Medical tool and waste collection device
View Patent ↗A welled handle device comprising a base with a front and back end having a predetermined silhouette or outer contour, a plurality of open wells formed in the base, and a tool portion connected to the front end of the base. The open wells contain regions which are substantially rough or textured and regions which are substantially smooth. A method of collecting medical waste comprising the steps of having waste on a hand or glove and gripping the grippable outer contour of a welled handle, wherein at least some of the medical waste is collected within the wells of the handle.
1. A method to collect medical waste, the method comprising:
having medical waste on a hand or a glove worn by a user;
gripping the grippable outer contour of the handle of a medical waste collection device with the hand or glove; and,
having at least some of the medical waste on the hand or glove collected within the wells of the handle;
wherein the medical waste collection device comprises:
a handle comprising a generally elongated shape having a front end and back end, the handle further comprising a central core, a plurality of open wells, and a tool-handle interface; and
a tool portion comprising a body with a proximal end and a distal end with a distal tip, wherein the tool portion is affixed to the handle at its proximal end at the tool-handle interface;
wherein the wells are formed by the intersection of horizontal walls and perpendicular walls, regions of which are substantially rough or textured and regions of which are substantially smooth;
wherein the horizontal walls rise from the central core and extend radially; and
wherein the top edges of the horizontal and perpendicular walls form a grippable outer contour.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the handle with medical waste collected in the wells is disposable.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the horizontal and perpendicular walls of the medical waste collection device comprise:
a region nearest the top edges of the horizontal and perpendicular walls which is substantially smooth;
a region near the central core which is substantially rough or textured; and
one or more transitions between regions with different surface features.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the one or more transitions comprises a bright line transition.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the one or more transitions comprises a gradual transition.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the grippable outer contour is one of bulbous, oval, cylindrical, polygonal, elongated, conical, pencil curved sided and planar.
7. A medical waste collection device comprising:
a handle comprising a generally elongated shape having a front end and back end, the handle further comprising a central core, a plurality of open wells, and a tool-handle interface; and
a tool portion comprising a body with a proximal end and a distal end with a distal tip, wherein the tool portion is affixed to the handle at its proximal end at the tool-handle interface;
wherein the wells are formed by the intersection of horizontal walls and perpendicular walls, regions of which are substantially rough or textured and regions of which are substantially smooth;
wherein the horizontal walls rise from the central core and extend radially; and
wherein the top edges of the horizontal and perpendicular walls form a grippable outer contour.
8. The medical waste collection device of claim 7 , wherein the horizontal and perpendicular walls comprise:
a region nearest the top edges of the horizontal and perpendicular walls which is substantially smooth;
a region near the central core which is substantially rough or textured; and
one or more transitions between regions with different surface features.
9. The medical waste collection device of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the one or more transitions comprises a bright line transition.
10. The medical waste collection device of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the one or more transitions comprises a gradual transition.
11. The medical waste collection device of claim 7 , wherein the distal tip comprises a mount for a tool.
12. The medical waste collection device of claim 11 , wherein the mount for a tool comprises a socket.
13. The medical waste collection device of claim 7 , wherein the distal tip comprises a type of driver, screwdriver, wrench, cutter, probe, retractor, resector, or prod.
14. The medical waste collection device of claim 7 , wherein the body comprises a cutting or filing zone.
15. The medical waste collection device of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the grippable outer contour is one of bulbous, oval, cylindrical, polygonal, elongated, conical, pencil curved sided and planar.
16. The medical waste collection device of claim 7 , wherein the wells are bounded by perpendicular walls and a bottom boundary wall comprising a portion of the central core.