Apparatus for the disposal of contaminated needles

• US 5,230,428 A
• Filed: 09/26/1991
• Issued: 07/27/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jerry M. Mcshane
• Original Assignee: Jerry M. Mcshane
• Inventors: McShane, Jerry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US07/766,822
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 206/363-370, 206/438, 604/192, 604/263
• US Class Current: 206/363
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3213 Caps placed axially onto the needle, e.g. equipped with finger protection guards axially-extensible protective sleeves A61M5/3243

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for the immediate elimination of hazards associated with exposure to biocontaminated needles. The apparatus includes a protective housing fabricated of a material that resists penetration by a needle and a resilient material capable of being easily penetrated by a needle but which offers substantial resistance to withdrawal of the needle.

Claims

1. A system for disposing of an elongated biocontaminated sharp object that includes a distal sharp end portion, an elongated shaft, and a proximal end portion, comprising:

a protective housing having a closed end portion and a hollow interior communicating with an open end portion, the housing having a side wall portion fabricated of a material which prevents penetration by the sharp end portion of a said sharp object, the side wall defining an annular rim at the open end portion of the housing;

holding means contained in the housing, for receiving and retaining a sharp object, said means formed of a solid material with a centrally located opening that is receptive of a said sharp distal end portion of a said sharp object to retain a said sharp object;

said holding means comprising a rigid metallic disk positioned closely adjacent the annular rim so that a user can easily register a said sharp object into the holding means;

the disk having radial loading means for forming a load at the central opening against a said retained sharp object along radial lines that extend between a said retained sharp object and the side wall portion of the housing;

the said metallic disk comprising a plurality of radial slots that separate the disk into disk segments and which allows for bending of the disk during insertion of a retained sharp object; and

wherein the radial loading means includes sufficient stiffness of the disk segments so that the segments bend to accept the sharp object while preventing removal of the said inserted sharp object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holding means includes a thin disc having a central aperture and at least two slots extending from the aperture for preventing removal of a needle after insertion of the needle through the aperture.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the disc is fabricated of stainless steel or spring steel.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holding ad retaining means is a plug located at the open end of the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 or 4, wherein the housing is fabricated of metal.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 or 4, wherein the housing is fabricated of glass.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 or 4, further comprising an antimicrobial agent located in the housing.

4. A system for disposing of an elongated biocontaminated sharp object that includes a distal sharp end portion, an elongated shaft, and a proximal end portion, comprising:

a protective housing having a closed end portion and a hollow interior communicating with an open end portion, the housing having a side wall portion fabricated of a material which prevents penetration by the sharp end portion of a said sharp object, the side wall defining an annular rim at the end portion of the housing;

holding means contained in the housing, for receiving and retaining a said sharp object, said holding means formed of a solid, hard resilient material with a hardness of at least thirty (30) durometers that is easily penetratable by the sharp distal end portion of a said sharp object, but which offers substantial resistance to withdrawal of a said sharp object in order to retain the sharp object, the holding means being closely positioned adjacent the annular rim so that a user can easily register a said sharp object into the holding means;

said holding means further including radial loading means for forming a load against a said retained sharp object along radial lines that extend between the retained sharp object and the side wall portion of the housing;

and wherein the holding means will retain a said sharp object in the housing through a combination of frictional resistance against withdrawal of the retained sharp object and compressive action of the material on the retained sharp object, such that the force required to manually withdraw the retained sharp object from the holding means is greater than the gravitational and centrifugal force developed by casual motion of the housing and the retained sharp object.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the plug is fabricated of a natural of synthetic rubber, cork, or thermoplastic material, silicone rubber, or hot melt adhesive.