. 6A, the hood 104 includes an aperture 152 through
which a
button (shown in FIG. 7) extends. As is illustrated in the right-side view
shown in
FIG. 68, the hood 104 is preferably provided with an integral hinge stop 154.
More
15 specifically, hinge stop 154, which can be formed integrally with the
hood 104,
provides a limit to the hood's rotation when the hood 104 is fully opened. It
will be
understood that, when the hood 104 is opened to the position shown in FIG. 3,
a
surface of the hinge stop 154 will contact an upper, outer surface of the
upper side
portion 132, thereby preventing over-extension of the hinge. Finally,
referring to the
20 left-side view illustrated in FIG. 6C, the hood 104 is provided with an
aperture 156 for
receiving the lock 110.
The hood 104 also includes a container retainer portion 111, which
prevents removal of the container 20 from the carrier 100 when the hood 104 is
in the
closed position. The retainer portion 111 is preferably formed integrally with
the hood
25 104, but can take a wide variety of shapes, sizes and configurations.
Like the body 105, the hood 104 is preferably formed from plastic in a
rotational molding process. It will be appreciated, however, that the
configuration of
the hood 104 can take a wide variety of forms, and that the contours selected
for the
hood 104 contributes to the overall ornamental appearance of the medical waste
30 disposal system 10.
FIG. 7 illustrates details of one embodiment of a mechanism that can be
employed to open and close the door 26 of the medical waste container 20 by
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operation of the lever 114. As is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 7, an extension
or arm
control assembly 200 (FIG. 7) of the door retractor assembly 108 (FIG. 3) is
mounted
to the hood 104 of the carrier 100.
The arm control assembly 200 includes an extension or arm 202 that is
mounted at its end to a bracket 204. The arm 202 extends parallel to a
mounting
plate 206 and extends through a mounting block 208 that is attached to the
plate
206. A pin 209 is attached at the end of the arm 202 opposite from the bracket
204,
and an optional bracket 210 is attached to the pin 209 for engagement with the
door
26 of the lid 24 of the medical waste container 20. The pin 209 is provided to
engage
io the door of the container. More specifically, the pin 209 extends into
the upwardly
extending recess 28 formed in the door 26 of the lid 24.
The bracket 210 is one embodiment of an extension of the arm 202 that
can be used to adapt the arm control assembly 200 of the system 10 for use
with a
variety of containers. For example, containers having a configuration
different from
that of container 20 can be installed in the carrier 100, and an extension
such as
bracket 210 can be used to couple the arm 202 to the lid of the container.
Accordingly, it will be understood that the door 26 of the lid 24 is
reciprocated
between opened and closed positions as the arm 202, pin 209, and optional
bracket
210 of the arm control assembly 200 reciprocate with respect to the hood 104
of the
carrier 100.
It is preferred for the carrier 100 to include a mechanism that enables a
user of the system 10 to lock the door 26 of the medical waste container 20 in
the
opened position so that sharps can be introduced into the receptacle 22 of the
medical
waste container 20 without repeated openings of the container 20 or continuous
depression of the foot pedal or lever 114. To accomplish this preferred
function, the
arm control assembly 200 is provided with a locking member 212 which is
mounted
for movement with respect to the block 208 so that the locking member 212 can
be
moved towards the plate 206 of the arm control assembly 200. Preferably, one
or
more springs are used in the arm control assembly 200, interposed between
surfaces
of the block 208 and the locking member 212, in order to bias the locking
member
212 vertically away from the plate 206.
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A button 214 is engaged to a surface of the locking member 212,
preferably by means of an aperture (not shown) provided in the locking member
212,
and is configured to extend upwardly through the aperture 152 provided in the
hood
104 (FIG. 6A). A user of the system therefore has access to the button 214 so
that
the button 214 and locking member 212 can be depressed, thereby locking the
arm
202 of the arm control assembly 200 in a retracted position in order to
maintain the
door 26 of the medical waste container 20 in the opened position.
