WO2007139377A1

WO2007139377A1 - Container for waste to be thermally treated

Info

Publication number: WO2007139377A1
Application number: PCT/NL2007/050221
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joseph Petrus Wilhelmus Antonius Quirijnen; Ernest Antonius Gervasius Vanden Boogerd
Original assignee: Mauser Benelux B.V.
Priority date: 2006-05-29
Filing date: 2007-05-16
Publication date: 2007-12-06
Also published as: NL1031894C2

Abstract

Container, in particular for storing waste to be thermally treated, for instance genetically modified material or hospital waste to be thermally disinfected, which container comprises a holder which can be closed by a lid, wherein the container is provided with an opening passage for the purpose of forming a connection between the interior of the container and the atmosphere in an autoclave, wherein a melting cap and sealing piece are further provided, wherein the opening passage has an inner end adjacent to the interior of the container and an outer end, wherein the inner end is closable by the melting cap of a material which melts at typical autoclave temperatures and the outer end can be closed sealingly by the sealing piece.

Description

CONTAINER FOR WASTE TO BE THBKMALLY TREATED

The present invention relates to a container for storing waste to be thermally treated, for instance genetically modified material or hospital waste to be thermally disinfected, which container comprises a holder which can be closed by a lid, wherein the container is provided with an opening for the purpose of forming a connection between the interior of the container and the atmosphere in an autoclave. For determined types of waste, such as genetically modified material, it is necessary for a container with such waste to be first sterilized before the container with waste may be incinerated in a waste incinerator. This sterilization typically takes place in an autoclave in which the containers are accommodated. Superheated vapour is herein caused to flow into the containers, this vapour at high temperature providing for sterilization of the waste.

EP 1 010 399 describes such a container with a lid in which an opening is provided, which opening can be closed with a plug. This plug shrinks under the influence of the high temperature in the autoclave, whereby it drops down into the container, thus leaving clear the opening in the lid. EP 0 965 353 likewise describes a container with lid in which an opening is provided, this opening being sealable by a plug manufactured from a plastic material which shrinks at an increased temperature. The drawback of the containers described in EP 1 010 399 and EP 0 965 353 is that such a shrinking plug is generally insufficient for adequately sealing of the container during transport from the hospital or the laboratory to the autoclave and subsequently from the autoclave to the incinerators .

The invention has for its object to provide a container of the type described in the preamble, with which the container can be sealed in adequate manner during transport to the autoclave as well as during transport from the autoclave to a further processing location of the waste, such as an incinerator, while this container still allows a thermal treatment of the waste in an autoclave.

The invention is distinguished for this purpose in that a melting cap and sealing piece are provided, wherein the opening passage has an inner end adjacent to the interior of the container and an outer end, wherein the inner end is closable by the melting cap and the outer end can be closed sealingly by the sealing piece.

The sealing piece ensures an adequate sealing during transport to and away from the autoclave. Prior to placing of the container in the autoclave this sealing piece is removed and the container is placed in the autoclave. Under the influence of the high temperatures in the autoclave the melting cap melts such that the opening in the container is left clear, and the waste is thermally treated. The sealing piece can optionally be co-inserted into the autoclave so that this sealing piece is also sterilized. The sealing piece can therefore preferably withstand typical autoclave temperatures. After treatment in the autoclave, the sealing piece can be re-arranged in the opening in order to close the container sealingly again for further processing.

In order to ensure an adequate sealing the sealing piece is preferably provided with a heat-resistant O-ring.

According to a preferred embodiment the opening passage is provided in the lid and the passage is provided on its inner end with a clamping edge around which the melting cap can be clampingly received. This is a simple construction which allows simple pressing of the melting cap onto the clamping edge. Such an arrangement moreover has the advantage that, as soon as the melting cap begins to melt, it will drop down into the container.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the opening passage is formed as a threaded bore, and the sealing piece is provided with a screw thread adapted thereto such that the sealing piece can be screwed fixedly into the threaded bore. An 0-ring around the sealing piece herein preferably provides a perfect seal.

