Syringe needle abstract
A syringe and needle grinder incorporating a cylindrical-shaped
rotor cutting device which is rotated within a stationary housing
having an intake duct in the top of the housing offset from the
center of rotation of the cutting device and a discharge duct in
the bottom sidewall of the housing. The first set of cutting blades
extend radially from the hub of the rotor and a second set of cutting
blades are longitudinally positioned around the periphery of the
rotor which act in conjunction with a plurality of stationary blades
on the inside of the housing to further grind and shear the material
prior to expelling it from the discharge opening.
Syringe needle claims
Having described the invention with sufficient clarity to enable
those familiar with the art to construct and use it, I claim:
1. A material grinding device utilized to break up syringes, bottles
and other hospital disposable items comprising:
a cylindrical housing havng a cylinder wall, planar top and bottom
end plates;
a cylindrical-shaped rotor element rotatably positioned within
the housing;
power means to drive the rotor element;
a material intake pipe in the top end plate of the housing offset
from the center of the housing;
a material discharge pipe in the wall of the housing;
the rotor element including a first cutting means in the form of
a plurality of radial blades radiating outwardly from the axis of
rotation of the rotor element in proximity with the end of the material
inlet pipe whereby material entering the housing is initially cut
by the first cutting means;
second cutting means in the rotor element in the form of a plurality
of longitudinal blades positioned around the periphery thereof in
parallel spaced relation to the axis of rotation of the rotor and
stationary blades positioned around the inside of the wall of the
cylindrical housing in parallel spaced relation with the longitudinal
blades of the rotor element whereby rotation of the rotor element
centrifugally discharges the ground material through the outlet
pipe.
2. A material grinding device as set forth in claim 1 wherein
the material inlet pipe includes an adjustable end portion where
the distance between the end of the inlet pipe and the first cutting
means can be adjusted to vary the size of the discharged ground
material.
3. A material grinding device as set forth in claim 1 wherein
the rotor element has a center hub extending through a planar bottom,
the radial cutting blades extending outwardly from the center hub
to a circular frame and together forming said top of the rotor,
the longitudinal blades being located in a cylindrical pattern with
their upper ends attached to the circular frame and their bottom
ends to the planar bottom.
4. A material grinding device as set forth in claim 1 wherein
the rotor element has a center hub extending through a planar top
and planar bottom, the radial cutting blades extending outwardly
from the center hub to a circular frame and together forming said
top of the rotor, the longitudinal blades being located in a cylindrical
pattern with their upper ends attached to the circular frame and
their bottom ends to the planar bottom; a plurality of upwardly
extending ribs attached to said bottom of the rotor extending radially
outward from the hub whereby any material contacted by the ribs
is thrown centrifugally outward into the second cutting means.
5. A material grinding device as set forth in claim 1 wherein
the rotor element is cylindrical in shape having a center hub extending
through a planar top and planar bottom, the radial cutting blades
extending outwardly from the center hub to a circular frame and
together forming said top of the rotor, the longitudinal blades
being located in a cylindrical pattern with their upper ends attached
to the circular frame and their bottom ends to the planar bottom;
the longitudinal blades have a tapered cross section to a cutting
edge with the blade extending inwardly from the edge toward the
center of the rotor and away from the direction of rotation of the
rotor.
6. A material grinding device as set forth in claim 1 wherein
the rotor element is cylindrical in shape having a center hub extending
through a planar top and planar bottom, the radial cutting blades
extending outwardly from the center hub to a circular frame and
together forming said top of the rotor, the radial cutting blades
having a tapered cross section to a cutting edge, the longitudinal
blades being located in a cylindrical pattern with their upper ends
attached to the circular frame and their bottom ends to the planar
bottom.
7. A material grinding device as set forth in claim 1 including
a plurality of upwardly extending ribs attached to the center of
the rotor element extending radially outwardly whereby any material
contacted by the ribs is thrown centrifugally outward into the second
cutting means.
8. A material grinding device as set forth in claim 1 wherein
the blades of the first cutting means have an angled surface which,
when rotated, creates a suction at the inlet pipe and a positive
pressure at the discharge pipe.
Syringe needle description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Since the advent of the throwaway syringe and other medical throwaway
articles there has arisen a need for a method to prevent their misuse.
In hospitals today there is a tremendous volume of these articles
which after being used must be accounted for by some method or another,
all of which takes precious time. There is an acute need for a disposing
system which is sanitary, quick to use and can handle large volumes.
The basic principle of breaking and grinding syringes by mechanical
means is well known in the art as typified by U.S. Pat. No. 3756520.
The concept of a dual-stage cylindrical cutting means as taught
in the present invention is a clearly new concept in the art. The
radial blades in the top surface of the rotor element extend outwardly
from the hub of the rotor and comprise the first cutting means which
pass by the material inlet pipe thereby breaking up the syringes
as they fall into the center of the rotor element. The second stage
cutting means includes a plurality of longitudinal blades positioned
around the periphery of the cylindrical rotor element in conjunction
with stationary blades located around the inside wall of the housing
so that as the entering materials are caused to rotate by the rotating
element, they are thrown outward by centrifugal force and sheared
between the stationary and longitudinal blades thereby further breaking
up the material.
