NEEDLE DISPOSAL SYSTEM

Abstract: A needle disposal system comprises a hand held assembly of three components, namely a disposable container (10) having an inlet in its top face, a head unit (12) securable over said container (10) and a first cap (16) securable over said head unit (12). The head unit (12) has aperture means alignable with said inlet and through which used needles (18) can be fed into said container (10) for non-returnable passage therefrom. The first cap (16) has an aperture (30) alignable with an aperture (22) in said aperture means. The cap (16) has an inverted skirt (32) extending outwardly and upwardly to act as a protective shroud to protect a hand when holding said assembly during a needle inserting operation.

Description: NEEDLE DISPOSAL SYSTEM This invention relates to a needle disposal system for use in disposing of used hypodermic needles from syringes in a manner to reduce or avoid the danger of any infection, such as hepititis or aids, being transmitted. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a needle disposal system comprises an assembly of a disposable container having an inlet in its top face, the assembly being adapted to be hand held, and a first cap securable over said container with an . aperture alignable with said inlet, and through which aperture and inlet used needles can be fed into said container for non-returnable passage therefrom, the first cap having an inverted skirt extending outwardly and upwardly to act as a protective shroud to protect a hand when holding said assembly during a needle inserting operation. Preferably, a peripheral flange is provided extending from the outer edge of the skirt of the first cap in an outwardly and downwardly manner a distance substantially the same as the depth of the skirt. Preferably also, the aperture in the first cap is of a shape to allow passage therethrough of a needle and has a width restriction whereby the top of a hub of a needle, located through said aperture, can be engaged under the sides defining said restriction and by pulling outwardly, the needle can be detached from a syringe. According to a second aspect of the present invention, a needle disposal system comprises an assembly of a disposable container having an inlet in its top face, a head unit securable over said container, the assembly being adapted to be hand held, the head unit having aperture means alignable with said inlet and through which used needles can be fed into said container for non-returnable passage therefrom, and a fixst cap securable over said head unit with an aperture alignable with an aperture in said aperture means, the cap having an inverted skirt extending outwardly and upwardly to act as a protective shroud to protect a hand when holding said assembly during a needle inserting operation. Preferably, the container is of a material resistant to passage therethrough of a needle. The head unit is preferably reusable and of a material capable of being autoclaved. Preferably also, a second cap in the form of a closure is provided to be securable over said container after the head unit and/or first cap is removed. Preferably further, the aperture means of the head unit incorporates a valve device. The valve device preferably comprises a plate constrained to move between two extreme positions to respectively close off an aperture in a top plate of the head unit and to open said aperture. The plate is preferably spring-biased to the closed position. The movement of the plate is controlled by a trigger mechanism. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a side view of a needle disposal system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 ; Figs. 3A and 3B are plan views respectively of a head unit of the system and of a top plate of a trigger mechanism; Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the system shown in Fig.1 through its transverse axis; Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the system through its longitudinal axis with the trigger mechanism shown in a closed position; Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the system through its longitudinal axis with the trigger mechanism shown in a compressed open position; Fig. 7 is a similar view of a needle disposal system as shown in Fig. 4 with a syringe and needle located therein and located in a reclined rest position; Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a simpler embodiment of the needle disposal system; Fig. 9 is a plan view of Fig. 8; and Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a second cap of the system according to either embodiments. - Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings, a needle disposal system according to a preferred embodiment comprises an assembly adapted to be hand held in an upright manner and in which position the assembly will hereinafter be described. The assembly is of a disposable container 10 having an inlet in its top face and a head unit 12 securable over said top face. The container 10 and head unit 12 have a similar oblong horizontal cross-section. The container 10 has an external screw-thread 10B around a neck 14 of its inlet which stands proud of its top face as shown, and the head unit 12 has a depending surround 42 shaped as an extension of the container as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7. Adjacent to the bottom edge of said surround 42 on each lateral side thereof, an elongate protuberance 46 is provided to engage in a complementary groove 10A around the lateral sides of the container 10 as shown inFig. 