Injection needle dissolution device

Abstract

Provided is an injection needle dissolving device having excellent operability that can easily dissolve even bent injection needles.　This injection needle dissolving device is provided with an insertion guide (22) having a large opening (21) and a guide wall that gradually narrows the opening area, and a straightening guide (20) having a small opening (23) and a narrow-tubular straightening section (25) that is made of a narrow tube and through which an injection needle (62) can pass. By guiding a bent injection needle (62) to the narrow-tubular straightening section (25) with the insertion guide (22) and allowing the needle to pass through the narrow-tubular straightening section (25), the bent injection needle (62) is straightened. Then, the needle is guided to a pair of electrode parts (40) so that a dissolving process can be performed thereon.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a syringe dissolution treatment device that applies an electric current to a used syringe needle to efficiently and safely dissolve the needle, and more particularly to a syringe dissolution treatment device that can smoothly dissolve even a used syringe needle that is bent. [Background technology]

[0002] Used syringe needles are typically placed in a collection container and transported to a designated incineration site, where they are incinerated. However, this method poses the risk of accidentally pricking a hand or finger with a syringe during the process of collecting, transporting, and incinerating used syringe needles, resulting in infection with pathogens. To prevent this, needle dissolving devices have been proposed that dissolve used syringe needles at or near the site of their use (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). Recently, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccinations are being promoted for people around the world. Therefore, in order to ensure that people around the world continue to receive these vaccinations in the future, there is an increasing demand for devices that can safely and quickly incinerate large quantities of used syringe needles while preventing infection by viruses and pathogens. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-66663 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-13024 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to the device of Patent Document 1 mentioned above, after a used injection needle is inserted into a needle grip, the injection needle can be dissolved reliably and easily by operating a switch. Since pathogenic bacteria and viruses on the used injection needle are killed or sterilized by the heat generated during dissolution, it is possible to completely prevent accidental infection during the disposal of used injection needles. However, the invention described in Patent Document 1 was complicated in structure and cumbersome to operate.

[0005] Patent Document 2 provides a melting device with a simple structure that solves the problems of Patent Document 1 and allows for easy operation of the melting process. The device is configured so that the needle melts from its tip by simply inserting a used injection needle into the injection needle holding means and pushing it downward.

[0006] The inventions of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 both involve transporting used syringe needles to an incineration site. However, the inventions of Patent Documents 1 and 2 are both very useful because they can dissolve on the spot without causing any problems and can eliminate the risk of infection through the injection needle at an early stage after use. If the syringe needle does not extend straight downward, it will not be able to properly contact the two upper and lower electrodes when lowered, making it difficult to dissolve a bent used syringe needle.

[0007] Not all used injection needles are straight; some are bent from the start, and dentists and others often intentionally bend needles before injection for ease of use. In addition, injection needles can be unintentionally bent during injection or after use. With the injection needle dissolution treatment devices of Patent Documents 1 and 2, if there is a mixture of bent and straight injection needles, it is necessary to sort the used injection needles to determine whether they are bent or not when dissolving the needles, which makes it difficult to carry out the dissolution treatment smoothly.

[0008] The present invention has been made in response to the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a syringe needle dissolution treatment device that can easily perform a dissolution treatment on a used syringe needle, regardless of whether it is bent or not. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a syringe needle dissolving device according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises an insulated insertion guide section having a guide wall surface whose opening area gradually decreases from a large opening to a small opening, an insulated holder insertion section which is provided downstream of the small opening of the insertion guide section and into which a syringe needle holder holding the syringe needle is inserted, an insulated correction section which is provided downstream of the holder insertion section and corrects bending of the syringe needle, a pair of electrodes which are arranged at a predetermined distance in the moving direction of the syringe needle and whose contact surfaces with the syringe needle face each other so that the two electrodes provided downstream of the correction section sandwich and sequentially come into contact with the syringe needle as it passes through the correction section and further moves, and a current supply section which supplies a dissolution current to the pair of electrodes which are connected via the syringe needle.

[0010] The syringe needle dissolving device according to the present invention is provided with an insertion guide whose opening area gradually narrows from a wide, large opening to a narrow, small opening, so that even a bent syringe needle can be smoothly guided into the narrow opening when inserting the syringe needle into the device. Furthermore, in the case of a bent syringe needle, the straightening section straightens the bend before sending it downstream, so that the syringe needle is guided between the pair of electrodes and can be smoothly inserted between the electrodes.

