Sharps Bin

thingiverse

This is a sharps bin that was conceived to aid in developing nations around the world. Bloodborne pathogens are often spread through shared and "recycled" needles. This design would help to reduce the spread of disease by providing an inexpensive, reproducible receptacle for medical facilities to dispose of used needles. The design utilizes a two piece construction - the main component being the bin, the second being an insert to help prevent the extraction of used needles from the bin. The reason for the insert is to allow for the "fingers" to be printed in a direction conducive to flexing. Other design features restrict the orientation in which the bin can be printed, and if printed as a single unit, the "fingers" would be printed as tiny rings. The many layers of rings would cause the "fingers" be brittle and prone to breaking from the insertion of needles. Another design feature is a sloped bottom within the container to maximize the number of needles that could fit inside. With a conventional "box" shape, needles have the potential to cross and stack irregularly. The sloped bottom allows needles to settle in a more organized fashion, reducing wasted space. The top of the bin is sloped in order to facilitate hassle free printing of the overhang. The slope of the top was designed to be the minimum angle required to maintain printability while maximizing volume. Instructions Print both files using support material only on sharps_bin_insert.stl Remove support material from sharps_bin_insert.stl Assemble the two pieces by snapping the insert into the hole of the container