Method and apparatus for collecting sharps

Abstract

A container for collecting sharps includes an opening adapted to receive sharps in a substantially vertical orientation, and an interior region for storing sharps received through the opening. The container includes a means for reorienting the sharps into an arrangement in which the sharps lie substantially parallel to one another within the interior region of the container. A method for configuring a sharps collection container includes the step of positioning a contoured surface of a guide element beneath an opening of the container to reorient sharps that are deposited through the opening into an arrangement in which the sharps are stored substantially parallel to one another in the container.

1 . A container for collecting sharps, said container having an opening adapted to receive sharps in a substantially vertical orientation, an interior region for collecting sharps received through the opening, and means for reorienting the sharps received through the opening into an arrangement in which the sharps lie substantially parallel to one another within the interior region.  
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the means for reorienting the sharps comprises a carrier mounted for movement between a sharps-receiving position, in which the carrier receives and retains the sharps in a substantially vertical position, and a sharps-releasing position, in which the carrier releases the sharps into the interior region in a substantially horizontal position.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the carrier is mounted for pivotal movement between the sharps-receiving and sharps-releasing positions.  
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 2 , comprising an actuator coupled to the carrier, said actuator being operable to move the carrier between the sharps-receiving position and the sharps-releasing position.  
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 2 , comprising a biasing element coupled to the carrier, wherein the biasing element biases the carrier toward the sharps-receiving position.  
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5 , comprising an actuator coupled to the carrier, said actuator being operable to move the carrier between the sharps-receiving position and the sharps-releasing position, said actuator being manually displaceable against a bias of the biasing element to move the carrier from the sharps-receiving position to the sharps-releasing position.  
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the carrier defines a compartment configured to accommodate the sharps in a substantially vertical position when the carrier is in the sharps-receiving position and an aperture configured to accommodate passage of the sharps from the carrier in a substantially horizontal position when the carrier is in the sharps-releasing position.  
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the compartment defined by the carrier is substantially tubular.  
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the aperture comprises a slot extending along at least a portion of a side of said compartment, wherein the slot has a width that is larger than the maximum width of the sharps.  
     
     
         10 . A container for collecting sharps, said container having an opening adapted to receive sharps in a substantially vertical orientation, an interior region located beneath the opening for collecting sharps that are dropped into the opening, and a guide element having a contoured surface positioned to guide the sharps received through the opening into an arrangement in which the sharps lie substantially parallel to one another within the interior region.  
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein the guide element comprises a carrier mounted for movement between a sharps-receiving position, in which the carrier receives and retains each sharps in a substantially vertical position, and a sharps-releasing position, in which the carrier releases the sharps into the interior region in a substantially horizontal position.  
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the carrier is mounted for pivotal movement between the sharps-receiving and sharps-releasing positions.  
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 11 , comprising an actuator coupled to the carrier, said actuator being operable to move the carrier between the sharps-receiving position and the sharps-releasing position.  
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , comprising a biasing element coupled to the carrier, wherein the biasing element biases the carrier toward the sharps-receiving position.  
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 14 , said actuator being manually displaceable against a bias of the biasing element to move the carrier from the sharps-receiving position to the sharps-releasing position.  
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the carrier defines a compartment configured to accommodate the sharps in a substantially vertical position when the carrier is in the sharps-receiving position and an aperture configured to accommodate passage of the sharps in a substantially horizontal position when the carrier is in the sharps-releasing position.  
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein the compartment defined by the carrier is substantially tubular.  
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein the aperture comprises a slot extending along at least a portion of a side of said compartment, wherein the slot has a width that is larger than the maximum width of the sharps.  
     
     
         19 . A container for collecting sharps, said container having an opening adapted to receive sharps, an interior region located beneath the opening for collecting sharps received through the opening, and a carrier mounted for movement between a sharps-receiving position, in which the carrier receives and retains sharps in a substantially vertical position, and a sharps-releasing position, in which the carrier releases the sharps into the interior region in an arrangement in which the sharps are substantially parallel to one another.  
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein the carrier is mounted for pivotal movement between the sharps-receiving and sharps-releasing positions.  
     
     
         21 . The container of  claim 19 , comprising an actuator coupled to the carrier, said actuator being operable to move the carrier between the sharps-receiving position and the sharps-releasing position.  
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 21 , comprising a biasing element coupled to the carrier, wherein the biasing element biases the carrier toward the sharps-receiving position.  
     
     
         23 . The container of  claim 22 , said actuator being manually displaceable against a bias of the biasing element to move the carrier from the sharps-receiving position to the sharps-releasing position.  
     
     
         24 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein the carrier defines a compartment configured to accommodate the sharps in a substantially vertical position when the carrier is in the sharps-receiving position and an aperture configured to accommodate passage of the sharps in a substantially horizontal position when the carrier is in the sharps-releasing position.  
     
     
         25 . The container of  claim 24 , wherein the compartment defined by the carrier is substantially tubular.  
     
     
         26 . The container of  claim 24 , wherein the aperture comprises a slot extending along a side of said compartment, wherein the slot has a width that is larger than the maximum width of the sharps.  
     
     
         27 . A method of configuring a container for the collection of sharps, said method comprising the step of positioning a contoured surface of a guide element beneath an opening of the container to reorient sharps that are deposited through the opening from a substantially vertical orientation into an arrangement in which the sharps are substantially parallel to one another.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising the step of providing a container having the opening for receiving sharps.