Transportation Container for a Medical Device

• US 20180110580A1
• Filed: 04/28/2016
• Published: 04/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keymed Medical & Industrial Equipment, Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Keymed Medical & Industrial Equipment, Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Hynes, John
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00144 Hygienic packaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/0071 Draw-strings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/3011 having carrying handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/314 Flexible bags or pouches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/701 for flexible tubular instruments, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/36 for collecting or disposing of used articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/002 Packages specially adapted therefor combined with means for introducing catheters, e.g. dispensers, A61M25/0113; catheter kit packages for surgical articles A61B50/30

Abstract

A container for carrying a medical instrument such as an endoscope after use and before cleaning, comprises a perimeter wall having a height h and defining an enclosure with a diameter d. The perimeter wall is substantially rigid in the height dimension. A flexible base and a flexible cover are attached to the wall. The wall is compressible to a reduced diameter configuration for storage and expandable to an increased diameter configuration for use. The wall may comprise a series of adjacent panels foldable concertina-style to reduce the diameter.

Claims

1. A container for carrying a medical instrument, comprising a perimeter wall having a height and defining an enclosure with a diameter, wherein the perimeter wall is substantially rigid in its height dimension, a flexible base attached to an interior surface of the wall for receiving a medical device, and an openable and closeable flexible cover attached to the wall, wherein the wall is compressible into a reduced diameter configuration for storage and expandable into an increased diameter configuration for receiving a medical device, and wherein in the expanded configuration a lowermost edge of the perimeter wall extends lower than the flexible base.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the perimeter wall comprises a plurality of adjacent panels with fold lines therebetween.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the panels are folded concertina-style.

4. A container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the perimeter wall comprises two panels joined at their ends by fold lines.

5. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base, or the cover, or both, comprise a thin flexible sheet.

6. A container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cover comprises a substantially annular sheet with first and second circular edges, wherein the first circular edge is secured to the perimeter wall and the second circular edge is free and provided with closure means.

7. A container as claimed in claim 6, wherein the closure means comprises a drawstring arranged in the free edge of the cover.

8. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the perimeter wall defines two or more apertures for receiving a user'"'"'s fingers to facilitate carrying the container.

9. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the perimeter wall is formed of corrugated cardboard.

10. A container as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fluid absorbent sheet located within the container.