JP2002200159A - Sterilization processing device for medical wastes - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device which can sterilization-process medical wastes discharged from hospitals and nursing facilities on the spot, and also, can continuously and simply perform the process. SOLUTION: This sterilization-processing device for medical wastes is a processing machine equipped with a body section 13 wherein a charging port 11 and a discharging port 12 are formed on the front and the rear, and the medical wastes are extrusion-processed in order by providing a screw shaft 15. In such a processing machine, the screw shaft 15 is formed of a hard plastic or ceramic through which a high frequency can transmit. At the same time, the internal wall of the body section is coated with a reflective material for the high frequency. Then, the irradiation antenna 21 of a magnetron device which irradiates the medical wastes under the extruding process with the high frequency is made to attend at a part of the body section.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for sterilizing medical waste discharged from hospitals and the like.
The present invention relates to a device capable of continuously and simply sterilizing medical waste such as gauze, bandages, syringes and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, gauze and bandages to which blood has adhered, syringes without needles, diapers, denture molds, containers after infusion, and the like are constantly discharged from hospitals and nursing facilities. Since there is a possibility that harmful substances such as bacteria and viruses may be attached to these in addition to dirt, it is necessary to disinfect them at high temperature in an incinerator. Therefore, these medical wastes discharged from hospitals and the like must be transported to a large treatment facility equipped with an incinerator. However, a large amount of this medical waste is discharged from the hospitals and nursing facilities every day, and it is troublesome to transport each time to the incineration plant. Not only dirty, but also at risk of pathogen leakage.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention is to develop an apparatus capable of sterilizing medical waste discharged in hospitals, nursing homes and the like on the spot, and continuously and simply processing the same. It is assumed that.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medical waste sterilization apparatus, wherein an inlet and an outlet are formed in front and rear, and a screw shaft is provided to sequentially extrude medical waste. The screw shaft is made of hard plastic or ceramics that can transmit high frequency, and the inner wall of the body is covered with a high-frequency reflective material. The irradiation antenna of the magnetron device for irradiating the medical waste in the process of being extruded with high-frequency waves is located at a substantially central position between the screw shafts.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a processing machine provided with a body portion for forming a feed port and a discharge port at the front and rear, and providing a screw shaft for sequentially extruding and processing medical waste. Is made of hard plastic or ceramics that can transmit high frequency, and the inner wall of its body is covered with a high-frequency reflective material, and a part of the body is irradiated with high frequency to medical waste in the process of being extruded. In the medical waste sterilization apparatus facing the irradiation antenna of the apparatus, in cutting the medical waste into small pieces, the medical waste is vertically and horizontally sprayed with nozzles (α) and (β). Facing the water jet cutting machine with. (Α) The vertical injection nozzles are (a) the nozzles are arranged side by side at a constant interval (Ta) with respect to the longitudinal direction of the medical waste. (B) Repeating the periodic movement with the interval (Ta) as the amplitude. (C) The periodic movement has at least one junction where the locus overlaps with the adjacent nozzle with the maximum amplitude width in relation to the periodic movement of the adjacent nozzle. (Β) The horizontal injection nozzles are characterized by satisfying the condition of (a) that the nozzles are arranged in multiple stages with a certain interval Tb from each other in the horizontal direction of the medical waste. Is done.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The apparatus according to the present invention comprises an extrusion processing section 10 having a screw shaft and a magnetron apparatus 20 provided in a part thereof.

As shown in FIG. 1, the extrusion processing section 10
Body 1 with inlet 11 in front and outlet 12 at rear end
Form 3 The inlet 11 faces the hopper 11a, and it is desirable to arrange a storage chamber 17 for temporarily storing medical waste.

