Melting disposal apparatus for injection needles

Abstract: A melting disposal apparatus for injection needles (5) characterized in that unit (2) for generating electromagnetic microwave, unit (W1, W2) for generating a plasma discharge (8) with high temperature by being irradiated with the electromagnetic microwave, and moving unit (M1 - M10) for automatically inserting the injection needle (5) into the zone (8) in which said plasma discharge is produced, and automatically releasing the injection needle (5) from the zone after the injection needle has been molten.

Description: The present invention relates to an apparatus in which injection needles are melted through high temperature thereby safely and easily disposing of them. Hitherto, the injection needle used in hospital or the like has been disposed of in a specific way so that the injection needles are collected in a predetermined vessel with sufficient carefulness so as not to puncture fingers of person or the like. Therefore, it is necessary to treat the used injection needle very carefully so as not to produce bacterial infection. The object of the present invention is to alleviate the problems of the conventional technique. EP-A-0,136,392 discloses a syringe needle destroyer in which an inserted needle short-circuits a pair of electrodes causing a flash of current to flow which heats the needle sufficiently to melt it. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for disposal of injection needles by melting, said apparatus being characterised by comprising: means for generating electromagnetic microwaves; means for generating, by irradiation with said electromagnetic microwaves, a plasma discharge having a high temperature for melting a needle, and moving means for automatically inserting an injection needle into a zone in which said plasma discharge is produced, and automatically releasing the remains of said injection needle from said zone after said injection needle has been melted. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided method of disposing of injection needles, the method being characterised by comprising: generating electromagnetic microwaves; generating, by irradiation with the electromagnetic microwaves, a plasma discharge having a high temperature for melting a needle; automatically inserting the injection needle into a zone in which the plasma discharge is produced; and melting an injection needle by holding it in the plasma discharge; and automatically releasing the remains of the injection needle from the zone after the injection needle has been melted. In order that the present invention may be better understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the injection needle melting apparatus as one embodiment of the present invention, Figs. 2 and 3 are schematic side sectional and perspective views respectively showing the interior constructions, Fig. 4 is a schematic and perspective view showing the interior of the melting furnace, Fig. 5 is a front view showing the end points of tungsten wires, and Figs. 6 and 7 are schematic and perspective views respectively showing the construction of moving means for automatically moving the injection needle. One embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the attached drawings hereinafter. Fig. 1 shows an injection needle melting disposal apparatus. Figs. 2 and 3 show a schematic construction of the apparatus in which a microwave generator 2 (100 volt, 500 wattage) for generaring an electromagnetic microwave (about 2450 KHz) is disposed on the side wall of a melting furnace 3 through a waveguide tube 4. There is provided moving means M for automatically inserting an injection needle 5 into the melting furnace 3 and automatically returning it after melting thereof. In the interior of a melting furnace 3 made of stainless steel or the like, there are provided two tungsten wires W1 and W2 fixed on a supporting plate, the end points of each of the two wires being disposed adjacent to each other (with a gap between end points of about 2 mm). An opening 7 in Fig. 4 is provided on the side surface of the melting furnace made of stainless steel for the waveguide tube 4, and the electromagnetic microwares are irradiated from the opening 7 into the tungsten wires W1 and W2 (having diameter about 1.6 mm) mounted within the melting furnace 3. Upon the irradiation of the electromagnetic microwave, a plasma discharge 8 is produced at the zone between the end points of the tungsten wires W1 and W2 respectively as shown in Fig. 5, and a high temperature of about 4000°C - 5000°C is produced. The injection needle 5 is disposed in the plasma discharge 8. The time required for disposing one injection needle 5 is about 5-10 seconds. The electromagnetic microwaves are generated only the time corresponding the above-mentioned disposal time. The end point of the tungsten wire is gradually worn thereby increasing the distance between the end points, and therefore the tungsten wire is adjustably mounted on a supporting plate 6 so as to be pulled slightly. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, moving means has a pair of claws M1 and M2 for holding the sleeve 5A of the injection needle, and the claws M1 and M2 is rotatably mounted on a supporting member M3 and the claws M1 and M2 are fixed with a pair of gears M4 and M5 coupled with each other. There is provided a spring 9 between the claw M2 and the supporting member M3. Therefore, by inserting the injection needle 5 of an injection syringe 5B into the space between the upper portions of the claws M1 and M2, the sleeve 5A of the injection needle 5 slides the slanted surface portions M11 (Fig. 7) of the claws M1 and M2 and then the injection needle 5 is pinched by the claws M1 and M2 having the resilient force of the spring 9. Upon pulling the injection syringe 5B, the sleeve 5A of the injection needle 5 is stopped by a pair of projected plates H1 and H2 (Fig. 7) and therefore the injection needle 5 can be easily removed from the injection syringe 5B. The supporting member M3 for supporting the claws M1 and M2 is adapted to be slidable on a pair of rails R1 and R2 for guiding the supporting member M3. The supporting member M3 has an arm M6 one end of which is rotatably mounted on the supporting member M3. The other end of the arm M6 has an elongated hole M7 into which a pin M9 mounted at the periphery portion of a disk M8 is inserted. There is provided a spring 10 between the pin M9 and a pin M10 mounted on the arm M6. The disk M8 is rotated in the direction of arrow B by using a motor 11 thereby moving the supporting member M3 mounting the claws M1 and M2 holding the injection needle 5, along the rails R1 and R2 in the bi-direction of arrow C. The moving injection needle 5 can be inserted into a small hole 12 mounted on the front surface of the melting furnace 3 until almost the entire injection needle 5 has been inserted. The injection needle 5 is melted in about 5-10 seconds, and the original form of the injection needle 5 is no longer maintained, thereby forming a small ball (waste). The wasted needle is pulled from the small hole 12 backwardly passing through a restore position as shown in Fig. 2. A slanted portion 13A provided at the end point of a release member 13 is inserted into the space between the claws M1 and M2 against the resilient force of the spring 9 thereby releasing the injection needle 5 from the claws M1 and M2. As a result, the molten injection needle drops into a collection box 14. Then, the claws M1 and M2 are restored to the restore position as shown in Fig. 2. According to the disposal apparatus mentioned above, the main switch SW1 of the disposal apparatus is actuated, and the injection needle 5 is held by the claws M1 and M2, and then a start switch SW2 is actuated. Then, the injection needle 5 is automatically molten in the melting furnace 3 for a short time, and then the injection needle 5 maintained by the claws M1 and M2 is pulled out from the melting furnace 3 and released by the releasing member thereby automatically dropping to the collecting box 14, under the control by a control device (not shown). The present invention utilizing a plasma discharge with high temperature can be applied also to cut a metallic material, weld a metallic material such as plate or rod, and melt or weld ceramic materials such as porcelain or glass. As mentioned above, according to the present invention a sharp end point of the injection needle is molten to deform to a ball-like formation with safety, and further it is completely sterilized due to the high temperature, as a result it can be dealt with just like a normal dust.

