AU2006100149A4 - Multi-Compartment Packaging for Medical Implements - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT

APPLICANT:

NUMBER:

FILING DATE: INVENTION TITLE: Aaxis Pty Limited MULTI-COMPARTMENT PACKAGING FOR MEDICAL IMPLEMENTS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: O MULTI-COMPARTMENT PACKAGING FOR MEDICAL IMPLEMENTS Field of the Invention oo00 The invention relates to the area of packaging for medical implements and in particular to a packaging for the containment of medical implements in separate 01 compartments within a sterile packaging.

Whilst the invention can be applied to other industries where items must be provided in a sterilised manner such as the food and hospitality industry, for convenience sake it shall be described herein in terms of a packaging for medical implements.

Background to the Invention Previously, there have been various forms of packaging on the market for the packaging of medical products. Such packaging may be in the form of plastic trays or open pouches which can store single or multiple instruments and are generally used in the supply of non-sterilised reusable medical products. Once the products have been received by the hospital or clinic or the like, they must then be sterilized onsite prior to use.

Other packaging designed for the supply of sterilised medical products which may be reusable or disposable is in the form of a sterile pouch which is adapted to house medical instruments in a sterilised environment until ready for use. In cases, where multiple instruments are required, the instruments are typically packaged together in one sterile package. The disadvantage with using this type of packaging for multiple instruments is that, the instruments will often strike against one another within the packaging producing paint flakes from the coloured coding portions of the instruments and possibly causing damage to the instruments. Having a large number of instruments loosely stored within the sterile pouch also creates a risk of the instruments puncturing the packaging and compromising the sterility of the product.

In addition, it is often difficult to visualise all the instruments within the packaging without opening the packaging thus, making it hard for medical practitioners to readily identify what instruments have been provided and whether they have the correct instruments to perform a particular operation.

N Summary of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-compartment packaging for the containment of medical implements in separate compartments within a sterile 0 environment.

The present invention provides a multi-compartment packaging including a first layer, a second layer, and at least two compartments therein whereby the multicompartment packaging is adapted to provide a means for ensuring the sterility and _integrity of at least one medical implement kept therein.

INO

SIt is preferred that the first layer and second layer are substantially coextensive, having at least one longitudinal edge and/or at least one transverse edge, and are adapted to be joined together about said edges to form a sterile means for housing at least one medical implement.

It is preferred that the multi-compartment packaging further comprises a body portion which is defined by the at least one longitudinal and/or transverse edge(s) and includes at least two compartments therein.

It is preferred that the body portion of the packing is provided with at least one margin which is adapted to define the separation between adjacent compartments.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood we will describe by way of non-limiting example of a specific embodiment thereof.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows a top plan view of the multi-compartment packaging according a preferred embodiment of the invention.

N Description of an Embodiment of the Invention In this embodiment, the invention provides a multi-compartment packaging 1 for the containment of medical implements in separate compartments 9 within the packaging 0 1. The packaging 1 is adapted to maintain the implements in a sterile condition until it is opened. The packaging 1 includes a first layer 3 and a second layer 4 which are substantially coextensive and are adapted to be joined together about their edges to form a sterile means for housing medical implements. It is envisaged that the packaging may have provided multiple first and/or second layers as desired.

IN The first layer 3 preferably forms the top layer of the packaging and may be made of a transparent or semi-transparent material such as plastic or the like, to ensure that (-i the contents of the packaging can be readily visualised. The second layer 4 preferably forms the bottom layer of the packaging 1 and may be made of paper, foil or any other suitable material to provide stability and durability for the packaging 1.

The material used for the first 3 and/or second 4 layer may vary as desired so long as the material is able to be subjected to conventional sterilisation processes and meets the requirements of the invention as specified herein.

The packaging 1 has provided at least one longitudinal edge 5 and/or at least one transverse edge 6 which are adapted to form the side and/or perimeter of the packaging. The packaging 1 is preferably permanently or releasably sealed by sealing the first layer 3 and second layer 4 about the longitudinal edge(s) 5 and/or transverse edge(s) 6 and margin(s) 7 to form a packaging to contain at least one medical implement therein. The sealing is preferably carried out via heat and/or pressure sealing by conventional methods or can also be achieved via any other suitable method and/or process. The packaging 1 should be preferably sealed in a manner which allows it to be opened by peeling the first 3 and second 4 layer apart to release the adhesion between the layers 3, 4. There may preferably be provided a portion on at least one side, top and/or bottom which extends beyond the sealed edges 5, 6 where the two layers 3, 4 are separate to assist a user in peeling the layers 3, 4 apart.

Located between the longitudinal edge(s) 5 and the transverse edge(s) 6 is the body portion 8 of the packaging 1. The body portion 8 includes at least two compartments 9 such that the body portion 8 of the packaging 1 is divided into separate sections so that, each implement housed within the packaging 1 can be separated to avoid I contact with the next adjacent implement within the packaging 1 to prevent damage 0 Ssuch as flaking of the medical implements or breaking of the packaging. It is envisaged that the size and dimensions of the body portion 8, compartments 9, and the packaging 1 may vary as desired to suit different numbers and sizes of medical 0 implements to be stored therein.

Each compartment 9 of the packaging 1 is preferably separated by a margin which is adapted to define the separation between adjacent compartments 9. The margin 10 preferably extends longitudinally across a portion of the body portion 8 of _the packaging 1 and may have a prescribed length or a variable length which is Idetermined by the size of the medical implement to be held therein. It is envisaged that the thickness of the margin 10 may also vary so long as the thickness is sufficient to provide an adequate seal between each adjacent compartment 9. The seal is preferable provided by heat and/or pressure sealing conducted via conventional methods or any other suitable method and/or process.

It is envisaged that the margin 10 may extend longitudinally along the entire length of the packaging 1 such that each adjacent compartment is completely separated and sealed from the next. This provides a means of enabling a person to access a certain medical implement from a particular compartment 9 within the packaging 1 whereby, opening of that particular compartment 9 can be attained without breaching the integrity and sterility of other compartments 9 within the packaging 1.

It is further envisaged that the top edge 11 may have provided a reusable seal such as a press-lock seal which enables instruments to be removed from the top of packaging 1 only and allows the packaging to be re-usable upon re-sterilisation of the packaging 1 once the instruments have been washed and repackaged inside.

However, the preferred embodiment provides a single use packaging option which is particularly useful and time-saving for disposable instruments.

While we have described herein a particular embodiment of a multi-compartment packaging, it is further envisaged that other embodiments of the invention could exhibit any number and combination of any one of the features previously described.

However, it is to be understood that any variations and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (4)

1. A multi-compartment packaging including a first layer, a second layer, and at least two compartments therein whereby the multi-compartment packaging is 0 adapted to provide a means for ensuring the sterility and integrity of at least two medical implements kept therein.

2. A multi-compartment packaging as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first layer and second layer are substantially coextensive, having at least one longitudinal _edge and/or at least one transverse edge, and are adapted to be joined IN together about said edges to form a sterile means for housing at least two medical implements.

3. A multi-compartment packaging as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 which further comprises a body portion which is defined by said at least one longitudinal and/or transverse edge(s) and includes at least two compartments therein.

4. A multi-compartment packaging as claimed in claim 3 wherein the body portion of the packing is provided with at least one margin which is adapted to define the separation between adjacent compartments. A multi-compartment packaging as substantially described herein with reference to the above example. DATED: 28 February 2006 Aaxis Pty Limited By Its Patent Attorneys Actuate Intellectual Property