Integral tortuous path receptacle cover

Abstract

A cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle and a method of manufacturing a cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle. The cover generally comprises a body portion configured to substantially close an open end of the receptacle and a lid portion hingedly interconnected to the body portion via an integrally formed hinge extending between the lid portion and a portion of the body portion. The body portion includes a covering surface with an access opening therethrough and at least a first, fixed sloped slide surface depending from the covering surface configured to provide a fixed tortuous path extending from the access opening.

1 . A cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle, said receptacle defining a receptacle open end and a receptacle body extending from the open end, the receptacle body having an axis extending in a given direction, said cover comprising: 
 a body portion configured to substantially close said receptacle open end, said body portion defining a tortuous path access opening having opposed, axially spaced, first and second lateral edges, the body portion including at least a first integral sloped slide surface that defines the first lateral edge; and    wherein said first and second lateral edges are configured such that a plane extending through said first and second lateral edges is at an angle of from 0 degrees to about 25 degrees relative to a plane parallel to the given direction and extending through said second lateral edge.    
     
     
         2 . The cover according to  claim 1  wherein the angle is from greater than 0 degrees to about 20 degrees.  
     
     
         3 . The cover according to  claim 1  wherein the angle is from about 2 degrees to about 15 degrees.  
     
     
         4 . The cover according to  claim 1  wherein the angle is from about 5 degrees to about 10 degrees.  
     
     
         5 . The cover according to  claim 1  wherein the given direction extends in a vertical plane.  
     
     
         6 . The cover according to  claim 1  wherein the body portion includes a second integral sloped slide surface that defines the second lateral edge.  
     
     
         7 . The cover according to  claim 1  wherein the body portion has a given perimeter and a lid portion configured to selectively close said access opening is hinged to the body portion by an integrally formed hinge extending along a portion of said given perimeter.  
     
     
         8 . A method of forming a cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle having an open end, said method comprising the steps of: 
 disposing of moldable material within a mold assembly that is linearly separable in a given direction, the mold assembly having a cavity portion configured to form a cover body portion defining an access opening having opposed, axially spaced first and second lateral edges, the body portion including at least a first integral sloped slide surface that defines the first lateral edge, the cavity portion configured such that a plane extending through said first and second lateral edges is at an angle from 0 degrees to about 25 degrees relative to a plane parallel to the given direction and extending through said second lateral edge;    separating said mold assembly in the given direction; and    removing from the mold assembly a formed cover with an integrally formed tortuous path access opening.    
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein the angle is from greater than 0 degrees to about 20 degrees.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein the angle is from about 2 degrees to about 15 degrees.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein the angle is from about 5 degrees to about 10 degrees.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein the cavity portion is further configured such that the body portion includes a second integral sloped slide surface that defines the second lateral edge.  
     
     
         13 . A cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle, said receptacle defining a receptacle open end, said cover comprising: 
 a body portion including a covering surface configured to substantially close said receptacle open end except for an access opening therethrough, said body portion further including integrally formed, fixed first and second sloped slide surfaces depending from the covering surface adjacent the access opening,    wherein the first and second slide surfaces are axially spaced in non-overlapping relation to define a tortuous path extending from the access opening.    
     
     
         14 . The cover according to  claim 13  wherein the first sloped slide surface terminates at a first lateral edge and the second sloped slide surface terminates at a second lateral edge axially spaced from the first lateral edge by a distance d.  
     
     
         15 . The cover according to  claim 14  wherein the first lateral edge is spaced a greater distance from the covering surface than the second lateral edge.  
     
     
         16 . The cover according to  claim 14  wherein the second lateral edge is spaced a greater distance from the covering surface than the first lateral edge.  
     
     
         17 . The cover according to  claim 14  wherein the distance d is from 0 inches to approximately 1 inch.  
     
     
         18 . The cover according to  claim 14  wherein the distance d is between greater than 0 inches and about  7 / 8  inch.  
     
     
         19 . The cover according to  claim 14  wherein the distance d is between about  1 / 8  inch and about  5 / 8  inch.  
     
     
         20 . The cover according to  claim 14  wherein the distance d is between about  1 / 4  inch and about  1 / 2  inch.  
     
     
         21 . The cover according to  claim 13  wherein the body portion has a front edge and a rear edge and the first sloped slide surface is closer to the body portion rear edge and the second sloped slide surface is closer to the body portion front edge.  
     
     
         22 . The cover according to  claim 21  wherein the access opening defines a planar opening that is sloped toward the body portion rear edge.  
     
     
         23 . The cover according to  claim 13  wherein the first sloped slide surface has opposed first and second slide surface side edges and wherein a first support wall extends between the covering surface and the first slide surface side edge and a second support wall extends between the covering surface and the second slide surface side edge.  
     
     
         24 . The cover according to  claim 23  wherein the first sloped slide surface terminates at a first lateral edge and the second sloped slide surface terminates at a second lateral edge axially spaced from the first lateral edge, and wherein the first and second lateral edges and first and second support walls define a substantially rectangular lower opening spaced from and at an angle relative to the access opening.  
     
