JPH08197032A - Method and equipment for processing and disinfecting medicalwaste - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To dispose of crushed medical waste without environmental pollution by a process in which the waste is added with water, neutralized with its pH measured, crushed by a crusher, added with a disinfectant, returned to the crusher, sterilized again, dewatered, disposed of into a prescribed housing means. CONSTITUTION: Medical waste is crushed by a crusher 20, charged into a mixer 22 through a chute 32, and added with water by stirring with the mixer. The pH of the mixture is measured with a pH sensor 26, and the mixture is added with a buffer corresponding to the pH of the mixture from a twin containers 27 to be neutralized. Its control is conducted with an electronic control valve means 39. Next, a disinfectant is sent from a container 30 to the crusher 20 through a hopper 31 and to the mixer 22 through the chute 32 for sterilization. Liquid disinfectant waste is diffused to the wall of the hopper 31 and the crusher 20 by a pump 33 for re-sterilization. Next, the liquid of the waste is removed by a pump 34, and the dewatered waste is sent to a funnel 35 by a conveyer 25 and released to a main sewage system.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the treatment and disinfection of medical waste. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically treating and disinfecting medical waste.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In most hospitals, medical waste is collected at central collection points and then treated by incineration or grinding and heating to destroy microbes, toxic substances, and bacteria such as parthenogenetic viruses. Such a method is costly and at the same time generates unpleasant exhaust gas and pollutes the surroundings.

Various developments have been made and described in patents for medical waste equipment. These methods grind or crush the waste and add to it an amount of disinfectant capable of destroying microorganisms and bacteria. After that, the crushed waste is mixed with water and discharged, but in this case, wet waste is discharged and discarded. The following patent discloses a method of dumping medical waste. However, neither has the features necessary to form an absolutely safe mass that can be discharged into domestic sewage systems.

US Pat. No. 5,064,124 (CHA
NG) discloses a device for crushing, separating and disinfecting medical waste, which device adopts a device for separating waste into light and heavy and includes a device for returning and discharging liquid after disinfection. . U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,364 (MORIC
ONI) is characterized by having a device for crushing needles for crushing hard medical waste such as needles and syringes into small particles for disposal. However, there is no description of disinfecting waste before final disposal.

US Pat. No. 3,926,379 (DRY
DEN) is a hammer mill for destroying medical waste,
And a liquid germicide container for feeding germicide to a pump that feeds germicide to the mill. From the mill, disinfectant drops into a collection bag installed in the device, from which the disinfectant is returned to the disinfectant container. U.S. Pat. No. 3,3
The waste disposal device described in 86,668 (SHEPHERD) particularly relates to hypodermic syringes. This device is a stripper,
It includes means for adding liquid to the waste, and a porous container for receiving the debris, passing liquid through its pores for recycling.

German Patent Application No. 3829380A1 (O
RTMAYER) discloses a shredder for medical waste and a separator for separating solid waste from liquid waste. Conveyor means are provided for delivering liquid and solid waste to the separator and the separator is hermetically sealed to prevent waste from escaping into the environment. None of the devices described above are designed to convert medical waste into neutral, non-toxic lumps that can be dumped into the city without the risk of polluting the surroundings.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention is a small equipment which can be installed in any hospital, clinic, laboratory, etc. for local medical waste including bandages, needles, syringes, test vials, etc. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus that enable dumping of waste that does not pollute the surroundings.

[0008]

The method for treating and disinfecting medical waste according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems, comprises:
Put medical waste into a crusher or shredder and operate the crusher, transfer the raw waste from the crusher to a mixer, add water to the raw waste, mix with the waste, and dilute The pH value of the waste is measured, a buffer suitable for neutralizing the basic or acidic diluted waste is sent to the mixer, and a predetermined amount of disinfectant is supplied to and from the grinder. It is sent to the mixer, and a predetermined amount of disinfected liquid waste is returned from the mixer to the crusher and its peripheral wall to sterilize again, and liquid is removed from the waste after the re-disinfection in the mixer. And a step of discarding the dehydrated waste from the mixer to a sewage source or a predetermined storage means.

