AU651280B2 - Sharps destruction and disposal apparatus - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIRCATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

*0 0c 04 *0 00 0 0000 ~-I-~Tl~n=CIP Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Elotown Pty Ltd 25 Hibbard Drive Port Macquarie New South Wales 2444

AUSTRALIA

Ronald James McCarthy Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Sharps Destruction and Disposal Apparatus The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5845/4 -2- TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the safe disposal of hypodermic syringes, needles and other small, contaminated instruments such as, for example, scalpels blades, stitch cutters, etc. (commonly referred to as "sharps").

BACKGROUND ART It is necessary to safely dispose of contaminated medical tools and other materials used in the medical environment. Such tools and the materials (ie. sharps), or more specifically disposable percutaneous devices, have been used, they must be safely disposed of so as to avoid reuse or accidental physical contact (eg. needle stick injury).

One present known method of disposing of the above mentioned contaminated materials is to place the used syringe and needle into an 15 apparatus which merely cuts the needle (sharp) from the syringe. The needle is kept in a container portion of the apparatus for later disposal, and the syringe portion is disposed of separately.

Alternatively, in large hospitals, medical centres and pathology departments, the whole needle (sharp) and syringe is placed in any one S 20 of a variety of containers as a complete unit, along with other contaminated medical tools or instruments. These containers are then disposed of by either incineration or burial at local garbage tips. An example of such a container is disclosed in US-A-4580688, in which the container has an upper entry chute through which contaminated waste is S 25 directed into the container, and a door which closes the lower end of the chute when the container is full before it is buried or otherwise disposed of.

Incineration of complete syringe is difficult and often incomplete after considerable incineration time. Further, the sharps and other instruments normally collected for disposal are usually (70-80%) highly infectious, and may remain infectious for a considerable time even after burial.

The first mentioned known method of disposal is awkward and requires the person disposing of the syringe to dispose of the syringe portions separately to that of the needle (sharp). The second above mentioned method of disposal requires the complete syringe and needle unit to be disposed of in one piece. Syringe and needle units are rhk/0989E i LA -v -0 f! L 3 relatively bulky, and when a large number require disposal, the volume thereof can be inconveniently large.

Accordingly, in US-A-3995768 there is disclosed an apparatus for destroying medical syringes by directing the syringes to drop one by one between two serrated grinding surfaces, one of which rotates. The serrations bite into the syringe which is thereby crushed or ground between them. This grinding action is susceptable to jamming and, of course, can only destroy syringes singly.

OBJECTS OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a sharps destruction apparatus which comminutes and sterilizes the sharps into a generally harmless state suitable for easy disposal by incineration or ,burial.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 15 In one broad form the present invention provides a sharps •destructor apparatus comprising: a chamber; a driven rotating cutter comprising a shaft rotatably mounted in said chamber and having a plurality of cutter blades mounted at 20 predetermined positions along said shaft so as to rotate therewith and thereby cut sharps within the chamber; at least one cutter plate mounted in said chamber and having a plurality of elongate slots of predetermined width, said cutter blades being generally aligned with respective slots in said plate or plates; an inlet located above said plate or plates; and an outlet located below said plate or plates; said plate or plates being inclined downwardly from the inlet towards the outlet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the sharps destructor apparatus.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal side elevation sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a schematic longitudinal sectional top plan view of the apparatus taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

rhk/0989E -4- Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rotating cutter means of the destructor apparatus.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a cutter blade of the destructor apparatus.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the upper cutter plate of the destructor apparatus.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the lower cutter plate of the destructor apparatus.

Figure 8 is a schematic perspective exploded view of the sharps collection bin.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the lid portion of the collection bin.

Figure 10 is a schematic perspective view of the housing showing the disposal receptacle and washing receptacle.

15 Figure 11 is a cross sectional view of the housing of Figure S•showing the bin of Figure 8 in position.

Figure 12 is a schematic perspective view of the destructor chamber.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION S 20 In Figures 1 to 7 there is depicted sharps destructor apparatus comprising a generally cylindrical chamber 11, a cutter means 12, an upper cutter plate 13 and a lower cutter plate 14. The chamber 11 comprises an inlet 15 located above the cutter means 12, and an outlet 16 located below the cutter means 12. A retaining plate extends from a lower end of the upper outer plate 13 substantially to the roof of the container.