[0011] The correction section that corrects the bending of the injection needle can be configured to include, for example, a thin tube through which the injection needle can pass, and correct the bending of the injection needle by the injection needle guided from the holder insertion section passing through the thin tube. If a syringe needle is bent, when the syringe needle is guided through such a thin tube, the bent portion of the syringe needle comes into contact with the edge at the top end or the inner wall of the thin tube, preventing the needle from passing through. If the syringe needle is forcibly pushed into the thin tube in this state, the bent portion of the syringe needle deforms due to a lateral component of force corresponding to the repulsive force from the edge and inner wall against the syringe needle, which opposes the downward pushing force, and the syringe needle can pass through the thin tube. The lateral component of force acting as the syringe needle passes through the thin tube straightens the bent portion and moves downward. The length of the thin tube straightening portion can be determined appropriately depending on the length and diameter of the syringe needle. The length of the thin tube straightening portion is preferably approximately 3 mm to 20 mm to ensure the desired straightening ability. However, in order to miniaturize and simplify the device, it can be as short as 1 mm to 3 mm, as long as a certain desired effect can be achieved depending on the type and material of the syringe needle.

[0012] Here, the insertion guide, holder insertion portion, and thin tube straightening portion may be formed integrally or separately, or the insertion guide and holder insertion portion may be formed integrally and only the thin tube straightening portion may be formed separately. The lengths of the holder insertion portion and the thin tube straightening portion into which the injection needle is introduced can be set appropriately according to the type and shape of the injection needle to be inserted. The holder insertion portion may be relatively long to match the shape of the injection needle holder, or may be a shallow recess that is shorter than the syringe holder.

[0013] The thin tube straightening part can be a thin tube with a straight or smoothly curved shape. By making the thin tube slightly larger in diameter than the injection needle, it is possible to straighten the injection needle so that it is straight or along a predetermined curve when the injection needle is inserted and passed through.

[0014] The pair of electrodes is preferably positioned slightly apart in the direction of needle movement and contacts the needle so as to sandwich the needle. The horizontal separation distance between the contact surfaces of the pair of electrodes is preferably smaller than the diameter of the needle. Alternatively, the separation distance may be zero or less, i.e., the electrodes may be positioned so that they slightly overlap in horizontal positional relationship. Furthermore, it is preferable that either or both of the pair of upper and lower electrodes are biased by an elastic member or the like so that they approach each other. It is also preferable that the contact surface of each electrode with the needle is shaped similarly to the contact surface of the needle. Furthermore, when the needle contacts the electrode in a bent state, the electrode contact surface is preferably inclined to match the direction of the bend. Furthermore, these structures can be used in appropriate combinations, thereby increasing the contact area between the needle and the electrode and further increasing the degree of contact by biasing.

[0015] Another embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a pair of rollers is provided for rotating a pair of electrodes. In this case, it is preferable that the cross section of each electrode is cylindrical and that the outer diameter of the electrode portion is large in order to increase the contact area with the injection needle.

[0016] Furthermore, another embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a guide mounting part to which the insertion guide, the holder insertion part, and the thin tube straightening part can be detachably mounted, thereby making it possible to appropriately replace the mounting guide or thin tube straightening part with one having a different hole diameter or length to match the thickness and length of the injection needle.

[0017] The insertion guide, holder insertion section, and thin tube straightening section may be integrally constructed and attached to the guide attachment section from the injection needle insertion section side, or the insertion guide, holder insertion section, and thin tube straightening section may be individually manufactured as separate bodies and attached to the guide attachment section in the following order: thin tube straightening section, holder insertion section, insertion guide.Alternatively, the insertion guide and holder insertion section may be integrally constructed with the thin tube straightening section as a separate body, and the thin tube straightening section may be attached to the insertion guide before the holder insertion section of the insertion guide is attached.

[0018] By making the insertion guide, holder insertion part, and syringe introduction part replaceable as a whole or individually, the injection needle insertion part and the thin tube straightening part can be appropriately replaced depending on the length and thickness of the injection needle and the thickness, length, and shape of the syringe holder, enabling more stable dissolution of the injection needle. In addition, maintenance such as easily replacing a deteriorated or damaged thin tube straightening part can be facilitated.

