Package

• US 20040112781A1
• Filed: 06/12/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Astra Tech AB
• Original Assignee: Astra Tech AB
• Inventors: Hofverberg, Niklas, Wendel, Mats
• Application Number:
  US10/363,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20040112781A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/438
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0087 Means for sterile storage or manipulation of dental implants
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/10 Devices to locate articles in containers for protecting articles from mechanical damage B65D81/02

Abstract

The invention relates to a package (1) for a device (2), particularly an implant. The package (1) comprises a protective housing (3) and a device holder (4) arranged to support the device (2). The device holder (4) is connected to the protective housing (3) for movement in relation thereto between a device storage position and a device removal position. The package (1) is further provided with guide means (5) defining a predetermined path (6) for said movement of the device holder (4) in relation to said protective housing (3), said predetermined path (6) being arranged so that the device (2), when supported by the device holder (4), is kept apart from the protective housing (3).

Claims

1. A package (1) for a device (2), particularly an implant, comprising a protective housing (3), characterised by a device holder (4) arranged to support the device (2) and connected to said protective housing (3) for movement in relation thereto between a device storage position, in which said device is protected by the protective housing, and a device removal position;

and guide means (5) defining a predetermined path (6) for said movement of the device holder (4) in relation to said protective housing (3), said predetermined path (6) being arranged so that the device (2), when supported by the device holder (4), is kept apart from the protective housing (3).

2. A package (1) according to claim 1, wherein said device removal position is a position in which the device (2), when supported by the device holder (4), is located completely outside the protective housing (3).

3. A package (1) according to claim 1, wherein said device removal position is a position in which the device (2), when supported by device holder (4), is located partly outside the protective housing (3).

4. A package (1) according to claim 3, wherein said device removal position is a position in which a major part of the device (2), when supported by the device holder (4), is located outside the protective housing (3).

5. A package (1) according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein said device removal position is a position in which the device holder (4) is at least partly located outside the protective housing (3) as seen in the direction of said movement.

6. A package (1) according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein said device removal position is a position in which the device holder (4) extends from the protective housing (3) so that the device (2) is accessible in the device holder (4).

7. A package (1) according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the protective housing (3) is provided with an opening which extends (9) transversely to said predetermined path (6) and through which opening (9) the device holder (4) is movable between said device storage position and said device removal position.

8. A package according to claim 7, wherein said protective housing (3) has an elongated shape with a short end presenting said opening (9).

9. A package (1) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein said protective housing (3) has an elongated shape and said predetermined path (6) is directed essentially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the protective housing (3).

10. A package (1) according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein said movement of the device holder (4) is a sliding movement.

11. A package (1) according to claim 10, wherein said guide means (5) comprise a slide track (8) and a slide member (7) movable along said slide track (8).

12. A package (1) according to claim 11, wherein adjacent portions of the protective housing(3) and the device holder (4), respectively, have complementary shapes forming said slide member (7) and said slide track (8) or vice versa.

13. A package (1) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the slide track (8) is arranged on the protective housing (3) and the slide member (7) is arranged on the device holder (4).

14. A package (1) according to any one of claims 1-13, wherein the protective housing (1) forms an outer wall (10) of the package (1), and wherein the device holder (4) is provided adjacent to said outer wall (10), so that the device (2), when supported by the device holder (4), is protected by said outer wall (10) when the device holder (4) is in the device storage position.

15. A package (1) according to any one of claims 1-13, wherein, when the device holder (4) is in said device storage position, the package (1) has an outer wall (10), the protective housing (3) comprises a first wall part (10′

), and the device holder (4) comprises a second wall part (10″

), such that the first wall part (10′

) and the second wall part (10″

) together form said outer wall (10) for protecting the device (2) when the device holder (4) is in said device storage position.

16. A package (1) according to claim 15, wherein, when the device holder (4) is in the storage position, the package (1) has the outer wall (10) presenting four side walls, the protective housing (3) comprises the first wall part (10′

) having three side walls, and the device holder (4) comprises the second wall part (10″

) having one side wall, such that the first wall part (10′

) and the second wall part (10″

) together form said outer wall (10) having four side walls for protecting the device (2) when the device holder (4) is in the device storage position.

17. A package (1) according to any one of claims 1-16, wherein at least one of the protective housing (3) and the device holder (4) is provided with gripping means (11) for facilitating said movement of the device holder (4).

18. A package (1) according to any one of claims 1-17, wherein the protective housing (3) is provided with an access opening in which a part of the device (2), when supported by the device holder (4), is accessible when the device holder (4) is in said device storage position.

19. A package (1) according to any one of claims 1-18, wherein the device holder (4) is arranged to support the device (2) from a generally transverse direction relative to a longitudinal direction of the device (2).

20. A package (1) according to any one of claims 1-19, further comprising locking means (13) arranged to prevent unintentional movement of the device holder (4) from said device storage position.

21. A package (1) according to any one of claims 1-20, further comprising locking means (13) arranged to prevent separation of the device holder (4) from the protective housing (3).

22. A package (1) according to claim 20 or 21, wherein said locking means (13) are mechanical locking means.

23. A package (1) according to claim 20 or 21, wherein said locking means (13) are frictionally enhancing means.

24. A package (1) according to claims 20 or 21, wherein said locking means (13) are snap lock means.

25. A package (1) according to any of the preceding claims in combination with a device (2) supported by the device holder (4).