Contaminated needle sterilizer

Abstract

A sterilizing apparatus and method for contaminated syringe needles includes an elongated heating tube having a central bore capable of receiving only the needle of a syringe assembly and which is heated by electrical resistance material surrounding the tube. Precise regulation over the interval and level of heating of the tube is provided through a power controller associated with logic circuitry, switches and a series of timers sequentially initiated. In this manner, should a fault in the apparatus exist and the temperature within the heating tube not reach at least 900 degrees F. within the duration of the cycle of a first one of the timers, the power controller interrupts passage of current to the heating tube. On the other hand, when this temperature is achieved during the time cycle of the first timer, a second timer is initiated and allows continued passage of current to the heating tube for a prescribed interval calculated to achieve the desired sterilization. The concentrated heat as applied to the air within the restrictive tube bore additonally physically renders the sterilized needle un-usable as it will have been annealed and this fact will be apparent from its blackened appearance.