Device for safely transporting one or more hypodermic needles or the like from point of use to point of ultimate disposal

• US 5,172,808 A
• Filed: 05/17/1989
• Issued: 12/22/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Estate of John Bruno
• Original Assignee: John Bruno
• Inventors: Bruno, John
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US07/353,240
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 206/364, 206/365, 206/366, 206/367, 206/370, 206/438, 206/569, 206/570, 206/571, 206/574, 220/1 T, 220/68, 220/908, 220/603, 604/192, 604/197, 604/263
• US Class Current: 206/366
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/3011 having carrying handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/20 Holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments drapes with means to hold surgical instruments A61B46/23; for catheters A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/22 Racks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/33 Trays
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3109 Caps sealing the needle bore by use of, e.g. air-hardening adhesive, elastomer or epoxy resin
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 220/908 Trash container

Abstract

A storage/carrying device for safely and conveniently transporting used needle and syringe devices for medication purposes and blood collection procedures, and, additionally, to safely transport such implements to ultimate disposal after use, which includes a generally tubular container having a needle engaging insert fixedly positioned at the bottom thereof. The needle engaging insert is adapted to receive and fixedly engage the needle portion of a used needle/syringe device to substantially reduce the potential for the syringe to roll within the container during transport, and substantially reduce the risk of the needle/syringe dislodging from the container in the event the container is inadvertently dropped or inverted during use. The tubular container preferably is weighted at its bottom and can be conveniently dimensioned to be carried on the person of the user independent of any storage/carrying device.

Claims

1. A re-usable sharps storage/transport device for temporarily retaining used hypodermic needle/syringe assemblies intended for ultimate disposal, comprising a generally open-topped container proportioned to receive at least one needle/syringe assembly, in-tact, said container including a weight member generally at its bottom and a needle-piercing insert member generally above said weight member, wherein said weight member is formed by a hardenable compound poured into said container and said insert is adhered to said weight member to keep said insert member in place, said insert member comprising a material which has a memory, such that when said insert is pierced by a needle, it will tend to retain said needle to resist inadvertent removal of the used needle/syringe assembly from said container until the used needle/syringe assembly is removed by a user for appropriate disposal, yet said insert will substantially return to its original configuration after removal.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said needle engaging insert member is made from a material selected from the group comprising a sponge foam rubber or foam plastic.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein said needle engaging insert member is made of a cross-link polyethylene.

7. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a top cap member for covering the open top of said container until use is desired.

2. A re-usable sharps storage/transport device for temporarily retaining used hypodermic needles/syringe assemblies intended for ultimate disposal, comprising a generally open-topped container proportioned to receive at least one needle/syringe assembly, in-tact, said container including a weight member generally at its bottom and a needle-piercing insert member generally above said weight member, wherein said weight member is formed by a hardenable compound poured into said container, said insert comprising a material which has a memory, such that when said inset is pierced by a needle, it will tend to retain said needle to resist inadvertent removal of the used needle/syringe assembly from said container until the used needle/syringe assembly is removed by a user for appropriate disposal, yet said insert will substantially return to its original configuration after removal.

5. A device according to claim 2 wherein said hardenable compound is a cement composition.

6. A device according to claim 2 wherein said hardenable compound comprises a relatively dense plastic material.

8. A device according to claim 2, further comprising a top cap member for covering the open top of said container until use is desired.

9. A device according to claim 2 wherein said needle engaging insert member is made from a material selected from the group comprising a sponge foam rubber or plastic.

10. A device according to claim 9 wherein said needle engaging inset member is made of a cross-link polyethylene.