Needle-disposable insert for sharps disposal

Abstract

An infectious waste container system provides a sharps disposal container with an insert for automatically releasing a sharp implement from a holder and automatically resetting the holder.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A needle disposal insert having a substantially tubular sidewall with an upper end, a lower end and an inner circumferential surface extending between said ends, said inner circumferential surface being characterized by a release section and a reset section diametrically opposite said release section, said release section comprising an inwardly and downwardly sloped release actuating surface, said reset section comprising a downwardly and outwardly sloped reset actuating surface.  
     
     
         2 . The needle disposal insert of  claim 1 , wherein said release section further comprises a release guide surface extending substantially parallel to said tubular sidewall from said top end to said inwardly sloped release actuating surface.  
     
     
         3 . The needle disposal insert of  claim 2 , wherein said reset section further comprises a reset guide surface substantially parallel to said release guide surface and extending from said top end to said reset actuating surface.  
     
     
         4 . The needle disposal insert of  claim 3 , wherein said release actuating surface has upper and lower ends that are offset radially from one another by a selected release offset distance, and wherein the reset actuating surface has upper and lower ends that are offset radially from one another by a selected reset offset distance, said release offset distance and said reset offset distance being substantially equal.  
     
     
         5 . The needle disposal insert of  claim 2 , wherein said release guide surface and said sloped reset actuating surface are substantially equally spaced from said top end.  
     
     
         6 . The needle disposal insert of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer surface having means for securely mounting said needle disposal insert to a planar wall.  
     
     
         7 . The needle disposal insert of  claim 1 , wherein said outwardly sloped reset actuating surface is pivotable relative to remaining portions of said needle disposal insert, said needle disposal insert further comprising biasing means for urging at least portions of said sloped reset actuating surface inwardly.  
     
     
         8 . A needle disposal receptacle comprising a container having a lid, an opening formed through said lid for accessing interior portions of said container, a needle disposal insert disposed in said opening in said lid, said insert comprising a substantially tubular sidewall with an upper end, a lower end and an inner circumferential surface extending between said ends, said inner circumferential surface being characterized by a release section and a reset section diametrically opposite said release section, said release section comprising a release guide surface aligned substantially parallel to said tubular side wall and an inwardly sloped release actuating surface extending down from said release guide surface, said reset section comprising a reset guide surface substantially parallel to said release guide surface and an outwardly sloped reset actuating surface extending down from said reset guide surface.  
     
     
         9 . The needle disposal receptacle of  claim 8 , wherein said vertical surface of said release section is an upper vertical surface, and wherein said release section further includes a lower vertical surface extending from said inwardly sloped release actuating surface toward said bottom end, said lower vertical surface and said release actuating surface being substantially parallel.  
     
     
         10 . The needle disposal receptacle of  claim 8 , wherein said reset section further includes a lower vertical surface substantially parallel to said reset guide surface and extending from said reset actuating surface toward said bottom end.  
     
     
         11 . The needle disposal receptacle of  claim 10 , wherein said release actuating surface has upper and lower ends that are offset radially from one another by a selected release offset distance, and wherein the reset actuating surface has upper and lower ends that are offset radially from one another by a selected reset offset distance, said release offset distance and said reset offset distance being substantially equal.  
     
     
         12 . The needle disposal receptacle of  claim 8 , wherein said release guide surface and said sloped reset actuating surface of said reset section are substantially equally spaced from said top end.  
     
     
         13 . The needle disposal receptacle of  claim 8 , wherein an upper portion of said reset actuating surface is pivotally connected to remaining portions of said needle disposal insert such that lower portions of said reset actuating surface are movable in and out relative to said needle disposal insert, said needle disposal receptacle further comprising biasing means for urging said lower portions of said reset actuating surface inwardly.  
     
     
         14 . A needle disposal system comprising: 
 a needle holder having a tubular sidewall, an end wall extending from said tubular sidewall and having a central opening therein, a release mechanism attached to said end wall, said release mechanism comprising a pair of jaws, at least one of said jaws being movable between a closed position where said jaws permit releasable attachment of a needle to said needle holder and an open position where said jaws release said needle, said movable jaw projecting transversely beyond said needle holder when said movable jaw is in said open position; and    a container having a lid, an opening formed through said lid for accessing interior portions of said container, a needle disposal insert in said opening in said lid, said insert comprising a substantially tubular sidewall with an upper end, a lower end and an inner circumferential surface extending between said ends, said inner circumferential surface being characterized by a release section and a reset section diametrically opposite said release section, said release section having an inwardly sloped release actuating surface, said reset section comprising an outwardly sloped reset actuating surface extending downwardly from said reset guide surface.    
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein portions of said needle holder adjacent said bottom wall define an outside diameter, and wherein portions of said insert adjacent said top end are dimensioned for slidable insertion of said tubular sidewall of said needle holder.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said movable jaw has an outer surface substantially aligned with said tubular sidewall of said holder when said movable jaw is in said closed position.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein a top portion of said sloped reset actuating surface is offset from a bottom portion thereof by a reset offset distance, said outer surface of said movable jaw being offset from said outer surface of said holder when said movable jaw is in said open position by a distance no greater than the reset offset distance.  
     
     
         18 . A needle disposal system comprising: 
 a needle holder having a tubular sidewall, an end wall extending inwardly from said tubular sidewall and having a central opening therein, a release mechanism attached to said end wall, said release mechanism comprising a pair of jaws, at least one of said jaws being a movable jaw that is movable between a closed position where said jaws permit releasable attachment of a needle to said needle holder and an open position where said jaws release said needle, said movable jaw projecting transversely beyond said needle holder when said movable jaw is in said open position; and    a container having a lid, an opening formed through said lid for accessing interior portions of said container, a needle disposal insert in said opening in said lid, said insert comprising guide means for guiding said needle holder substantially linearly into and out of said needle disposal insert, release means for moving said movable jaw to said open position in response to said linear movement of said needle holder into said needle disposal insert, as guided by said guide means and reset means for moving said movable jaw from said open position to said closed position in response to linear movement of said needle holder from said needle disposal insert, as guided by said guide means.