Preferred features and the operation of the locking mechanism of the
arm control assembly 200 will now be described in greater detail with general
io reference to FIGS. 7-9. As is illustrated in FIG. 8, the arm 202 of the
arm control
assembly 200 includes a mounting portion 226 to which the pin 209 is connected
(e.g., by threaded fasteners). The arm 202 also includes a recess or a reduced
diameter portion 228 and is spaced from the mounting portion 226.
Referring now to FIG. 9, which illustrates preferred features of the
locking member 212 of the arm control assembly 200, the locking member 212
includes a pair of mounting holes 230 on a mounting portion 232 in order to
facilitate
the connection between the mounting member 212 and the block 208 of the arm
control assembly 200.
The locking member 212 also includes a locking recess 234 on a locking
zo portion 236. Locking recess of 234 of locking member 212 facilitates
releasable
engagement between the locking member 212 and the arm 202 of the arm control
assembly 200 when the button 214 and locking member 212 are depressed by a
user
of the system 10 toward the plate 206 of the arm control assembly 200. More
specifically, referring again to FIG. 7, the arm 202 of the arm control
assembly 200 is
preferably biased into the extended position (not shown in FIG. 7) wherein the
arm
202 extends outwardly from the hood 104 as is shown in FIG. 3. More
specifically,
arm control assembly 200 includes a pair of coiled tension springs 216 and 218
which
are mounted with respected to the plate 206 by means of two guides 220 and
222,
respectively, which are mounted directly to the plate 206. A guide rod 224 may
also
be provided in the arm control assembly 200 in order to guide the end of the
arm 202
that is connected to the bracket 204 as the arm 202 extends from the retracted
position shown in FIG. 7 to the extended position shown in FIG. 3 and to keep
the pin
209 in a vertical orientation.
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By virtue of the springs 216 and 218 of the arm control assembly 200,
the arm 202 is biased toward the extended position shown in FIG. 3 in that the
springs 216 and 218 pull upon the bracket 204, thereby urging an extension of
the
arm 202 through the block 208 of the arm control assembly 200. When the button
214 and locking member 212 are depressed by a user of the system 10 while the
arm
202 is in the retracted position shown in FIG. 7 (i.e., while the lever 114 is
depressed
and while the door 26 of the container is in the opened position), the locking
recess
234 extends into the reduced diameter portion 228 of the arm 202 (FIG. 8). By
virtue
of the bias of the arm 202 towards the extended position after the lever 114
is
io released, it will be understood that a facing surface of the reduced
diameter portion
228 is urged against a surface of the locking portion 236 of the locking
member 212
that is adjacent to the locking recess 234.
Although not shown in FIG. 9, the hidden surface of the locking portion
236 is preferably provided with a counterbore in the radiused portion of the
locking
is recess 234, thereby facilitating greater frictional contact between the
facing surface of
the reduced diameter portion 228 of the arm 202 and the locking portion 236 of
the
locking member 212. The button 214 can be released by the user of the system
10,
and the fictional engagement between the locking member 212 and the arm 202
will
retain the arm 202 in the retracted position shown in FIG. 7.
20 When a user desires to release the arm 202, thereby allowing the
carrier 100 to return the door 26 of the container 20 to the closed position,
the user
can actuate the lever or foot pedal 114 once again in order to release the
engagement
between the locking member 212 and the arm 202. More specifically, by
actuating
the lever 114 to retract the arm 202 farther into the hood 104, the fictional
25 engagement between the locking member 212 and the arm 202 is broken,
thereby
permitting the button 214 and locking member 212 to return to their original
position
by action of the springs (not shown) that are interposed between the locking
member
212 and the block 208.
Referring now to FIG. 10, a cable assembly 238 of the carrier 100 is
30 illustrated. The cable assembly 238 is provided to couple the lever or
foot pedal 114
to the arm 202 and/or pin 209 of the arm control assembly 200. More
specifically,
depressing the lever 114 downwardly in the direction D3 shown in FIG. 4
retracts the
cable assembly 238 against the bias provided by springs 216 and 218 of the arm
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control assembly 200. In other words, as the lever 114 is actuated, the cable
assembly 238 pulls the assembly of the arm 202, pin 209 and optional bracket
210
towards the retracted position shown in FIG. 7.