[0019] Furthermore, another embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that multiple pairs of clamping rollers are provided, one above the other, between the thin tube straightening unit and the pair of electrodes, which rotate while clamping the bent injection needle to straighten the injection needle. This makes it possible to more reliably straighten the bent injection needle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the syringe needle dissolving device of the present invention, by inserting a syringe needle attached to a syringe holder into the insertion guide, even if the syringe needle is bent, the syringe needle is guided from the holder insertion section to the thin tube straightening section by the guide wall, and the thin tube straightening section, which is made of a thin tube, straightens the bent syringe needle. When the syringe needle is further pushed down in this state, the tip of the syringe needle is guided to the position of a predetermined pair of electrodes below the thin tube straightening section and sequentially comes into contact with them. This makes it possible to easily perform the dissolution process even on a bent syringe needle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an embodiment of a syringe needle dissolving device according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 2(a) is a central vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the internal structure of the syringe needle dissolving device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2(b) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in which a syringe 60 is set in a correction guide 20. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view showing one embodiment of an electrode unit of the syringe needle dissolving device of the present invention. [Figure 4]1(a) to 1(c) are schematic diagrams sequentially illustrating the state of a syringe needle when the syringe needle is inserted into the syringe needle dissolving device according to the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of a pair of electrodes of the syringe needle dissolving device of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the insertion guide and the thin tube straightening unit of the syringe needle dissolving device of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating another embodiment of the syringe needle dissolving device according to the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a bottom perspective view showing another embodiment of the electrode portion of the syringe needle dissolving device according to the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, the syringe needle dissolving device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment of the present invention described below, an example of a configuration in which the injection needle is inserted and moved vertically up and down is shown, but the injection needle can also be inserted and moved diagonally or horizontally. In such cases, the "vertical direction" described below can be read as the "moving direction of the injection needle." 1 to 3 are views showing one embodiment of a syringe needle dissolving device according to the present invention, with FIG. 1 being a perspective view showing the state in which the dust box 12 is pulled out. FIG. 2(a) is a central vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the internal structure of the syringe needle dissolving device 10 shown in FIG. 1, showing the state in which a syringe 60 with an attached syringe needle is set and the dust box 12 is closed. FIG. 2(b) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the state in which a syringe needle 62 is inserted into the straightening guide 20, which is integrally formed with an insertion guide 22, a holder insertion section 24, and a straightening section (thin tube straightening section) 25. FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view showing the appearance of the pair of electrodes shown in FIG. 2.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 1, the syringe needle dissolving device 10 according to this embodiment has a large opening 15 at the top end of a case 11 that covers the device. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 2, an insertion guide 22 is provided inside the large opening 15. The insertion guide 22 is provided on a slider part 32 (Fig. 2(a)) that is movable up and down within an elevation part 30, and is provided with an electrode part 40 that has a pair of electrodes 41, 42 arranged at a distance below the elevation part 30.

[0024] The insertion guide 22 has a funnel-like shape like an inverted cone, with a large opening 21 (see FIG. 1) that abuts against the opening 15, a guide wall, and a small opening 16 (FIG. 2(b)). A tubular holder insertion part 24 having a small opening 23 (see FIG. 4(a)) is formed at the tip (lower end) of the cone shape of the insertion guide 22, and a thin tube straightening part 25 made of a thin tube is provided at the tip of that. When dissolving the injection needle 62, the injection needle holder 61 of the syringe 60 with the injection needle 62 attached is inserted into this holder insertion part 24.

[0025] The length (depth) and shape of the holder insertion portion 24 can be determined appropriately according to the shape of the injection needle holder 61. In FIG. 2, a relatively long holder insertion portion 24 is used, which holds approximately two-thirds of the length of the injection needle holder 61. By lengthening the holder insertion portion 24 in this way, the syringe 60 can be stably held. However, this is merely an example, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to this. The length of holder insertion portion 24 may be short as long as the tip portion of syringe holder 61 can be inserted and held therein.

[0026] A straightening unit is provided below the holder insertion portion 24 to straighten the bending of the injection needle 62 if the injection needle 62 is bent. The straightening unit is preferably configured to apply pressure laterally or perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the injection needle 62 to straighten the bending. In one embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the straightening unit is a thin tube straightening unit 25 made of a thin tube through which the injection needle 62 can pass smoothly. The diameter of the thin tube in the thin tube straightening unit is set to a size that allows the injection needle to pass smoothly and smoothly straightens the bending. For example, the diameter is preferably in the range of 4 / 3 to 2 times the thickness (diameter) of the injection needle, and more preferably in the range of 4 / 3 to 5 / 3. However, depending on the material of the injection needle, the diameter may be smaller than 4 / 3 or larger than 2 times. The thin tube is preferably made of a metal or other material that is equal to or harder than the injection needle, such as stainless steel.

