Abstract: A used needle is inserted in a housing of a needle apparatus disabling device. As the needle is pushed downwards sealing a collar opening and bears against a stationary cutter blade. The needle is pushed further into the device where it contacts upper and lower electrodes. An electric current passes through the needle, which causes it to become heated resistively to destruction. A voltage drop between the electrodes is detected by a processor activating a motor driven movable cutter blade which then severs a remaining stub or remnant of the needle portion and simultaneously urges the severed stub downwardly onto the electrodes to ensure its complete destruction. During this process any sparks or airborne contaminants, or combustion gases are prevented from escaping through the opening by the sealing action of the apparatus.

Abstract: A sharps container is disclosed. The sharps container utilizes a blocking member which does not interfere with a needle being inserted into the sharps container, and a latch mechanism which does not require a protruding tab. The latch mechanism requires at least a dual action to open the sharps container, and limits the movement required for opening the sharps container.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a safe lancet disposer which prevents a lancet, having been used for blood collection, from being reused, thus preventing secondary infection and cross infection. The safe lancet disposer (100) of the present invention includes a cutting unit (110) which cuts an end of a needle of a lancet, a receiving unit (140) which is disposed under the cutting unit (110) to receive therein the cut end of the needle, and an operating unit (170) which is rotatably mounted to the receiving unit (140) and operates the cutting unit (110). The cutting unit (110) has an insertion plate (112), a support plate (118) and a cutting plate (128). The receiving unit (140) has a receiving housing (142) and a receiving container (160). The operating unit (170) has an operating lever (172).

Abstract: A device for severing syringe needles and storing the same for later disposal includes a lower box portion with a substantially flat bottom hinged to an upper lid portion, and a guillotine-like mechanism and an adjacent diaphragm spanning the two portions of an opposing side of the device. The guillotine preferably includes an angled blade in cross section such that when the needle is cut it is projected further through the diaphragm and into the device. The overall configuration and severing operation is in some ways akin to that of a stapler, in that a used syringe needle is inserted into a small gap between the two portions, and the top pushed down operating the guillotine to remove and retain the needle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing the needle portion of a hypodermic syringe and simultaneously sterilizing and destroying the needle portion of a hypodermic syringe, thereby eliminating the risk of infection by microorganisms that may be present in or on the needle. When a syringe is inserted into the apparatus, the needle is heated to a temperature sufficient to melt or at least soften the needle, and sufficient to inactivate any virus, bacteria, yeast, or other microorganism remaining on or within the needle. The needle also is cur at the location of melting so that the needle is removed from the remaining portion of the syringe. The heating and cutting elements are part of a disposable cartridge, which also contains the cut-off needle portions.

Abstract: Syringe needles are cut in an efficient manner and safely disposed using a cutting mechanism and a disposal container. The cutting mechanism includes two discs with sharp edges. The discs are displaced toward each other and into an overlapped position. At the same time, the circular discs are rotated around the longitudinal axis of the needle at a high angular velocity and are allowed to pivot upon coming in contact with the needle. The cutting and disposal apparatus includes a housing with a syringe receptacle for receiving the needle of a syringe and a used needle disposal container. The used needle disposal container has an orifice in alignment with the syringe needle receptacle in the housing.

Abstract: A nail stick trimmer is shown having a base, and a vertical tower for supporting a nail stick and for trimming off a used portion of the nail stick. The vertical tower includes a support portion that is fixed to the base of the nail stick trimmer and a separate clamping portion that is removably attached to the support portion. A surface of the support portion of the vertical tower defines an angled recess that has dimensions for cradling the nail stick against the support portion. The clamping portion of the vertical tower mates with the support portion in order to hold the nail stick in the angled recess during a trimming process. A blade carrier is slidably supported on an outer periphery of the support portion and a blade supported within the blade carrier travels along a cutting plane as the blade carrier is moved relative to the vertical tower.

Abstract: Syringe needles are cut in an efficient manner and safely disposed using a cutting mechanism and a disposal container. The cutting mechanism includes two discs with sharp edges. The discs are displaced toward each other and into an overlapped position. At the same time, the circular discs are rotated around the longitudinal axis of the needle at a high angular velocity and are allowed to pivot upon coming in contact with the needle. The cutting and disposal apparatus includes a housing with a syringe receptacle for receiving the needle of a syringe and a used needle disposal container. The used needle disposal container has an orifice in alignment with the syringe needle receptacle in the housing.

