# US 11,433,156 B2 · Instrument cassette for handling instruments > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,433,156 B2 - Document ID: US11433156B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/630,230 - Filed: 2018-07-05 - Published: 2020-04-30 - Granted: 2022-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-12 - Applicants: Lm-Instruments Oy - Inventors: Kari Lehtonen; Gaius Voltti - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11433156B2 ## CPC - A61C 19/02: Protective casings, e.g. boxes for instruments; Bags {(A61C5/44 takes precedence)} - A61L 12/00: Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising contact lenses; Accessories therefor - A61B 50/20: Holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments (drapes with means to hold surgical instruments A61B46/23; for catheters A61M25/02) - A61B 50/22: Racks - A61B 50/30: Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments (for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40) - A61B 50/33: Trays - A61B 50/34: Baskets - A61L 2/07: Steam - A61L 2/26: Accessories - A61L 2103/15: Laboratory, medical or dentistry appliances, e.g. catheters or sharps - A61L 2202/182: Rigid packaging means - A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00) - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An instrument cassette (100) for handling instruments (111) comprises support structures (101) for mechanically supporting the instruments (111), and a shielding structure (102, 103) for containing operational portions (112) of the instruments (111) so that a risk of unintentional touching the operational portions (112) is reduced. At least one wall (104) of the shielding structure (103) comprises channels (105) for allowing liquid and gaseous substances to flow through the wall. The substances may comprise for example hot vapor used in an autoclaving sterilization process. The channels (105) are shaped to prevent the operational portions (112) of the instruments (111) from protruding through the wall (104) via the channels (105). Thus, there is no need for a high number of very small channels which may be difficult to manufacture in a cost effective way. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An instrument cassette for handing instruments, the instrument cassette comprising: support structures for mechanically supporting the instruments, and at least one shielding structure for containing operational portions of the instruments and for reducing a risk of unintentional touching the operational portions of the instruments, wherein at least one wall of the shielding structure comprises channels for allowing liquid and gaseous substances to flow through the wall, characterized in that the channels are shaped so that a straight and unbending round rod having a diameter more than 1.5 mm is incapable of penetrating the wall via the channels when the straight and unbending round rod is perpendicular to a geometric plane parallel with the wall so as to prevent the operational portions of the instruments from protruding through the wall via the channels, and a bendable round rod having a diameter more than 1.5 mm is capable of penetrating the wall via the channels so as to provide cross-sectional flow area for the liquid and gaseous substances. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An instrument cassette according to claim 1, wherein the channels are inclined with respect to a geometric line perpendicular to the wall so that the channels are directed slantingly away from the support structures so as to prevent the operational portions of the instruments from protruding through the wall via the channels. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An instrument cassette according to claim 2, wherein an angle by which the channels, are inclined with respect to the geometric line is at least 30 degrees and at most 70 degrees. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An instrument cassette according to claim 1, wherein each of the channels has an oblong profile when viewed along a geometric line perpendicular to the wall. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An instrument cassette according to claim 1, wherein the wall comprising the channels is a bottom of the shielding structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An instrument cassette according to claim 1, wherein the instrument cassette further comprises a cover element for covering a room for containing the operational portions of the instruments so as to further reduce the risk of unintentional touching the operational portions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) An instrument cassette according to claim 6, wherein the cover element comprises channels for allowing liquid and gaseous substances to flow through the cover element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An instrument cassette according to claim 7, wherein the channels of the cover element are shaped so that a straight and unbending round rod having a diameter more than 1.5 mm is incapable of penetrating the cover element via the channels of the cover element when the straight and unbending round rod is perpendicular to a geometric plane parallel with the cover element so as to prevent the operational portions of the instruments from protruding through the cover element via the channels of the cover element; and, a bendable round rod having a diameter more than 1.5 mm is capable of penetrating the cover element via the channels of the cover element so as to provide cross-sectional flow area for the liquid and gaseous substances. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An instrument cassette according to claim 8, wherein the channels of the cover element are inclined with respect to a geometric plane parallel with the cover element so that, when the cover element is covering the room for containing the operational portions of the instruments, the channels of the cover element are directed slantingly away from the support structures so as to prevent the operational portions of the instruments from protruding through the cover element, via the channels of the cover element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An instrument cassette according to claim 1, wherein material of the instrument cassette comprises polyphenylene sulfide “PPS”. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) An instrument cassette according to claim 2, wherein each of the channels has an oblong profile when viewed along a geometric line perpendicular to the wall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) An instrument cassette according to claim 3, wherein each of the channels has an oblong profile when viewed along a geometric line perpendicular to the wall. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) An instrument cassette according to claim 2, wherein, the wall comprising the channels is a bottom of the shielding structure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 3) An instrument cassette according to claim 3, wherein the wall comprising the channels is a bottom of the shielding structure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 4) An instrument cassette according to claim 4, wherein the wall comprising the channels is a bottom of the shielding structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) An instrument cassette according to claim 2, wherein the instrument cassette further comprises a cover element for covering a room for containing the operational portions of the instruments so as to further reduce the rids of unintentional touching the operational portions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 3) An instrument, cassette according to claim 3, wherein the instrument cassette further comprises a cover element for covering a room for containing the operational portions of the instruments so as to further reduce the risk of unintentional touching the operational portions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 4) An instrument cassette according to claim 4, wherein the instrument cassette further comprises a cover element for covering a room for containing the operational portions of the instruments so as to further reduce the risk of unintentional touching the operational portions. ### Claim 19 (depends on 5) An instrument cassette according to claim 5, wherein the instrument cassette further comprises a cover element for covering a room for containing the operational portions of the instruments so as to further reduce the risk of unintentional touching the operational portions.