[0027] If the injection needle 62 is bent, when the injection needle 62 passes through a tube with a small inner diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the injection needle, the outer periphery of the injection needle 62 comes into contact with the inner wall of the thin tube, and the bend is straightened as the injection needle 62 passes through. In other words, the bent portion of the injection needle 62 is forcibly deformed into a substantially straight shape by the entrance portion and inner wall of the thin tube as the injection needle 62 passes through. That is, the stress applied downward as the injection needle passes through the thin tube acts as a component force that presses the injection needle 62 from the side by the edge portion of the entrance portion of the thin tube and the inner wall of the thin tube, straightening the bend of the thin tube, and the bending of the injection needle 62 is straightened.

[0028] In the embodiments of the present invention shown in Figures 2, 4, 6, etc., the thin tube straightening section 25, 55 is linear, but the thin tube straightening section can also be smoothly curved. By making the thin tube straightening section curved, it is possible to shift the movement direction of the injection needle laterally, thereby expanding the range of design options, such as device miniaturization. The length of the thin tube straightening section 25 can be determined appropriately taking into account the diameter and material of the injection needle to be dissolved. For example, if the injection needle 62 is long, a relatively long thin tube straightening section of approximately 10 mm to 20 mm is preferable. However, if the injection needle has a relatively small or short diameter, a short length of approximately 1 mm to 7 mm can be used depending on the properties of the injection needle.

[0029] 2(b), the straightening guide 20 may be formed as an integral structure with the insertion guide 22, the holder insertion portion 24, and the thin tube straightening portion 25, or the insertion guide 22, the holder insertion portion 24, and the thin tube straightening portion 25 may be formed individually as separate bodies. Also, only the insertion guide 22 and the holder insertion portion 24 may be formed integrally, and the thin tube straightening portion 25 may be formed as a separate body.

[0030] The straightening guide 20 may be integrally formed in whole or in part, or the insertion guide 22, holder insertion portion 24, and thin tube straightening portion 25 may be formed separately, so that they can be attached interchangeably. This allows the attachment guide, which has a thin tube straightening portion with a different hole diameter or length, or the thin tube straightening portion to be replaced as needed to match the diameter and material of the injection needle 62 to be dissolved, and makes it possible to provide a dissolving device that can process different types of injection needles with a single device.

[0031] In this way, by making the insertion guide, holder insertion portion, and syringe introduction portion replaceable as a whole or individually, the injection needle insertion portion and thin tube straightening portion can be appropriately replaced depending on the length and diameter of the injection needle, the diameter, length, shape, etc. of the syringe holder, and injection needles of different diameters can be dissolved. In addition, deteriorated or damaged thin tube straightening portions, etc. can be easily replaced, making repairs and maintenance easier.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2(a), the lifting unit 30 has a lifting unit outer frame 31 and a slider unit 32, and the slider unit 32 is slidable up and down along the lifting unit outer frame 31. The insertion guide 22, the holder insertion unit 24, and the thin tube straightening unit 25 are fixed to or replaceably attached to a lifting floor plate 33 of the slider unit 32. The lifting floor plate 33 of the slider unit 32 is urged upward by a biasing member 36 such as a coil spring, and the slider unit 32 to which the insertion guide 22 is attached is pressed upward. As a result, before the syringe is inserted, the large opening 21 of the insertion guide 22 is stopped in abutting contact with and aligned with the opening 15 of the frame 11.

[0033] The fixed floor plate 35 of the lifting unit outer frame 31 has a through-hole 37 through which the injection needle 62 passes. Directly below the through-hole 37, a pair of electrodes 40 consisting of two electrodes 41, 42 extending laterally is provided. The two electrodes 41, 42 are spaced apart vertically and slightly offset horizontally. The vertical spacing corresponds to the length of the injection needle that will dissolve with a single current supply. The horizontal positions of the electrodes 41, 42 are offset vertically so that, as the injection needle 62 descends, the opposing sides of the injection needle 62 sequentially contact each other, facing each other. Each electrode 41, 42 is connected to a power supply capable of outputting a high current. After the injection needle contacts both electrodes 41, 42, a high current is applied to dissolve the injection needle. The vertical spacing between the two electrodes 41, 42 can be adjusted as needed to suit the diameter and material of the injection needle and the output capacity of the power supply.