According to a further developed embodiment of the invention, the opening passage in the container is adapted as follows . In an opening of the container is placed a screw plug which is secured by a lock nut on the other side of the opening . Provided in this screw plug is the passage which can be closed sealingly by the sealing piece and the melting cap. The use of a screw plug with lock nut to provide the opening in the container with the desired configuration has particular economic advantages in the case of relatively limited production numbers. It is however self-evident that such a passage can also be formed integrally with the lid, although a modification of the mould is necessary for this purpose .

In the embodiment with screw plug and lock nut the passage in the screw plug is preferably formed as a threaded bore, wherein the sealing piece is provided with a screw thread adapted thereto such that it can be screwed into the passage. The screw plug is preferably further formed at one end with the clamping edge for the melting cap.

In order to avoid leakage between the opening in the lid of the container and the screw plug, the screw plug is preferably provided with a heat-resistant O-ring which engages between the screw plug and the opening in the lid.

According to a possible embodiment, the holder has an open upper side with an upper edge and the lid has an edge part carried by the upper edge, wherein the edge part of the lid has a groove-like channel for receiving the upper edge of the holder, or vice versa, wherein the edge part and the upper edge are provided with integrated locking means for permanent closure of lid and container onto each other, and wherein a sealing means is arranged in the groove-like channel. More details of this embodiment can be found in NL

0168877.

The sealing means is preferably a flexible strip of material which is arranged in the bottom of the groove and which can withstand typical autoclave temperatures such that this strip does not melt in the autoclave. Such a flexible strip ensures a permanent closure as soon as the lid is definitively locked. The invention is further elucidated on the basis of the figure description hereinbelow of a number of illustrative exemplary embodiments, which are in no way intended to limit the invention.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the lid of a container according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a container having arranged thereon a lid according to the invention which is not locked. Fig. 3 shows a perspective view, as seen from below, of the screw plug of figure 1.

Fig. 4A shows a top view of the lid of fig. 1 in the situation in which it is closed with melting cap and screw stopper . Fig. 4B shows a side view of the lid of fig. 1 in the situation in which it is closed with melting cap and screw stopper.

Fig. 5 shows an upright section through the edge parts of container and lid in the locked situation.

In fig. 2 numeral 1 designates a container of a random heat-resistant material, preferably a plastic material. The container can be manufactured by any random production process, but is preferably manufactured according to the injection moulding process.

The container has a holder, here consisting of a bottom part 3, to which connect standing wall parts 4 which terminate on the upper side in an upper edge 2 for bounding an open upper side of the holder. The shown embodiment indicates four wall parts 4, although it will be apparent that wall part 4 can also have for instance a circular or conical form.

The open upper side is closed by a lid 5 which can likewise be manufactured from random material. The lid and the assembly mounted therein will be further described with reference to figures 1, 3, 4A and AB. Lid 5 (shown partially in figure 1) is provided with an opening 19 in which a screw plug 17 is fastened using a lock nut 16. For this purpose screw plug 17 is provided on its outer periphery with screw thread 20 which can co-act with threaded bore 21 of lock nut 16. Fig. 4B shows how screw plug 15 is mounted in lock nut 16.

Screw plug 15 can be further provided with an O-ring 23 in order to obtain a perfect seal between the assembly of screw plug and lock nut on the one hand and the lid on the other. This O-ring 23 can for instance be manufactured from an injection-mouldable EPDM, such as the material sold under the name Santoprene. Screw plug 15 is provided at the top with a recessed head in which a tool can be arranged for the purpose of tightening the screw plug in the lock nut with a determined moment.

Screw plug 15 is further provided with a threaded bore 17 in which a sealing piece in the form of a screw stopper 13 can be screwed in order to close the passage 17 in screw plug 15. To ensure a sufficient (UN-compliant) seal during transport to the autoclave and, after sterilization, from the autoclave to the incinerator, screw stopper 13 is preferably provided with a heat-resistant 0-ring 22, for instance manufactured from an injection-mouldable EPDM such as Santoprene.

Screw plug 15 is provided on its bottom end with a cylindrical clamping edge 18 (see fig. 3) around which a melting cap 14 can be clamped. This melting cap is manufactured from a material which melts at typical autoclave temperatures (for instance up to 135^*C, and typically up to 121 or up to 134"C). The melting cap can for instance be manufactured from LDPE (low-density polyethylene) or from a PVC material.

