MANIFOLD FOR A SURGICAL WASTE COLLECTION UNIT, THE MANIFOLD INCLUDING PLURAL ALIGNMENT TABS
A manifold for use with a surgical waste collection unit. The manifold includes a housing dimensioned to seat in a receiver of the waste collection unit with a fitting for receiving a suction tube. The housing has an outlet opening through which a suction is drawn so as to draw waste through the suction line, the fitting and the housing into the waste collection unit. Two tabs extends radially outwardly from the housing. The tabs are dimensioned to engage complementary slots in the receiver so as to facilitate the rotation alignment of the manifold in the receiver. In many versions of the invention, the tabs subtend different arcuate lengths. A filter is disposed in the housing to filter material that, as a consequence of the suction being drawn on the housing, is drawn through the housing.
1 . A manifold for insertion into the receiver of a waste collection unit, said manifold including:
a housing, said housing having: proximal and distal ends; a longitudinal axis that extend between the ends; and a skirt that is dimensioned to seat in the waste collection unit receiver and is cylindrically shaped so that said housing can rotate in the waste collection unit receiver;
at least one fitting that extends distally from the distal end of said housing, said fitting dimensioned to receive a suction line;
two tabs that extend radially outwardly from said skirt, wherein said tabs subtend arcs having different arcuate lengths; and
an outlet opening formed in said housing, said outlet opening being in fluid communication with said fitting and being off center from the longitudinal axis of said housing so that, the rotation of said housing in the receiver of the waste collection unit results in the rotation of the outlet opening about the longitudinal axis of said housing.
2 . The manifold of claim 1 , wherein plural said fittings extend distally forward from the distal end of said housing.
3 . The manifold of claim 1 , wherein:
said housing includes a base that defines the proximal end of said manifold and internal to said housing, distal to said base there is a void space in said housing;
plural said fittings extend forward from the distal end of said housing and each said fitting has a port that opens into the void space internal to said housing; and
the outlet opening is a single opening formed in the base of said housing.
4 . The manifold of claim 1 , wherein:
plural said fittings extend forward from the distal end of said manifold; and
a backflow prevention valve is mounted to each said fitting so as to allow fluid flow from the said fitting towards the outlet opening to block fluid flow out of the said fitting.
5 . The manifold of claim 1 , further including:
a cap, said cap dimensioned to seat over a distal end of said at least one fitting; and
a tether that connects said cap to said housing wherein said tether extends from a location on said housing distal to said tabs to said cap.
6 . The manifold of claim 1 , further including a filter disposed in said housing for filtering material that, as a result of a suction being drawn on said manifold, is drawn into said filter.
7 . The manifold of claim 6 , wherein said filter is disposed between said at least one fitting and the outlet opening.
8 . The manifold of claim 1 , wherein:
said housing includes a cylindrical shell that forms the proximal end of said housing and said shell has a distal end, said skirt extends around and outwardly from a distal section of said shell, a head is connected to and extending inwardly from said skirt so as to extend over the distal end of said shell and said shell is formed so that the outlet opening is located adjacent a proximal end of said shell; and
said at least one fitting extends distally forward from said head of said housing.
9 . The manifold of claim 8 , wherein said skirt and said head of said housing are part of a cap that is separate from and attached to said shell of said housing.
10 . The manifold of claim 1 , wherein:
a head extends inwardly from said skirt and said head has an outer perimeter;
a plurality of wall sections extend distally from said head, wherein said wall sections are located at least partially inwardly from the outer perimeter of said head; and
said at least one fitting extends outwardly beyond said wall sections so as project above said wall sections.
11 . The manifold of claim 1 , wherein:
said skirt has a proximal end; and
said tabs extends outwardly from the proximal end of said skirt.
12 . A manifold for insertion into the receiver of a waste collection unit, said manifold including:
a housing, said housing including:
a cylindrical shell having proximal and distal ends, a longitudinal axis around which said shell rotates and said shell being formed with an outlet opening in the proximal end, the outlet opening being located centered on an axis that is spaced from the longitudinal axis of said shell so that the rotation of said shell around the longitudinal axis results in the rotation of the outlet opening;
a head disposed over the distal end of said shell, said head having an outer perimeter; and
a skirt that extends proximally away from the outer perimeter of said head so as to extend around a distal section of said shell;
at least one fitting that extends distally from said head, wherein said fitting is dimensioned to receive a suction line and is fluid communication with the outlet opening in said shell; and
two tabs that extend radially outwardly from said skirt, wherein said tabs subtend arcs having different arcuate lengths.