In the above step, a tube or capsule containing a predetermined amount of disinfectant is charged into the crusher to crush or crush the tube or capsule, and the disinfectant is transferred to the mixer by gravity. It is preferable to include The steps may include injecting a predetermined amount of disinfecting fluid into the mixer with a lightweight pump.

The above steps may include the steps of automatically operating each step by an electronic control operation means. The apparatus for carrying out the above method comprises an opening for the input of medical waste, a closable opening for the removal of waste after treatment, and a closable opening for the input of disinfectants and buffers. A closed housing having a portion, an electrically driven grinder or shredder connected to the waste input opening of said housing through a hopper means, having an open top and electrically for stirring the raw waste Means for operating, pump means for supplying water to the raw waste inside the mixer, a container containing a buffer for neutralizing basic waste,
A sensor means inserted into the mixer capable of measuring the pH value of the waste inside the mixer and sending a corresponding signal to the processing unit, a predetermined amount of buffering agent according to the signal received from the processing unit. Transfer means for transferring from the container, means for sending a predetermined amount of disinfectant to the mixer through the crusher, liquid waste pumped from the mixer for additional disinfection, and the crusher and hopper means Pumping means for sending to the wastewater, pumping means for discharging liquid from the waste in the mixer, transporting means for carrying the treated waste in the mixer to a sewage source or a predetermined container, electronic operating means, and manual control means It is characterized by consisting of.

The means for delivering the disinfectant comprises a chute, the bottom end of the chute having a flap terminating on the grinder and opened by solenoid means, the antidote being enclosed in a tube or capsule. However, the tube or capsule may be sequentially charged into the chute and dropped from the flap to the crusher.

The mixer may be fixed and have on its side wall a motor driven stirrer and on its bottom a pH sensor and a pipe connected to the pump means. The means for carrying the treated waste from the mixer is a screw conveyor having an inlet located at the bottom of the mixer and an outlet communicating with the given container or sewage source, or positioned at the bottom of the mixer. It may be a belt conveyor having an inlet and an outlet communicating with the predetermined container or the sewage source.

The mixer includes a stirring blade rotatably mounted on a base having an axis inclined with respect to the vertical and arranged at an angle with respect to an inner wall of the mixer, and by the blade. In order to stir the waste and the added water, the electric motor rotates in the first direction and the blade rotates in the opposite direction to discharge the waste from the mixer. You may

The mixer is rotatably installed on a lever means for inclining the mixer from a vertical mixing position to a horizontal discharge position, inside which a stirring blade, pH sensor means to be inserted into the waste, And a flexible pipe connected to the pump means and rotated by an electric motor connected to the lever means.

The crusher may be installed on the mixer, and a chute may extend from the bottom of the mixer to the open upper part of the mixer. It is preferable to have a printer means for sending out a printed document that records and confirms the waste disposal process. An electrically operated means for agitating the raw waste in the mixer is a pump that pumps the water-diluted waste from the mixer and sends the waste to the grinder or shredder via pipe means. Including, the waste may be returned by gravity from the grinder or shredder to the mixer.

A two-way valve is inserted into the pipe means between the mixer and the crusher or shredder, the two-way valve being a first for delivering diluted waste to the crusher or shredder. 1 position and 2nd for sending to a separation filter for separating liquid from waste after treatment and disinfection
It can be a position. The liquid portion of the waste may be carried from the separation filter to a tank and the solid portion may be stored for manual disposal.

The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The housing shown in FIG. 1 has a front wall 1, two side walls 2, a rear wall 3, a bottom wall 4 (rear and bottom walls are shown in FIGS. 2 and 4), and a forward slope. The upper patterned panel 5 is formed. The cover 6 closes the opening in the front wall which serves to drain the disinfected waste, and the cover 7 closes the service opening in the side wall. The other closed opening 8 in the same side wall is a buffer fluid inlet,
In addition, the closed opening 9 in the upper part serves as an input port for the disinfectant enclosed in the tube, while the opening 10 in the same upper part acts as an input port for raw waste. The pipe connecting members 11 and 12 act as water inlets and outlets, respectively, and the reference numeral 13 designates a cable for power supply. Control panel 14 and optional printer output 15 are shown in the front of the beveled top panel.

