Syringe needle 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.
Syringe needle claims
What is claimed is:
1. A syringe needle disposer, comprising:
means for receiving and supporting a syringe needle in a downwardly
extended position within said means, said supporting means being
formed so as to permit the needle, when forced, to slide in a horizontal
direction;
means for generating a magnetic flux passing through said syringe
needle placed in said supporting means so that said magnetic flux
which is induced by an alternate electric current having a predetermined
electric power and a predetermined frequency causes said syringe
needle to at least partially melt by induction heating;
means connected to said generating means for controlling said generating
means in accordance with a diameter of said syringe needle;
a pressure plate positioned in said supporting means and supporting
thereon a tip of said syringe needle; and
means for pressing said pressure plate against said needle so that,
as said needle is partially melted and slid in said supporting means
in the horizontal direction, an axial hole of said needle becomes
completely closed.
2. A syringe needle disposer according to claim 1 wherein said
supporting means includes a discharge portion for receiving said
needle as the axial hole thereof has been completely closed; and
further comprising a drawer positioned below said supporting means
and receiving said needle from said discharge portion.
3. A syringe needle disposer according to claim 2 wherein said
controlling means is electrically connected to said generating means
to control said generating means to generate said magnetic flux
which is induced by said alternate electric current having a power
of 2 to 4 KW and a frequency of 3 to 8 MHz, wherein said diameter
is 0.5 to 2 mm.
4. A syringe needle disposer according to claim 1 wherein said
controlling means is electrically connected to said generating means
to control said generating means to generate said magnetic flux
which is induced by said alternate electric current having a power
of 2 to 4 KW and a frequency of 3 to 8 MHz, wherein said diameter
is 0.5 to 2 mm.
5. A syringe needle disposer according to claim 1 wherein said
pressing means includes a spring biasing said pressure plate against
the tip of the needle received in said supporting means.
6. A syringe needle disposer according to claim 5 wherein said
pressure plate is supported in said supporting means in an inclined
position.
Syringe needle description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a syringe needle disposer or destroyer,
and more particularly to a syringe needle disposer for electromagnetic
induction heating of waste syringe needles to sterilize them and
to blunt their sharp edges.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional syringe needle disposer is disclosed, for example,
in U.S. Pat. No. 4628169. The disposer is constructed as a mini
electric syringe needle destroyer. This syringe needle destroyer
is of electric resistance heating type, and in which a waste syringe
needle is in contact with electrodes to apply a predetermined voltage
to them, and to pass the electric current through the waste syringe
needle for resistance heating the needle.
However, such a conventional syringe needle disposer has several
disadvantages, i.e. (1) the electrodes are liable to be damaged
because a large electric current is passed through the electrodes
and occasionally, discharge takes place between the electrodes and
the syringe needle; the waste needle is often cut in the part being
in contact with the electrodes and thus, its axial hole for the
passage of liquid still remains and the liquid remained in the syringe
may be discharged after treating of the syringe needle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a syringe
needle disposer having no electrodes damaged.
Another object of the invention is to provide a syringe needle
disposer which can surely close an axial hole of the needle by induction
heating to soften and to melt the needle.
The above objects can be achieved by a syringe needle disposer
according to the present invention. The syringe needle disposer
for heating waste syringe needles to sterilize them and to blunt
their sharp edges comprises means for setting a syringe needle;
means for generating a magnetic flux passing through said syringe
needle, said magnetic flux being induced by an alternate electric
current having a predetermined electric power and a predetermined
frequency; and means for controlling the predetermined electric
power and said predetermined frequency in accordance with a diameter
of the syringe needles wherein said syringe needle is heated to
have a round tip portion, thereby closing an axial hole of the needle
in accordance with the magnetic flux passing therethrough.
The controlling means are constructed so as to control the generating
means to generate the magnetic flux which is induced by the alternate
electric current having a power of 2 to 4 KW and a frequency of
8 MHz, wherein said diameter is 0.5 to 2 mm.
Such a treatment of the waste syringe needle having a diameter
ranging from 18 G to 25 G can be finished in about 1 to 1.5 seconds.