[0034] When the injection needle 62 descends and comes into contact with both of the electrodes 41 and 42, the electrodes 41 and 42 are electrically connected via the injection needle. In this state, a large current is passed between the two electrodes 41 and 42 via the injection needle 62, thereby melting (dissolving) the injection needle 62. The timing at which the current is passed is controlled by the control unit. For example, the large current may be passed automatically immediately (e.g., 0.5 seconds later) after it is detected that the electrodes 41 and 42 are electrically connected by the injection needle 62, or the large current may be passed by manually turning on a switch after a lamp that detects that the electrodes 41 and 42 are electrically connected is lit.

[0035] The procedure for dissolving a syringe needle will be described using Figures 2 and 4. Figures 4(a) to 4(c) are schematic diagrams sequentially illustrating the procedure from movement of the syringe needle 62 to dissolution when the syringe 60 is pushed down after inserting the syringe needle 62 into the syringe needle dissolving device 10. When the used syringe needle 62 is inserted from the opening 15 while still attached to the syringe 60, the syringe needle 62 is guided into the holder insertion part 24 along the insertion guide 22 (see Figure 4(a)). At this time, even if the used syringe needle 62 is slightly bent, the tip of the syringe needle is guided into the holder insertion part 24 below by the conical insertion guide 22.

[0036] When the syringe 60 is further pressed downward, the injection needle 62 passes through the inside of the thin tube straightening section 25 and moves downward. In the example shown in each figure in this specification, the upper end of the thin tube straightening section 25 (the boundary with the holder insertion section 24) has a stepped shape, but the opening may have an inclined surface that gradually narrows downward so that the injection needle 62 can be easily guided into the thin tube straightening section 25. When the injection needle 62 is inserted into the thin tube straightening section 25, the bent injection needle 62 descends downward while being straightened as it passes through the thin tube straightening section 25 with a small inner diameter (see FIG. 4(b)). When the syringe holder 61 of the syringe 60 is inserted up to the holder insertion section 24, the injection needle 62 protrudes from the thin tube straightening section 25.

[0037] By pressing the syringe 60 further downward, the slider part 32 of the lifting part 30 is pressed downward via the holder insertion part 24, and the slider part 32 gradually descends against the biasing member 36. As a result, the tip of the injection needle 62 reaches and successively contacts the two electrodes 41, 42 (see FIG. 4(c)).

[0038] When a large current is passed between the electrodes 41 and 42 while the injection needle 62 is in contact with the two electrodes, the injection needle 62 melts at a high temperature, and the high temperature kills or sterilizes various viruses and pathogens attached to the injection needle 62. The time and interval for passing the current are preferably determined according to various conditions such as the vertical distance between the two electrodes, the material and diameter of the injection needle, and the speed at which it is moved downward (pushing speed), and the current is preferably passed intermittently at appropriate predetermined intervals.

[0039] In the present invention, a funnel-shaped insertion guide 22 is provided between the opening 15 and the holder insertion portion 24. Therefore, even if the injection needle 62 is bent, the injection needle 62 can be smoothly guided into the thin tube straightening portion 25 simply by inserting the syringe 60 toward the opening 15 and lowering it. Since the hole diameter of the thin tube straightening portion 25 is only slightly smaller than the diameter of the injection needle 62, even if the injection needle 62 is bent, it is straightened as it passes through the thin thin tube straightening portion 25 and lowers, and can come into contact with the electrodes 41, 42.

[0040] In this embodiment, the straight thin tube straightening section 25 is disposed vertically, and the pair of electrodes 41, 42 is disposed directly below the thin tube straightening section 25. However, the thin tube straightening section 25 may be disposed at an angle, and the pair of electrodes 41, 42 may be disposed in the extension direction of the tilted thin tube straightening section 25. Furthermore, instead of the straight thin tube straightening section 25, a gently curved thin tube straightening section may be provided, and the pair of electrodes 41, 42 may be disposed in the extension direction of the curved shape of the thin tube straightening section downstream of the thin tube straightening section.

[0041] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the shape and arrangement of a pair of electrodes 41, 42 spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction. As shown in Fig. 3, the electrodes may be cylindrical electrodes with a substantially circular cross section, or elliptical electrodes, but it is preferable to configure the cross section of the contact surfaces 41a, 42a with the injection needle 62 to be linear or curved with a large radius of curvature close to a straight line, as shown in Fig. 5, to increase the contact area with the injection needle.