The cutter means 12 comprises a shaft 17 disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical chamber 11, and rotatably mounted thereto by carrier bearing assemblies 18 which are fixed to the outside of the cylindrical chamber 11.

The shaft 17 projects to one side the cylindrical chamber 11 and has a pulley 19 fitted thereto to be driven by a vee belt drive from an electric motor (not shown) located with the housing A plurality of cutter blades 20 are mounted along the shaft 17 at predetermined intervals. The cutting blades 20 are fitted to and held in place by collars 21, and a square key provided on the shaft 17 engages key-ways 24 in the collars 21 and blades 20. The collars 21 and blades 20 are clamped together using a castellated nut 22 which is locked into position with split-pin 22a.

rhk/0989E Each of the blades are provided with a central aperture 23 to receive the shaft 17, and a square key way 24 adapted to receive the square key of the shaft 17. There are provided three types of blades each respectively having the key way 24 orientated approximately 1200 angularly away from that of the other two blades 20. Each of the three types of blades 20 are positioned sequentially along the shaft so that each respective blade 20 extends in a direction 1200 angularly displaced from the adjacent blade 20. The preferred embodiment depicted in the drawings is provided with six cutting blades 20. The blades 20 are approximately 10mm thick and are provided with a central groove 52 extending along the cutting edges 51.

The upper cutting plate 13 and lower cutting plate 14 are each provided with six slots 25 and when te7 are fitted in the chamber in the specified positions, the slots 25 are generally aligned with the 15 cutting blades 20, which sweep and pass through the slots 25 when the shaft 17 is rotated.

The inlet 15 of the chamber 11 is provided proximate one end lla and to one side llb of the chamber 11. The upper cutter plate 13, in cross-section, is inclined downwards from the side llb towards the 20 central vertical plane of the chamber 11, and in longitudinal section, is inclined downwards from the end lla to the other end llc of the chamber.

The lower cutter plate 14, in cross-section, is inclined downwards from side llb, and in longitudinal section, is inclined downwards from the other end llc to the end lla of the chamber.

The lower cutter plate 14 is aligned under the upper cutter plate 13. The lowermost portion of each of the upper cutter plate 13 and the lower cutter plate 14 define a recess 26 to allow the cut particles to fall therethrough due to gravity into a disposal bin.

Each of the cutter blades 20 cooperates with a respective slot in each of the upper cutter plate 13 and lower cutter plate 14, whereby the width of the slots 25, and the clearance between the blades 20 and the slots 25 is predetermined so that the sharps entering the chamber 11 are generally comminuted due to impact and cutting action between the blades 20 and slots The chamber 11 is generally cylindrical and the shaft 17 is parallel to the walls of the chamber 11, and vertically aligned with the longitudinal axis of the chamber 11.

rhk/0989E -6- The shaft 17 is spaced from the bottom surface of the chamber 11 a distance slightly more than the radius of the blades 20. The internal diameter of the cylindrical chamber 11 is approximately one and one half times greater than the diameter of each blade Each cutter plate 13, 14 is downwardly inclined approximately 150 from the horizontal in a direction from the same side surface llb of the chamber 11 to a point just past the central vertical plane 1 of the chamber 11. The shaft 7 rotates in a direction whereby the blades approach each of the cutter plates from above (as shown by arrow The longitudinal downward inclination of each of the cutter plates 13, 14 is approximately 100 from the horizontal. This allows larger cut particles to move across the plate (13 or 14) by gravity to the respective recesses 26.

In operation, the apparatus 10 reduces hypodermic syringes, 15 needles and other small contaminated instruments such as scalpels 08000: S•blades, stitch cutters, by impact and cutting to a proportionately smaller volume, thus facilitating easier transportation, storage and subsequent disposal or incineration. The abovementioned materials are put into the apparatus 10 via the inlet 15, and exit therefrom via 20 outlet 16 after the materials have passed along the upper and lower plates 13, 14.

The apparatus 10 reduces the volume of the material to be disposed of, and reduces the likelihood of physical contact with any of the contaminated materials.

