Container for used medical instruments

Two containers for storing soiled medical instruments are disclosed. In one container an elongate cylindrical body has an entrance door through its cylindrical wall, and a pivotable end cap. Soiled medical instruments can be inserted through the door, or through the end cap. In a second embodiment, a case has an entrance door at one end which allows medical instruments to be moved into the interior of the case. A safety door spaced within the case from the entrance door ensures that medical personnel are not exposed to previously stored instruments while inserting additional instruments into the case.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to containers for storing soiled sharp medical 
instruments. 
Recently containers have been developed to allow the storage of soiled 
sharp medical instruments during medical procedures. During a medical 
operation a number of sharp medical instruments such as used or soiled 
syringes or needles must be disposed. It is important to ensure that 
medical personnel are not cut by the soiled sharp medical instruments, as 
they may become exposed to diseases carried on the instruments. 
While the prior art containers have beneficial characteristics, it would be 
desirable to improve upon the protection afforded by the prior art 
containers, to improve the ease of access and storage of these containers, 
and further to improve upon the ease of use of these containers to receive 
and store soiled sharp medical instruments. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In a first embodiment of the present invention a generally cylindrical 
elongate container includes a door extending through a cylindrical wall. 
Long sharp medical instruments may be inserted through the door, and into 
the interior of the container. One end of the container includes a foam 
base which receives the sharp medical instruments. An opposed end of the 
container is hingedly attached to the cylindrical body, and pivots away 
from the body to provide access to the interior of the container for 
disposal of smaller sharp medical instruments. Preferably, the door 
through the cylindrical wall of the container is formed of two door 
halves, with an inner door half abutting an inner face of an outer door 
half. The inner door half pivots inwardly of the body of the container 
when a sharp medical instrument is inserted into the container. Most 
preferably the entire interior of the container is lined with a 
cotton-like material. 
In a second embodiment of the present invention, a container body is 
generally box-like in construction, and has an entrance door through one 
end face. A safety door is spaced inwardly of the body from the entrance 
door. The entrance door is pivotable between a position blocking access to 
the interior of the container and an open position where sharp medical 
instruments can be inserted into the interior. The safety door pivots with 
the entrance door such that all sharp medical instruments fall into the 
container, beyond the entrance door and the safety door into a space 
beneath the safety door for storage. This provides a subcompartment within 
the container body between the entrance door and safety door which 
contains no soiled medical instruments. This subcompartment ensures that 
medical personnel are not exposed to previously stored instruments when 
they are inserting additional sharp medical instruments into the container 
body. 
Pins connect the entrance and safety doors to pivot together, and a 
cylinder biases the safety door to a closed position. As the safety door 
is biased to the closed position it in turn biases the entrance door to a 
closed position. The entrance door is positioned within an end face, and 
underneath a fixed end wall at a portion of the lateral extend of the body 
that the entrance door does not extend beyond. The fixed end wall covers 
and protects the edge of the entrance door such that medical personnel are 
not exposed to soiled medical instruments within the container when 
inserting an additional instrument. Preferably, the safety door is spaced 
from the entrance door by a distance which is less than half the height of 
the container. 
Hooks are preferably positioned on the body adjacent to the entrance door 
such that the entire body can be hung upon a rail, or similar structure, 
for easy access to medical personnel. The body is preferably formed of two 
halves which pivot away from each other to allow access to the entire 
interior of the body such that the soiled medical instruments can be 
disposed of, and the body reused. 
These and other features and objects of the present invention can be best 
understood from the following specification and drawings, of which the 
following is a brief description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
A first embodiment container 20 is shown in FIG. 1 which is generally 
formed of an elongate cylindrical body. An outer door half 22 extends 
through the cylindrical wall, and mates with a second door half 24. 
