Breathable, sterilizable receptacles for storing articles in sterile condition

• US 4,270,658 A
• Filed: 10/22/1979
• Issued: 06/02/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samuel J. Schuster
• Original Assignee: Samuel J. Schuster
• Inventors: Schuster, Samuel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dixon, Jr., William R.
• Application Number:
  US06/087,053
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 206/439, 206/484.1, 428/138, 428/513, 428/35, 428/36
• US Class Current: 206/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/314 Flexible bags or pouches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/316 double- or multiple-walled
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/18 longitudinally
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 1/00 Layered products having a non-planar shape
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/31 Heat sealable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2439/80 Medical packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/10 of paper or cardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/06 permitting easy separation
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 31/02 with laminated walls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1307 Bag or tubular film [e.g., pouch, flexible food casing, envelope, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1334 Nonself-supporting tubular film or bag [e.g., pouch, envelope, packet, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 including nonapertured component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24661 Forming, or cooperating to form cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31902 Monoethylenically unsaturated

Abstract

Disposable receptacles for storing articles in sterile condition and having small breathers integral with the walls thereof, as well as apparatus and methods for making such receptacles and the materials therefor, are disclosed. The receptacles are fabricated of a pre-laminated material comprising a layer of breathable barrier material such as paper and a layer of thermoplastic, polymeric material such as polyethylene.

The breathers may be made by heat sealing the thermoplastic layers of a pair of laminated sheets together at small, selected areas and then separating the sheets causing localized delamination of the layers and the formation of ruptured, blister-like projections in the thermoplastic layers at the heat seal positions.

Claims

1. A receptacle for storing an article in sterile condition comprising a pair of opposed walls joined about a portion of their peripheries, at least one of the walls comprising a laminated wall including an outer layer of a material impermeable to microorganisms but highly permeable to sterilizing vapor and an inner layer of polymeric material, at least a portion of the laminated wall having breathers for the introduction and removal of sterilizing vapor, each breather comprising a discrete, delaminated portion of the wall, the delaminated portion of the inner layer comprising a ruptured, blister-like projection.

2. A receptacle, as defined in claim 1, in which the laminated wall comprises paper coated with a film of a heat sealable thermoplastic.

3. A receptacle for storing an article in sterile condition comprising a pair of opposed walls joined about a portion of their peripheries, at least one of the walls comprising a laminated wall including an outer layer of a material impermeable to microorganisms but highly permeable to sterilizing vapor and an inner layer of polymeric material, portions of the wall being delaminated at selected positions to define discrete breathers for the introduction and removal of sterilizing vapor, the delaminated portion of the inner layer at each breather position having ruptures substantially smaller in area than the corresponding delaminated portion of the outer layer.

4. A receptacle, as defined in claim 3, in which the laminated wall comprises paper coated with a film of a heat sealable thermoplastic.

5. A laminate for use in medical packaging or the like comprising a first layer of a material impermeable to microorganisms but highly permeable to sterilizing vapor and a second layer of a polymeric material, said laminate including breathers for allowing the passage of sterilizing vapor, each breather being defined by a discrete, delaminated portion of the wall, the delaminated portion of the second layer comprising a ruptured, blister-like projection.

6. A laminate, as defined in claim 5, in which the ruptures in each delaminated portion of the second layer are substantially smaller in area than the corresponding delaminated portion of the first layer.

7. A laminate, as defined in either of claims 5 or 6, in which the laminate comprises paper coated with a film of a heat sealable thermoplastic.