The cable assembly 238 preferably travels through a plastic conduit
s assembly in order to protect the cable and to reduce the wear between the
cable and
the components of the carrier 100. The cable assembly 238 extends through the
body
105 of the carrier 100 from the lever 114 and through the hood 104 to the
assembly
of the arm 202, pin 209 and optional bracket 210.
One preferred embodiment of the cable assembly 238 is illustrated in
io FIG. 10. The cable assembly 238 includes an eyelet 240 connected to a
lubricated
metallic cable 242. The lubricated cable 242 extends through a conduit
assembly
including a pair of threaded conduit fittings 244, a plastic conduit 246,
external tooth
lockwashers 248, and jam nuts 250. The lubricated cable 242 extends outwardly
from
the opposite end of the conduit assembly and terminates at another eyelet 252.
It
is will be understood that one end of the cable assembly 238 (e.g., eyelet
240 or 252) is
coupled to the lever 114, and the other end of the cable assembly 238 (e.g.,
eyelet
252 or 240) is coupled to the arm control assembly 200. Accordingly, the cable
assembly 238 couples the lever 114 to the arm control assembly 200 so that the
depression of the lever 114 by a user of the system 10 brings about the
retraction of
20 the arm 202 of the arm control assembly 200 into the hood 104.
The operation of the medical waste container system 10 will now be
described with general reference to FIGS. 1-10. A medical waste container 20
is
introduced into the interior region defined by the carrier 100 by releasing
the lock 110
on the hood 104, rotating the hood 104 by means of the hinge 106 to open the
hood
25 104, sliding the medical waste container 20 into the interior region
defined by the
carrier 100 until a portion of the medical waste container 20 is supported by
the guide
rails 102 of the carrier 100, closing the hood 104, and engaging the lock 110,
thereby
locking the medical waste container 20 within the carrier 100.
In order to remove a filled medical waste container 20 from the carrier
30 100, the foregoing steps are substantially reversed. Specifically, the
lock 110 on the
hood 104 is disengaged, the hood 104 is again rotated by means of the hinge
106 into
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an open position, and the filled medical waste container 20 is then removed in
the
direction D2 shown in FIG. 3.
In order to open the medical waste container 20 using the system 10
(e.g., in order to deposit waste in the receptacle 22 of the container 20),
the lever or
foot pedal 114 is depressed by a user in a direction D3, thereby causing the
arm 202
to retract into the hood 104 of the carrier 100 and causing the door 26 of the
medical
waste container 20 to slide into the opened position. Medical waste can then
be
deposited through the opening in the lid 24 of the medical waste container 20
for
receipt in the receptacle 22.
In order to lock the door 26 of the medical waste container 20 in the
open position after the depression of the lever 114 in the direction D3, the
button 214
of the arm control assembly 200 can be depressed by the user and the lever 114
can
be released in order to bring about engagement between the locking member 212
of
the arm control assembly 200 and a surface of the reduced diameter portion 228
of
the arm 202 of the arm control assembly 200. While the medical waste container
20
is locked in this opened position, a user of the system 10 need not depress
the lever
114 (which will remain in the depressed position by virtue of the cable
assembly 238
and the engagement between the locking member 212 and the arm 202), and the
user can deposit medical waste in the medical waste container 20 through the
open
door 26.
In order to release the button 214 of the arm control assembly 200,
thereby releasing the arm 202 and bringing about closure of the door 26, a
user can
depress the lever 114 farther. By doing so, the frictional interengagement
between
the locking member 212 and the arm 202 of the arm control assembly 200 is
released
so that the arm 202 can be extended from the hood 104, thereby allowing
movement
of the door 26 to the closed position as the lever 114 is released by the user
(by
virtue of the bias provided by the springs 216 and 218).
