This invention concerns container assemblies, and particularly but not exclusively such assemblies for receiving medical waste.

When carrying out medical operations such as surgical operations it is often required to provide a container to receive medical waste such as swabs. In such procedures it is important to ensure that all foreign material is removed from the body. Accordingly, it is important that the waste can be checked to ensure that all foreign materials have been placed in a waste container.

With swabs for instance, it is conventional for these to be provided in fives, and it is therefore desirable to be able to see that all five swabs have been used and are now clear of a patient. Also such swabs are often packed or tied in fives, and it is also important to ensure that any packaging or ties has not been left in the body.

According to the present invention there is provided a container assembly for receiving medical waste such as used swabs, the assembly including a body which defines a plurality of in use open topped main compartments, each for receiving medical waste, and a lid locatable on the body in a shut condition to close the main compartments whilst permitting their contents to be viewed.

The body may also define an ancillary open topped compartment for receiving additional waste material, with the contents of the ancillary compartment being visible when the lid is in a shut condition.

The body may also define a label area upon which information can be provided, the label area being visible when the lid is in a shut condition. A liquid retaining formation may be provided in the base of the main compartments. The liquid retaining formation may comprise a plurality of capillary passages.

The body may be formed of a material which when incinerated at a required temperature substantially leaves no residue.

The body may be formed of a plastics material and may be formed of APET (amorphous polyethylene terephthalate).

The body may be stackable with other such bodies.

Snap fit formations may be provided on the lid and/or body to enable the lid to be retained on the body.

The lid may include an area upon which information can be entered.

The lid may be made of a transparent material.

The assembly may also include support apparatus for supporting the body in position to receive material in the compartments.

The support apparatus may include a bracket member engageable with the body. The bracket member may be engageable with the underside of the body and may be engageable around a perimeter of the body. The support apparatus may include a plurality of bracket members, and the support apparatus may be integrally formed of metal. The support apparatus may be mountable on a ground engaging stand.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of part of a container assembly according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the part of the assembly of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the part of the component of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view from above of the part of the assembly of Fig. 1 being supported by a support apparatus;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a lid usable with the part of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the lid of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but of a part of a second container assembly according to the invention;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view from above of the part of Fig. 7.

Figs. 1 to 6 show a first container assembly 10 suitable for receiving swabs or other waste material during an operation. The assembly 10 has a body 12 which defines five open topped main compartments 14. The main compartments 14 taper gently downwardly, and extend below a substantially planar support part 16. The support part 16 is rectangular with four square main compartments one at each corner, and a rectangular main compartment between two of the outer main compartments 14.

Provided between the other two corner main compartments 14 is a smaller shallower ancillary compartment 18. Adjacent the ancillary compartment 18 is a recessed area 20 which can be written on or can receive a label. A liquid retaining formation 22 is provided in the base of each of the main components 14. The formation 22 comprises a plurality of capillary passages 24 which could for instance extend to a depth of around 1mm.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a lid 26 mountable on the body 12 to close same. The lid 26 includes a snap fit formation 28 on each corner for engagement with a lip 30 provided around the perimeter of the support part 16. The part of the lid 26 which overlies the recessed area 20 is clear such that any material provided in the area 20 can readily be read through the lid 26 which is formed of a transparent material. The lid 26 also comprises a plurality of strengthening ribs 32. The body 12 and lid 26 are formed of a transparent APET (amorphous polyethylene terephthalate) plastics material.

Fig. 4 shows a support apparatus 34 which can support up to four bodies 12. The support apparatus 34 includes a ground engaging stand 36. The stand 36 includes a wheeled base 38 with a height adjustable upright 40. The upright 40 mounts a support part 42 which four rectangular openings 44, each of which can slidingly receive a body 12 with a rim of the support part 16 engaging around the edge of the opening 44. Two spaced support bars 46 extend across each opening 44, and locate between respective compartments 16 on a body 12. In Fig. 4 two bodies 12 are being supported in respective openings 44, with their lids 26 resting across the other two openings 44.

In use, the or each body 12 is mounted on the Support apparatus 34.

When swabs are used they are generally supplied with five swabs tied in a string. The string can be undone and placed in the ancillary compartment 18. The swabs are then used and each swab is placed in a respective one of the compartments 14. The liquid retaining formations 22 substantially retains any blood or other body fluids within the respective compartment 14. If required a patient's name or other details can be written in the recessed area 20, or a label could be applied thereto. Once all the swabs have been used, the lid 26 can be fitted on the body 12, and a readily visual indication is provided that all five swabs have been removed as has the string. If required information can be written or applied onto the lid 26.

The used body 12, can then be disposed of, generally by incineration. With incineration at a required temperature, the APET will burn off substantially leaving no ash, and providing combustion products of carbon dioxide and water.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a second container assembly 48 which is similar to the first container assembly but includes deeper main compartments 50. The middle main compartment 52 is rectangular in plan view to provide a required volume whilst providing sufficient space for the ancillary compartment 54,

There are thus described container assemblies which provide for a number of advantageous features. The bodies can be stacked together before use and then used on a support apparatus. The body and lid permit a visual indication to readily be provided that all of the appropriate materials have been located therein. The bodies can readily be labelled and the liquid retaining formations help to reduce the danger of spillage of liquid. The use of APET substantially prevents hazardous emissions due to burning of the assembly bodies, whilst substantially providing no ash and therefore no residue which requires emptying from an incinerator.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance the bodies may take a different form and could have a different number of compartments as required by particular situations. A different support arrangement could be provided for the bodies. A different lid arrangement could also be used. Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.