[0042] In order to increase the contact pressure between the electrodes 41, 42 and the injection needle 62, as will be described later, the electrodes 41, 42 can be fixed to the device and the deflection of the injection needle 62 can be used to press the injection needle 62 against the electrodes 41, 42. Alternatively, as shown by an example surrounded by a dashed line in Fig. 5, the electrodes 41, 42 can be configured to be movable laterally and biased by a coil spring in a direction to move toward each other, so that the injection needle 62 is sandwiched between them and an elastic member presses the electrodes 41, 42 against the injection needle 62. In the following description, the cross-sectional shape of the contact surfaces between the electrodes 41, 42 and the injection needle 62 is not limited to the shape shown in Fig. 5, and the reference symbols 41a and 42a will be used to represent the contact surfaces regardless of whether the cross section of the contact surface is circular, curved, or linear.

[0043] The vertical separation distance L1 between the pair of electrodes 41 and 42 can be determined appropriately depending on the output capacity of the power supply, the material of the injection needle, the diameter of the injection needle, the output capacity of the power supply, the duration of current application, and other factors. For example, the electrodes can be spaced apart by approximately 0.5 mm to 10 mm, preferably approximately 1 mm to 5 mm, and more preferably approximately 1 mm to 2 mm. If an 8V power supply with an output of 200 W is used, setting the separation distance L1 to approximately 1 mm to 2 mm would enable the injection needle to melt in a short time by passing a current of approximately 25 A. The separation distance L1 can be further increased by further increasing the output capacity of the power supply and raising the voltage.

[0044] The horizontal separation distance between the electrodes 41 and 42 can be set to a distance smaller than the diameter of the injection needle 62, for example, about 3 / 4 or half the diameter of the injection needle, or even less. As shown in Figure 5, the electrodes 41 and 42 may be arranged so that their forefront positions overlap by a very small distance L2 (L2 in Figure 5 indicates the overlapping state).

[0045] The contact surfaces 41a, 42a of the electrodes 41, 42 that come into contact with the injection needle 62 may be parallel to the direction in which the injection needle descends (vertical direction). However, if the electrodes 41, 42 are not biased in the direction in which they contact each other and are fixed to the device, it is preferable that the contact surfaces 41a, 42a of the electrodes 41, 42 are slightly inclined (θ1, θ2) as shown in Figure 5. If the electrodes 41, 42 are fixed, it is desirable to utilize the elastic force of the injection needle so that the electrodes and the injection needle come into contact with each other at a constant contact pressure. For this reason, the electrodes 41, 42 are positioned slightly inside the trajectory of the injection needle 62.

[0046] As the injection needle 62 descends, it is slightly pushed laterally by the electrode 41 arranged in the track of the injection needle 62. As a result, the injection needle bends laterally and descends while sliding in contact with the contact surface 41a of the electrode 41. As the injection needle 62 descends further, it is pushed in the opposite direction by the electrode 42 below and bends, and descends while contacting and sliding with the contact surface 42a of the electrode 42.

[0047] In this way, when the injection needle 62 passes between the closely spaced electrodes 41 and 42 while being sandwiched between the electrodes 41 and 42 and slightly bending, it is preferable that the contact surfaces 41a and 42a are slightly inclined in the bending direction of the injection needle 62 so that the contact area between the injection needle 62 and the electrodes 41 and 42 increases. The inclination angles θ1 and θ2 are preferably inclined in the direction of deformation due to bending of the injection needle when the injection needle 62 comes into contact with both the electrodes 41 and 42, that is, in the direction (θ1) from the upper electrode 41 to the lower electrode 42 and in the direction (θ2) where the injection needle 62 moves further downward from the electrode 42. The inclination angles θ1 and θ2 are, for example, 0.5 degrees to 2.0 degrees. The angle range is a small range of about 10 degrees, and θ1 and θ2 may be the same tilt angle in the same direction.

[0048] One or both of the electrodes 41 and 42 may be mounted so as to be horizontally movable, and the electrodes 41 and 42 may be biased toward each other to sandwich the injection needle. Figure 5 shows an example of such a configuration, enclosed by dashed lines, in which the electrodes 41 and 42 are pulled toward the center by biasing members 47a and 47b, such as coil springs. The dashed lines indicate support members 45a and 45b fixed to the frame, and the end portions 41b and 42b of the support shafts of the electrodes 41 and 42 are inserted into elongated holes 46a and 46b provided in the support members 45a and 45b so as to be horizontally movable. One end of the biasing member (coil spring) 47a and 47b is fixed to the end portions 41b and 42b of the electrode support shafts, and the other end is fixed to the support members 45a and 45b.