In order to prevent unauthorized or unintended use of the system 10 by
operation of the lever 114, the bracket 116 can be rotated downwardly to a
position
corresponding to the lever 114 as is illustrated in FIG 4. When in that
position, the
bracket 116 prevents an individual from depressing the lever 114 in the
direction D3.
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Rotation of the bracket 116 upwardly (into the position shown in FIG. 1)
permits
operation of the lever 114.
Now referring generally to FIGS. 11A through 16D, another embodiment
of a container system will be described. The container system illustrated in
FIGS. 11A
through 16D is similar to the container system described previously except
that it is
configured for use with containers having hinged closures. Specifically, waste
containers having tops with hinged closures are optionally used for the
disposal of
contaminated items. Examples of such hinged-closure waste containers are
available
from Tyco Healthcare Group LP of Mansfield, Massachusetts (see, e.g., Product
Nos.
io 8997, 8980, 8932, 8933, 8998, 8991, 8982, 8985, 8931, and 8989).
The reciprocal movement of the arm of the container system can be
movement in a path along a longitudinal axis of the arm, as described for the
previous
embodiment, or the reciprocal movement of the arm can be movement about a
pivot
axis, as will be described with reference to FIGS. 11A through 16D.
Referring generally to FIGS. 11A through 16D, the container system
1010 includes a rotationally-molded carrier 1100 that holds a container 1020.
The
carrier 1100 has a body portion 1105 and a cover portion, upper portion, or
hood
1104. One side of the hood 1104 is hinged to the body portion 1105 of the
carrier
1104. When the hood 1104 is opened from a first position to a second position,
the
container 1020 may be inserted into the carrier 1100 or removed.
A pivoting lid 1026 is used to close the top of the container 1020.
Medical waste is placed into the top of the container 1020 when the lid 1026
is rotated
to the open position. The hood 1104 of the carrier 1100 remains in the closed
position when the lid 1026 is rotated between its open and closed positions.
The lid 1026 is opened via a mechanism that extends from a foot pedal
1114 to a hook 1003. Hook 1003 is coupled to an arm 1002. The arm 1002 and
hook
1003 are operated by foot pedal 1114 via a cable-pulley mechanism. When a user
presses down on foot pedal 1114, hook 1003 pulls edge 1028 of lid 1026 upward.
As
edge 1028 is pulled upward, the lid 1026 rotates to provide access to the
interior of
the container 1020 for disposal of medical waste. To close the lid 1026, the
user
releases the foot pedal 1114.
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The cable mechanism for opening lid 1026 includes a cable 1242 that
extends in a sheath 1246 from the foot pedal 1114 up through the hollow wall
of
carrier 1100, into a hollow space defined between the hood 1104 of the carrier
1100
and a plate 1300 until it reaches a cable-pulley mechanism. Plate 1300
supports most
of the pulley mechanism and has a rectangular shaped slot 1314. A pivot block
1306
is coupled to plate 1300 on one side of slot 1314, and a second pivot block
1304 is
coupled to plate 1300 on the opposite side of (and spaced away from) slot
1314.
Pivot block 1306 has a through-hole 1308, and pivot block 1304 has a similar
through-hole, which through-holes receive a rotatable rod 1302. A 90 degree
pulley
io 1316 is mounted between pivot blocks 1304 and 1306 and is supported by,
and
rotated about, rotatable rod 1302. Pulley 1316 is suspended in slot 1314.
Arm 1002 is coupled to rotatable rod 1302, and cable 1242 is coupled
to, and winds around, pulley 1316. When a user steps on foot pedal 1114, cable
1242
is pulled, causing pulley 1316 to rotate. This causes arm 1002 to lift the lid
1026 of
the container 1020. Preferably, stop surfaces 1090 and 1092 are provided to
limit
rotational opening movement of lid 1026. When a user releases foot pedal 1114,
cable 1242 moves in an opposite direction, causing pulley 1316 to rotate back.
This
causes lid 1026 to rotate to its closed position.
