Cartridge for medical and hospital waste

Abstract

Disclosed is a cartridge for medical and hospital waste, which comprises: a tubular body (1) provided with a base (3) and which is folded flat along the centre of the base (3) and along folding lines (12) on the tubular body, forming a flat body that can be stored easily; and a grid (2) made of sheets of card, which is disposed folded inside the tubular body (1) and which, when the cartridge is unfolded, opens to occupy the entire inside surface of the cartridge, defining cavities for receiving the medical waste. The base (3) can be formed from stiff card.

Claims

1. A cartridge for medical and hospital waste comprising: a tubular flexible body (1) having a top portion, a bottom portion and side surfaces (11), wherein the side surfaces (11) of said tubular body (1) define an inner space and walls of the tubular body (1) of a cartridge when unfolded or separated; a base (3) comprising semi-bases (3a, 3b) having an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein the tubular flexible body (1) and the base (3) are connected via flaps (31a, 31b) that are connected between a center area of the upper edge of said semi-bases (3a, 3b) and a center area of said bottom portion of the flexible body (1) by way of folding lines; a plurality of foldable tabs (33) connected to the upper edge of said semi-bases (3a, 3b) by way of folding lines, said plurality of foldable tabs (33) being provided at both sides of said flaps (31a, 31b) and extending along the entire length of said upper edge of the semi-bases (3a, 3b); a diametral partition (4) extending away from the lower edge of said semi-bases (3a, 3b) and extending along the entire length of said lower edge; and a lattice of sheets (2) provided inside the inner space defined by said side surfaces (11).

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein said lattice (2) is fixed to said side surfaces (11) at two diametrically opposite positions (21) inside the inner space.

3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the flaps, the plurality of foldable tabs and the diametral partition have the same height so that together with the inner peripheral rim of the container form a uniform support for the base (3) when the cartridge is unfolded.

4. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the lattice of sheets is situated folded inside the tubular body (1) and occupies the entire inner space when the cartridge is unfolded.

5. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the lattice of sheets defines several chambers or holes with a square shape for depositing or inserting waste material.

6. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the base (3) is made of hard cardboard or papier-mch.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) As a complement to the description being made, and for the purpose of helping to make the characteristics of the invention more readily understandable, this specification is accompanied by a set of drawings which, by way of illustration and not limitation, represent the following.

(2) FIGS. 1 and 2 represent perspective views from an upper and lower point of view, respectively, of the cartridge of the present invention in a position of use.

(3) FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show front, side and upper plan views, respectively, of the previous cartridge in a compacted position, just as it would be stored and distributed before being unfolded for use.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(4) The cartridge for medical and hospital waste of the invention has a tubular body (1) made of recyclable material in the figure of a cylindrical configuration, although, it could perfectly well be represented prismatically with an octogonal or decagonal base, which is closed at the lower base thereof by a base (3), while the upper end is open, although it may receive a lid that couples to the outside or inside. On the inside the container is divided into multiple partitions that form a lattice (2) which defines several chambers throughout the cartridge forming holes for depositing or inserting waste material.

(5) In one embodiment of the invention, said chambers or holes have a square shape.

(6) This cartridge is structured by a flexible sheet, conveniently cut, which defines both the tubular body (1) and the base (3) of the same. This sheet is folded onto itself at the middle of the base (3) and by folding lines (12) of the tubular body of the cartridge, forming an easy to store flat body, occupying a minimum amount of space, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

(7) In the cut sheet, side surfaces (11) stick out which, when unfolded or separated, hollowing out the inner space, define the walls of the tubular body (1) of the cartridge. These surfaces are delimited by the folding lines (12) of the tubular body (1), or any other conventional means.

(8) Each one of these side surfaces (11) is extended downward and through the center by a flap (31a, 31b) joined to the same by means of a folding line (32).

(9) Said flaps are extended to both semi-bases (3a, 3b) which together define a configuration according to the perimeter of the cartridge (1) once it is enabled for use.

(10) These semi-bases (3a, 3b) are joined together on the outside by means of superimposed flaps (4a, 4b) that make up a diametral partition (4) when the cartridge is in a position of use.

(11) The semi-bases (3a, 3b) are further provided with several foldable tabs (33) that radially emerge from the same.

(12) Inside the tubular body, the cartridge has a lattice (2) that delimits the cells containing the waste that is deposited in the same. FIG. 1 shows that this lattice is fixed to the tubular body (1) at two diametrically opposite points (21), located at right angles with respect to the folding lines (12) of the tubular body, thus, when enabling the cartridge for use and providing it with its round shape, the lattice (2) stretches and the inner partitions take the position shown in FIG. 1, wherein they are straight and aligned and the lattice defines a honeycomb-type configuration.

(13) As can be seen in FIG. 3, the cartridge, in the position for storage and distribution, forms a flat body, which may be easily included in boxes, since it occupies hardly any volume in relation to when it is unfolded and in a position of use.

(14) When the cartridge is going to be used, all one needs to do is simply unfold the two side surfaces (11) and bend the base (3) toward the inside of the tubular body (1) such that the two semi-bases (3a, 3b) are coplanar.

(15) Being bent inwards, the base fits inside the tubular body (1), the two semi-bases (3a, 3b) remaining on the same plane, slightly penetrating inside the cartridge, separated by the diametral partition (4) and the flaps (31a, 31b) folded inside, while the tabs (33) are folded towards the outside and in contact with the side surfaces (11).

(16) Since the diametral partition (4), the flaps (31a, 31b) and the tabs (33) have the same height, they, together with the rim of the cartridge, make up several supports for the base (3) which prevent the bottom of the cartridge from dropping out when the cartridge is carrying a load.

(17) In one embodiment of the invention, the base (3) made up of hard cardboard, or of papier-mch.