Method and apparatus for enabling safe recapping of hypodermic needles

A recapping device which enables a needle to be re-inserted in a sheath or like protective sleeve by a one-handed recapping operation, said device comprising:

• a housing having a hollow interior and divided into top and bottom chambers by a dividing wall, said housing having open top and bottom ends, said wall having an indentation generally coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said housing for engaging an end of said sheath;
• a ballast material placed in the bottom chamber of said housing for maintaining said recapping device in an upright position;
• a cap secured to the bottom end of said housing for retaining said ballast material within said housing;
• a sheath gripper provided in the top chamber of said housing and disposed above said dividing wall defining an expandable, roughly triangularly shaped opening substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said housing for gripping and supporting said sheath in an upright position, said sheath gripper formed from a strip of resilient material which is folded about a plurality of fold lines so as to define said roughly triangular opening;
• and
• a cap secured to the top end of said housing, said cap disposed above said sheath gripper to prevent said sheath gripper from dislodging from said housing, said top cap having an opening substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said housing.

A recapping device which enables a needle to be re-inserted in a sheath or like protective sleeve by a one-handed operation, said device comprising:

• a rigid housing having a hollow interior and divided into top and bottom chambers by a dividing wall, said housing having open top and bottom ends, said wall having a hollowed indentation substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said housing for engaging an end of said sheath;
• a ballast material placed in the bottom chamber of said housing for maintaining said recapping device in an upright position;
• a cap secured to the bottom end of said housing for retaining said ballast means within said housing;
• a sheath gripper provided in the top chamber of said housing and disposed above said dividing wall and defining an expandable roughly triangularly shaped opening substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said housing for gripping and supporting said sheath in an upright position, said sheath gripper formed from a strip of resilient material which is folded about a plurality of fold lines to define said expandable opening;
• a cap secured to the top end of said housing, said cap disposed above said sheath gripper to prevent said sheath gripper from dislodging from said housing and having an opening substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said housing;
• a clip resiliently fixed at one end of the exterior of said housing, said clip having an upturned end opposing said fixed end;
• and
• a holder for releasably containing said recapping device in an upright position, said recapping device secured and released by said holder by appendages integral to said recapping device.

A method of recapping a needle with one hand, comprising steps of:

• a. releasably supporting a vertical sheath by a recapping device having a sheath gripper formed from a resilient material strip folded about a plurality of fold lines disposed along the length of said strip to form roughly a triangular shaped expandible sheath gripping opening;
• b. inserting said needle into the open end of said sheath until said sheath is securely attached to said needle;
• and
• c. withdrawing the needle and sheath from the recapping device.