METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICALLY DESTROYING A SYRINGE NEEDLE OF A PEN-TYPE HYPODERMIC SYRINGE

摘要

A method and apparatus for sterilizing and destroying a syringe needle includes a rotating needle carriage that receives a needle in a loading position. The needle carriage includes a port sized to accept a pen-type hypodermic syringe and an insert to downsize the port for accepting a conventional hypodermic syringe. The needle carriage is rotated downwardly to a cut-off position. At the cut-off position, two opposing contact blades pinch the needle, which electrically connects the positive and negative terminals of a battery. Current flows through the contact blades to shear the needle. The sheared portion of the needle then falls into a waste compartment in the bottom of the apparatus. When the syringe is removed from the needle carriage, the needle carriage rotates upwardly and returns to the loading position.

主权项

1. An apparatus for removing the needle portion of a pen-type hypodermic syringe comprising:
a housing; a needle carriage for receiving a needle in a loading position, said needle carriage being rotatably connected to the housing from the loading position to a cut-off position, the needle carriage including a wide diameter port for accepting a pen-type hypodermic syringe; a first contact blade connected to the needle carriage; and a second contact blade secured within the housing; wherein said needle carriage and said contact blades are oriented such that when said needle carriage is rotated from the loading position to the cut-off position, the first and second contact blade each contact the needle.