[0049] With this configuration, the electrodes 41 and 42 are urged toward the center by the urging members 47a and 47b, and are drawn toward the center to the ends of the elongated holes 46a and 46b, and the elastic force of the urging members 47a and 47b presses the electrodes against the injection needle. In this configuration in which the electrodes 41 and 42 are biased to approach each other, the syringe needle does not bend, so there is no need to provide the inclination angles θ1 and θ2 on the contact surfaces 41a and 42a with the syringe needle 62, such as the electrodes 41 and 42 shown in FIG. 5. In this case, the syringe needle 62 does not bend. It is preferable that the contact surface is parallel to the direction of movement of the roller 2.

[0050] Because the contact surface 41a of the upper electrode 41 is positioned slightly inside the lowered position of the injection needle 62, when the injection needle 62 descends, the tip of the injection needle 62 descends while contacting the curved surface near the contact surface 41a of the upper electrode 41. At this time, the upper electrode 41 moves to the right in FIG. 5 against the biasing member 47a. As the injection needle descends further, because the lower electrode 42 is positioned slightly inside the lowered position of the injection needle 62, the tip of the injection needle 62 descends while contacting the curved surface near the contact surface 42a of the electrode 42. At this time, the lower electrode 42 moves to the left against the biasing member 47b. Therefore, the electrodes 41 and 42 are pressed against the injection needle 62 by the biasing members 47a and 47b, ensuring a reliable electrical connection.

[0051] When the electrodes 41, 42 are fixed, the upper and lower electrodes 41, 42 are arranged on the path along which the injection needle moves as it descends. Furthermore, the left-right distance between the contact surfaces 41a, 42a of the electrodes 41, 42 is smaller than the diameter of the injection needle 62. Therefore, after the injection needle 62 comes into contact with the upper electrode 41, it is pushed by the electrode 41 and bends slightly in one direction as it descends. Thereafter, when the tip of the injection needle 62 reaches the lower electrode 42, it slides down along the upper curved surface of the electrode 42. As a result, it is pushed in the opposite direction by the electrode 42 and descends in a bent state. When the electrodes 41, 42 are fixed, arranging the pair of electrodes in this way ensures contact pressure between the injection needle and the electrode due to the bending of the injection needle 62.

[0052] 3, 5, etc. show cylindrical electrodes 41, 42. Such electrodes 41, 42 are insulated from the surroundings to prevent leakage or discharge to other parts, and the electrode support shaft and support are made of carbon or other insulators. It is also preferable to provide reliable insulation to the capillary correction section, and it is desirable to insulate the holder insertion section and insertion guide as well. Hard resins can be used as insulating materials. Examples of electrode materials that can be used include beryllium-copper alloys, titanium, and other known materials.

[0053] Fig. 6 shows an embodiment in which the straightening guide 27, in which the insertion guide 22 and the holder insertion portion 24 are integrally formed, and the thin tube straightening portion 55 are separately replaceable. Fig. 6 shows an example of a configuration in which the straightening guide 27, in which only the thin tube straightening portion 55 is separated, and the thin tube straightening portion 55 are separately attached. However, a configuration in which the straightening guide 20, in which the insertion guide 22, the holder insertion portion 24, and the thin tube straightening portion 25 are entirely integrally formed, as shown in Fig. 2(b), can also be attached in an exchangeable manner.

[0054] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, a guide mounting part 34 is provided at the position of the through-hole in the lift-up floor plate 33 of the slider part 32, to which the thin tube straightening part 55 and the holder insertion part 24 of the straightening guide 27 can be interchangeably mounted. The guide mounting part 34 is provided with a thin straightening part mounting hole 18 into which the thin tube straightening part 55 is inserted and held, and a holder insertion part mounting hole 17 into which the holder insertion part is inserted and held. A stopper 38 is provided at the bottom of the straightening part mounting hole 18 to determine the lower end position of the thin tube straightening part 55.

[0055] By making the straightening guide 27 and the thin tube straightening part 55 replaceable in this way, when dissolving a syringe needle of a different diameter, it is possible to replace it with the corresponding type of thin tube straightening part 55 and use it.