13 . The manifold of claim 12 , wherein plural said fittings extend forward from the distal end of said housing.
14 . The manifold of claim 12 , wherein:
said housing includes a base integral with said shell that defines the proximal end of said shell and internal to said shell, distal to said base there is a void space in said housing;
plural said fittings extend forward from the distal end of said shell and each said fitting has a port that opens into the void space internal to said housing; and
the outlet opening is a single opening formed in the base of said housing.
15 . The manifold of claim 12 , wherein:
plural said fittings extend forward from the distal end of said manifold; and
a backflow prevention valve is mounted to each said fitting so as to allow fluid flow from the said fitting towards the outlet opening to block fluid flow out of the said fitting.
16 . The manifold of claim 12 , further including:
a cap, said cap dimensioned to seat over a distal end of said at least one fitting; and
a tether that connects said cap to said housing wherein said tether extends from a location on said housing distal to said tabs.
17 . The manifold of claim 12 , further including a filter disposed in said housing for filtering material that, as a result of a suction being drawn on said manifold, is drawn out of said housing.
18 . The manifold of claim 17 , wherein said filter is disposed between said at least one fitting and the outlet opening.
19 . The manifold of claim 12 , wherein said head and said skirt of said housing are part of a cap that is separate said shell of said housing and that is attached to said shell.
20 . The manifold of claim 12 , wherein:
said skirt of said housing is cylindrically shaped;
a plurality of wall sections extend outwardly from said head, wherein said wall sections are located at least partially outwardly from the outer perimeter of said head; and
said at least one fitting extends outwardly beyond said wall sections so as project above said wall sections.
21 . The manifold of claim 12 , wherein:
said skirt has a proximal end; and
said tabs extends outwardly from the proximal end of said skirt.
22 . A manifold for insertion into the receiver of a waste collection unit, said manifold including:
a housing, said housing including:
a cylindrical shell having proximal and distal ends, a longitudinal axis around which said shell rotates and said shell being formed with an outlet opening in the proximal end, the outlet opening being located centered on an axis that is spaced from the longitudinal axis of said shell so that the rotation of said shell around the longitudinal axis results in the rotation of the outlet opening;
a head disposed over the distal end of said shell, said head having an outer perimeter; and
a plurality of wall sections that extend distally from said head away from said shell, wherein said wall sections are at least partially located inwardly of the outer perimeter of said head;
at least one fitting that extends distally from said head, wherein said at least one fitting projects away from said wall sections; and
two tabs that extend radially outwardly from said housing, wherein said tabs subtend arcs having different arcuate lengths.
23 . The manifold of claim 22 , wherein plural said fittings extend forward from the distal end of said housing.
24 . The manifold of claim 22 , wherein:
said housing includes a base integral with said shell that defines the proximal end of said shell and, internal to said shell, distal to said base there is a void space in said housing;
plural said fittings extend forward from the distal end of said shell and each said fitting has a port that opens into the void space internal to said housing; and
the outlet opening is a single opening formed in the base of said housing.
25 . The manifold of claim 22 , further including a filter disposed in said housing for filtering material that, as a result of a suction being drawn on said manifold, is drawn out of said housing.
26 . The manifold of claim 25 , wherein said filter is disposed between said at least one fitting and the outlet opening.
27 . The manifold of claim 22 , wherein:
said housing further includes a skirt that extends proximally from said head so as to extend around a portion of said shell located adjacent said head; and
said tabs extend radially outwardly from said skirt.
28 . The manifold of claim 27 , wherein said skirt and said head of said housing are part of a cap that is separate from and attached to said shell of said housing.
29 . The manifold of claim 27 , wherein:
said skirt has a proximal end; and
said tabs extends outwardly from the proximal end of said skirt.
30 . The manifold of claim 22 , wherein:
plural said fittings extend forward from the distal end of said housing; and
at least one said wall section extends between two said fittings.