When the medical waste contains a proper amount of moisture in the storage room 17, a water supply device 17a is desired so that the medical waste contains an appropriate amount of water. . The supply of the water is performed by a magnetron device 2 described later.
In order to sterilize bacteria and viruses contained in medical waste by the generation of steam due to zero, an appropriate amount is an amount sufficient to generate steam sufficient for the sterilization. The water supply device 17a specifically refers to a sprayer or the like that sprays water in the form of mist, but is not limited to a water sprayer or the like.

At this time, there is a case where a cutting device 30 for cutting the medical waste into an appropriate size is connected to the storage room 17 in some cases. In this case, a water supply function is provided to the cutting device 30 itself. Is desirably provided, the details of which will be described later.

A storage chamber 18 is provided at the end of the discharge port 12. The storage chamber 18 is for storing waste after treatment, and is sterilized since it is sterilized. It is good to keep it closed for

The body 13 first has screw shafts 15 and 16 disposed inside the hermetically sealed bodies 14 and 14, and the screw shafts 15 and 16 send out the inputted waste sequentially by the feeding action. It can be sent out toward the rear end. The material of the screw shafts 15 and 16 is a material through which a high frequency emitted from a magnetron described later can be transmitted.
It is desirable to use hard plastics or ceramics. That is, the screw shaft is generally made of a metal material such as steel in terms of strength and the like, but since the metal material reflects high frequency in relation to the above high frequency, treatment at the position around the back side of the screw shaft. The ability will be inferior.
Therefore, it is desirable that the screw shaft be made of a hard plastic or a ceramic having excellent permeability to high frequency. Among them, a plastic called an engineering plastic is preferable because it has strength and excellent moldability.

Next, the bodies 14, 14 covering the screw shafts 15, 16 keep the interior of the room closed, and the inner wall surface is formed of a material that reflects high frequencies. In other words, contrary to the screw shaft, when the inner wall surface of the body 14 is irradiated with high frequency, it is efficient to bounce it off and project it again on waste. As the reflective material, for example, a metallic material can be mentioned, and steel, copper, and the like are preferable.

The irradiation antenna of the magnetron device 20 for irradiating the high frequency to the waste sent out by the screw shafts 15 and 16 just above the center position of the two screw shafts 15 and 16 of the extrusion processing unit 10. 21 (see FIG. 2). The magnetron device 20 includes:
This is a device that emits a 450 MHz high frequency wave into the inside of the body, and generates steam by generating water by molecular motion for waste in which water is retained by the above-mentioned moisture-containing treatment. In consideration of the high-frequency efficiency, the screw shafts 15, 16 through which waste is sent out in the feeding process
The irradiation antenna 21 is made to face the position just above the center between them. At least one irradiation antenna 21 is provided along the sending direction of the body 14, but a plurality of irradiation antennas 21 may be provided in consideration of a processing amount and the like. The magnetron device 20 includes a cooling fan, a high-voltage unit including a high-voltage transformer for generating a heater voltage and a DC high voltage necessary for the operation of the magnetron, a control unit including a control circuit, and the like.

Although the above description has been made with reference to an example in which the number of screw shafts is two, the number of screw shafts may be one. In this case, the irradiation antenna 21 faces the upper part.

In the medical waste sterilization apparatus, when the medical waste is put into the extruder 10, a waste of an appropriate size must be put through the inlet 11. This is because there is a limit to the size to be sent out by the screw shaft, and excessive size should be avoided.

Therefore, in the present invention, the following cutting apparatus has been developed. The treatment apparatus is cut using a water jet cutting machine, which cuts by a jet having a flow rate of Mach 2 or more which can be produced by applying energy to water by an ultra-high pressure pump. With the injection nozzle facing the tip, an ultra-high pressure pump is placed there, and high-pressure jet water is poured onto the object. This water jet cutting machine can cut the medical waste at a high speed, and in the case of medical waste, there is a fear that a metal piece or other solid matter is mixed as a foreign matter. In this case, there is no blade damage or cutting error.