Syringe 25 is shown being inserted through door half 24 into interior 26 
of the container. Outer door half 22 overlaps inner door half 24 to block 
access to interior 26 of the container body. Foam pad 28 is positioned at 
one end of the cylindrical body 20. A pivoting lid 30 is positioned at the 
opposed end, with a latch 32 normally securing lid 30 on cylindrical body 
20. Handle 33 facilitates pivoting of lid 30 and carrying of container 20. 
As shown in FIG. 2 lid 30 pivots on hinge 34 to an open position 36 shown 
in phantom. Smaller soiled medical instruments, such as needles, are 
inserted through the open end into the interior 26 of body 20. The small 
soiled medical instruments can be inserted into the foam pad 28. 
As shown in FIG. 3, long sharp medical instruments such as syringe 25 are 
forced against inner door half 24, such that inner door half 24 pivots on 
a living hinge 38, outer door half 22 may pivot slightly outwardly on 
living hinge 40. Syringe 25 may then move into the interior 26 of 
container 20. 
A second embodiment container 50 is shown in FIG. 4. Second embodiment 
container 50 is generally in the shape of a rectangular case, and has 
hooks 52 which are mounted on rod 53 or similar structure. Rod 53 may be a 
rail on a hospital bed, or may be mounted within any type of medical 
environment, such as an operating room. An entrance door 54 at one end of 
the body of container 50 allows access to the interior of the body. A 
handle 56, and latches 58 allow container 50 to be easily transported and 
opened for emptying and disposal of soiled medical instruments. 
Container 50 could be said to have a longitudinal dimension, shown here as 
the vertical dimension, a lateral dimension, shown here being parallel to 
a rail 53, and a depth, to define its three-dimensional shape. Entrance 
door 54 extends through an end face defined by its depth and lateral 
extent. 
As shown in FIG. 5, container 50 consists of a pair of body halves 60 and 
62 which pivot on hinge 61 to an open position to allow removal of soiled 
medical instruments 63 from a base 64. Ledge 65 forms a storage area with 
base 64. Fixed end wall 66 cooperates with an edge of entrance door 54 to 
ensure that medical personnel are not exposed to sharp medical instruments 
stored within container 50. Cotton or absorbent material or pad 67 is 
placed on base 64 to absorb any blood or fluids. A safety door 68 is 
spaced longitudinally inwardly of entrance door 54, and further protects 
medical personnel from any soiled medical instruments stored within 
container 50. Safety door 68 is located in a top half of container 50, and 
is spaced by less than half of the longitudinal distance from entrance 
door 54. This maximizes the storage potential of container 50. 
As shown in FIG. 6, a pin 70 connects safety door 68 and entrance door 54, 
such that when entrance door 54 is pivoted open it pivots safety door 68 
open. A spring 72 is fixed to body 62 and safety door 68, and biases 
safety door 68 back to a closed position relative to container 50, which 
in turn biases entrance door 54 back to a closed position. 
As shown in FIG. 7, entrance door 54 is connected by pin 70 to safety door 
68. Spring 72 is fixed to container 50, and biases safety door 68, and 
entrance door 54 to a closed position. 
As shown in FIG. 8, safety door 68 extends over the majority of the depth 
of container 50. Entrance door 54 is biased against an inner face of fixed 
end wall 66. Access to the interior of container 50 is blocked by fixed 
end wall 66, since the edge of entrance door 54 abuts fixed wall 66. 
Safety door 68 is positioned inwardly of entrance door 54, to form a 
subcompartment 73. Should entrance door 54 be slightly opened, 
subcompartment 73 and safety door 68 will prevent medical personnel from 
exposure to soiled medical instruments 76 within container 50. 
When a soiled medical instrument is inserted, entrance door 54 is pivoted 
on hinge 75 to the open position 74, as shown in phantom. Pins 70 cause 
safety door 68 to pivot to an open position, and soiled medical 
instruments 76 fall to the bottom or base 64 of container 50. 
Subcompartment 73 remains free of any soiled instruments. Once soiled 
medical instruments 76 have filled the space within container 50, safety 
door 68 will no longer be able to pivot open, but instead will contact 
previously stored medical instruments. At that time, an operator will 
understand that it is time to remove container 50 from its storage 
position, open the two halves and remove all soiled medical instruments 
76. Container 50 may then be reused. 
Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, 
however, a worker of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that 
certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For 
that reason the following claims should be studied in order to determine 
the true scope and content of this invention.