A conventional resistance heating type of waste syringe needle requires
about 0.5 second for finishing this treatment. By making such a
time required for disposing the needle longer only by about 0.5
to 1 second, the axial hole of the molten and softened syringe needle
is completely closed in the apparatus of the present invention.
Because there is no part being in contact with an electrode, the
disposer of the present invention can uniformly melt and soften
the syringe needle over the full length of the needle without breaking
the needle. In other words, due to melting and softening of the
inner surface of the axial hole, it cannot keep its shape and thus
is closed in at least one point in the direction of the needle.
It is preferable to arrange the syringe needle horizontally for
the purpose of only closing the hole of the needle. However, it
is more desirable to arrange the syringe needle vertically by considering
the facility in operation.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention may be more clearly understood and appreciated from a
review of the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments
and by reference to the appended drawings and claims.
The aforementioned objects, features and advantages of the invention
will, in part, be pointed out with particularity, and will, in part,
become obvious from the following more detailed description of the
invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, which
form an integral part thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a preferred embodiment in an electric
circuit of the improved syringe needle dispenser of the present
invention;
FIG. 2(a) is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the
syringe needle disposer according to the present invention;
FIG. 2(b) is a sectional side elevation of the syringe needle disposer
shown in FIG. 2(a);
FIG. 2(c) is a sectional view of the syringe needle disposer taken
along a line b--b shown in FIG. 2(a);
FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing the actuation of the syringe needle
disposer of the present invention;
FIGS. 4(a)-4(d) are explanatory views showing the relationship
between a coil and a syringe needle, respectively;
FIGS. 5(a)-5(c) show the syringe needle at three different stages
for obtaining a round tip with a closed hole on the needle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 1 there is shown a waste syringe needle disposer according
to the present invention and it comprises a syringe placing portion
2 having a conical bottom 1 and a syringe setting section 3 extending
downwardly from the bottom 1. A coil 4 having a predetermined number
of turns is provided adjacent to the syringe setting section 3.
The coil 4 is wound around a magnetic core 5 and its terminals T.sub.1
and T.sub.2 are connected to a high voltage switching circuit 6.
The high voltage switching circuit 6 comprises a bridge circuit
consisting of four transistors 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D connected in series,
and the voltage input points V.sub.1 and V.sub.2 of the circuit
6 are connected to positive and negative output terminals of a transformation/rectification
circuit 7 respectively. The transformation/rectification circuit
7 is connected to a commercial power source of AC 100 V through
a power source plug 8. The transformation/rectification circuit
7 transforms and rectifies from the AC voltage of 100 V to a DC
voltage of 300 to 1000 V. The high voltage switching circuit 6 is
connected at bases of four transistors 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D to an oscillator
9. The oscillator 9 is connected to a control unit 100 for controlling
the same. Oscillator 9 generates a pulse ranging in frequency from
3 MHz to several MHz to be supplied directly to the transistors
6A and 6D, and through an inverter 10 to the transistors 6B and
6C.
FIG. 2(a) shows a situation where the syringe needle disposer shown
in FIG. 1 is received into a casing 11. In the bottom of the casing
11 are provided a cooling water channel 12 and a power source conduit
13 and a drawer 14 for drawing off the treated syringe needles
is provided therebetween. The cooling water channel 12 is connected
to a nozzle 16 through a hose 15 and the drawer 14 is designed
in such a way that it can be drawn off in the direction perpendicular
to the plane of the paper. The power source conduit 13 has the high
voltage switching circuit 6 the transformation/rectification circuit
7 the oscillator 9 controlled by controlled unit 100 and the inverter
10 shown in FIG. 1 and it is activated with a switch 17.
FIG. 2(b) shows a sectional view taken along a line b--b in FIG.
2(a). The drawer 14 is positioned downwards a treated syringe needle
discharge section 3A.
In FIG. 2(c) there is shown a pressure plate 18 provided in a syringe
needle setting section 3 and the pressure plate 18 is activated
upwardly by a spring 19 while being supported with a fulcrum 20.