With respect to the medical waste, several nozzles are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction, and the required number of nozzles are also exposed in the horizontal direction. The movement of the nozzle 31 in the vertical direction must satisfy the following conditions. (A) The nozzles are arranged side by side at a constant interval (Ta) with respect to the longitudinal direction of the medical waste. (B) Repeating the periodic movement with the interval (Ta) as the amplitude. (C) The periodic movement has at least one joint point where the locus overlaps with the adjacent nozzle with the maximum width of the amplitude in relation to the periodic movement of the adjacent nozzle. FIG. 3 shows a specific example of the trajectory satisfying (a) to (c).
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 5, a zigzag line is used when the periodic movement is linear, and a sine curve and a cosine curve are typical examples when the movement is a curve (see FIG. 5). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and includes various forms. These trajectories can be obtained in a wide range from simple trajectories to relatively complicated trajectories by controlling the movement of the nozzles with a computer and inputting a trajectory function.

The condition of the nozzle 32 in the horizontal direction is that the nozzles are arranged in multiple stages with a certain interval Tb from each other in the horizontal direction of the medical waste (see FIG. 6).

Adjacent vertical nozzles move with a slight time difference to avoid collision at the junction. The relationship between the vertical nozzle and the horizontal nozzle is moved with a slight time difference without synchronization in order to avoid collision of the jet water.

In the above description, for ease of understanding, the case where the nozzle moves and draws a trajectory on the object has been described. However, this is due to the interrelationship, and of course, the nozzle is moved to draw the trajectory. Alternatively, a method may be used in which the plastic as an object is sent out using a carrier table or the like, and the nozzle does not move in the longitudinal direction but simply reciprocates linearly in the transverse direction.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. The above-mentioned collected medical waste is set as a processing target, and the medical waste is placed on a processing apparatus. Then, ultra-high pressure water is injected from the injection nozzle of the water jet cutting machine. The injection order of the injection nozzles is set as follows in order to avoid mutual interference. The first injection is started from the odd-numbered injection nozzles among the vertical nozzles 31, and then the even-numbered injection nozzles are started with a slight time difference. Third, the injection from the horizontal injection nozzle 32 is made to follow.
Then, a cut surface is formed in the vertical direction of the odd numbered moving notch by the first vertical nozzle. The second vertical nozzle then follows, forming a vertical cross section at the even numbered notch. At this time, the odd-numbered moving notch and the even-numbered moving notch adjacent to each other have at least one joining point overlapping with each other at the maximum width thereof. A quadrilateral or larger polygon is formed. Finally, when the ejection of the ejection nozzle in the horizontal direction is started, a horizontal cut surface is formed in the polygon having the quadrilateral shape or more. As a result, three types of nozzles having different moving forms separate each other as a cut surface, and at least six or more polyhedrons, each of which is formed by adding two upper and lower surfaces to the above-described quadrilateral, are formed independently. And it is the amplitude T
a, a strip having a height Tb (see FIG. 7).

At this time, the cutting by the water jet maintains the sharpness permanently without causing a problem such as deterioration of the blade, and the processing speed is smooth, and the cutting process is smooth, and the process can be performed in a short time.

Next, when the medical waste is in a dry state that does not contain an appropriate amount of water, the water is supplied to the medical waste by the water supply device 17a. The water supply device 17a refers to a sprayer or the like that sprays water in a mist state, but is not limited to a water sprayer or the like. As another means, the injection pressure of the water jet may be adjusted using a water jet so that the injected water permeates a part of the medical waste.

When the medical waste is introduced from the inlet 11, the medical waste is sequentially sent out forward with the rotation of the screw shafts 15 and 16. Then, when entering the irradiation area of the irradiation nozzle 21 of the magnetron, a high frequency of 2450 MHz is irradiated therefrom, and the water of the medical waste having retained therein is heated by molecular motion to generate steam. Then, since the inside of the body is in a sealed state, the steam has a high pressure to some extent, and the high-pressure steam sterilizes bacteria, viruses, and the like contained in the medical waste, and makes it harmless sanitarily.

