Protective packaging unit
AssigneeDePuy Orthopaedics, Inc.
InventorLawrence B. Nicolais
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is provided for protectively packaging sterilizable materials. A product to be packaged is placed within a semi-rigid, foldable packaging tray to form a package insert. The package insert is then placed within a heat-sealable container, such as a polymeric film envelope. Vacuum force is applied to evacuate the vacuum sealable container and to seal the packaging insert within the vacuum sealable container. The vacuum sealed container may then be placed within an outer, flexible packaging container and heat sealed therein. The entire package is generally sterilized after heat sealing within the outer, flexible package.
Claims15
A method of packaging a sterilizable solid medical object, comprising the steps of:
- providing a semi-rigid, polymeric foam packaging tray having a flange portion defining a top surface of the packaging tray in which is formed a preexisting nest area with a predetermined shape generally resembling the shape of a solid medical object to be packaged;
- placing the medical object to be packaged within the nest area of the packaging tray to form a package insert, such that the entirety of the medical object is recessed below a plane of the top surface of the packaging tray;
- placing the package insert within a flexible, vacuum sealable container having at least one opening therein;
- and
- applying a vacuum force to the vacuum sealable container and simultaneously sealing the at least one opening to yield a vacuum sealed container, the vacuum force being effective to draw the vacuum sealable container into close conformity with the package insert.
A sterilization packaging unit, comprising:
- a semi-rigid, polymeric foam packaging tray having a flange portion defining a top surface of the packaging tray in which is formed at least one preexisting nest area having a predetermined shape generally resembling the shape of a solid medical object to be packaged;
- a sterilizable, solid medical object to be packaged disposed within each of the at least one nest areas such that the entirety of the medical object is recessed below a plane of the top surface of the packaging tray;
- and
- a vacuum sealed flexible container fabric enveloping the packaging tray in close conformity to the packaging tray.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.