It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to
provide a new and improved syringe disposal system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disposal
system which handles a relatively large volume of material in a
very short period of time. Another object of the present invention
is to provide a disposal system which would be completely sanitary
and self-contained.
FIG. 1 is a planned view of the syringe and needle grinder with
its accompanying discharge tank and inlet chute;
FIG. 2 is a prospective view of the rotor element removed from
the housing;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along lines 4--4 of
FIG. 3.
In describing the invention, particular attention is called to
FIG. 1 wherein the syringe and needle grinder is generally identified
by reference numeral 10. The grinder 10 is supplied with crushable
articles through intake duct 13 and chute 12. The open top chute
12 has a sloping bottom 15 so that once the chute is filled, the
articles are automatically fed through the grinder 10 until the
chute is empty. The material is discharged from the grinder by discharge
duct 14 which transmits the cut and ground articles into a vented
closed top holding tank 16. Tank 16 is periodically emptied when
necessary. The grinder 10 includes a cylindrical-shaped rotor element
18 rotatably mounted within a cylindrical housing 26. The rotor
18 is driven by shaft 20 of electric motor 24 through switch 22.
The rotor element 18 is rotatably mounted in a single sleeve bearing
25 in the bottom of cylindrical housing 26. Housing 26 is made up
of a cylindrical wall 27 a planar top plate 28 and a planar bottom
plate 29. While the top plate 28 and the wall 27 are of a unitary
construction, the cylindrical wall 27 is removably held on bottom
plate 29 by a plurality of releasable toggle clamps 30 so as to
allow ready inspection. The grinder 10 is mountably supported on
an angle iron tripod stand 32. The intake pipe 13 has an adjustable
sleeve 33 which is screw-threaded into top plate 28 so that the
space between the end of the sleeve 33 and the rotor element 18
can be varied to adjust the size of the cut-up material. The sleeve
33 is locked in place by lock nut 34.
In referring specifically to FIG. 2 the rotor element 18 is basically
cylindrical in shape, having a center hub 36 extending upwardly
from a planar bottom plate 37 to a planar top made up of four radially
spaced cutting blades 38 extending outwardly from the center hub
36 to a circular frame 40. A plurality of eight longitudinal blades
42 are located in a cylindrical pattern around the perimeter of
the rotor with their upper ends attached to the circular frame 40
and their bottom ends attached to bottom plate 37. The longitudinal
blades 42 have a tapered cross section to a cutting edge 43 with
the plate extending inwardly from the edge 43 toward the center
hub 36 and away from the direction of rotation of the rotor. A radial
cutting blade 38 is shown in cross section at FIG. 4 with a cutting
edge 44 and a tapered under surface 45. When blades 38 are rotated
in a counterclockwise direction, the angled surface 45 forces the
contacting air downwardly thereby forcing air out the discharge
pipe 14 and conversely creating suction in intake 13. The radial
cutting blades 38 thereby have a dual function, in first being a
cutting means and secondly, a fan for sucking air through the grinder
unit 10. By reason of the air passing through the grinder, the small
pieces of cut and ground materials do not collect in the unit but
rather are blown out the discharge pipe 14. Sleeve 17 on pipe 14
provides a joint so that tank 16 can be removed from the grinder
10. Attached to bottom plate 37 are a plurality of upwardy extending
ribs 41 which extend radially outward from hub 36 to join with blades
42. When rotor 18 is in motion, the various broken syringe parts
fall to the bottom of the rotor where they are engaged by ribs 41
and centrifugally thrown outward. Anchored to the inside surface
of housing wall 27 are four longitudinally extending bar members
46 which are quadrangularly spaced around the inside of housing
26. The radial spacing between bars 46 and the longitudinal blades
42 is quite substantial since it is not necessary to grind up the
articles into very small pieces.
OPERATION
When motor 24 is turned on, the rotor 18 will rotate at a speed
in the vicinity of 3400 to 3450 r.p.m. Due to the angled surface
45 of blades 38 and the centrifugal effect upon the air by the blades,
the rotor 18 functions as a blower creating suction in the intake
pipe 13 and positive air pressure at the discharge pipe 14. The
suction in pipe 13 draws the syringe and other articles in the chute
12 down into the grinder housing 26. As the syringes pass from the
end of sleeve 33 they are initially cut by the shearing action of
rotating blades 38.
As the sheared material falls to the bottom 37 of rotor 18 it
comes in contact with the rotating ribs 41 which in turn throw the
material centrifugally outward into the second cutting means of
the rotor. The second cutting means of the rotor includes the moving
blades 42 on the rotor and the stationary blades 46 on the inside
of the housing 26. As the materials pass between the blades there
is a second shearing action which further breaks up the materials.
A wide tolerance between the blades allows the material to pass
at a comparable size, since it is not necessary to fine grind the
material. The ground material now at the bottom of the housing 26
is forced by centrifugal action and air out the discharge pipe 14
into the vented storage container 16. Due to the sucking action
created by the rotor 18 the grinder 10 is completely emptied of
materials without the necessity of periodic cleaning.
If it is desired to change the particle size of the ground material,
the locking nut 34 can be released and sleeve 33 moved to a closer
position with respect to cutting blades 38.
The drawings and description relate only to a preferred embodiment
of the invention. Since many changes can be made in the structure
of this embodiment without departing from the inventive concept,
the following claims should provide the sole measure of the scope
of the invention. |