[0056] Another embodiment of the injection needle dissolving device according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 7. In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, two pairs of clamping rollers 56, 57 are provided below the thin tube straightening unit 25, which are offset by an angle of 90 degrees from each other. These clamping rollers 56, 57 clamp the injection needle 62 between two rollers 56a, 56b and rotate the rollers to straighten the bend of the injection needle 62. As a result, the injection needle 62 is clamped by the upper set of first clamping rollers 56 (56a, 56b) to straighten the bend, and then clamped by the lower set of second rollers 57 (57a, 57b) which are 90 degrees apart to straighten the bend on the opposite side of the injection needle. The angle between the first clamping rollers and the second clamping rollers may be an angle other than 90°.

[0057] It is preferable that the two clamping rollers 56a, 56b and 57a, 57b constituting a pair of clamping rollers 56, 57 are pressed toward each other. The clamping rollers are rotatable, and may be configured to rotate due to friction between the injection needle and the roller surface when the injection needle is sandwiched and moves downward, or may be configured to rotate slowly using a motor to reduce friction on the roller surface. In this case, downward rotation is preferable, but upward rotation is also acceptable. The number of clamping rollers is not limited to two, and multiple pairs of clamping rollers with finer angle variations may be provided.

[0058] Further, with reference to Fig. 8, another embodiment of a pair of electrodes of a syringe needle dissolving device according to the present invention will be described. The pair of electrode units 50 (50a, 50b) in Fig. 8 are configured to be rotated by a gear 51 due to rotation of a motor (not shown), and the electrode unit 50 is rotated in a direction that moves the syringe needle 62 sandwiched between the electrodes 50a, 50b downward. The electrodes 50a, 50b and gears 51a, 51b are rotatably attached to support shafts 52a, 52b made of an electrically insulating material.

[0059] By rotating the pair of electrodes 50a, 50b in this manner, the descending injection needle 62 is sandwiched between the two electrodes 50a, 50b, allowing it to more reliably contact both electrodes. Furthermore, the electrodes 50a, 50b act to move the sandwiched injection needle 62 downward, making it easier to smoothly descend the injection needle 62 attached to the syringe 60 at a speed suitable for melting. A structure may be provided to press one or both of the electrodes 50a, 50b so that the electrodes 50a, 50b approach each other. Various known power sources can be used as the power supply. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 10 Syringe needle dissolving device 11 cases 12 Dustbin 15 Aperture 20,27 Orthodontic Guide 21 Large Opening 22 Insertion Guide 23 Small Opening 24 Holder insertion part 25,55 Correction section (thin tube correction section) 40,50 Pair of electrodes 62 Syringe needle 56, 57 Pair of clamping rollers

Claims

1. an insertion guide having a guide wall surface whose opening area gradually decreases from a large opening to a small opening and which is insulated; a holder insertion portion provided downstream of the small opening of the insertion guide and into which an injection needle holder holding an injection needle is inserted; and a correction section that is provided downstream of the holder insertion section and is insulated to correct bending of the injection needle; a pair of electrodes arranged downstream of the straightening unit with contact surfaces with the injection needle facing each other and spaced a predetermined distance apart in the direction of movement of the injection needle so that the two electrodes sandwich and sequentially contact the injection needle as it passes through the straightening unit and further moves; a current supply unit that supplies a dissolution current to the pair of electrodes connected via the injection needle; Equipped with The straightening unit is a thin tube straightening unit having a thin tube through which an injection needle can pass, and the injection needle guided from the holder insertion unit passes through the thin tube, thereby correcting the bend.

2. 2. The syringe needle dissolving device according to claim 1, wherein the thin tube of the straightening section is a thin tube having a straight or smoothly curved shape, and straightens the shape of the syringe needle that has been bent when the syringe needle is inserted and passed through.

3. 3. The syringe needle dissolving device according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the contact surfaces of the pair of electrodes in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the syringe needle is smaller than the diameter of the syringe needle.

4. 4. The syringe needle dissolving device according to claim 3, wherein a distance between the contact surfaces in a direction perpendicular to the syringe needle is less than zero.

5. 5. The injection needle dissolving device according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the pair of electrodes are biased in a direction to come into contact with the injection needle.

6. 6. The syringe needle dissolving device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of electrodes is a pair of rotating rollers.

7. 7. The syringe needle dissolving device according to claim 1, further comprising a guide mounting part to which the insertion guide, the thin tube straightening part and the holder insertion part are detachably mounted.

8. 8. The syringe needle dissolving device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pairs of upper and lower clamping rollers that rotate while clamping a bent syringe needle between the thin tube straightening unit and the pair of electrodes to straighten the syringe needle.

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