Method and apparatus for destroying a syringe needle

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sterilizing and destroying a syringe needle, having a housing, first and second walls in opposed relationship in the housing and defining therebetween a needle burn chamber, the distance between the first and second surfaces being at least the length of the needle, the first surface defining an opening therethrough, a needle receiver in the chamber, a first electrical contact on the needle receiver, a second electrical contact comprising an electrically conductive surface secured within the burn chamber and or added substantially perpendicular to the face of the needle receiver and the surface in alignment with the central line of the needle receiver, power source connected to the first and second contacts and, a waste collector disposed in the housing beneath and in communication with the burn chamber, the waste collector being removable from the housing; so that when the needle is inserted through the opening, it is in contacting relationship with the first electrical contact, the length of the needle then engages the second electrical contact closing the circuit between the contacts and melting the needle along at least most of its length with the resultant melted waste falling into the waste collector.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.