WO2006001698A1

WO2006001698A1 - A collecting device for pointed objects

Info

Publication number: WO2006001698A1
Application number: PCT/NO2005/000152
Authority: WO
Inventors: Geir Fjellaker
Original assignee: Helse Stavanger Hf
Priority date: 2004-05-12
Filing date: 2005-05-11
Publication date: 2006-01-05
Also published as: NO321581B1; NO20041948L; NO20041948D0

Abstract

A collecting device (1) for pointed objects comprising a collecting container (2) and a needle-receiver (4), in which the needle-receiver (4) is provided, at least on one side, with a penetrable material (6).

Description

A COLLECTING DEVICE FOR POINTED OBJECTS

This invention relates to a collecting device for pointed objects. More particularly, it relates to a collecting device comprising a container and a needle-receiver preferably in the form of a lid for the container, in which the pointed object is first placed in the needle-receiver before being transferred to the container. The collecting device is particularly well suited for collecting syringe needles and hypodermic needles.

In working with syringes and hypodermic needles, there is always a risk that the person working with them may prick himself or herself on the pointed object. After use, pointed objects of this kind are often contaminated with blood which may contain pathogens of various kinds.

Collecting containers for used syringe needles are known, for example from EP 0276150. The document discloses a cylinder- shaped container with a slot, into which the needle is inserted and then pulled off the syringe. Other solutions are also known, but they all constitute relatively cumbersome ways of solving the task.

The invention has as its object to remedy or reduce at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

The object is achieved in accordance with the invention through the features specified in the description below and in the subsequent Claims.

A collecting device includes a preferably cylindrical collecting container and a needle-receiver. The needle- receiver is provided, at least on one side, with a penetrable material. The needle-receiver is preferably formed by the lid of the collecting container. The penetrable material is exposed when the lid is removed from the collecting container and is arranged to form a cushion for a syringe needle or similar when the syringe needle is disconnected from a syringe, for example.

At its upper portion, the collecting container is provided with a preferably closable opening, through which, by gripping the needle-receiver, the used syringe needle can be inserted, its connecting part first, into the collecting container.

A retaining device in connection with the opening is arranged to grip the connecting part as the needle-receiver with the syringe needle is then moved away from the collecting container. Thereby, the syringe needle is pulled out of the needle-receiver and falls into the collecting container. The needle-receiver may then, if it forms a lid, be attached to the collecting container.

The device according to the invention enables safe and hygienic handling of used syringe needles and hypodermic needles, as the pointed object, when placed in the lid, is prevented from leading to needlestick injuries.

In what follows, there is described a non-limiting example of a preferred embodiment which is visualized in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows in perspective a collecting container with a lid;

Figure 2 shows the upper portion of the collecting container when the lid has been removed;

Figure 3 shows the lid as a syringe needle is placed in the penetrable material of the lid;

Figure 4 shows the collecting container as a syringe needle is about to be moved into the collecting container;

Figure 5 shows the same as figure 4, but here the syringe needle has been moved further into the collecting container;

Figure 6 shows the collecting container as the syringe needle is pulled in a direction out of the collecting container and a retaining device is gripping the connecting part of the syringe needle; and

Figure 7 shows the collecting container after the syringe needle has come loose from the lid and fallen into the collecting container.

In the drawings the reference numeral 1 indicates a collecting device, which includes a preferably transparent collecting container 2 (container) and a needle-receiver 4 in the form of a lid. On the side facing the container 2, the lid 4 is provided with a penetrable material 6 forming a cushion for a pointed object 8, typically in the form of a syringe needle or hypodermic needle.

The lid 4 is further formed with an internal mantle surface 10 preferably of a slightly conical shape, see Figure 3, complementarily fitting an outward-extending cylindrical sleeve flange 12 on the container 2.

At its upper end portion, the container 2 is provided with a through opening 14. In the through opening 14 is arranged a retaining device 16 in the form of two flaps 18', 18", essentially covering the opening 16 when the flaps 18', 18" are in their closed positions, see Figure 2.

The flaps 18' , 18" are resiliently hinged on the container 2 by means of their respective hinge joints 20 along their side edges facing away from each other. The hinge joints 20 may be formed in the material of the container 2, so that the flaps 18' , 18" and parts of the container 2 constitute one moulding. The flaps 18' , 18" are arranged to rotate about their respective hinge joints 20 when subjected to a force from above, and then rotate back into their closed initial position when unloaded.

In figure 3 a syringe needle 8 is placed in the perforable material 6 of the lid 4, the connecting part 22 of the syringe needle 8 being disconnected from a syringe or peripheral intravenous catheter (Venflon) .

An operator, not shown, grips the lid 4 with the syringe needle 8 and then inserts the connecting part of the syringe needle 8 through the opening 16 as the flaps 18' , 18" are rotated about their hinge joints 20 into an open position, see figure 4.

The syringe needle 8 is moved further down through the opening 16 until the flaps 18', 18" can rotate back behind the connecting part, see figure 5. As the lid 4 is pulled away from the container 2, the flaps 18', 18" prevent the connecting part 22 from being moved through the opening 16, as the flaps 18', 18" strike a stopper 24, see figures 2 and 6, whereby the syringe needle 8 comes loose from the lid 4 and falls into the container 2.

The lid 4 is then attached to the container 2 by moving the mantle surface 10 engagingly over the sleeve flange 12.

An opening 26 in the container 2 is arranged to form a pull- off opening for a syringe needle, not shown, from a syringe, not shown.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. A collecting device (1) for pointed objects comprising a collecting container (2) and a needle-receiver (4), in which the needle-receiver (4) is provided, at least on one side, with a penetrable material (6), c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that the opening (14) of the collecting container (2) is provided with a retaining device (16) which is arranged to prevent the connecting part (22) of a pointed object (8), after it has been moved through the opening (14) , from being moved back through the opening (14) , whereby the pointed object is retained in the collecting container (2) .

2. The collecting device in accordance with claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the retaining device (16) is formed by at least one resiliently hinged flap (18 ^■ , 18") -

3. The collecting device in accordance with claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the retaining device (16) includes a stopper (24) .

4. The collecting device in accordance with claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the flap (18 ' , 18") is connected to the collecting container (2) by means of a hinge joint (20) .

5. The collecting device in accordance with claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the hinge joints (20) are formed in the material of the container (2) .

6. The collecting device in accordance with claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the flap (18' , 18") is integral with at least part of the collecting container (2) .

7. The collecting device in accordance with claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the needle-receiver (4) forms the lid of the collecting container (2) .

8. The collecting device in accordance with claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that at least part of the collecting container (2) is transparent.