초록 ▼

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for safe disposal of hypodermic syringes, needles and other small, contaminated instruments such as, for example, scalpel blades, stitch cutters etc. (Commonly referred to as “sharps”). The apparatus firstly comprises a collection container ha

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for safe disposal of hypodermic syringes, needles and other small, contaminated instruments such as, for example, scalpel blades, stitch cutters etc. (Commonly referred to as “sharps”). The apparatus firstly comprises a collection container having a primary lid which is movable between an open position and a closed position and is releasable latched in the closed position. The latch mechanism is adapted to be released when the contain is brought into cooperation with a destructor apparatus. The destructor apparats comprised a disposal receptacle adapted to receive the container and unlatch the lid, and a destructor means. adapted to generally comminute the material deposited therein. The destructor apparatus has an inlet and an outlet, a plurality of rotating blades which cooperate with two cutting plates which are arranged to define a flow path for the material between the inlet and the outlet. The cutting blades and the cutting plates cooperate to comminute the material by impact and cutting action. The present invention provides a convenient means of disposing of sharps generally without risk to the person handling the sharps.

대표청구항 ▼

A system for collecting sharps and then destroying the collected sharps, said system comprising in combination at least one reusable sharps container; and a destructor apparatus having a disposal receptacle for receiving the reusable sharps container, each of said reusable sharps containers comprisi

A system for collecting sharps and then destroying the collected sharps, said system comprising in combination at least one reusable sharps container; and a destructor apparatus having a disposal receptacle for receiving the reusable sharps container, each of said reusable sharps containers comprising a container having a primary opening, a primary lid being movably mounted with respect to the container and movable between a closed position closing the primary opening and an opened position opening the primary opening, latch means to retain the primary lid on the closed position in normal use and to automatically opening the primary lid when engaged by latch opening means of said disposal receptacle of said destructor apparatus when said container is inserted into said disposal receptacle, said primary lid having a secondary opening, a secondary lid being movably mounted on the primary lid and movable between a closed position closing the secondary opening and an opened position opening the secondary opening, said destructor apparatus, in addition to the disposal receptacle and latch opening means, comprising a chamber having an outlet and an inlet with the inlet being spaced above the outlet and in communication with said disposal receptacle, said chamber having cutter means for cutting sharps introduced through said inlet, said cutter means including a cutter plate being mounted in said chamber between the inlet and the outlet, said cutter plate having a plurality of elongated slots of a predetermined width being spaced along one edge, and a driven rotary cutter comprising a shaft being rotatably mounted in said chamber adjacent the one edge and having a plurality of cutter blades being mounted at predetermined positions along said shaft to be aligned with said slots of the cutter plate and to move through the slots as the shaft rotates, each cutter blade having a rectangular shape with cutting edges, said plate being inclined downward from the inlet toward the outlet so that the sharps are inserted into the container through the secondary opening but are removed through the primary opening when the container is inserted into the disposal receptacle and the latch opening means actuates the latch means to open the primary opening to discharge the sharps from the container to enter the inlet and move along the cutter plate to be repeatedly cut and impacted by the rotating cutter blades to be transformed into small pieces prior to exiting the outlet of the chamber.