GB2254787A - A device for use in detaching hypodermic needles - Google Patents

Abstract

A device 10 for facilitating removal of a used hypodermic needle 62 from a syringe body 56 has a hollow base 12 on a repository 52 and defines a stripping zone having an axis 33. An aperture 25 in the base provides a narrow entrance for the needle 62 into the stripping zone. A parting member 32 is laterally movable into and out of the stripping zone. It has a bifurcated parting formation 48 which is wedge-shaped in respect of its thickness. With a needle in the stripping zone, the member 32 is displaced toward the axis 33 so that the bifurcated parting formation straddles the needle or connection means between the needle and the syringe body. Continued displacement wedges a push on needle off the syringe body. For a screw type needle-syringe assembly, the parting formation holds the needle against rotation to allow the syringe body to be unscrewed. <IMAGE>

Description

REMOVING HYPODERMIC NEEDLE FROM SYRINGE BODY THIS INVENTION relates to a device for mechanically removing or stripping a used hypodermic needle from a syringe body. It relates also to a repository for a used hypodermic needle.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a device for use in mechanically removing or stripping a used hypodermic needle from a syringe body, the device comprising a hollow base defining a stripping zone; an entrance in the base to allow the hypodermic needle at an end of the syringe body snugly to be received in the stripping zone; checking means to check one of the hypodermic needle and the syringe body to ensure insertion of the needle into the stripping zone to a predetermined extent; and an engagement formation operatively associated with the stripping zone and adapted to engage connecting means connecting the needle to the syringe body such as to facilitate stripping of the needle from the syringe body.

The entrance may advantageously be of limited size to allow the needle access and to deny a human finger or hand access.

The checking means may be provided by a surface surrounding the entrance and adapted to abut a lower end of the syringe body.

The engagement formation may be mounted on displacement means adapted, selectively, to move the formation into and out of the stripping zone.

In a first embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention and which is suitable for use with a syringe in which the needle frictionally fits into the syringe body, the engagement formation may be in the form of a parting member. The parting member and the displacement means may then be adapted to cause the parting member to perform a parting action to strip the needle from the syringe body.

The parting member may conveniently be bifurcated so as to straddle one of the needle and the connecting means. The parting member may have end portions which, in respect of their thickness, are wedge-shaped such that, when the parting member is displaced laterally relative to the needle in use, it imparts an axial parting force between shoulders fast respectively with the syringe body, and the needle.

The parting member may advantageously be mounted on the base such as to allow translation. Said stripping zone may have an axis which coincides with an axis of a needle when in position within the stripping zone, the parting member then being biassed toward an inoperative position remote from said axis of the stripping zone.

In a second embodiment, which is suitable for use with a syringe in which the needle is screwed to the syringe body, the engagement formation may be adapted to act as a spanner to receive an a-circular formation of the connecting means and to hold the needle irrotationally. The syringe body can then be rotated relative to the engagement formation to unscrew the needle.

By way of development, a single device, combining the features of the first and second embodiments, may be provided, in which the engagement formation of the parting member may be a composite formation. By way of further development, advantageously, the composite formation may include a shutter portion arranged to cover the entrance when the parting member is in its inoperative position.

Then, when the device is not in use, the shutter portion will prevent already stripped needles from falling out of a container via the entrance.

The base may be in the form of a lid for a repository for stripped needles, the stripping zone being in communication with an internal cavity of the repository.

Accordingly the invention extends to a repository for hypodermic needles comprising, in combination, a container and a device for mechanically removing a needle from a hypodermic syringe as hereinafter described, in which a base of the device acts as a lid for the container.

Advantageously, the lid may permanently be fixed to the container. When the repository has been filled, it, together with the stripped needles, may be done away with, e.g. by way of incineration.

The invention is now described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows, in axial section, a first embodiment of a device for mechanically removing a needle from a hypodermic syringe, the device being mounted on a container, and being shown in an intermediate condition; Figure 2 corresponds to Figure 1 but shows the device in its operative condition when the needle and the syringe body have been parted; Figure 3 shows, in axial section, a second embodiment of a device for mechanically removing a needle from a syringe body, the device being shown in an engaging condition engaging connecting means of the needle; Figure 4 corresponds to Figure 3 but shows the device (in slightly different format) in its release condition (corresponding to its inoperative condition) when the needle has been stripped from the syringe body and the syringe body has been removed; and Figure 5 shows, fragmentarily, in side view, the device of Figure 1 or Figure 3 in use with a relatively large (20 ml) syringe having an off-set needle; and Figures 6 to 8 show, in plan views, a parting member of the device respectively in its inoperative, intermediate and operative positions.

With reference to Figure 1 of the drawings, a device for mechanically removing a needle from a syringe body in accordance with the invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The device 10 comprises a base in the form of a lid 12 which is of generally top hat section comprising a decumbent, substantially circular, top 14, a peripheral side 16 extending skirt fashion from the top 14, and an annular flange 18 extending outwardly from the lower periphery of the side 16. Along an outer periphery of the flange, there is provided a downwardly extending spigot formation 20 to allow the lid 12 to be fitted permanently (e.g. adhesively) to a container 52 having an open top.

An oval socket formation 22 is provided on the top 14 to extend upwardly. It is offset from an axis of the lid 12 as can be seen in the drawings. At a bottom of the socket 22, there is provided a narrow annular flange 24 defining an inner peripheral shoulder and a central aperture 25 providing an entrance in accordance with the invention.

Internally of the lid 12, there is provided a platform 26 extending within and being fast with the peripheral side 16. It is generally parallel to and at a lower level than the top 14.

There is provided a boss 28 on the platform 26 arranged to be aligned with the oval socket 22 and thus also with the central aperture 25. The boss 28 has a central aperture 30 which is chamfered at an upper end portion thereof.

The lid 12 is discontinuous and has, at one point on its periphery, a cut-out portion, aerosol can lid-fashion and generally indicated by reference numeral 31. At the position of the cut-out portion 31, there is provided a parting member 32 comprising a base 34 which is received within the cut-out portion 31 and which is guided for lateral, and in this case radial, displacement between tracks provided respectively by the inner surface 36 of the top 14 and the upper surface 38 of the platform 26. The base is displaceable to and fro as indicated by arrows 46.

Within the base 34, there is provided an inwardly open, decumbently disposed, blind socket 40. A coil spring 42 is received within the socket 40.

Aligned with the socket 40, there is provided a stub 44 fast with the boss 28 to extend radially outwardly from the boss 28. The coil spring 42 is received over the stub 44 such that it operates in compression between a surface of the boss 28 and the bottom of the socket 40 to bias the base 34 radially outwardly i.e. away from a stripping axis 33 defined by the oval socket 22, central aperture 25 and the boss 28.

At the level of the top of the base 34, and extending laterally, there is provided a bifurcation indicated in the drawings by one limb 48 of the bifurcation.

As can be seen, in side view, the limbs are of wedge shape as indicated by reference numeral 50. These features are described in more detail below with reference to Figures 6, 7 and 8.

The device 10 is adapted to remove a needle from a hypodermic syringe. The syringe is indicated by reference numeral 54 and comprises a cylinder 56 (the lower portion of which is receivable in the socket 22), and a needle assembly 62. With the parting member in an intermediate position, the syringe is axially checked by the flange 24 and connection means 58 thereof extends through the central aperture 25. A nipple 60 forming part of the connection means 58 extends downwardly and is frictionally received within a socket 68 provided by connection means 66 at an upper end of a needle assembly 62. The needle proper, indicated at 64, and which is communicated with the socket 68, extends from the connection means 66 into a stripping zone. For convenience, the needle assembly 62 is herein referred to as the needle.

At an upper end of the connection means 66, there is provided an outwardly extending flange 70 which, in use, is closely downwardly spaced from a shoulder of the connection means 58 forming part of the syringe body.

In use, the bias of the parting member 32 ensures that it is positioned spaced from the stripping axis 33.

When a needle is to be removed from a syringe body, the syringe is inserted into the locating means 22. As mentioned above, the lower end of the syringe body is received within the socket 22 and it is checked axially.

The needle extends into the lid 12, through the aperture 30 of the boss - 28 and even through the open end of the container 52.

While the syringe body 54 is manually held in position, the base 34 is pressed, conveniently via a button portion 35 thereof, to be displaced inwardly toward the stripping axis 33 to an operative position as indicated by arrow 46.1 in Figure 2. The thin end of the bifurcation is received within the space intermediate the shoulders defined by the connection means 58 and the flange 70, the limbs straddling the nipple 60. Continued displacement of the parting member 32 causes the wedge surface 50 to force the needle 62 from the nipple 60 such that it can drop down into the container 52 as indicated by reference numeral 74 in Figure 2.

When the button portion 35 is released, the coil spring 42 returns the parting member 32 via its intermediate position as shown in Figure 1 and allows the syringe body 54 to be retracted from the socket 22, the connecting means 58, 60 being retracted from the central aperture 24. The coil spring retracts the parting member still further to an inoperative position.

Advantageously, a shutter 51 is incorporated in the parting member and is arranged effectively to seal the aperture 25 when the parting member is inoperative. Sealing of the aperture 25 prevents stored needles from inadvertently falling out, e.g. in the event of the container falling over.

It is to be appreciated and it is an important advantage of the invention that the needle and the lower portion of the syringe can easily be inserted into the lid 12 via the socket 22, central aperture 25, and the aperture 30 without touching the needle. Furthermore, the needle can be removed from the syringe body while it is totally covered and can thus not be touched by hand while being removed.

It is to be appreciated that syringe needles are sharp and can easily prick a user. It is thus an important advantage that a simple, easy to use and inexpensive device is provided for removing needles from hypodermic syringes without touching the needles. This is of particular importance to prevent infecting medical personnel e.g. in respect of HIV, hepatitis B, and the like. A container of suitable capacity will be provided in practice. When full, the container containing the removed needles will be disposed of, e.g. by way of incineration.

With reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, a further application of the device 10 for mechanically removing a needle from a syringe body in accordance with the invention is illustrated.

The syringe 154 has a needle 162 which is of the screw type and a flange 170 which is of oval section. It screws into a female screw threaded socket at the bottom of the syringe body 156. In this regard, it is to be appreciated that, at a position remote from the flange 170, the connecting means of the needle 162 has four radially and axially extending wings or spokes indicated by reference numeral 167. The formation of the wings or spokes effectively provides an a-circular formation which can be used in the nature of flats of a nut to keep the connecting means irrotational. Thus, the bifurcation 48 of composite form has the slot indicated by reference numeral 53 associated with the wedge formation 50 for use in the manner as described in respect of Figures 1 and 2. In addition, the slot 53 is adapted snugly to straddle the wings or spokes 167 in the nature of a spanner. This allows the needle 162 and its connecting means to be held irrotationally while the syringe body 154 is unscrewed, as shown by reference numeral 176, from the needle. Once unscrewed, the syringe body 154 can be removed and the parting member 32 can be released to return to its inoperative position as shown in Figure 4, in which the shutter 51 covers the central aperture 25.

Generally the device, when applied as in Figures 3 and 4, has the same advantages as described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

With reference to respectively Figures 1 and 2; Figures 3 and 4, three types of containers 52; 252 and 352 are shown.

Optionally, any one of the containers can permanently be fixed to the device which, conveniently, for production reasons, can be identical. Thus, the device of Figures 3 and 4 is preferred. Figure 3 shows a large container 252 which can, for example, be used in one location such as in hospitals, clinics, doctors' consulting rooms, and the like. It is conveniently a free standing -unit. Figure 4 shows a flattened container having a plan as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 and which facilitates packing into medical cases such as used by paramedics, ambulance personnel and the like when space is at a premium.

With reference to Figure 5, it is shown that the oval socket 22 can accommodate a large diameter syringe body, such as a 20 ml syringe, having an offset needle.

The construction and operation of the parting member 32 is now described in more detail with reference to Figures 6, 7 and 8.

In a preferred embodiment, the bifurcation 48 is closed and not open. It is thus not a bifurcation in the true sense of the word and rather land areas defining a slot 53 therebetween. The slot 53 opens into an aperture 57 of a size equal to that of the central aperture 25. Beyond the aperture 57, there is provided a solid portion forming the shutter portion 51.

Figure 6 shows the parting member 32 in its inoperative position which it automatically assumes under the bias of the spring 42 when the button portion 35 is released. In that position, the shutter portion 51 covers the central aperture 25 from underneath to prevent any stored needles from falling out of the container.

When the device is to be used to strip a needle from a syringe, the button portion 35 is depressed partially to bring the parting member 32 to its intermediate position in which the aperture 57 is indexed with the central aperture 25. In this condition, a needle assembly 62, 162 can be received in the stripping zone as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

In the case of a frictionally located needle 62, further depression of the button 35 advances the member 48 having the slot 53 as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 to wedge the needle 62 from the syringe body.

In the case of a screw located needle 162, the member 48 having the slot 53 straddles the wings 167 spanner-fashion to hold them irrotationally. This allows a user to unscrew the syringe body.

Further with reference to Figures 8, it can be seen that continued depression of the parting member 32 advances the bottom 53.1 of the slot 53 to an opposed point 25.1 on the periphery of the central aperture 25 in the nature of a shifting spanner. This is particularly advantageous to strip troublesome needles from syringe bodies as the needle is clamped to allow the body to be rotated and withdrawn.

Claims (18)

1. A device for use in mechanically removing or stripping a used hypodermic needle from a syringe body, the device comprising a hollow base defining a stripping zone; an entrance in the base to allow the hypodermic needle at an end of the syringe body snugly to be received in the stripping zone; checking means to check one of the hypodermic needle and the syringe body to ensure insertion of the needle into the stripping zone to a predetermined extent; and an engagement formation operatively associated with the stripping zone and adapted to engage connecting means connecting the needle to the syringe body such as to facilitate stripping of the needle from the syringe body.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1 in which the entrance is of limited size to allow the needle access and to deny a human finger or hand access.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the checking means is provided by a surface surrounding the entrance and adapted to abut a lower end of the syringe body.

4. A device as claimed in any one of Claim 1 to Claim 3 inclusive in which the engagement formation is mounted on displacement means adapted, selectively, to move the formation into and out of the stripping zone.

5. A device as claimed in Claim 1, which is suitable for use with a syringe in which the needle frictionally fits into the syringe body, and in which the engagement formation is in the form of a parting member.

6. A device as claimed in Claim 5 in which the parting member and the displacement means are adapted to cause the parting member to perform a parting action to strip the needle from the syringe body.

7. A device as claimed in Claim 6 in which the parting member is bifurcated so as to straddle one of the needle and the connecting means.

8. A device as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7 in which the parting member has end portions which, in respect of their thickness, are wedge-shaped such that, when the parting member is displaced laterally. relative to the needle, it imparts an axial parting force between shoulders fast respectively with the syringe body, and the needle.

9. A device as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7 or Claim 8 in which the parting member is mounted on the base such as to allow translation.

10. A device as claimed in Claim 9 in which said stripping zone has an axis which coincides with an axis of a needle when in position within the stripping zone, and in which the parting member is biassed toward an inoperative position remote from said axis of the stripping zone.

11. A device as claimed in Claim 1 which is suitable for use with a syringe in which the needle is screwed to the syringe body, the engagement formation being adapted to act as a spanner to receive an a-circular formation of the connecting means and to hold the needle irrotationally.

12. A device as claimed in any one of Claim 5 to Claim 10 inclusive, and as claimed in Claim 11, in which the engagement formation of the parting member is a composite formation.

13. A device as claimed in Claim 12 in which the composite formation includes a shutter portion arranged to cover the entrance when the parting member is in its inoperative position.

14. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the base is in the form of a lid for a repository.

15. Repository for hypodermic needles comprising, in combination, a container and a device for mechanically removing a needle from a hypodermic syringe as claimed in any one of Claim 1 to Claim 14 inclusive, in which a base of the device acts as a lid for the container.

16. Repository as claimed in Claim 15 in which the lid is permanently fixed to the container.

17. A device for use in mechanically removing or stripping a used hypodermic needle from a syringe body, substantially as herein described and illustrated.

18. Repository substantially as herein described and illustrated.