The waste treatment apparatus of FIG. 2 has a crusher 20 driven by an electric motor 21, a mixer 22, and an electric motor 24.
Agitator 23 driven by and belt conveyor 25
The motor of this belt conveyor is not represented in the drawing. The auxiliary device for neutralizing the waste is a pH sensor 26, a twin container 27 containing a buffer, and a pipe 2.
It comprises electronically controlled valve means 39 for delivering the required amount of buffer from 8 to the mixer 22 depending on the basicity or acidity of the waste. The device for supplying the disinfectant to the mixer 22 comprises a disinfectant-filled container 30 enclosed in a tube or capsule made of plastic or other material, which tube or capsule is passed through an electronic control flap 29. It is transferred from the hopper 31 on the crusher 20. The tube is filled into the container through the opening 9 in FIG. An additional device is a chute 32 connecting the crusher and the mixer, and a disinfected and neutralized liquid from the pipeline 38 to the hopper 31 on the wall of the hopper 31 and the crusher for general disinfection and sterilization. It includes a pump 33 that sends it to the machine for diffusion. Furthermore, the device comprises a pump 34 for feeding water to the mixer and for draining liquid from the treated waste. The conveyor carries the mixture from the mixer and discharges it from the funnel 35 into the main sewer system.

FIG. 3 shows an apparatus similar to that of FIG. 2 except that the conveyor conveys the waste material to the container 36 after processing. This container is intermittently opened by door 7 for transportation to the central dump.
From outside the housing. FIG. 4 shows a disinfection and neutralization device similar to that of FIGS. 2 and 3, but with a screw conveyor 25 ', in which the belt conveyor serves to lift post-treatment waste from the mixer to a sewer system or an internal movable container. It is different in that it is replaced by. The conveyor is driven by an electric motor 38 capable of rotating the conveyor in both directions for emptying the mixer and for additionally agitating its contents.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the device at a right angle to FIGS. 2 to 4, showing the grinder, the disinfectant and the means for supplying the buffer solution from another angle. The same components are given the same reference numbers. In this device, the shape and operation of the mixer 50 are different from those described above, and the mixer 50 is rotatably installed on an inclined support (not shown) and is driven by an electric motor 51 via a belt or a gear 55. To drive. The mixer is rotated in two directions by the motor 51 for the following purposes. That is, when rotating in one direction, the waste is mixed, and when rotating in the other direction, the treated waste is sent from the mixer through the chute 32 to the container 53. To that end, a mixing blade 52 is attached to the side wall of the mixer. The pump 33 communicates with the inside of the mixer through a pipe extending to the support of the mixer to supply and discharge water, and at the same time, to administer and disperse the disinfectant solution to the hopper and the crusher. do.

Another embodiment of the mixer and its operation are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Only the lower part of the device is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, as the components of the upper part are identical to those of the above figures. Here, a mixer 60 equipped with a drive motor 61 is installed in a vertical position on a horizontal mandrel 62 at the end of a lever 63. The lever 63 rotates at a generally right angle to tilt the mixer and drive motor into a horizontal position for injecting post-processing waste into a container 64. pH
The sensor 26 is connected to the electronic controller by a flexible wire and also rotates at a right angle. The disinfectant fluid is introduced into the grinder from its container, and the buffer solution is injected into the mixer through flexible tubing (not shown) terminating on the mixer. The pump 33 serves to supply and drain water by means of flexible piping 67 and piping extending from the supports and bearings of the mixer 60. The mixer 60 comprises a stirring blade 65 attached to the sidewall and serving to empty the mixer. The waste rises when the mixer rises to the horizontal position (see Figure 7) folding hopper 6
6 is transferred from the crusher to the mixer.