A cable block 1310 is positioned directly behind pulley 1316 and has a
slot 1312 aligned with a center groove 1322 in pulley 1316. The alignment of
slot
1312 with center groove 1322 properly aligns cable 1242 with the center groove
1322
to enable substantially effortless rotation of pulley 1316 as cable 1242 is
actuated by
foot pedal 1114.
A temporary-open block 1320 is mounted onto plate 1300 adjacent to
pivot block 1306 and pulley 1316. Temporary-open block 1320 has a through-
opening 1318 to receive a rod 1214 and a spring (not shown). Rod 1214 has a
first
end that extends from one side of block 1320 to a location outside the carrier
1100.
Rod 1214 has a second end that extends from the other side of block 1320
toward
pulley 1316. Pulley 1316 has a detent (the upwardly extending portion shown in
FIG.
16C) coupled to a side of the pulley 1316.
When a user steps on foot pedal 1114, causing pulley 1316 to be fully
rotated in the counterclockwise direction (from the perspective of FIG. 16C),
the
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detent coupled to the side of the pulley 1316 is rotated to a position where
it has a
surface extending substantially parallel to plate 1300. Rod 1214 can then be
pushed
in a direction toward pulley 1316, causing an end of rod 1214 to be extended
over the
detent on the side of the pulley 1316, thereby preventing clockwise movement
of the
detent and pulley 1316 upon release of the foot pedal 1114 by means of
frictional
engagement and/or interference between the rod 1214 and the detent. Lid 1026
is
therefore maintained in the open position. When the foot pedal 1114 is again
depressed, frictional engagement between the rod 1214 and the detent is
released,
and the spring within block 1320 pulls or biases the end of rod 1214 away from
the
io detent, allowing the detent and pulley 1316 to rotate in the clockwise
direction,
thereby allowing lid 1026 to close.
Referring specifically to FIGS. 11A through 11C, like system 10, the
medical waste container system 1010 includes a carrier 1100 includes four (4)
wheels
1112 mounted at the base of the carrier 1100. An extendable handle 1120
extends
is upwardly and outwardly from the carrier 1100 along a pair of vertically-
extending
handle guides 1118. A loop 1119 forms a support against which the upper
portion of
the handle 1120 rests.
The medical waste container 1020 includes a receptacle 1022 on which
a lid is engaged. A door 1026 is mounted for pivotal reciprocation with
respect to the
zo remainder of the lid. The body component 1105 of the carrier 1100
includes a pair of
opposed guide rails 1102 in order to support the medical waste container 1020
when
it is positioned within the interior defined by the carrier 1100. More
specifically, the
guide rails 1102 provide a pair of supports against which the lip of the
receptacle 1022
and/or a skirt of the container's lid can rest.
25 The carrier 1100 also includes the hood component 1104 that is
coupled
by means of a hinge 1106 to the body 1105 of the carrier 1100. The hinge 1106
makes it possible to rotate the hood 1104 with respect to the body 1105 so
that the
hood 1104 can be moved between an opened position (as shown in FIG. 12C) and a
closed position (as shown in FIG. 12A). A door retractor or arm control
assembly
30 1108 is used to open and close the door 1026 of the medical waste
container 1020, as
will be described in further detail later.
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When the hood 1104 is closed, removal of the medical waste container
1020 is prevented. Also, a lock 1110 is provided to lock the hood 1104 in a
closed
position with respect to the body 1105 of the carrier 1100. When the medical
waste
container 1020 is desired to be removed from the carrier 1100, it can be
removed by
unlocking the lock 1110 on the hood 1104, rotating the hood 1104 from the
closed
position to the opened position by virtue of the hinge 1106, and removing the
medical
waste container 1020. The removal procedure can be reversed in order to
introduce
the medical waste container 1020, or a replacement container 1020, into the
interior
defined by the carrier 1100.
io The carrier 1100 of the system 1010 includes a lever 1114, such
as a
foot pedal for example, in order to open and close the door 1026 of the
medical waste
container 1020. The lever 1114 is depressed downwardly by the foot of a user.