In the operation of the waste syringe needle disposer according
to the present invention, the power source circuit 13 is first activated
by putting the switch 17 on. Then, the syringe 22 is displaced on
the syringe placing portion 2 to set the waste syringe needle 21
in the syringe setting section 3 as shown in FIG. 1. This setting
will permit the waste syringe needle 21 to be exposed to the high-frequency
alternating field generated by the coil 4.
As a result, the syringe needle 21 is softened and partially melted
by the induction heating and thus an axial hole of the needle 21
is closed.
Then, the generation of the high-frequency alternating field shown
in FIG. 3 will be described hereinafter. Upon ON-state of the switch
17 the transformation/rectification circuit 7 generates a direct
current voltage of 2 V (-V to +V), and the oscillator 9 produces
the high-frequency pulse shown in FIG. 3. This high-frequency pulse
is applied to the transistors 6A and 6D in the high-voltage switching
circuit 6 and the high-voltage pulse inverted by the inverter 10
is also applied to the transistors 6B and 6C. Consequently, the
transistors 6A and 6D, and the transistors 6B and 6C are activated
alternately, and the high-frequency alternating voltage shown in
FIG. 3 is applied to the coil 4 from the transformation/rectification
circuit 7 resulting in the generation of such a high-frequency
alternating field from the coil 4.
The partially melted and softened syringe needle 21 is forced to
be slid in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIGS. 2(b) and
2(c). This permits a sharp edge of the syringe needle to make contact
with the surface of the pressure plate 18 thereby blunting the
sharp edge of the needle and further closing the axial hole of the
needle. When the syringe needle 21 is furthermore forced to be slid
in the direction of the arrow, the syringe 22 can be dropped into
the drawer 14 because the treated syringe needle discharge portion
3A adjacent to the syringe setting section 3 has an enlarged opening
as shown in FIG. 2(b). Therefore, when the grasp of the syringe
22 by an operator is released, it may be dropped into the drawer
14. Because the drawer 14 can be pulled out in the direction of
the arrow as shown in FIG. 2(c), the operator can treat and abandon
the treated syringe needle without touching the needle 21.
FIGS. 4(a) to 4(d) show the magnetic relationship between a coil
4 4A or 4B and a waste syringe needle 21 respectively. The magnetic
lines of flux .phi. are passed through the needle 21 to form a magnetic
path. The coil 4A wound in a given direction has the opposite direction
to that of the coil 4B.
In the aforedescribed preferred embodiment, the pressure plate
18 may be omitted. Where the pressure plate 18 is not provided,
frequency and power of the high frequency alternating field to which
a syringe needle is exposed, are selected to range from 3 to 8 MHz
and from 2 to 4 KW, respectively, thereby blunting a sharp edge
of a syringe needle ranging in diameter from 0.5 to 2 mm and close
an axial hole thereof. In more detail, where the frequency and the
power of the high frequency alternating field are controlled in
the above ranges, the syringe needle 21 is first heated to be red
at the tip portion 21a as shown in FIG. 5(a), and the tip portion
is then curved as shown in FIG. 5(b). Finally, the tip portion 21a
of the syringe needle 21 becomes round to close the axial hole as
shown in FIG. 5(c). Therefore, the provision of the syringe needle
disposer with the pressure plate 18 becomes unnecessary due to selecting
the frequency and the power. Where the frequency and the power is
less than the lower limitation values, the syringe needle 21 is
not melted, and where the frequency and the power exceeds the upper
limitation values, the cost of a system and operation will be increased,
in spite that effect remains in the same extent. This control is
carried out by the aforementioned control unit 100 connected to
the transformation and rectification circuit 7 and the oscillator
9.
As described above, the waste syringe needle disposer according
to the present invention can surely close a needle axial hole for
the passage of liquid without breaking the needle and having its
composing parts damaged due to induction heating of the needle,
based on a high-frequency alternating field.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed
by way of example and it will be understood that other modifications
may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the
scope and the spirit of the appended claims. |