Sharps container for (I) safe disposal and storage of a single used medical pen needle and/or (II) safe storage and dispensing of a single unused medical pen needle

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, hollow shield having 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 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 by means to said shield to facilitate movement of said cover member between (i) a first position adjacent to a side of said shield and (ii) a second position abutting said first end of said shield;
• and
• 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.