A
cable 1242 coupled to the lever 1114 runs from the lever, extends through the
interior
of the hollow body 1105 of the carrier 1100, and is coupled to arm control
assembly
is 1108 for opening and closing the door 1026.
Referring to FIG. 13, the hood or upper portion 1104 of the carrier 1100
includes a recessed area 1001 sized, positioned, and shaped to accommodate
pivotal
movement of the arm assembly. Specifically, hood or upper portion 1104 permits
movement of the arm component 1002 from a horizontal position (as shown in
FIG.
20 13) to a vertical position (as shown in FIG. 11C).
As is shown in FIG. 13, the flexible member 1238 includes sheath 1246
through which core 1242 extends. The flexible member 1238 therefore extends
through the body portion of the carrier 1100 (not shown in FIG. 13) through a
hollow
wall portion of the body portion (produced by the rotational-molding process),
through
25 the area of the hinge 1106 that connects the body portion 1105 to the
hood 1104, and
into an interior region of the hood 1104 for coupling to the arm component
1002. By
virtue of the hollow wall provided by the rotational molding process, the
flexible
member 1238 is virtually hidden from exposure to the environment. Because the
flexible member 1238 runs through the hollow wall portion of the carrier, it
is not
30 exposed to contamination and need not be cleaned. Also, the fact that
the flexible
member 1238 extends through the hollow wall of the body portion eliminates the
need
for unsightly mechanisms on an exterior of the body portion.
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Referring to FIGS. 14A and 14B, the arm control assembly of the carrier
includes an elongated arm member 1002 coupled to a hook portion 1003 by means
of
a pivotal linkage 1004, which includes a pin in this embodiment. The hook
portion
1003 of the arm assembly includes a hooked end 1005. The recess 1006 defines a
concave surface by which the hook 1005 can be rotated manually with respect to
the
elongated member 1002. For example, a user of the carrier can grasp the arm
segment 1002 and apply thumb pressure to the recess 1006 in order to rotate
the
hook 1005 upwardly. By doing so, the position of the hook portion 1003 is
moved in
order to engage or disengage the hook 1005 with a portion of the door of a
container.
io By depressing the recess 1006, the hook 1005 will disengage an edge 1028
of a
container lid. Conversely, by releasing the recess 1006, the hook 1005
preferably is
automatically moved by gravity into position for engagement with the edge 1028
of
the lid, because the center of gravity C.G. of hook portion 1003 is forward of
pivot
linkage 1004.
Referring now to FIGS. 116 and 14A, to remove a container 1020 from
the carrier 1100, the user depresses the recess 1006 to pivot the hook portion
1003
clockwise to disengage the hook portion 1003 from the edge 1028 of the lid
1026.
The user is then able to remove the container 1020 from the carrier 1100. To
install a
container 1020 into the carrier 1100, the arm segment 1002 is placed in the
upright
zo or partially upright position shown in FIG. 116. The user depresses the
recess 1006 of
the hook portion 1003 to pivot the hook portion 1003 clockwise to provide
clearance
for the lid 1026. The user installs the container 1020 into carrier 1100 with
the lid
1026 in the open position shown in FIG. 11B. The user then releases recess
1006 of
the hook portion 1003. By virtue of the center of gravity C.G. of the hook
portion
1003 (the center of gravity C.G. indicated in FIGS. 14A and 15), after the
user
releases the recess 1006 of the hook portion 1003, the hook portion 1003
naturally
pivots counterclockwise to engage with the edge 1028 of the lid 1026.
As shown in FIG. 146, the hook portion 1003 includes a recess 1007
that accommodates an end of the elongated portion 1002 of the arm assembly
1202.
The recess 1007 permits pivotal movement of the hook portion 1003 with respect
to
the elongated portion 1002 so that the hook member 1003 can move from a
position
that is substantially aligned with the axis of the elongated portion 1002 (as
shown in
FIG. 146) to a position at which the hook portion 1003 is angled with respect
to the
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elongated portion 1002 (as shown in FIG. 11C). FIG. 15 illustrates additional
details
of a preferred embodiment of the hook portion 1003.
