Medical needle removal device

• US 20050012478A1
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip William Field, Stephen Francis Gerard Cooley
• Original Assignee: Philip William Field, Stephen Francis Gerard Cooley
• Inventors: Cooley, Stephen Francis Gerard, Field, Philip William
• Granted Patent: US 6,909,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/139
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3208 by application of rotational movement to the needle hub, e.g. by use of electrically driven toothed wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3205 Apparatus for removing or disposing of used needles or syringes, e.g. containers; Means for protection against accidental injuries from used needles for sharps A61B50/362; disintegrating apparatus in general B02C, e.g. B02C19/0075, B23H9/001; disposal of medical waste in general B09B3/00; receptacles for refuse disposal in general B65F1/00

Abstract

Apparatus (10) for the removal of a needle assembly A having a needle hub H which is screw-threadedly engaged with a syringe S, said apparatus (10) comprising a housing (11) having an opening (16) for insertion of the needle assembly A and adjacent portion of the syringe, a socket (19) mounted within the housing (11) in alignment with the opening (16) with a cavity (22) shaped to receive the hub H and a coaxial through-bore (23) to accommodate the needle. The socket (19) holds the hub rotationally fast allowing the syringe S and needle assembly A to be unscrewed, and an ejector means (51) located in the housing ejects the unscrewed needle assembly A from the socket (19) into a collection container (42) located within the housing (11).

Claims

1. Apparatus for the removal of a needle assembly having a needle hub which is screw-threadedly engaged with a syringe, said apparatus comprising a housing having an opening for insertion of the needle assembly and adjacent portion of the syringe, a socket mounted within the body in alignment with the opening, said socket having a cavity internally shaped to receive the hub and a coaxial through bore to accommodate the needle, the socket cavity holding the hub rotationally fast relative thereto allowing the syringe to be unscrewed from the needle assembly, and an ejector means located in the housing for ejecting the unscrewed needle assembly from the socket into a collection container located within the housing.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the socket is rotatable by a motor to unscrew a needle hub when the syringe is held stationary relative to the housing.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the motor is a electrical D.C. motor which rotates the socket through a gear train.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the motor is driven by a battery located within the housing.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the motor is, operated through a manual switch located externally of the housing.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any claim 1, wherein the container is removable from the housing for disposal of needle assemblies collected therein.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the container is secured in the housing by a key operated lock thereby preventing unauthorised or accidental removal from the housing.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ejector means comprises a reciprocable pin which is arranged coaxially with the through-bore and is a sliding fit therein.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pin is slidably mounted in a support frame and is moveable by a handle located externally of the housing.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the housing is made from a transparent plastics material allowing the needle removal to be observed from outside of the housing.

11. Apparatus for the removal of a needle assembly having a needle hub which is screw-threadedly engaged with a syringe, said apparatus comprising a housing having an opening for insertion of the needle assembly and adjacent portion of the syringe, a socket mounted within the body in alignment with the opening, said socket having a cavity internally shaped to receive the hub and a coaxial through-bore to accommodate the needle, the socket cavity holding the hub rotationally fast relative thereto allowing the syringe unscrew from the needle assembly, and an ejector means comprising a reciprocable pin which is arranged coaxially with the through-bore and is a sliding fit therein for ejecting the unscrewed needle assembly from the socket into a collection container located within the housing, the socket being rotated by a motor to unscrew a needle hub when the syringe is held stationary relative to the housing.