     
         25 . The cover according to  claim 13  wherein the access opening is defined by a front opening edge, a rear opening edge and opposed side edges extending between the front and rear opening edges.  
     
     
         26 . The cover according to  claim 25  wherein a wall portion extends upward from the covering surface proximal the front opening edge and both side opening edges.  
     
     
         27 . The cover according to  claim 26  wherein a lid portion is hingedly connected to the body portion proximate the rear opening edge and wherein the wall portion and the lid portion define a funnel toward the access opening when the lid portion is in an operable position.  
     
     
         28 . The cover according to  claim 26  wherein the covering surface has an outer perimeter and at least a portion of the covering surface is downwardly sloped from the wall portion to the outer perimeter.  
     
     
         29 . A method of forming a lid assembly for a medical waste disposal receptacle having an open end, said method comprising the steps of: 
 disposing of moldable material within a linearly separable mold assembly having a first cavity portion configured to form a covering surface configured to substantially close said receptacle open end, a second cavity portion in fluid communication with the first cavity portion and configured to form a first sloped slide surface extending from the covering surface, and a third cavity portion in fluid communication with the first cavity portion and configured to form a second sloped slide surface extending from the covering surface, the second and third cavity portions configured such that the first and second slide surfaces are axially spaced in non-overlapping relation to one another;    separating the mold assembly in a linear direction; and    removing from the mold assembly a formed cover with the first and second slide surfaces defining a tortuous path access opening.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the step of disposing of moldable material includes injecting a moldable material into the cavity portions.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the moldable material is a plastic.  
     
     
         32 . A cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle, said receptacle defining a receptacle open end, said cover comprising: 
 a body portion including a covering surface configured to substantially close said receptacle open end, said body portion having a given perimeter and having an access opening through the covering surface, the body portion further including at least a first fixed sloped surface integrally depending from the covering surface adjacent the access opening;    a lid portion configured to selectively close said access opening; and    an integrally formed hinge extending along a portion of said given perimeter and hingedly interconnecting said lid portion to said body portion.    
     
     
         33 . The cover according to  claim 32  wherein a flange depends from at least a portion of the cover surface.  
     
     
         34 . The cover according to  claim 33  wherein the flange is configured to engage the receptacle and thereby secure the cover to the receptacle.  
     
     
         35 . The cover according to  claim 34  wherein the flange includes at least two inwardly extending tabs configured to engage the receptacle.  
     
     
         36 . The cover according to  claim 33  wherein the perimeter is defined by an outer extent of the covering surface, by a portion of the flange or by a combination of the outer extent of the covering surface and a portion of the flange.  
     
     
         37 . The cover according to  claim 32  wherein the lid portion includes a lid surface having a lateral edge having a given length and the hinge extends along substantially the length of the lid surface lateral edge.  
     
     
         38 . The cover according to  claim 32  wherein at least one strap extends between the lid portion and the hinge.  
     
     
         39 . The cover according to  claim 38  wherein the first fixed sloped surface depends from the covering surface a distance Y and the first body portion has a depth D wherein the depth D is greater than the distance Y.  
     
     
         40 . The cover according to  claim 39  wherein the lid portion includes a lid surface and a second hinge extends between the strap and the lid surface and wherein the second hinge is spaced from the first hinge by a distance approximately equal to the depth D.  
     
     
         41 . The cover according to  claim 40  wherein the strap includes a locking tab positioned between the first and second hinges and the locking tab is configured to lock with respect to the body portion to maintain the lid surface in an operable position.  
     
     
         42 . The cover according to  claim 32  wherein the lid portion includes at least one locking tab configured to engage the body portion and lock the lid portion relative to the body portion when the lid portion is positioned to close the access opening.  
     
     
         43 . The cover according to  claim 32  wherein the covering surface has a front edge and a rear edge.  
     
     
         44 . The cover according to  claim 43  wherein the rear edge has a substantially planar configuration.  
     
     
         45 . The cover according to  claim 43  wherein the front edge has a chevron shape.  
     
     
         46 . The cover according to  claim 43  wherein the access opening is positioned closer to the rear edge than to the front edge.  
     
     
         47 . A method of forming a cover for a medical waste disposal receptacle having an open end, said method comprising the steps of: 
 disposing of moldable material within a linearly separable mold assembly having a first cavity portion configured to form a body portion having a covering surface configured to substantially close the receptacle open end except for an access opening therethrough, a second cavity portion in fluid communication with the first cavity portion adjacent the access opening and configured to form a sloped slide surface, a third cavity portion configured to form a lid portion of the cover, and a fourth cavity portion extending between and in fluid communication with the first and third cavity portions and configured to form a hinge; and    removing a formed cover from the mold assembly with the lid portion integrally hinged to the body portion and a fixed sloped slide surface depending from the covering surface.    
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 47  wherein the first cavity portion is further configured to form a flange depending from a portion of the covering surface and wherein at least a portion of the flange is angled inward toward the access opening and away from the hinge.  
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 47  wherein the fourth cavity portion is further configured to define a strap extending between the hinge and the lid portion.