In Figures 8 and 9 there is depicted a sharps collection container 30 being a generally open-ended bucket-shape, with a pivotable lid 31 mounted to a top edge 32 of the container 30 with a hinge 33. The container 30 is provided 'ith a latch mechanism 34, which includes a striker member 34a on the lid 31 to engage a latch 34b on the container, adapted to detachably retain the primary lid 31 in a closed position closing the open end of the container Alternatively, the striker member 34a could be on the container, and the latch 34b on the lid 31.

The primary lid 31 may be biased towards an open position extending transversely away from the plane of the opening, and towards the outside of the container rlhk/O989E -7- The primary lid 31 is provided with a secondary lid 37 being pivotably mounted so as to be movable between a closed position closing an opening 35 in the primary lid 31, and an open position extending transversely away from the plane of the primary lid 31 outwards of the container 30. The secondary lid 37 is retained into the closed position by a resilient member 39. In the preferred embodiment the container 30 defines the resilient member 39. The retention may be overcome by additional force by the user to reopen the secondary lid 37.

The container 30 is further provided with a handle 36 for carrying purposes. The handle 36 is pivotable with respect to the container 30 between a retracted position and a carrying position.

Alternatively or additionally, the container could be provided with a •wall hanging member.

The container 30 also comprises an inwardly projecting ridge 32 15 on the inside surface thereof proximate the opening. This ridge generally prevents contaminated fluids from being discharged from the container if accidentally knocked over.

In Figure 10 there is depicted a bulk bin 40 within the housing having a bottom opening 48 which communicates with the inlet 15 of S 20 the destructor apparatus The bulk bin portion 40 is provided with a lid 42 pivotably attached along a pivotal axis 43 on the housing 50. The lid 42 is pivotable between a closed position closing an upper opening 44 in the housing 50, and an open position allowing the container 30 to be o 25 inserted in the disposal receptacle The disposal receptacle 55 comprises an opening 44 communicating with the inside of the bin The receptacle 55 further comprises a locating means in the form of two slide guides 47a to locate an inverted collection container in the receptacle 55. The lid 31 of the container 30 is caused to open when the container 30 is correctly positioned in the receptacle That is, a latch release means 56 is provided in the receptacle which is adapted to unlatch the latch mechanism 34, thereby allowing the lid 31 to move towards the open position and discharge the sharps directly into the bluk bin The bin 40 is also provided with a trap door 48 to control the discharge of the sharps into the inlet of the destructor apparatus That is, the trap door 48 is operable so as to be openable only when rhik/0989E -8the shaft 20 of the destructor apparatus 10 is rotating at the desired operating speed.

The bin 40 can also be provided with an agitator to maintain flow of the contaminated materials (sharps) through the bottom opening 48.

In use, the container 30 is used to collect the contaminated sharps by insertion through the secondary lid 37. When the container is full the secondary lid 37 is closed and the container may then be emptied into the bin 40 by inverting the container 30 and moving it into position in the receptacle 55 using the locating means 47. The latch release means 56 unlatches the latch mechanism 34 to release the contaminated sharps into the bulk bin 40 due to gravity. A number of container loads of sharps may be deposited and stored in the bin until it is desired to destroy and dispose of the contaminated sharps.

The destructor apparatus 10 can then be operated by driving the shaft 15 20, and opening the trap door 48 of the bulk bin 40 whereby the sharps •are caused to fall through the inlet 15 into the chamber 11. The sharps are then reduced by impact and cutting and discharged through the outlet 16.

The material being discharged through the outlet 16 is generally S 20 safe, that is, the sharps are comminuted and do not pose a danger to the personnel who handle the material.

The comminuted contaminated materials are fed downwards through the chamber 11 to the bottom outlet 16, and collected in a sealable disposal bin for subsequent disposal. The bins may be disposed of by either incineration or burial at local garbage tips.

