Hand held apparatus for destroying hypodermic needles

• US 4,614,035 A
• Filed: 07/02/1984
• Issued: 09/30/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William M. Andrews
• Original Assignee: William M. Andrews
• Inventors: Andrews, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jimmy C.
• Application Number:
  US06/627,201
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 30/124, 30/131, 30/113, 30/134, 83/167, 83/580, 83/926 B
• US Class Current: 30/124
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3282 using mechanical means, e.g. mills
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3278 Apparatus for destroying used needles or syringes needle resheathing means destroying the needle A61M5/321
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 21/00 Machines or devices for shearing or cutting tubes as additional equipment for deep-drawing presses B21D24/16
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 29/023 for cutting wires
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/222 With receptacle or support for cut product

Abstract

A hand carried, hand operated portable apparatus for destroying hypodermic needles is disclosed herein comprising a housing having a lever arm pivotably mounted on the housing engaging a shearing blade which travels through an internal channel through the top of the housing. A removable container having a longitudinal groove formed by inwardly disposed wall members is press fitted into the housing. A needle from a hypodermic syringe is placed in the longitudinal groove and pressed into the interior of the container in such a manner that the needle remains inside the container after it is cut from the hypodermic syringe.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cutting the needle off a hypodermic syringe and safely storing the spent needle comprising:

a housing;

a removable container mounted within said housing having a wall member with a longitudinal groove on its surface;

a lever arm having one end pivotly mounted on said housing;

cutting means, mounted on said lever arm and extending into said housing, for cutting the needle when the needle is placed into the housing and into the removable container and the lever arm is pivoted toward the housing.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said removable container further includes:

a top wall member, attached to said wall member, having an opening defined by the continuation of the longitudinal groove of said wall member;

a bottom wall member, having a slot therein, attached to said wall member.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim two wherein said housing includes:

a top member having an opening and an internal channel, adjacent to said opening, to receive the cutting means.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim three wherein said housing further includes:

a downwardly extending lip positioned on said top member to hold said removable container within said housing.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim four wherein said housing includes:

a pin positioned through said top member of said housing and through said lever arm for said lever arm to pivot around.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim five wherein the housing includes:

a wall section having a notched end connected to said top member having a notched end adjacent to said lever arm.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim six wherein the housing further includes:

a bottom member connected to said wall section having upwardly extending sides to further hold said removable container within said housing.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim seven wherein the housing further includes:

a raised rib mounted on said bottom member to further hold said removable container within said housing by fitting into the slot of the bottom wall member of said removable container.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim eight wherein said lever arm includes:

an extending rib mounted on one end to snap into the notched end of said wall section to hold said lever arm next to said wall section when said lever arm is not being used.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim nine wherein said cutting means includes:

a shearing blade, connected to said lever arm and extending through said internal channel of said top member of said housing.

11. An apparatus for cutting the needle off of a hypodermic syringe and safely storing the cut needle comprising:

means for holding a removable container;

a removable container snap fitted into said holding means having a wall member with a longitudinal groove on its surface for receiving the needle of the hypodermic syringe;

means for cutting said needle mounted on said holding means.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said removable container further includes:

a top wall member connected to said wall member having an opening, for the needle to extend through, formed by the continuation of said longitudinal groove;

a bottom wall member connected to said wall member having a slot formed therein.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim twelve wherein said holding means includes:

a top member having an opening and a channel, adjacent to said opening;

a wall section connected to said top member;

a bottom member, connected to said wall section, having a slot disposed therein.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim thirteen wherein said holding means further includes:

an extending lip, mounted on said top member, extending toward the bottom member.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim fourteen wherein said holding means further includes:

a plurality of extending sides mounted on said bottom member extending toward the top member;

a raised rib, mounted on the bottom member, for snapping into the slot of the bottom wall member of said removable container.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim fifteen wherein said cutting means includes:

a lever arm pivolty mounted on one end to said top member of said holding means.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim sixteen wherein said cutting means further includes:

a shearing blade mounted on said lever arm extending through said channel and into said opening of said top member.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim seventeen wherein said cutting means further includes:

an extending rib, mounted on the other of said lever arm, to snap fit under the wall section of said holding means when the lever arm is not in use.

19. An apparatus for cutting the needle off a hypodermic syringe and safely storing the spent needle comprising:

a top member having an opening and a channel adjacent to said opening;

a wall section, connected to said top member, having a notch on one end;

a bottom member, connected to said wall section, having sides extending toward the top member;

a raised rib mounted on said bottom member;

an extending lip, mounted on said top member, positioned toward said bottom member;

a lever arm, pivotly mounted on one end to said top member, having a bore on the end pivotly mounted and an extending rib on the other end to snap fit into the notch on the end of the wall section;

a shearing blade, snap fitted into the bore on said lever arm, extending into the channel of said top member;

a removable container snap fitted between said top member and said bottom member for storing the needle after it is cut having a wall member with a longitudinal groove on its surface for the needle to be placed in and slid through sideways into the interior of the wall member.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein said removable container further includes:

a top wall member connected to said wall member having an opening, for the needle to extend through, formed by the continuation of said longitudinal groove;

a bottom wall member, connected to said wall member, having a slot formed therein to fit into the raised rib on said bottom member.