FIG. 8 shows, in an enlarged view, the upper part of the housing including means for supplying disinfectant and buffer. This drawing shows the opening 1 for the input of untreated waste in the bag.
0, and shoot 30 tubes or capsules 37
Figure 5 shows the top cover 5 of the housing with an opening 9 for insertion into the. The capsule 37 is sent from the chute 30 to the crusher 20 via the flap 29 that can be opened and closed. Vessel 27 contains two buffers to neutralize acidic or basic wastes, which are carried through line 28 to the mixer.

The apparatus of FIG. 9 includes most of the components of FIGS. 1-8, but the method of diffusing the waste in the mixer 22 is different. Here, the raw waste is fed from the hopper 31 to the grinder or shredder 20 and grounded in the mixer 22.
Be dropped into. However, the mechanical stirrer 23 (see FIG. 2)
Instead of agitating the waste by means of, the waste diluted with water is sucked from the mixer into the suction pipe 72 by means of a motor-driven centrifugal pump (67, 68) and the pipes 73, 74 and the diverter 75? Return to shredder 20. The waste mass is sent from the vertical pipe 73 to the spill pipe 74 by the two-way valve 71 and is recirculated for a predetermined time while being controlled by computer means. The waste mass is automatically disinfected and treated as described above by a device not shown. After disinfecting the waste for a predetermined time, the valve 71 operates to an automatic point to send the disinfected waste from the pipe 76 to the detachable separation filter 70. This filter separates the liquid from the solid particles, the liquid is flushed to tank 69, and the solid remains in the separator for intermittent discharge. The tank 69 preferably has an outlet leading to the sewer system. This liquid is non-toxic. In other respects, the device is similar to that of FIG. 2, but the components are different in shape and position.

As an optional feature of the above apparatus, a printer may be employed that sends out a printed record document after each operation in order to accurately perform all steps of the process. Although the device of the above aspect has various possibilities as a method of disposing of medical waste, at least the device of the present invention can be installed in a hospital, clinic or laboratory with a minimum of space so that today It is designed to reduce the effort of transporting medical waste to remote central waste sites such as those used.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention fitted with a housing for disinfecting medical waste.

2 is a cross-sectional view of the housing of FIG. 1 showing a first aspect of disinfection equipment including a conveyor for dumping treated waste from a mixer to a domestic sewage system.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the equipment of FIG. 2 showing the discharge of post-treatment waste into an internal container.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the equipment of FIG. 2 including a screw conveyor for dumping post-treatment waste from the mixer to the domestic sewage system.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention including a mixing chamber designed to be emptied by reversing the direction of rotation by an appropriately shaped blade rotating about an oblique axis.

FIG. 6 is a lower sectional view of the device according to the invention equipped with a mixing vessel with tilting means rotating about a vertical axis, showing the mixer in the working position.

7 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 6 showing the mixer in a tilted position.

FIG. 8 is a top cross-sectional view of an apparatus according to the present invention showing a method of loading disinfectant in a tube or capsule into a hopper on a shredder.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the device according to the invention showing a second method of stirring waste in a mixer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6, 7 ... Box of cover 8, 9, 10 ... Opening 11, 12 ... Pipe connecting member 14 ... Control panel 15 ... Printer output unit 20 ... Crusher 22, 50, 60 ... Mixer 23 ... Stirrer 25 ... Belt Conveyor 26 ... pH sensor 27 ... Buffer container 30 ... Disinfectant container 31 ... Hopper 32 ... Chute 33 ... Pump 35 ... Funnel 39 ... Electronic control valve means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Beni Mozenson, Kyriat Tibon, Israel, 36000, Keren Kayemet Street, 32

