| US 7,487,100 B2 | ||
| Method of sorting regulated drug waste | ||
| Scott Mallett, Coto De Caza, Calif. (US); Randall Danta, Tustin, Calif. (US); James Benson, Huntington Beach, Calif. (US); Alan Corey, Newport Beach, Calif. (US); Alan Davidner, Claremont, Calif. (US); and Peter Regla, Placentia, Calif. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Vesta Medical, LLC, Irvine, Calif. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jul. 12, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/777,243. | ||
| Application 11/777243 is a continuation of application No. 11/347823, filed on Feb. 03, 2006, granted, now 7,275,645. | ||
| Application 11/347823 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/945223, filed on Sep. 20, 2004, granted, now 7,119,689, filed on Oct. 10, 2006. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/742212, filed on Dec. 02, 2005. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/712256, filed on Aug. 29, 2005. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/679187, filed on May 09, 2005. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/649819, filed on Feb. 03, 2005. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/589118, filed on Jul. 19, 2004. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/504170, filed on Sep. 19, 2003. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2007/0250339 A1, Oct. 25, 2007 | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. B07C 7/04 (2006.01); G06K 9/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 705—1 [340/572.8; 705/2; 209/930; 209/583; 209/702; 209/522; 209/3.3; 209/606; 220/23.89; 220/203.09; 220/211; 220/315; 206/366; 206/370; 700/83; 702/188] | 24 Claims |
| 1. A method for sorting waste items using a restricted access disposable container system for medical waste items, the method
comprising:
providing at least one medical waste sorting system, wherein said medical waste sorting system comprises a plurality of container
compartments, each container compartment configured to receive a removable container;
providing a plurality of removable containers, wherein the removable containers are configured to be placed within the container
compartments;
wherein each of the plurality of removable containers is sized to have an internal volume of about 1 gallon to about 20 gallons;
wherein each of the removable containers is associated with at least one of a plurality of waste categories;
wherein at least one of the removable containers comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag;
wherein at least one of the container compartments comprises a radio frequency (RFID) reader;
wherein the RFID reader is configured to read the RFID tag to determine a container position within the waste sorting system
or the waste category of the container;
providing a scanner configured to determine a barcode of a waste item;
wherein the waste item is a regulated drug;
providing a control system that compares information obtained from the barcode with waste item classification information;
assigning the waste item to at least one waste category;
identifying one of the removable containers based on the waste category;
sorting said waste by automatically opening the identified removable container to move to the open position to permit disposal
of said regulated drug;
wherein the identified removable container is disposable;
rendering the regulated drug inaccessible once said regulated drug has been disposed in the identified removable container;
and
locking said identified removable container in a closed position.
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