4 to secure the container 10 and head unit 12 together. A similar surround 42A extends upwardly and on each lateral side an elongate protuberance 46A is provided for a purpose to be described hereinafter. The head unit 12 has aperture means through which used needles can be fed into said container 10 for non- returnable passage therefrom. A tubular extension 44 projects from the top of the container 10 internally thereof as shown to provide the non-returnability of used needles fed into the container. The aperture means incorporates a valve device (Figs. 3A and 3B) formed by a circular aperture 22 being provided in top plate 20 and a plate 24 constrained to move horizontally parallelly to said plate 20 between two extreme positions to respectively close off said aperture 22 in the top plate 20 and to open said aperture 22. The plate 24 has an aperture 26 alignable with aperture 22 of the top plate 20 when the plate 24 is in the open position. Aperture 26 is circular. Both apertures 22 and 26 are provided with a series of serrations as shown around opposed semi-circular parts thereof to form a complete circle of serrations. The plate 24 is spring-biased to the closed position. The plate 24 forms the top of a trigger of a trigger mechanism 28 which is constrained to move in the head unit 12 between inner and outer positions as shown in Figs. 5. and 6 respectively. The extent of movement of the trigger is determined by slot 8 (Fig. 3B) in plate 24, and a corresponding slot in a bottom plate 24A of the trigger, the slots beingengaged by a pin 58 (Figs. 5 and 6) secured in the head unit 12 between top plate 20 and a bottom plate 20A. The trigger mechanism 28 includes a helical spring 48 mounted between the inner wall of the head unit 12 and the inner wall of the trigger as shown. The spring 48 which forms the spring-biasing of plate 24 and movement of the plate 24 against its biasing is controlled by the trigger mechanism 28. A first cap 16, shaped as shown in Fig. 2, is securable over said head unit 12 with an aperture 30 alignable with aperture 22 in said aperture means, the cap 16 having an inverted skirt 32 extending outwardly and upwardly to act as a protective shroud to protect a hand when holding said assembly during a needle inserting operation. The cap 16 has a groove 16A around the lateral sides of the bottom as shown in Fig. 4 to secure the cap 16 and the head unit 12 together. The container 10 is commonly called a 'sharpes box' and is of a material, such as a synthetic plastics material, resistant to passage therethrough of a needle and is for disposal when full, while the head unit 12 is reusable and of a material capable of being autoclaved for sterilisation. In Fig. 1 , there is shown in broken line the level 50 at which the container 12 is to be considered full. The container 12 is preferably of a transparent material so as to ascertain when the container 12 is full. A second cap 36 shown in Fig. 10 and in the form of a closure is provided with an internal screw-thread to be securable over the neck 14 of said container 10 after the head unit 1-2 is removed. The apertures 22,26 are provided in metal plates 60 inset into complementarily shaped rebates formed in plates 20,24. In use, the assembly is held in one hand and a syringe 34 with needle 18 to be removed is held in the other hand. The trigger mechanism 28 is pressed to move plate 24 until its apertures 26 aligns with aperture 22 and the needle is then inserted the aligned apertures 22, 26 until the hub of the needle 18 is located below the plate 24. The trigger is released such that the nozzle of the syringe above the hub is clamped by the serrated edges of the two apertures 22, 26. By pulling or unscrewing the syringe 34 out of the assembly, the needle is released by the hub being prevented from outward movement by its contact under the plates 20, 24. The needle 18 then falls into the container 10. In like manner, other needles 18 can be disposed of into the container 10 until it is full or at the end of a particular time period of use-of the syringe, at which time the container 10 can be detached from the head unit 12, a second cap 36 fitted thereto, and disposed of to waste. In the case where the needle being used is a multi-use needle ie. multi-use on the same patient, there is normally a sheath 54 provided. In this case, the sheath 54 can be clamped by the serrations on the apertures 22, 26, the assembly left on a surface 52 as shown in Fig. 7, and the needle 18 inserted into the sheath 54 between uses. After finishing using the syringe 34 on the patient, the needle 18 can be fully located in the sheath 54, the assembly lifted, the trigger pressed to release the sheath 54 and allow the sheath 54 and needle 18 to pass further into the container 10 and the sheath and needle detached in the same manner as hereinabove described and deposited into the container 10. In a first modification, the aperture 26 may have a straight knife edge in place of the serrations and be used to guillotine off the needles from their roots in the respective hubs. This modification may be