Patent ID: 7665605
Filing Date: 2010-02-23
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. A sharps container for facilitating the safe storage and dispensing of only one unused medical pen needle comprised of (i) a hub having a cylindrical wall extending axially from a bottom radially extending surface, (ii) a plurality of axially extending shallow recesses on an outer surface of said cylindrical wall, (iii) female thread means on an inner surface of said cylindrical wall and (iv) needle means centrally connected to said bottom surface and having distal and proximal ends extending axially from said bottom surface, said container comprising: a. an elongated generally cylindrical, hollow shield having a longitudinal axis and an axially extending recess at a first end thereof, said recess being sized to receive the outer diameter of a pen needle hub and said shield having a closed second end and a longitudinal extent pre-selected to facilitate holding therein an unused pen needle; b. a cover member sized for closing off said first end of said shield, said cover member being connected to said shield by hinge means providing for rotation of said cover member about a transverse axis relative to said shield, the rotational axis of said hinge lying in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the first end of said shield to facilitate movement of said cover member between (i) a first position adjacent to said cylindrical shield and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical shield and (ii) a second position abutting said first end of said shield, said cover member further including locking means for locking said cover member in said second position; c. a removable hygienic seal means connected to said first end of said shield, whereby (i) said seal means may be manually removed from said first end of said shield and (ii) the threaded distal end of a medical delivery pen may be screwed into said female thread means of an unused medical pen needle positioned within said container to facilitate the manual axial withdrawal of said medical pen needle from said container, and d. a holding member disposed on said side of said shield and being attached to said cover member to hold said cover member in said first position, said holding member being breakable from said shield so that said cover member can be manually moved from the first position in which the cover is held to the second position in which the cover is locked.