Fig. 5 shows a detail of the edge parts of container 1 and lid 5. Lid 5 is provided along the edge with a groove- like channel 6. The width of groove-like channel 6 is such that the upper edge of standing wall parts 4 can be received therein, this such that lid 5 can in turn be easily removed in upward direction. Arranged on the inner side of groove 6 is a rib 7 which closes in air-tight manner on the outer side of the upper edge part of walls 4. The outer wall of groove 6 is formed as a flexible strip which is indented locally at 8, see fig. 2, thus leaving the remaining flexible edge strips 9. The upper edge of standing wall parts 4 is provided with an integrated rib 10 which also has local recesses 11. These recesses 11 correspond with the V-shaped flexible strips 9 of the lid part such that they can together form the locking means .

Finally, a flexible sealing strip 12 is arranged in the bottom of groove 6. This sealing strip must be heat-resistant and may particularly not melt at typical autoclave temperatures. The material of the sealing strip is for instance an EPDM rubber.

The container can be used as follows. During filling and transport of the container the screw stopper 13 and melting cap 14 can be respectively screwed fixedly into threaded bore 17 and clamped fixedly around clamping edge 18. During normal placing of lid 5 on the upper edge strip of standing wall parts 4 the lid will be placed with groove 6 over the upper edge, wherein a temporary seal is formed by rib 7. Lid 5 can be removed at random. As soon as the container has been filled, the lid can be pressed down such that a permanent locking results. In this situation the container can also be transported to an autoclave for a thermal treatment of the waste. Before the container is placed in the autoclave, screw stopper 13 is removed and placed on the lid. Container 1 with screw stopper 13 lying thereon is then placed in the autoclave. The high temperatures in the autoclave ensure that the melting cap melts such that the opening in the container is left clear and the waste therein is thermally disinfected.

The invention is of course not limited to the above described embodiments. The skilled person will appreciate that many modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined solely by the appended claims.

Claims

1. Container, in particular for storing waste to be thermally treated, for instance genetically modified material or hospital waste to be thermally disinfected, which container comprises a holder which can be closed by a lid, wherein the container is provided with an opening passage for the purpose of forming a connection between the interior of the container and the atmosphere in an autoclave, characterized in that a melting cap and sealing piece are further provided, wherein the opening passage has an inner end adjacent to the interior of the container and an outer end, wherein the inner end is closable by the melting cap (14) of a material which melts at typical autoclave temperatures and the outer end can be closed sealingly by the sealing piece (13) -

2. Container as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the sealing piece (13) can withstand typical autoclave temperatures .

3. Container as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the sealing piece is provided with a heat-resistant O-ring (22) .

4. Container as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the opening passage is provided in the lid (5) .

5. Container as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the opening passage is provided on its inner end with a clamping edge around which the melting cap can be clampingly received.

6. Container as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that a screw plug is placed in an opening in the container, which screw plug is secured by a lock nut on the other side of this opening, in which screw plug is provided the passage which can be closed sealingly by the sealing piece on the one hand and the melting cap on the other.

7. Container as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the passage is formed as a threaded bore, and that the sealing piece is provided with a screw thread adapted thereto.

8. Container as claimed in either of the claims 6-7, characterized in that the screw plug is formed at one end with the clamping edge for the melting cap.

9. Container as claimed in any of the claims 6-8, characterized in that the screw plug is provided with a heat- resistant O-ring.

10. Container as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that: the holder has an open upper side with an upper edge and the lid has an edge part carried by the upper edge, wherein the edge part of the lid has a groove- like channel (6) for receiving the upper edge of the holder, or vice versa, wherein the edge part and the upper edge are provided with integrated locking means (9-11) for permanent closure of lid (5) and container (1) onto each other, and that a sealing means (7, 12, 13) is arranged in the groove- like channel (6) .

11. Container as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that: the sealing means is a flexible strip of material (12) which is arranged in the bottom of the groove and which material can withstand typical autoclave temperatures.

12. Container as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the locking means are formed in each case by a first stop surface arranged on the lid (5) and a second stop surface arranged on the wall part (4), wherein the distance between the first stop surface and groove bottom is smaller than the sum of the thickness of the flexible strip (12) and the distance between the second stop surface and the end edge of the wall part (4) .