beneficial to people suffering from diabetes who have to inject themselves periodically and then have the problem of having to dispose of the used needles. In a second modification, other means for securing the first cap 16, head unit 12 and container 10 can be used, such as moulded press stud fastenings. In a second simpler embodiment as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, in which like numerals are used for like parts, the container 10 has a first cap 38, circular in plan, and having an aperture 40 centrally of its top face, the aperture being of a pear drop shape to allow.passage therethrough of a needle and including a width restriction whereby the top of the hub of a needle 18 can be engaged under the sides defining said restriction and by pulling outwardly, the needle 18 can be detached from a syringe 34. The first cap 38 is securable in screw-threaded engagement with the screw thread 10B and has an inverted skirt 32'. A peripheral flange 56 is provided extending from the outer edge of the skirt 32 ' of the first cap 16 in an outwardly and downwardly manner a distance substantially the same as the depth of the skirt 32' . The assembly is used in much the same manner as described above in the preferred embodiment and is intended for use only for single use needles and when it is to be disposed of the first cap 16' is unscrewed and a cap 36 screwed onto the container. The container when closed by cap 36, and first cap 38 are all intended to be disposed of to waste. Other variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A needle disposal system comprising an assembly of a disposable container having an inlet in its top face, the assembly being adapted to be hand held, and a first cap securable over said container with an aperture alignable with said inlet, and through which aperture and inlet used needles can be fed into said container for non-returnable passage therefrom, the first cap having an inverted skirt extending outwardly and upwardly to act as a protective shroud to protect a hand when holding said assembly during a needle inserting operation. 2. A needle disposal system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a peripheral flange is provided extending from the outer edge of the skirt of the first cap in an outwardly and downwardly manner a distance substantially the same as the depth of the skirt. 3. A needle disposal system as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the aperture in the first cap is of a shape to allow passage therethrough of a needle and has a width restriction whereby the top of a hub of a needle, located through said aperture, can be engaged under the sides defining said restriction and by pulling outwardly, the needle can be detached from a syringe. 4. A needle disposal system comprising an assembly of a disposable container having an inlet in its top face, a head unit securable over said container, the assembly being adapted to be hand held, the head unit having aperture means alignable with said inlet and through which used needles can be fed into said container for non-returnable passage therefrom, and a first cap securable over said head unit with an aperture alignable with an aperture in said aperture means, the cap having an inverted skirt extending outwardly and upwardly to act as a shroud to protect a hand when holding said assembly during a needle inserting operation. 5. A needle disposal system as claimed in Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the container is of a material resistant to passage therethrough of a needle. 6. A needle disposal system as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, wherein the head unit is reusable and of a material capable of being autoclaved. 7. A needle disposal system as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein a second cap in the form of a closure is provided to be securable over said container after the head unit and/or first cap is removed. 8. A needle disposal system as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 7, wherein the aperture means of the head unit incorporates a valve device. 9. A needle disposal system as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the valve device comprises a plate constrained to move between two extreme positions to respectively close off an aperture in a top plate of the head unit and to open said aperture. 10. A needle disposal system as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the plate is spring-biased to the closed position. 11. A needle disposal system as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the movement of the plate is controlled by a trigger mechanism. 12. A needle disposal system as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the extent of movement of the trigger mechanism is determined by slots provided in the trigger and through which a stationary pin extends. 13. A needle disposal system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings. 14. A needle disposal system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: MCCAMMON JOHN WESLEY, MOFFET TREVOR LONSDALE, MCCAMMON, JOHN, WESLEY, MOFFET, TREVOR, LONSDALE
Applicants: MCCAMMON JOHN WESLEY, MOFFET TREVOR LONSDALE, MCCAMMON, JOHN, WESLEY, MOFFET, TREVOR, LONSDALE
Application year: 1988
Main classification: A61M5
IPC codes: A61G12, A61M5