Abstract: 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 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 and the needle, thereby melting the needle. A slight further rotation of the needle carriage causes 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.

Abstract: The device for removing a hypodermic needle from a syringe body and for simultaneously distorting the hypodermic needle comprises a receptacle, a guiding structure for guiding the hypodermic needle into the receptacle, a mechanism for engaging, pulling and simultaneously distorting the hypodermic needle adjacent to the guiding structure and a mechanism for operating the engaging, pulling and distorting mechanism to pull the needle into the receptacle, the guiding structure includes an abutment for preventing the syringe body from entering the receptacle and the mechanism for engaging, pulling and distorting the needle includes a pair of intermeshing gears.

Abstract: An incinerator for disposing of a syringe needle having a first pair of electrical contacts adapted to connect a source of electricity at approximately opposed positions across the width of the syringe needle such that the electricity will flow across the width between the positions for welding and sealing the needle, and a second pair of electrical contacts adapted to connect a source of electricity to flow across a portion of the length of the syringe needle for incineration of said portion. The present invention ensures that the end of the needle is completely sealed, i.e., sufficiently sealed to prevent any possible leakage of harmful quantities of fluid.

Abstract: A portable electrical apparatus for destroying contaminated sharp medical instruments. The sharp portion of an instrument is inserted into the apparatus and electrically grounded. An electrically activated electrode is pivotally advanced to approach or contact the point of the sharp instrument to create an electrical arc that progressively volatilizes the sharp portion. A wiper bar dislodges slag from the electrode surface into a receptacle. The contaminated medical instrument is made safe for disposal by the destruction of the sharp portion and by the killing of germs by the heat of the electrical arc.

Abstract: A needle destruction device which prevents reuse of used needles and includes a pivotable removable and autoclavable needle receiver mounted on a receptacle. The receptacle contains a pair of electrodes through which current passes when a needle is placed across them and is destroyed. The receiver has a needle hub grasping plunger which grips the needle hub while the syringe is unscrewed therefrom. After separation of the needle hub from the syringe, the hub fails into a drawer inside the receptacle. The receiver is removable for serialization and is replaceable upon the receptacle.

Abstract: An apparatus for destroying used hypodermic needles includes a rotating electrode wheel, a stationary electrode element which is positioned in closely spaced relation to the electrode wheel and a guide member for guiding a hypodermic needle inserted into the apparatus so that it is advanced into electrical contact with the electrode wheel and the electrode element in order to electrically destroy the needle. The apparatus further includes a sensor for automatically energizing the electrode wheel and the electrode element when an operator approaches the apparatus, and a disposable cartridge assembly for receiving and containing debris generated as needles are destroyed in the apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for destroying a syringe needle, having a housing, first and second walls in opposed relationship in the housing and defining therebetween a needle burn chamber, the distance between the first and second surfaces being at least the length of the needle, the first surface defining a first opening therethrough, a needle receiving enclosure in the chamber movable between the first and second surfaces and defining a second opening therethrough which is coaxial with the first opening, a first electrical contact on the needle receiving enclosure, a second electrical contact on the second surface and being in registry with the second opening, power source connected to the first and second contacts, a waste collector disposed in the housing beneath and in communication with the burn chamber, the waste collector being removable from the housing and a mechanism that moves the needle receiving enclosure toward the first opening; so that when the needle is inserted through the first and second open

Abstract: A syringe needle disposer includes a setting section for setting waste syringe needles and a magnetic field generating section for providing a high frequency alternating field to the setting section. When the high frequency alternating field is activated, a magnetic path of the magnetic flux passing through the waste syringe needle set in the setting section is formed, thereby induction-heating the syringe needle to soften the needle and to round its tip and to close an axial hole of the syringe needle. The sharp edge of the softened syringe needle may be blunted by contacting a pressure plate under pressure.

Abstract: An hygienically disposable needle and syringe destructor unit is designed for receiving and destroying used needles and syringes and retaining them within a hermetically sealed enclosure. The needle and syringe are broken in three parts to ensure non-use and are trapped within a fluid impervious container. A viewing window allows the operator to ascertain when the container is full and a sealable cover hermetically seals the needle and syringe access aperture so that the unit can be disposed of without fear of damage to the environment.