Referring now to FIGS. 16A through 16D, which illustrate the assembly
shown in FIG. 13 but with a shell component of the hood portion 1104 removed
to
reveal internal details, the manner in which the flexible member 1238 is
terminated
near the arm member is illustrated. A support member or plate 1300 is mounted
within the hood or upper portion 1104 to support the components that control
the arm
assembly. The elongated arm component 1002 is connected to a pivot member or
rotatable rod 1302 that extends along an axis that is substantial parallel to
the axis
io about which the lid of the container pivots. The pivot member 1302 is
supported by
support members or pivot blocks 1304 and 1306, each of which is coupled to the
support member or plate 1300. Component 1306 includes a through-hole 1308 that
accommodates one end of the pivot member 1302 while an opposite end of the
pivot
member 1302 is supported by component 1304.
Another support component or cable block 1310 helps to guide the core
1242 of the flexible member 1238. Specifically, component 1310 includes a
channel
or slot 1312, which is aligned with a groove 1322 formed in the pulley 1316
that is
coupled to the pivot member 1302. Accordingly, the alignment component 1310
aligns the core 1242 so that it travels within the groove 1322 as the arm
member
zo 1002 is pivoted.
The pulley 1316 is mounted adjacent an aperture 1314 in the mounting
plate 1300. The recess or aperture 1314 therefore permits free rotational
movement
of the pulley 1316 with respect to the mounting component or plate 1300.
A locking mechanism is provided to lock the arm component 1002 in a
position at which the container is opened, thereby maintaining the lid of the
container
in an open condition even after the foot pedal is released. More specifically,
the pulley
1316 includes a surface (shown in FIG. 16C as a vertically-extending detent on
the
facing surface of the pulley 1316). When the pulley 1316 is rotated by tension
of the
core 1242, the engagement surface of the pulley 1316 becomes substantially
horizontal. In that position, an end of the locking rod 1214 can be pushed
through an
aperture 1318 formed in a guide component 1320. By doing so, the locking
member
1214 engages the detent surface on the pulley 1316 and prevents its rotation
back to
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the position shown in FIG. 16C. The spring (not shown) within the block 1320
urges
the locking member 1214 in the opposite direction for release when the food
pedal is
again depressed.
As shown in FIG. 16D, the core 1242 of the flexible member terminates
at a ball 1324 that is engaged within a recess formed in or adjacent the
grooved
surface of the pulley 1316. A fastener such as a screw 1326 retains the ball
1324 in
place to prevent its removal, thereby maintaining the connection or
termination of the
core 1242 at the pulley 1316.
Although this invention has been described with reference to particular
to embodiments selected for illustration in the Figures, it will be
appreciated that many
variations and modifications can be made to the system 10 and the components
thereof without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention. The
ornamental appearance of the body 105 and hood 104 of the carrier 100 can be
modified into a large number of possible configurations. Also, the materials
used to
is form the hood 104 and body 105, as well as the manufacturing techniques
used to
form those components, can also be modified. Although the body 105 and hood
104
are preferably formed from plastic using a rotational molding technique,
metallic and
other materials can be used and the body and hood can be formed using other
manufacturing techniques.
20 It will also be appreciated that the mechanism used to couple
the lever
114 to the arm 202 can be varied within the scope of this invention. For
example, the
flexible cable can be replaced with a rigid linkage. Also, the location and
form of the
lever 114 can be changed. While the lever 114 preferably takes the form of a
foot
pedal located near the base of the carrier 100, the lever can also be a hand-
operated
25 lever located towards an upper portion of the carrier 100.
It will further be appreciated that the mechanism used to translate
movement from the food pedal or other actuation device to the arm component
1002
can be varied within the scope of this invention. A wide variety of linkages,
couplings,
or other mechanisms are optionally employed to urge movement of an arm
30 component with respect to the remainder of a carrier.
Additional variations can also be made within the scope of this
invention, which is defined separately in the following claims:
