AU669896B2

AU669896B2 - Sharps container

Info

Publication number: AU669896B2
Application number: AU41334/93A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Douglas Colin Bean
Original assignee: Douglas Bean Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Douglas Bean Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1992-06-17
Filing date: 1993-06-17
Publication date: 1996-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 2013-06-17
Also published as: AU4133493A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Applicant(s): DOUGLAS BEAN (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD A.C.M. 005 443 863 o r Actual Inventor(s): Douglas Colin Bean Address for Service: PATENT ATTORNEY SERVICES 26 Ellingworth Parade Box Hill Victoria 3128 Australia Title: SHARPS CONTAINER Associated Provisional Applications: PL 3017 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- SHARPS CONTAINER This invention relates to sharps containers of the kind used in medical, dental, veterinary and other establishments.

A sharps container is used in the medical, dental and veterinary fields for disposal of sharp implements such as syringes, needles, scalpels, and other used or otherwise unwanted articles or materials prior to disposal. The construction of a sharps container is intended to enable the ready disposal of such articles through a convenient access opening and to enable the container to be safely handled without the person handling the container being exposed to the risk of being contacted by ard particularly not being cut or the skin pierced by any of the articles or materials in the container, Although the present invention will generally refer to medical, dental and veterinary sharps containers, or even more specifically to medical sharps containers, it will be appreciated that the container according to the present invention could be used in other establishments where articles or materials are to be safely disposed of with minimum risk of or elimination of the need for further handling, e.g. in laboratories, food manufacturing or preparing establishments, chemical factories or plants, and so forth.

Presently used sharps containers in the medical field are frequently manufactured and sold with the intention that the container and its contents are disposable. Usually medical sharps containers after use are disposed of by incineration of the container 25 together with the contents. There is concern that incineration of eoee disposable containers is wasteful of resources, including both materials and energy, and that the incineration process produces gaseous and particulate wastes which are discharged to atmosphere contributing tn pollution.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sharps container which is capable of re-use.

According to the present invention there is provided a sharps container comprising an enclosure for receiving and retaining articles or materials to be disposed of, handled or treated, such articles or materials being of the kind which are dangerous, offensive or otherwise undesirable to handle, the container including: an access opening through which the articles or materials are passed into the enclosure, closure means for selectively closing the access opening so as to inhibit or prevent retrieval of articles or materials from the enclosure or inadvertent spillage of the contents of the enclosure through the access opening, and means responsive to a predetermined parameter of the ambient surroundings, the responsive means being associated with the enclosure and, upon the parameter reaching a predetermined value indicative of the container undergoing a sterilising treatment, being operative to open the enclosure to the ambient surroundings and thereby enable sterilisation of the contents of thile enclosure by entry of the ambient atmosphere into the enclosure.

The responsive means in one embodiment is comprised by heat responsive means associated with the enclosure and which is operative upon a predetermined value of the temperature of the ambient surroundings being reached greater than or equal to 100°C) to open the enclosure to ambient surroundings.

In an alternative possible embodiment, the responsive means is comprised by pressure responsive means associated with the enclosure and which, upon being exposed to a predetermined value of the ambient pressure significantly different from normal atmospheric pressure, is operative to open the enclosure to the ambient surroundings.

The responsive means may be comprised by the closure means. In the case of use of tilhe S* heat responsive means, that means may be comprised by the closure means and the closure means may be composed of a material which fails structurally at or above 100 0 C. The material from 20 which the closure means is composed may be a plastics material which softens or melts at a temperature equal to or greater than 100°C so that when exposed to a temperature above 100°C, the closure means will soften and distort so as to fail to perform the ftinction of closing the access opening and thereby open the enclosure to ambient temperature at greater than 100°C.

In one possible embodiment the heat responsive means comprises holding means associated with the closure means and which is operative at normal ambient temperatures to maintain the closure means in a position closing the access opening and which, when the container is exposed to high temperature characteristic of a sterilising treatment, is operative to fail in its function of holding the closure means in its position closing the access opening thereby enabling the interior of the enclosure to be exposed to the high temperature upon opening of the access opening consequent upon failure of the holding means.

When the sharps container provides the pressure responsive means to open the container, that means miy be comprised by the closure means and the closure means is composed of a material which fails structurally the predetermined value of the ambient pressure.

The responsive means may be reversibly operable so as to be operable to open the enclosure to provide communication between the ambient surroundings and the interior of the enclosure in response to the parameter of the ambient surroundings reaching the predetermined value indicative of the container undergoing a sterilising treatment and which is further operable upon the parameter returning to a normal value at the end of the sterilising treatment to reclose the enclosure.

Possible and preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention. In the 20 drawings: Figs. la and Ib respectively show a sharps container intact and being exposed to autoclave temperatures, or to high pressures, to cause failure of the closure, Figs. 2a and 2b respectively show a sharps container in which a 25 clip holds a closure lid in its closed condition and, when exposed in an autoclave to high temperature, structurally fails to release the closure means, and Fig. 3 shows a detail of a sharps container in which a metal retaining clip when exposed to autoclave temperatures expands and releases the closure lid to open the enclosure, the metal clip being re-usable.

The sharps container in the drawings comprises an enclosure for receiving and retaining used or unwanted articles or materials or more generally for receiving and retaining articles or materials to be disposed of, handled or treated, such articles or materials being of the kind which are dangerous, offensive or otherwise undesirable to handle. The container includes an access opening 11 through which articles or materials are passed into the enclosure 10. Closure means 12 selectively closes the access opening 11 so as to inhibit or prevent retrieval of articles or materials from the enclosure or inadvertent spillage of the contents of the enclosure through the access opening. The sharps container according to the invention is characterised by the provision of means 20 responsive to a pre-determined parameter of the ambient surroundings, the responsive means being associated with the enclosure 10 and, upon the parameter reaching a pre-determined value indicative of the container undergoing a sterilising treatment, being operative to open the enclosure to the ambient surroundings.

The sharps container in the drawings has the responsive means comprised by heat responsive means associated with the enclosure and which is operative upon being exposed to a predetermined temperature, preferably greater than or equal to 100"C, to open the enclosure 10 to ambient surroundings.

The sharps container according to a second alternative possible aspect of the invention (not illustrated) has the responsive means comprised by pressure responsive means associated with the enclosure and which, upon being exposed to a pre-determined ambient pressure 20 significantly different from normal atmospheric pressure, is operative to open the enclosure to ambient surroundings.

In the first illustrated aspect in which there is heat responsive means 20 which opens the enclosure 10 upon exposure to a temperature at or above 100°C, the sharps container can be used by 25 placing articles and materials through the access opening 11 into the enclosure and, when the container is filled or its use is otherwise to be discontinued, the closure means 12 can be used to close the access opening. The sharps container can then be safely handled and placed in an autoclave or other heat treatment apparatus. When the autoclave is operated, the ambient surroundings of the sharps container rise in temperature to in excess of 100°C whereupon the heat responsive means 20 opens the enclosure 10 to the ambient surroundings. The steam or other medium in the autoclave or heat treatment apparatus enters the enclosure 10 following operation of the heat responsive means 20 and therefore the exposure of the contents of the enclosure to temperatures at or above 100°C will kill any microorganisms and therefore, after an effective period of time, the articles and materials in the enclosure will be sterilised. In another possibility, the heat responsive means alone may be exposed to the predetermined temperature.

In the possible case of use of the sharps container for treatment of articles or materials in the enclosure 10 where exposure S to a predetermined temperature in order to treat the articles or the materials is desired, the heat responsive means 20 would be operative to open the enclosure upon exposure of the entire sharps container to a temperature at or greater than the relevant predetermined temperature (which may be other than 100"C).

In Figs la and Ib, the heat responsive means 20 is comprised by the closure means 12. For example, the enclosure 10 and the portion of the enclosure defining the access opening 11 may be made of a material capable of withstanding the heat treatment temperature, in particular the autoclave temperatures, whereas the closure means 12 for the access opening 11 is made of a material which fails structurally at or above 100"C. The heat responsive closure reans 12 for example may be made of a plastics material which softens or melts at a temperature equal to or greater than 100 0 C so that when the sharps container is placed in an autoclave and the steam temperature rises above 100"C, the closure 12 for the access opening 11 will soften and collapse under its own weight as shown in Fig Ib or otherwise intentionally "fail" in its closing function so as to thereby enable steam to enter the enclosure 10 and sterilise the articles and materials therein.

For example, the closure means 12 may be composed of a suitable low density polyethylene which softens and will collapse at a temperature above 100"C so that the closure will fall into Ihe enclosure through the access opening 11 which it was formerly closing. Another suitable material for the closure means 12 may comprise for example a polyurethane material, such as a foam polyurethane, which fails structurally at a temperature over 100 0

C.

In Figs 2a, 2b and 3, the heat responsive means 20 comprises a means 21 associated with the closure means 12 and which is operative upon being exposed to the predetermined temperature to cause the closure means 12 to fail to perform a closing function. The closure means 12 comprises a closure cap 13 which is capable of withst.uading the predetermined (autoclave) temperatures, the closuim cap 13 being held in its position closing the access opening securely by a clip 22 made of a material which fails at the predetermined temperature. For example, the closure cap 13 may be biased by spring 14 into an open position (Fig 2b) and is only held in its position (Fig 2a) closing the access opening 11 by the clip 22. With this arrangement, the closure means 12 is placed in its closing position and held in that position by the clip 22. When the container is exposed to the autoclave temperatures and the clip 22 fails structurally as shown in Fig 2b, the closure means 12 moves away from its position closing the access opening 11 thereby enabling steam to enter the container.

In a further possible embodiment (not illustrated), the responsive means 20 may be associated with an auxiliary opening other than the access opening 11, the heat responsive means being operative upon being exposed to the predetermined temperature to open the auxiliary opening for entry of steam into the enclosure. In Fig 3, the heat responsive means may comprises a reversibly operable clip means 25 so that upon reaching the predetermined temperature, the opening 11 is opened and upon subsequent cooling of the container and the associated heat responsive means 20 below the predetermined temperature, the opening 11 is reclosed. T' heat responsive means 20 20 comprises a heat responsive expanding clip means 25 such as a metal member or similar known mechanical equivalent, and which expands by a predetermined extent upon reaching the predetermined temperature, the expansion of the heat responsive expanding clip means 25 causing opening of the container, The clip means 25 has a 25 ramp 26 which cooperates with a shoulder 27 provided by the closure cap 13. Lug 28 also cooperates with a complementary formation of the cap 13 to retain the cap closed. When the temperature rises and the clip 25 expands, the ramp surfaces 26 and 27 cause the clip 25 to disengage from the cap 13 and fall outwardly as shown in broken line. This enables the cap 13 to open, e.g. by a spring (not shown) similar in placement and operation to the spiing 14 in Figs 2a and 2b. When the temperature of the containei cools below the predetermined temperature, the contraction of the clip means enables re-closing of the enclosure In the possible aspect in which there is a pressure responsive means (not illustrated) which opens the enclosure 10 upon exposure to a pre-determined pressure significantlydifferent from atmospheric pressure, the sharps container can be placed in a treatment chamber, such as an autoclave and the treatment chamber closed. The treatment chamber can be evacuated and the pressure responsive means may be operative to open the enclosure 10 in response to evacuation of the treatment chamber. For example, the treatment chamber may comprise an autoclave which is evacuated, e.g, to a pressure of between and -90 kPa in a preliminary stage of the operating cycle the autoclave, The pressure responsive means may be operative to open the sharps container at such pressures to enable the enclosure to be simultaneously evacuaLed. In one possible embodiment, similar in operating principle to the use of heat responsive means, the pressure responsive means may fail structurally and enable sterilising steam generated and introduced into the autoclave chambei to enter the enclosure of the sharps container and thereby sterilise the contents.

In a further possible embodiment, the pressure responsive means may be operative to open the sharps container in response to a pre-determined pressure substantially above atmospheric pressure. A normal autoclave used in medical applications usually introduces S: steam to the autoclave chamber at a higher pressure, e.g, at about 200 kPa (two atmospheres), This introduction of steam at, say, 135°C 20 at 200 kPa normally follows an evacuation cycle, The pressure responsive means may be operative in response to the pressure in the treatment chamber rising to a pre-determined amount, e.g. to about 150 kPa (1.5 atmospheres) to open and enable the high t.tmperature steam to enter the enclosure and sterilise the contents.

In the case of either use of heat responsive means or of pressure responsive means it is possible to enable reveisible operation so that the exposure of the sharps container to the pre-determined temmperature or pressure, particularly the high temperature or pressure used during the steam introduction cycle of an autoclave, causes the container to be opened to enable the steam to enter and, at the end of the steam sterilisation cycle, the subsequent reduction in temperature and/or in the treatment chambei causes the temperature or pressure responsive means to reclose the sharps container. One form of reversible pressure responsive means comprises a pressure responsive valve which may be constructed to operate in a generally known manner to open the enclosure to ambient surroundings in response to a pre-determined pressure being rteched and to close upon pressure falling again, In the case of a medical sharps container, whether temperature or pressure responsive opening means is used, after autoclave treatment, the articles and materials in the sharps container will be sterile and therefore can be subsequently handled without the high risk of contamination or infection, particularly infection by such micro-organisms as those that cause hepatitis and AIDS.

It will be seem that the sharps container according to the preferred embodiments of present invention provides a simple and effective means for enabling the sharps container to be re-used in particular by allowing the articles and materials disposed of in the container to be sterilised in an autoclave and therefore enabling those articles and materials to be disposed of in a manner than by incineration and enabling the sharps container itself to be re-used.

It is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be made to the features of the possible and preferred embodiment(s) of the invention as herein described without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

S

Claims

1. A sharps container comprising an enclosure for receiving a.id retaining articles or materials to be disposed of, handled or treated, such articles or materials being of the kind which are dangerous, offensive or otherwise undesirable to handle, the container including: an access opening through which the articles or materials are passed into the enclosure, closure means for selectively closing the access opening so as to inhibit or prevent retrieval of articles or materials from the enclosure or inadvertent spillage of the contents of the enclosure through the access opening, and means responsive to a predetermined parameter of the ambient surroundings, the responsive means being associated with the enclosure and, upon the parameter reaching a predetermined value indicative of the container undergoing a sterilising treatment, being operative to open the enclosure to the ambient surroundings and thereby enable sterilisation of the contents of the enclosure by entry of the ambient atmosphere into the enclosure,

2. A sharps container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the responsive means is comprised by heat responsive means associated with the enclosure and which is operative upon a predetermined 15 value of the temperature of the ambient surroundings being reached to open the enclosure to ambient surroundings,

3. A sharps container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the predetermined temperature is greater than or equal to 100 0 C.

4. A sharps container as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the responsive means is 20 comprised by pressure responsive means associated with the enclosure and which, upon being exposed to a predetermined value of the ambient pressure significantly different from normal atmospheric pressure, is operative to open the enclosure to the ambient surroundings.

5. A sharps container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the responsive means is comprised by the closure means.

6. A sharps container as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the heat responsive means is comprised by the closure means and the closure means is composed of a material which fails structurally at or above 100°C.

7. A sharps container as claimed in claim 6 wherein the material from which the closure means is composed is a plastics material which softens or melts at a temperature equal to or greater than 100°C so -U fff^ o that when exposed to a temperature above 100"C, the closure means will soften and distort so as to fail to perform the function of closing the access opening and thereby open the enclosure to ambient temperature at greater than 100"C.

8. A sharps container as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the heat responsive means comprises holding means associated with the closure means and which is operative at normal ambient temperatures to maintain the closure means in a position closing the access opening and which, when the container is exposed to high temperature characteristic of a sterilising treatment, is operative to fail in its function of holding the closure means in its position closing the access opening thereby enabling the interior of the enclosure to be exposed to the high temperature upon opening of the access opening consequent upon failure of the holding means.

9, A sharps container as claimed in claim 4 wherein the pressure responsive means is comprised by the closure means and the closure means is composed of a material which fails structurally the predetermined value of the ambient pressure.

10. A sharps container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 20 wherein the responsive means is reversibly operable so as to be operable to open the enclosure to provide communication between the ambient surroundings and the interior of the enclosure in response to the parameter of the ambient surroundings reaching the predetermined value indicative of the container undergoing a sterilising treatment and which is further operable upon the parameter returning to a normal value at the end of the sterilising treatment to reclose the enclosure,

11. A sharps container substantially as herein before described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this Ist day of June 1993 PATENT ATTORNEY SERVICES Attorneys for DOUGLAS BEAN (AUST) PTY LTD ABSTRACT A sharps container comprises an enclosure 10 for receiving and retaining dangerous or offensive articles or materials to be disposed of. An access opening 11 is provided and closure means 12 is associated with the access opening. Means 20 are responsive to a predetermined parameter of the ambient surroundings, the responsive means being associated with the enclosure 10. Upon the parameter such as the temperatures or pressure of the ambient surroundings reaching a predetermined value indicative of the container undergoing a sterilising treatment, the means 20 are operative to open the enclosure to the ambient surroundings to enable sterilisation of the contents. The means 20 may be comprised by the closu.e 12 itself or a clip 22 associated with the cap. o ee *4* e b •ee