Patent attributes
A steam sterilization system for sterilizing medical waste comprises a cart for carrying a removable bin for holding medical waste, and a sterilization chamber that receives the bin when it is removed from the cart. The cart has wheels mounted thereon to provide mobility to the cart, and the cart has a rail assembly positioned at each side end portion. The bin for holding medical waste the bin being removably mountable to the cart, and the bin has wheels mounted on each side wall of the bin and spaced such that the wheels engage the rail assemblies of the cart when the bin is being loaded onto the cart and such that the wheels engage the rail assemblies of the cart when the bin is being removed from the cart. The sterilization chamber has a rail assembly mounted in the interior of the chamber on which the wheels of the bin ride when the bin is inserted into the chamber from the cart prior to sterilization and on which the wheels of the bin ride when the bin is being removed from the chamber and rolled back onto the cart after sterilization. A steam valve is connected to the chamber for introducing steam when desired into the chamber, and a vacuum pump is connected to the chamber for evacuating air in the chamber when desired.
