Disinfection of medical sharps

• US 5,894,015 A
• Filed: 04/07/1993
• Issued: 04/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael D. Rechtin
• Original Assignee: Michael D. Rechtin
• Inventors: Rechtin, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McKane, E. Leigh
• Application Number:
  US08/045,323
• Time in Patent Office: 2,197 Days
• Field of Search: 604/198, 604/199, 604/216, 604/263, 604/905, 604/195, 128/919, 422/292, 422/301
• US Class Current: 422/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3104 Caps for syringes without needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/325 Means obstructing the needle passage at distal end of a needle protection sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/001 Apparatus specially adapted for cleaning or sterilising syringes or needles
• 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: A61M 5/3243 being axially-extensible, e.g. protective sleeves coaxially slidable on the syringe barrel devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3257 Semi-automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve extension requires a deliberate action by the user, e.g. manual release of spring-biased extension means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/326 Fully automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user

Abstract

An article of manufacture for disinfecting a medical sharp. A disinfectant housing is integrally coupled to a syringe housing having a needle. The disinfectant housing includes a disinfectant reservoir for holding disinfectant and a reservoir sleeve which is displaceable after use of the syringe to enclose the tip of the needle and apply disinfectant to the needle which remains in a fixed position relative to the syringe housing before and after use.

Claims

1. A medical sharp including an article of manufacture for disinfecting the medical sharp after use on a patient, comprising:

the medical sharp having a syringe housing and coupled needle with a tip; and

a disinfectant housing means integrally coupled to said syringe housing, said disinfectant housing means for holding disinfectant and including a disinfectant reservoir, a reservoir housing comprised of an inner surface, and a proximal end face and a reservoir sleeve in communication with said disinfectant reservoir, said reservoir sleeve of said disinfectant housing means being initially held fixed apart from the tip before use of said needle and after use of said needle said reservoir sleeve is displaceable away from said syringe housing to at least partially enclose said needle, including the tip, and said disinfectant housing means causing release of said disinfectant to contact said needle and the tip which remain in their fixed positions relative to said syringe housing before and after use of said medical sharp.

2. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 wherein said disinfectant housing means further includes seal means openable for allowing release of said disinfectant only after a single use of said medical sharp.

3. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 further including spring means for displacing said reservoir sleeve.

4. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 3 wherein said reservoir includes an inner surface and said spring means comprises a mechanical spring disposed between said reservoir sleeve and said proximal end face of said reservoir housing.

5. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 4 wherein said spring means further includes a spring stop means coupled to said disinfectant housing means for maintaining said spring means in a compressed state until use of said needle causes longitudinal retraction of said spring means and subsequent longitudinal extension of said spring means.

6. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 3 wherein said spring means comprises a bellows.

7. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 wherein said disinfectant housing means further includes an adhesive sleeve means for at least temporary attachment to the patient upon use of said needle, said adhesive sleeve means also for achieving an inhibiting seal to the patient to prevent drainage and loss of said disinfectant.

8. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 wherein said reservoir sleeve includes a convex shaped inner surface means for enhancing retention of said disinfectant about said needle.

9. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 wherein said reservoir sleeve is disposed around at least part of the outside surface of said syringe housing.

10. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 wherein said disinfectant housing means further includes a closure shutter to cooperate with said reservoir sleeve to cover said needle.

11. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 wherein said reservoir sleeve includes the disinfectant contained therewithin said sleeve prior to use of said medical sharp.

12. An article of manufacture for disinfecting a medical sharp for use on a patient, comprising:

a medical sharp having a syringe housing and coupled needle with a tip; and

a disinfectant housing means integrally coupled to said syringe housing, said disinfectant housing means for holding disinfectant and including a disinfectant reservoir and a reservoir sleeve in communication with said reservoir, said reservoir sleeve of said disinfectant housing means being initially held fixed apart from the tip before use of said needle and after use of said needle said reservoir sleeve is displaceable away from said syringe housing to at least partially enclose said needle, including the tip, and said needle and the tip remain in their fixed positions relative to said syringe housing before and after use of said medical sharp.