Receptacle for storage and disposal of potentially injurious implements such as used scalpel blades, hypodermic needles and the like

Claim 2

A self-contained receptacle for safely storing potentially dangerous implements such as hypodermic needles, scalpel blades and the like, comprising: a containment member proportioned to retain a plurality of implements; and a top member adapted to be attached to said containment member, said top member including an opening proportioned to receive a desired size of implements, a guide member extending generally angularly downwardly into said receptacle from said top member generally along one edge of said opening and a back-drop/stop member extending downwardly from said top member adjacent the side of said opening opposite the side adjacent to which said guide member is mounted, said back-drop/stop and guide members having distal edges which form a slot-like gap for allowing implements to drop into said receptacle, said back-drop/stop member including jagged edging facing said guide member, and said back-drop/stop member and said guide member being positioned and proportioned relative to each other to cause at least a momentary slowing of travel of implements along said guide member to ensure that each implement assumes a generally horizontal orientation before actually dropping into said containment member such that implements inserted through said opening are aligned in a generally horizontal orientation by cooperation between said guide and back-drop/stop members at said slot-like gap, thereafter to drop into said containment member for side-by-side stacking with other implements deposited therein and said jagged edging helping to deter hand entry into said receptacle.

Claim 3

A receptacle according to claim 1 wherein said containment member includes a downwardly projecting lip for engaging sear means on said top member to securely lock said top and containment members together.

Claim 4

A self-contained receptacle for safely storing potentially dangerous implements such as hypodermic needles, scalpel blades and the like, comprising: a containment member proportioned to retain a plurality of implements; and a top member adapted to be attached to said containment member, said top member including an opening proportioned to receive a desired size of implements, a guide member extending generally angularly downwardly into said receptacle from said top member generally along one edge of said opening and a back-drop/stop member extending downwardly from said top member adjacent the side of said opening opposite the side adjacent to which said guide member is mounted, said back-drop/stop and guide members having distal edges which form a slot-like gap for allowing implements to drop into said receptacle, said back-drop/stop member including jagged edging facing said guide member, said back-drop/stop member and said guide member being positioned and proportioned relative to each other to cause at least a momentary slowing of travel of implements along said guide member to ensure that each implement assumes a generally horizontal orientation before actually dropping into said containment member, said top member including a closure member to seal said top member once said receptacle is filled with implements and tab means at said opening for locking said closure member by a generally snap-fitting action such that implements inserted through said opening are aligned in a generally horizontal orientation by cooperation between said guide and back-drop/stop members at said slot-like gap, thereafter to drop into said containment member for side-by-side stacking with other implements deposited therein and said closure member can be secured closed over said opening once the receptacle is filled.

Claim 5

A self-contained receptacle for safely storing potentially dangerous implements such as hypodermic needles, scalpel blades and the like, comprising: a containment member proportioned to retain a plurality of implements; and a top member adapted to be attached to said containment member, said top member including an opening proportioned to receive a desired size of implements, a guide member extending generally angularly downwardly into said receptacle from said top member generally along one edge of said opening and a back-drop/stop member extending downwardly from said top member adjacent the side of said opening opposite the side adjacent to which said guide member is mounted, said back-drop/stop and guide members having distal edges which form a slot-like gap for allowing implements to drop into said receptacle, said back-drop/stop member including jagged edging facing said guide member, said back-drop/stop member and said guide member being positioned and proportioned relative to each other to cause at least a momentary slowing of travel of implements along said guide member to ensure that each implement assumes a generally horizontal orientation before actually dropping into said containment member, said top member including a closure member to seal said top member once said receptacle is filled with implements and tab means at said opening for locking said closure member by a generally snap-fitting action such that implements inserted through said opening are aligned in a generally horizontal orientation by cooperation between said guide and back-drop/stop members at said slot-like gap, thereafter to drop into said containment member for side-by-side stacking with other implements deposited therein and said closure member can be secured closed over said opening once the receptacle is filled.

Claim 6

A receptacle according to claim 3, wherein said closure member is integrally mounted to said top member by a reduced thickness web member which forms a living hinge therebetween.

Claim 7

A receptacle according to claim 4, wherein said top member includes jagged edging at said opening generally adjacent said living hinge.

Claim 8

A receptacle according to claim 5, wherein said jagged edging projects inwardly of said receptacle.

Claim 9

A receptacle for safely storing potentially dangerous implements such as hypodermic needles, scalpel blades and the like, comprising: a containment member proportioned to retain a plurality of implements; and a top member adapted to be attached to said containment member said top member having an opening proportioned to receive a desired size of implements and wall means extending downwardly from said top member from its interior surface generally adjacent said opening, said top member further including a guide member extending generally angularly downwardly into said receptacle from said top member generally along an edge of said opening generally opposite at least a portion of said wall means so as to form a slot-like gap for allowing implements to drop into said receptacle, said wall means and said guide member being positioned and proportioned relative to each other to cause at least a momentary slowing of travel of implements along said guide member to ensure that each implement assumes a generally horizontal orientation before actually dropping into said containment member to ensure that implements inserted through said opening are aligned in a generally horizontal orientation by cooperation between said guide member and said wall means at said slot-like gap, such that as said receptacle is filled with implements, a person can readily observe that the receptacle is reaching a filled condition by visual contrast of implements against said wall means.

Claim 10

A receptacle for safely storing potentially dangerous implements such as hypodermic needles, scalpel blades and the like, comprising: a containment member proportioned to retain a plurality of implements; and a top member adapted to be attached to said containment member said top member having an opening proportioned to receive a desired size of implements and wall means extending downwardly from said top member from its interior surface generally adjacent said opening, said top member further including a guide member extending generally angularly downwardly into said receptacle from said top member generally along an edge of said opening generally opposite at least a portion of said wall means so as to form a slot-like gap for allowing implements to drop into said receptacle, said wall means and said guide member being positioned and proportioned relative to each other to cause at least a momentary slowing of travel of implements along said guide member to ensure that each implement assumes a generally horizontal orientation before actually dropping into said containment member to ensure that implements inserted through said opening are aligned in a generally horizontal orientation by cooperation between said guide member and said wall means at said slot-like gap, such that as said receptacle is filled with implements, a person can readily observe that the receptacle is reaching a filled condition by visual contrast of implements against said wall means.

Claim 11

A receptacle according to claim 7 wherein said wall means generally surrounds said opening in said top member.