US2012209424A1PendingUtilityA1

Combination disposal and dispensing apparatus and method

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Assignee: MALLETT SCOTT RPriority: Sep 19, 2003Filed: Apr 23, 2012Published: Aug 16, 2012
Est. expirySep 19, 2023(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Scott R. MallettRandall C. DantaJames R. BensonAlan D. CoreyAlan A. DavidnerPeter Regla
A61B 2050/0059A61B 50/30A61B 90/98A61B 2050/185A61B 2050/0057G16H 20/13A61B 90/96G16H 40/20B07C 5/3412G16H 70/40A61B 50/10B07C 7/005A61B 50/13A61B 50/36A61L 11/00G06Q 99/00G07F 7/06G07F 11/62G16H 40/67
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Claims

Abstract

A medical item dispensing and disposal system includes a dispensing portion configured for dispensing a first medical item and a disposal portion coupled with the dispensing portion. The disposal portion comprises a scanner, a plurality of waste containers, and a disposal control system. The scanner is configured for scanning an identifier associated with a second medical item to be disposed within the disposal portion. Each of the plurality of waste containers is associated with at least one of a plurality of waste categories. The disposal control system is configured to: allow access to one of the plurality of waste containers based on a waste category, of the plurality of waste categories, being associated with and common to both the scanned identifier and the one waste container; and prevent access to others of the plurality of waste containers to ensure proper disposal of the second medical item within the system.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A medical item dispensing and disposal system, comprising:
 a dispensing portion configured for dispensing a first medical item; and   a disposal portion coupled with said dispensing portion, said disposal portion comprising:
 a scanner configured for scanning an identifier associated with a second medical item to be disposed within said disposal portion of said system; 
 a plurality of waste containers, wherein each of said plurality of waste containers is associated with at least one of a plurality of waste categories; and 
 a disposal control system configured to:
 allow access to one waste container of said plurality of waste containers in said disposal portion based on a waste category, of said plurality of waste categories, being associated with and common to both said scanned identifier and said one waste container; and 
 prevent access to other waste containers of said plurality of waste containers to ensure proper disposal of said second medical item within said system. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said dispensing portion further comprises:
 a display.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said dispensing portion further comprises:
 a plurality of dispensing compartments, each of said plurality of dispensing compartments configured to hold at least one medical item;   a dispensing data entry device configured to receive at least one dispensing instruction; and   a dispensing control system, wherein said dispensing control system is configured to:
 process said at least one dispensing instruction to select said first medical item based on said at least one dispensing instruction, and 
 wherein said dispensing control system is configured to allow access to a dispensing compartment, of said plurality of dispensing compartments, that holds said first medical item. 
   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein at east one dispensing compartment of said plurality of dispensing compartments comprises:
 a closure member, said closure member being configured to move between an open and a closed position.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said dispensing data entry device is physically connected to or integral with said dispensing compartments. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said dispensing data entry device comprises a handheld device that is physically separated from said dispensing compartments. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said dispensing data entry device comprises a barcode scanner that is configured to scan said dispensing instruction. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said dispensing data entry device comprises a keypad for manual entry of said dispensing instruction. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said dispensing data entry device comprises a keypad. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said dispensing data entry device and said scanner are a single unit. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said disposal portion further comprises:
 a waste database comprising waste item classification information, said waste item classification information being derived from applicable rules regarding disposal of medical waste items.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said disposal control system is further configured to:
 compare said identifier received by said scanner with information contained in said database, and to associate said waste category with said second medical item based on said comparison.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said waste database is located on a remote server which is physically separated from said disposal control system. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said disposal portion further comprises:
 a waste data entry device, said waste data entry device configured to receive information regarding a medical waste item.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said waste data entry device comprises a keypad. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said disposal control system is further configured to:
 automatically lock said one waste container in response to a determination that said one waste container is full.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said one waste container is configured to:
 automatically lock after receipt of said second medical item.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said scanner comprises a barcode scanner that is configured to scan said second medical item. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said scanner comprises a RFID scanner that is configured to scan said second medical item. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said scanner comprises a handheld device that is physically separated from said waste containers. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said second medical item comprises said first medical item after it has been at least partially used or emptied. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said second medical item comprises said first medical item after it has expired. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said dispensing portion and said disposal portion form a single integral device. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said dispensing portion and said disposal portion comprise a unitary member. 
     
     
         25 . A medical item dispensing and disposal system, comprising:
 a dispensing portion; and   a disposal portion coupled with said dispensing portion, said disposal portion comprising:
 a scanner configured for scanning an identifier associated with a waste item to be disposed within said disposal portion of said system; and 
 a disposal control system configured to:
 allow access to one waste container of a plurality of a waste containers in said disposal portion based on a waste category being associated with and common to both said scanned identifier and said one waste container; and 
 prevent access to other waste containers of said plurality of waste containers to ensure proper disposal of said medical item within said system. 
 
   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25  wherein said dispensing portion comprises:
 a plurality of dispensing compartments, each of said plurality of dispensing compartments configured to hold at least one dispensable item; 
 a data entry device configured to receive a dispensing instruction; and 
 a dispensing control system configured to process said dispensing instruction and allow access to an interior of a corresponding dispensing compartment. 
 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein said data entry device comprises a keypad. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein said disposal control system is further configured to:
 compare said identifier received by said scanner to a waste database, said waste database comprising waste item classification information derived from, at least in part, applicable rules regarding disposal.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein said disposal portion is further configured to:
 notify a user of said one waste container to which access is allowed.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein said disposal portion is further configured to:
 notify a user of said one waste container to which access is allowed by exposing an opening in said one waste container.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein said scanner comprises a barcode scanner that is configured to scan said waste item. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein said scanner comprises a RFID scanner that is configured to scan said waste item. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein said waste item comprises pharmaceutical waste.

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