The housing 50 further comprises a washing receptable 65 adapted to slidably receive the container. The washing receptacle is similar to the discharge receptable 55 in that a projection 66 is provided which is disposed to unlatch the latch means of the container thereby allowing the primary lid to open. Washing jets 67 are provided which, selectively, direct sanitising fluid into the container. The washed container is then ready for reuse without risk of contaminated fluid being discharged therefrom when moved away from the housing Sanitising fluid is also introduced into the sharps either when they are being discharged from the container into the bulk bin 40, in the bulk bin 40 or within the chamber 11. This renders the comminuted material environmentally safe.

rhk/0989E 9-- The comminuted material discharged from the apparatus 10 is able to be buried or incinerated. Previously, whole syringes were incinerated which took considerable time and energy, and was incomplete. That is, incineration leaves a relatively large volume of ashes. When the comminuted material of the present invention is incinerated, there is no residue and power requirements are substantially reduced.

The above described disposal apparatus is easy to use, and attends to the safety of staff and personnel whose job it is to handle the contaminated wastes on a daily basis.

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0*o*oo o rhk/0989E

Claims (12)

1. Destructor apparatus for sharps (as defined in the specification) comprising: a chamber; a driven rotating cutter comprising a shaft rotatably mounted in said chamber and having a plurality of cutter blades mounted at predetermined positions along said shaft so as to rotate therewith and thereby cut sharps within the chamber; at least one cutter plate mounted in said chamber and having a plurality of elongate slots of predetermined width, said cutter blades being generally aligned with respective slots in said plate or plates; an inlet located above said plate or plates; and an outlet located below said plate or plates; said plate or plates being inclined downwardly from the inlet towards the outlet.

2. A sharps destructor apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a disposal receptacle in communication with said inlet and adapted to receive a container containing the sharps to be destroyed and wherein a projection in said disposal receptacle is disposed to operate a latch means of said container to automatically open the container after it is inserted in the disposal receptacle.

3. A shirps destructor apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a washing means adapted to wash the container and/or the sharps with a sanitising fluid. S 25

4. A sharps destructor apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising two cutter plates, one plate being generally superposed over the other plate, each of said plates being downwardly inclined longitudinally of the chamber and defining a discharge opening at a lower end; 30 said inlet being generally above an upper end of said one plate; an upper end of said other plate being generally below the discharge opening of said one plate; o and said outlet being generally below said discharge opening of said other plate. :i 35

5. A sharps destructor apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of said plates is also downwardly inclined and extends from a side of said chamber at least to a central longitudinal vertical plane of R the chamber. hrhk'/989E C. 11

6. A sharps destructor apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a retaining plate extending upwardly from a lower side of the one plate substantially to the roof of the chamber.

7. A sharps destructor apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said blades are approximately 10mm thick.

8. A sharps destructor apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein said disposal receptacle is in direct communication with said chamber.

9. A sharps destructor apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said blades are provided with one or more grooves on their cu -ing edges.

A sharps destructor apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the longitudinal downward inclination of each of said plates is approximately 100 from the horizontal. 15

11. A sharps destructor apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the downward inclination of each of said plates from a side of said chamber is approximately 15" from the horizontal.

12. A sharps destructor apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. DATED this TWENTY-NINTH day of JUNE 1993 ~Elotown Pty Ltd Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON rhk/0989E Sharps Destruction and Disposal Apparatus ABSTRACT The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for safe disposal of hypodermic syringes, needles and other small, contaminated instruments such as, for example, scalpel blades, stitch cutters etc. (commonly referred to as "sharps"). The apparatus firstly comprises a collection container (30) having a primary lid (31) which is movable between an open position and a closed position, and is releasably latched in the closed position. The latch mechanism (34) is adapted to be released when the container is brought into cooperation with a destructor apparatus The destructor apparatus comprises a disposal receptacle (55) adapted to receive the container and unlatch the lid, and a destructor means (20, 13, 14) adapted to generally comminute the materials deposi-ed therein. The destructor apparatus has an inlet (15) and an outlet a plurality of rotating blades 15 (20) which cooperate with two cutting plates (13, 14) which are arranged to define a flow path for the materials between the inlet and the outlet. The cutting blades and cutting plates cooperate to comminute the material by impact and cutting action. The present invention provides a convenient means of disposing of sharps generally without risk to the person handling the sharps. 1 (Fig. 1) *99e rihk /0989E