Syringe needle destruction method and apparatus
AssigneeMedical Safety Technologies, Inc.
InventorsBrad A. Kohl, Kenneth C. Musgrave, Randall D. Decker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for destroying syringe needles. The apparatus has an incinerator into which a syringe needle may be inserted, crimped by a crimper 30, burned by passing an electric current through the needle between the needle tip and a sealing crimp formed by the crimper 30, and the burned needle severed by a cutter 36.
Claims14
A syringe needle destruction apparatus comprising a housing having an orifice through which a syringe needle may be inserted into the housing, crimping means mounted within said housing adjacent said orifice for crimping a syringe needle to substantially seal the syringe, a needle tip contact element mounted for movement along a needle path of travel within said housing in engagement with the needle tip, and means for establishing a voltage across said crimping means and said needle tip contact element sufficient to burn that portion of the needle that extends between the needle crimp and tip.
A method of destroying at least a portion of a needle needle that extends outwardly from the barrel and hub of a syringe to a needle tip, and with the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) inserting the needle portion into an incinerator while leaving the barrel outside of the incinerator;
- (b) forming a sealing crimp in the hollow needle adjacent the syringe hub;
- (c) burning the needle by passing an electric current through the needle between the needle crimp and tip.
A syringe needle destruction apparatus comprising;
- means for receiving and containing an exposed needle portion of a syringe;
- means for forming a crimp in the needle distally from the needle tip;
- and
- means for passing an electric current through said exposed needle portion.
A syringe needle destruction apparatus comprising a main housing and an incinerator housing detachably mounted to said main housing, said incinerator housing having an orifice, a track mounted in said incinerator housing, a carriage movable mounted on said track and spring biased toward said orifice, crimping means mounted within said incinerator housing for forming a crimp in a syringe needle inserted into said incinerator housing through said orifice, means for establishing a voltage across at least a portion of a syringe needle within said incinerator housing which includes an electrode mounted on said carriage facing said orifice, and severing means mounted in said incinerator housing for severing at least a portion of a needle inserted into said incinerator housing between a crimp formed in the needle by said crimping means and the needle tip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.