IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,350,418
Granted Patent B2
US 12,350,418 · App. 17/555,688 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Manifold for a medical waste collection system

Inventor: Michael Zollinger (Chelsea, MI)
Assignee: Stryker Corporation
A61M1/79A61B2217/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,350,418
App. No.
17/555,688
Granted
Jul 8, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A manifold for a medical waste collection system. A filter element is disposed within a housing and includes a basket, and a seal retaining element coupled to the basket. The seal retaining element supports the seal in sealing engagement with a rim of the housing. The basket may be disposed within a body portion of the housing, and the seal retaining element may be disposed within a first leg of the housing. The seal may define a groove, and the seal retaining element may be partially disposed within the groove. The seal retaining element may define an aperture, and a tongue of the seal may be resiliently deflected into the aperture by an inner surface of the housing. The seal may have a width greater than a height to be noncircular, and may include flaps defining a seal aperture oriented widthwise.

Claims (29)

1. A manifold for filtering medical waste received under vacuum provided by a medical waste collection system including a receiver into which the manifold is configured to be removably inserted, the manifold comprising:

a housing defining a manifold volume and comprising a rim defining an outlet opening in fluid communication with the manifold volume;

a seal; and

a filter element disposed within the manifold volume and comprising a basket, and a seal retaining element coupled to the basket and supporting the seal in sealing engagement with the rim.

2. The manifold of claim 1 , wherein the seal is compressed between the seal retaining element and the rim.

3. The manifold of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a body portion, a first leg extending proximally from the body portion, and a second leg spaced apart from the first leg to define a void, wherein the basket is disposed within the body portion and the seal retaining element is disposed within the first leg.

4. The manifold of claim 1 , wherein the basket comprises a base wall and a sidewall extending distally from the base wall to define a filter volume, wherein the seal retaining element extends proximally from the base wall.

5. The manifold of claim 1 , wherein the seal retaining element defines at least one aperture, and wherein the seal comprises at least one tongue configured to be resiliently deflected into the at least one aperture by an inner surface of the housing.

6. The manifold of claim 1 , wherein the seal defines a groove, and wherein the seal retaining element is partially disposed within the groove.

7. The manifold of claim 6 , wherein the seal comprises ribs disposed within the groove, and wherein the seal retaining element defines slots sized to receive the ribs.

8. The manifold of claim 7 , wherein the groove of the seal is defined between and inner seal rim and an outer seal rim, wherein the outer seal rim has a thickness to be compressed between the sealing retaining element and an inner surface of the housing.

9. The manifold of claim 8 , wherein the outer seal rim comprises an axial sealing surface, and a radial sealing surface extending inwardly from the axial sealing surface to define a cavity.

10. The manifold of claim 1 , wherein the seal has a width greater than a height to be noncircular and comprises flaps defining a seal aperture oriented widthwise.

11. A manifold for filtering medical waste received under vacuum provided by a medical waste collection system including a receiver into which the manifold is configured to be removably inserted, the manifold comprising:

a housing defining a manifold volume and comprising a rim defining an outlet opening in fluid communication with the manifold volume;

a seal defining a groove; and

a filter element disposed within the manifold volume and comprising a basket, and a seal retaining element coupled to the basket and partially disposed within the groove to support the seal in a position to cover the outlet opening.

12. The manifold of claim 11 , wherein the seal comprises ribs disposed within the groove, and wherein the seal retaining element defines slots sized to receive the ribs.

13. The manifold of claim 11 , wherein the groove is defined between and inner seal rim and an outer seal rim, wherein the outer seal rim has a thickness to be compressed between the sealing retaining element and an inner surface of the housing.

14. The manifold of claim 11 , wherein the basket comprises a base wall and a sidewall extending distally from the base wall, wherein the seal retaining element extends proximally from the base wall and comprises another rim disposed within the groove.

15. The manifold of claim 11 , wherein the housing comprises a body portion, a first leg extending proximally from the body portion, and a second leg extending proximally from the body portion and spaced apart from the first leg to define a void, wherein the basket is disposed within the body portion and the seal retaining element is disposed within the first leg.

16. The manifold of claim 11 , wherein the seal has a width greater than a height to be noncircular and comprises flaps defining a seal aperture oriented widthwise within the seal.

17. A manifold for filtering medical waste received under vacuum provided by a medical waste collection system including a receiver into which the manifold is configured to be removably inserted, the manifold comprising:

a housing defining a manifold volume and comprising a body portion, a first leg extending proximally from the body portion and comprising a rim defining an outlet opening in fluid communication with the manifold volume, and a second leg spaced apart from the first leg to define a void,

a seal; and

a filter element disposed within the manifold volume and comprising a basket disposed within the body portion, and a seal retaining element disposed within the first leg for supporting the seal.

18. The manifold of claim 17 , wherein the seal is at least partially supported within the first leg.

19. The manifold of claim 17 , wherein the seal retaining element defines at least one aperture, and wherein the seal comprises at least one tongue configured to be resiliently deflected into the at least one aperture by an inner surface of the first leg.

20. The manifold of claim 17 , wherein the seal comprises an inner seal rim and an outer seal rim spaced apart to define a groove, wherein the outer seal rim has a thickness to be compressed between the sealing retaining element and an inner surface of the first leg.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Dec 18, 2024
From: STRYKER CORPORATION
To: STRYKER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 069737/0184 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2022
From: ZOLLINGER, MICHAEL
To: STRYKER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058871/0496 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation In Part 16679922 · Nov 11, 2019
Continuation In Part 16522066 · Jul 25, 2019
Continuation 16383218 · Apr 12, 2019
Provisional Application 62876229 · Jul 19, 2019
Related Publication 20220111137A1 · Apr 14, 2022
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