JP2008200746A - Volume reduction system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system where waste exhausted from a company and a medical site can be safely and inexpensively volume-reduced. <P>SOLUTION: An outside container (1) having thermal properties more excellent than those of waste (2) is compressed and volume-reduced while being heated at least from the upper and lower directions by an upper face heating part (5) by an elevation mechanism (6), and, in a state where the volume-reduced waste is included at the inside of the container, the upper part of the container is folded up, so as to be a bag shape by an arm (15) for insertion. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a machine for reducing the volume of waste mixed with injection needles and the like discharged from a medical site that requires attention in handling, and waste mixed with plastics and metal discharged from a company.

Conventionally, in the medical field, a method of immersing the waste contained in a container, such as a plastic bucket, into a high-temperature liquid from the bottom in a state where the container is placed in this container, There was a method of melting with warm air. In addition, companies purchased specific plastic bags designated for use.

For that purpose, there were the following problems.
In the medical field, the method of using a robust container is expensive, and the method of dissolving from the bottom with a high-temperature liquid is handled because the liquid adheres to the volume reduction object after the volume is reduced and to the operator and surrounding equipment. The workability at the time and during transportation was poor, and there was a problem in the regeneration of the liquid. The method of volume reduction with warm air is inefficient and it is difficult to secure a stable volume reduction shape of the contents. Also, plastic bags used in general companies are expensive and burdensome to the companies.
The present invention has been made to solve these problems.

In the present plan, the contents accumulated in a container having different characteristics from the contents are reduced in volume by a heating mechanism from above and below, and are used as containers after the volume is reduced.
This is a volume reduction system characterized by the above.

(A) To leave the outer container, dangerous objects such as needles and pins that are pointed out are safe without jumping out.
(B) It is safe because it does not leak out even if it contains difficult chemicals.
(C) Since the volume is reduced at high temperature, the contents are sterilized at high temperature and safety is high.
(D) Since the outer container does not need to be robust except for thermal characteristics, it can be produced by a simple method and is inexpensive.
(E) Since it is mechanically simple, the size of the apparatus is small and there are few restrictions on the installation location.
(F) The volume reduction rate increases because the movable outer cylinder has a high effect of collecting waste in the center.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described mainly with reference to FIG.
(A) Inner space (10) inside the inner wall (16) via an elevating mechanism (6) and a connecting part (7) capable of moving up and down the lower surface seat (3) provided with the lower surface heating unit (4) And connected in the outer space (11).
(B) A movable outer cylinder that is provided with a substantially cylindrical upper surface pressurizing part (9) provided with an upper cooling mechanism (8) and an upper surface heating part (5) at the upper part of the inner space (10) and is operable in the vertical direction (17) is provided outside the upper surface pressure unit (9).
(C) An outer space (11) provided with a deodorizing filter (13) and a blower (14) is provided on the outer side of the inner wall (16) whose six surfaces are insulated with a heat insulating material or the like and reinforced with a structural material. A metal outer wall (12) with an open / close door is provided.
(D) Place the outer container (1) made of a material having better thermal characteristics than the contents on the lower surface seat (3).
(E) A folding arm (15) that moves in a central direction from a plurality of directions is provided at a predetermined height in the inner space.
The present invention is configured as described above, and when this is used, the outer container (1) containing the waste (2), which is a substance to be reduced in volume, is installed on the lower surface seat (3). By closing the open / close door, the lower surface heating unit (4) and the upper surface heating unit (5) are operated, and the waste (2) is moved to the lower surface and the movable outer cylinder (17) is lowered and the elevating mechanism (6) is raised. It melts while being warmed from the upper surface, and becomes a lump on the bottom of the movable outer cylinder (17) and the outer container (1). Thereafter, the cooling mechanism (8) is moved away and the elevating mechanism (6) is lowered to move away from the cooled and dissolved waste (2). After that, the folding arm (15) folds the upper part of the outer container (1) to form a lid, and the parts folded by the temperature raising of the upper surface heating unit (5) and the raising operation by the lifting mechanism (6) are mutually connected. Then, it is heat-fitted with the dissolved waste (2).
Thereafter, the air inside the internal space (10) is stirred by the blower (14) and the upper cooling mechanism (8) for deodorization and cooling.
In this case, fins for heat dissipation may be provided inside and outside the outer wall (12). The outer container (1) may be made of metal or may be partially made of metal. A heating wire heater, an infrared heater, electromagnetic induction heating, hot air, or the like may be used for the heating unit. The pressing direction may be from only the top surface. The surface shape of the upper and lower heating parts may be provided with unevenness.
The lower surface heating unit (4) may not be used, or may be used in an auxiliary manner.
Separation from the waste (2) may be performed using a member that does not easily adhere to the surface of the waste instead of the upper cooling mechanism (8).
When the container is folded, a method of assisting the softening of the container by a heating operation may be used. The folding arms (15) may be independent of the lower surface heating section (4), or the number of folding arms (15) may be reduced and a rotation mechanism may be provided on the lower surface receiving seat (3).

It is sectional drawing seen from the front of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 outer container 2 waste 3 lower surface receiving seat 4 lower surface heating unit 5 upper surface heating unit 6 elevating mechanism 7 connecting unit 8 upper cooling mechanism 9 upper surface pressurizing unit 10 inner space 11 outer space 12 outer wall 13 deodorizing filter 14 fan 15 folding arm 16 inner wall 17 movable outer cylinder

Claims (7)

Volume reduction system for reducing the volume of waste (2) while leaving the outer container (1) functioning as a container The volume reduction system of Claim 1 which added the heat source from the up-down direction, only the upper surface heating part (5), or the lower surface heating part (4) to the contents to be discarded The volume reduction system of Claim 1 or Claim 2 which provided the inner space (10) and the outer space (11). The volume-reducing system of claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 provided with a deodorizing mechanism mainly composed of a deodorizing filter (9) and a blower (14). 5. The volume reduction system according to claim 1, wherein the folding arm (15) is provided in an interlocked or independent manner with the elevating mechanism (6). 6. The volume reduction system according to claim 4, wherein the movable outer cylinder (17) is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface heating section (5) so as to be movable up and down. The volume-reduction system according to claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3, or claim 5, or claim 6, wherein the lower surface seat (3) is rotatably provided.

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