At this time, since the irradiation antenna 21 faces the position right above the center between the two screw shafts 15 and 16, the medical waste can be irradiated with the high frequency most efficiently. Further, since the screw shafts 15 and 16 are formed of hard plastic or ceramics that transmit high frequency, the high frequency radiated from the irradiation antenna 21 reaches even if the screw shafts 15 and 16 are on the back side of the shafts, and the heat generation action to the water is prevented. Be prompted.

Further, since the inner wall surface of the body 14 is formed of a high-frequency reflective material, the high-frequency waves can be bounced off and re-projected on the waste, which is efficient.

Thus, the medical waste to be supplied can be continuously sterilized, and the sterilized waste is
Since the liquid is discharged from the discharge port 12, it is stored in the storage case 18.
And transported to an incineration plant.

The present invention based on the above configuration and operation has the following excellent effects. (A) Medical waste such as gauze, bandage, needles, needles and diapers to which blood is discharged daily from hospitals and nursing homes can be sterilized continuously on the spot and simple. And the surroundings can be kept hygienic. (B) At this time, medical waste propelled by the twin screw can be sterilized by evaporating water by high frequency irradiation with a magnetron, thereby being simple and efficient. (C) In addition, if the cutting process to an appropriate size by the water jet is performed, all the medical waste can be processed, and the continuous processing becomes easier.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a positional relationship between medical waste and an injection nozzle of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view in the case where a vertical injection nozzle runs on a zigzag locus on a plane.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing a sine curve type trajectory of the above.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the positional relationship between the horizontal ejection nozzle and medical waste.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the medical waste after cutting is in the form of small pieces, wherein (A) shows a zigzag type, (B) shows a sine curve type, and (C) shows other cases. .

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Extrusion processing part 11 Inlet 12 Outlet 13 Body 14 Body 15 and 16 Screw shaft 17 Storage room 17a Water supply device 18 Storage room 20 Magnetron 21 Irradiation antenna 30 Cutting machine P Medical waste S Medical waste strip 31 Vertical Direct injection nozzle 32 Horizontal injection nozzle Ta Vertical interval Tb Horizontal interval

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A processing machine having a body portion formed with an inlet and an outlet at the front and rear, a screw shaft provided and sequentially extruding and processing medical waste, wherein the screw shaft is capable of transmitting high-frequency waves through a hard body. It is made of plastic or ceramic, and the inner wall of its body is covered with a high-frequency reflective material. A part of the body faces the irradiation antenna of the magnetron device that irradiates medical waste in the process of being extruded with high frequency. An apparatus for sterilizing medical waste. 2. A processing machine having a body portion formed with an inlet and an outlet at the front and rear, and provided with a screw shaft for sequentially extruding and processing medical waste, wherein the screw shaft is hardened through a high frequency. It is made of plastic or ceramic, and the inner wall of its body is covered with a high-frequency reflective material, and a part of the body faces the irradiation antenna of the magnetron device that irradiates medical waste in the process of being pushed with high frequency. In the medical waste sterilization apparatus, when the medical waste is cut into small pieces, the injection nozzle (α) is vertically and horizontally applied to the medical waste.
Facing the water jet cutting machine provided with (β), (α) the vertical injection nozzles, (a) the nozzles keep a certain interval (Ta) from each other in the longitudinal direction of the medical waste (B) repeating the periodic movement using the interval (Ta) as an amplitude, (c) the periodic movement is related to the periodic movement of the adjacent nozzles, At least one junction where the locus overlaps the adjacent nozzle with the maximum width of the amplitude, (β) the horizontal injection nozzle is: (a) the nozzles are spaced apart from each other at a fixed interval Tb in the horizontal direction of the medical waste A medical waste sterilization apparatus characterized by satisfying the following conditions: