GB2349640A

GB2349640A - Ampoule snapping device

Info

Publication number: GB2349640A
Application number: GB0010616A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Ferns
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-05-07
Filing date: 2000-05-04
Publication date: 2000-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 2020-05-04
Also published as: WO2000068135A1; GB0010616D0; AU4589500A; GB2349640B

Abstract

An ampoule snapping device comprising a receptacle 15 for the snapped-off heads of ampoules 11 said receptacles having an opening 14 into which the heads of unsnapped ampoules can be introduced and in which the ampoules can be levered to snap off their heads which then fall into the receptacle. An anvil 13 may be located above an inclined wall of the receptacle. The opening may be a tapered or stepped slot to accommodate different ampoule head sizes.

Description

AMPOULE SNAPPING DEVICE This invention relates to ampoule snapping devices for glass (or glass-like) ampoules with snap-off heads.

Such ampoules are widely used for medication in hospitals, where they are known to cause injury, albeit usually of a minor nature, but nevertheless sufficient to cause discomfort, and on a fairly frequent basis. Designed and intended for manual snapping-which is where, through poor technique, carelessness or perhaps an unusually tough neck, most injuries occur-resort is often had to various hand-held snapping tools.

Injury can still occur, however, disposing of the snapped-off heads.

The present invention provides for safer ampoule snapping.

The invention comprises an ampoule snapping device comprising a receptacle for the snapped-off heads of ampoules said receptacles having an opening into which the heads of unsnapped ampoules can be introduced and in which the ampoules can be levered to snap off their heads which then fall into the receptacle.

The device may comprise an anvil at the opening against which the head can be levered, the opening comprising a slot the edge of which comprises a fulcrum for the levering.

The slot may be tapered to receive the head of the ampoule at a wider part and to accommodate the neck of the ampoule at a narrower part. The slot may be tapered from a wide end adapted to receive the largest and the smallest of a range of ampoule head sizes in use, and may be stepped.

The anvil may be located above an inclined wall of the receptacle.

The anvil may be arranged to receive an ampoule with the head of the ampoule uppermost and to permit downward pivoting of the ampoule during snapping so that the contents of the ampoule do not spill. The anvil may be located in a downwardly incline face of the receptacle.

The receptacle may have a closure which can be opened to remove collected snapped-off ampoule heads or it may be sealed save for the said opening and disposable.

The closure may be in the form of a drawer. The device may be adapted for wall mounting. However, the device may be adapted for mounting atop a waste bin.

The opening may comprise a slot in a metal plate, the slot being so dimensioned as to restrain the head of an ampoule while the ampoule is levered on an edge of the slot whereby to snap the head without need of an additional anvil.

The metal plate may be moulded in with a plastic receptacle moulding. The receptacle may have a hinged flap that opens to reveal the opening and closes with a snap action. The flap may be on a closure for the top of the receptacle.

The device may be configured to fit comfortably into a garment pocket, so that it may be carried around e. g. on ward rounds, rather than the nurse or doctor having to go to a wall-mounted device. The snap-action flap is a safety measure preventing the spillage of broken heads when so used.

Ampoule snapping devices according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment; Figure 2 is a cross section through the upper part of the embodiment of Figure 1, showing an ampoule inserted for snapping; Figure 3 is a cross-section through a second embodiment; Figure 4 is a side elevation of a third embodiment located atop a waste bin; Figure 5 is a face-on view of the opening 14; and Figure 6 is perspective view of a fourth embodiment.

The drawings illustrate ampoule (11, Figure 2) snapping devices 12 comprising an anvil 13 (Figure 2) at an opening 14 in a receptacle 15 against which anvil 13 the head 1 la ofthe ampoule 11 to be snapped can be levered, the receptacle 15 being arranged to receive the snapped-off head 11 a.

The opening 14 is a slot into which the head 1 la ofthe ampoule 11 can be inserted, the slot edge 14a comprising a fulcrum for the neck 1 lb of the ampoule 11 on which it can be levered (in the direction of the arrow, Figure 2) against the anvil 13. The slot 14 is tapered to receive the head 1 la of the ampoule 11 at a wider part 14W and to accommodate the neck 1 lb of the ampoule 11 at a narrower part 14N. In fact, the slot 14 in both embodiments is tapered from a wide end 14W adapted to receive the largest of a range of ampoule head sizes in use. The slot 14 is stepped in size from wide 14W to narrow 14N parts. The radius of the wide part is typically 14 mm and the depths of the three stepped parts are typically 9.1,7.8 and 7 mm.

The anvil 13 is located above an inclined wall 1 Sa of the receptacle 15-the snapped-off heads drop down the wall 15a for collection. The angle A at which the wall 15a is downwardly inclined is 30 , which ensures that no liquid spills out of the ampoule during the snapping operation.

The device of Figures 1 and 2 has a closure 16 which can be opened to remove collected snapped-off heads-this closure 16 is in the form of a drawer, which can be pulled right out to dispose of the collected heads safely into a waste bin. At least one part, e. g. panel 15b, of the receptacle 15 can be made transparent, e. g. of a transparent plastics material such as polycarbonate, for inspection of the accumulation of snapped-off heads so that the receptacle 15 does not become overfull.

The device of Figure 3 has no openable part-it is intended to be disposed of, with the contents, when full.

A device such as that of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 can be adapted, as by fixing plates 17, for wall mounting, e. g. at some control or dispensing point in a hospital ward, while that of Figure 3 can be removably hooked by a clip 31 on to a wall mounting bracket 32.

The embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, however, has no openable closurethe receptacle 15 is open at its base and acts as a chute into a waste bin 41 on to which the device is clamped.

Ampoules can thus be safely snapped, the snapped-off heads being collected for safe disposal.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment in which the receptacle 15 comprises a plastic moulding of roughly semicircular cross-section having a metal plate 61 moulded in at the top, the bottom being closed.

The plate 61 contains the opening 14 which is suitably dimensioned both as to the width of the opening at its various steps and the thickness of the metal as to avoid the need for a separate fulcrum. The top of the receptacle 15 is closed by a lid 62 which fits firmly in place and which might be permanently attached. The lid 62 has a hinged flap 63 that snaps closed to cover up the opening 14 to retain broken ampoule heads within the receptacle 15.

By making the receptacle easily pocketable, e. g. 12cm in length and 6cm across the flat face 64, the device can be carried round by doctors and nurses, the hinged, snap action closing flap 63 ensuring no escape of broken ampoule heads.

Such a device can, however, be emptied for re-use or disposed of with the broken heads inside. A device of the dimensions quoted can hold up to 22 heads, depending on the mix of sizes.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An ampoule snapping device comprising a receptacle for the snapped-off heads of ampoules said receptacles having an opening into which the heads of unsnapped ampoules can be introduced and in which the ampoules can be levered to snap off their heads which then fall into the receptacle.
2. A device according to claim 1, comprising an anvil at the opening against which the head can be levered, the opening comprising a slot the edge of which comprises a fulcrum for the levering
3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the slot is tapered to receive the head of the ampoule at a wider part and to accommodate the neck of the ampoule at a narrower part.
4. A device according to claim 3, in which the slot is tapered from a wide end adapted to receive the largest and the smallest of a range of ampoule head sizes in use.
5. A device according to claim 2 or claim 3, in which the slot is stepped.
6. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the anvil is located above an inclined wall of the receptacle.
7. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the anvil is arranged to receive an ampoule with the head of the ampoule uppermost and to permit downward pivoting of the ampoule during snapping so that the contents of the ampoule do not spill.
8. A device according to claim 7, in which the anvil is located in a downwardly inclined face of the receptacle.
9. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the receptacle has a closure which can be opened to remove the collected snapped-off ampoule heads.
10. A device according to claim 9, in which the closure is in the form of a collecting drawer.
11. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which is sealed save for the said opening and disposable.
12. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, being at least partly transparent for inspection of the accumulation of snapped-off ampoule heads.
13. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, adapted for wall mounting.
14. A device according to any of claims 1 to 12, adapted for mounting atop a waste bin.
15. A device according to claim 1, in which the opening comprises a slot in a metal plate, the slot being so dimensioned as to restrain the head of an ampoule while the ampoule is levered on an edge of the slot whereby to snap the head without need of an additional anvil.
16. A device according to claim 15, in which the metal plate is moulded in with a plastic receptacle moulding.
17. A device according to claim 16, in which the receptacle has a hinged flap that opens to reveal the opening and closes with a snap action.
18. A device according to claim 17, in which the flap is on a closure for the top of the receptacle.
19. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, configured to fit comfortably into a garment pocket.