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. A method of treating and disinfecting medical waste, characterized by comprising the steps of: throwing the medical waste into a crusher or shredder and operating the crusher to produce raw waste from the crusher. To the mixer, add water to the raw waste and mix with the waste, measure the pH value of the diluted waste, and add to the mixer the basic or acidic diluted waste A buffer suitable for the sum is sent, a predetermined amount of disinfectant is sent to the crusher and from the crusher to the mixer, and a predetermined amount of disinfected liquid waste is sent from the mixer to the crusher and its surrounding The waste is returned to the wall and sterilized again, liquid is removed from the waste after the re-sterilization in the mixer, and the waste after dehydration from the mixer is dumped into a sewage source or a predetermined storage means. 2. A step of throwing a tube or capsule containing a predetermined amount of disinfectant into the crusher to crush or crush the tube or capsule, and transferring the disinfectant to the mixer by gravity. The method of claim 1. 3. The method of claim 1 including the step of infusing a predetermined amount of disinfecting fluid into said mixer by a lightweight pump. 4. The method of claim 1 including the step of automatically operating each step by electronically controlled operating means. 5. An apparatus for treating and disinfecting medical waste, characterized by comprising the following configurations: an opening for inputting medical waste, a closable opening for removing the treated waste. And a closed housing having a closable opening for the input of disinfectant and buffer, an electrically driven grinder or shredder connected to the waste input opening of said housing via hopper means, An electrically operated means for stirring the raw waste with an open top, a pump means for supplying water to the raw waste inside the mixer, a buffering agent for neutralizing the basic waste A container for containing, a sensor means inserted into the mixer for measuring the pH value of the waste inside the mixer and for sending a corresponding signal to the processing unit, the processing unit Transfer means for transferring a predetermined amount of buffer from its container according to the signal received from it, means for sending a predetermined amount of disinfectant through the crusher to the mixer, liquid waste from the mixer for additional disinfection Pumping means for pumping out the substance and sending it to the crusher and the hopper means, pumping means for discharging liquid from the waste in the mixer, carrying the treated waste in the mixer to a sewage source or a predetermined container Transport means, electronic operating means, and manual control means. 6. The means for delivering the disinfectant comprises a chute, the bottom end of the chute having a flap terminating on the grinder and opened by solenoid means, the disinfectant being a tube or capsule. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the enclosed tubes or capsules are sequentially loaded into the chute and dropped from the flaps into the grinder. 7. The mixer is fixed and has a motor driven stirrer on its side wall and a pH sensor on its bottom and a pipe connected to the pump means.
Equipment. 8. The means for transporting post-disposal waste from the mixer comprises a screw conveyor having an inlet located at the bottom of the mixer and an outlet communicating with the predetermined container or sewer source. Equipment. 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said transport means is a belt conveyor having an inlet positioned at the bottom of said mixer and an outlet communicating with said predetermined container or sewage source. 10. The mixer includes a stirring blade rotatably mounted on a base having an axis inclined with respect to the vertical and arranged at an angle with respect to an inner wall of the mixer. Is rotated in a first direction by an electric motor to agitate the waste and added water by the blade, and is opposite to the first direction to discharge the waste from the mixer by the blade. The device of claim 5 rotating in a direction. 11. The mixer is rotatably installed on a lever means for tilting the mixer from a vertical mixing position to a horizontal discharge position, the mixer being inserted therein to a stirring blade and the waste. 6. The apparatus of claim 5 including a pH sensor means and a flexible pipe connected to said pump means, said mixer being rotated by an electric motor connected to said lever means. 12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the grinder is mounted on the mixer and a chute extends from the bottom of the grinder to the open top of the mixer. 13. The apparatus of claim 5 including means for delivering a printed document confirming the waste disposal process. 14. An electrically operated means for agitating raw waste in the mixer pumps the water-diluted waste from the mixer and pipes the waste into the grinder or shredder. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, including a pump that pumps through, wherein the waste is gravity returned from the grinder or shredder to the mixer. 15. A two-way valve is inserted into the pipe means between the mixer and the grinder or shredder, the two-way valve for delivering diluted waste to the grinder or shredder. 15. The apparatus of claim 14 having a first position in and a second position for delivery to a separation filter for separating liquid from waste after treatment and disinfection. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the liquid portion of the waste is carried from the separation filter to a tank and the solid portion is stored for manual disposal.