Claims: An apparatus for disposal of injection needles (5) by melting, said apparatus being characterised by comprising: means (2) for generating electromagnetic microwaves; means (W1,W2) for generating, by irradiation with said electromagnetic microwaves, a plasma discharge (8) having a high temperature for melting a needle, and moving means (M1-M10) for automatically inserting an injection needle (5) into a zone (8) in which said plasma discharge is produced, and automatically releasing the remains of said injection needle (5) from said zone (8) after said injection needle (5) has been melted. An apparatus for disposal of injection needles according to claim 1, wherein said means (W1,W2) for generating a plasma discharge comprises two tungsten wires (W1,W2) disposed with their ends adjacent to each other, said zone (8) in which said plasma discharge is produced by said irradiation being between said ends. An apparatus for disposal of injection needles according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in use said injection needles (5) are heated and melted by said plasma discharge (8) having a high temperature within the range of about 4000°C to about 5000°C. A method of disposing of injection needles (5), said method being characterised by comprising: generating electromagnetic microwaves; generating, by irradiation with said electromagnetic microwaves, a plasma discharge (8) having a high temperature for melting a needle; automatically inserting said injection needle (5) into a zone (8) in which said plasma discharge is produced; and melting an injection needle by holding it in said plasma discharge; and automatically releasing the remains of said injection needle (5) from said zone (8) after said injection needle (5) has been melted. A method of disposing of injection needles according to claim 4, wherein said plasma discharge is generated by two tungsten wires (W1,W2) disposed with their ends adjacent to each other, said zone (8) in which said plasma discharge is produced by said irradiation being between said ends. A method of disposing of injection needles according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the high temperature of said plasma discharge is within the range of about 4000°C to about 5000°C.

Inventors: NARA AKIKAZU, NARA, AKIKAZU
Applicants: NARA SEIKI KK, NARASEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A61M5
IPC codes: B09B3, A61L11, A61G12, A61M5