Container for surgical instruments and system including same

• US 9,545,459 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2012
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Ireland Unlimited Company (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Ireland Unlimited Company (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Scott, Kurt A., Moore, Kyle S., Sherman, Jason T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ackun, Jacob K
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAGAN, JENINE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US13/436,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20130256167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,753 Days
• Field of Search: 206/363, 206/370, 206/576, 206/320, 206/701, 220/360, 220/361, 220/366.1, 220/367.1, 220/373, 606/88, 606/90
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/154 for preparing bone for knee prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/005 with a lid or cover
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/0082 Rib-and-groove connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0807 Indication means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0813 Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable
• 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: A61F 2/389 Tibial components A61F2/3868 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4661 for measuring thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4666 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/26 Accessories or devices or components used for biocidal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/182 Rigid packaging means
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps

Abstract

A system for use in an orthopedic surgical procedure including a container for orthopedic surgical instruments. The container includes a first shell, and a second shell configured to be coupled to the first shell to define a chamber therein. The second shell is configured to be coupled to the first shell in a plurality of orientations including a first orientation in which fluid is permitted to advance into and out of the chamber, and a second orientation in fluid is prevented from advancing into and out of the chamber.

Claims

1. A container for surgical instruments, comprising:

a first shell,

a second shell configured to be coupled to the first shell to define a chamber therebetween, wherein the second shell is configured to be coupled to the first shell in a plurality of orientations including (i) a first orientation in which the first shell and the second shell cooperate to define a vent that permits fluid to advance into and out of the chamber, and (ii) a second orientation in which the first shell and the second shell cooperate to prevent fluid from advancing into and out of the chamber, and

an indicator configured to indicate a selected orientation of the plurality of orientations of the second shell relative to the first shell, the indicator including a first arrow defined in the first shell and a second arrow defined in the second shell, wherein the first arrow and the second arrow cooperate to define (i) a first arrow configuration in which the first arrow and the second arrow point in a first direction when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the first orientation, and (ii) a second arrow configuration in which the first arrow points in the first direction and the second arrow points in a second direction opposite the first direction when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the second orientation.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein:

a first passageway is defined in the first shell,

a second passageway is defined in the second shell, and

when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the first orientation, the first passageway is aligned with the second passageway to define the vent, and when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the second orientation, the first passageway is spaced apart from the second passageway.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein:

the first shell includes (i) a rim that defines an outward-facing opening, (ii) an inner wall that extends inwardly from the opening to define a compartment in the first shell, and (iii) an outer wall that extends from the rim opposite the inner wall, and

the first passageway is a channel defined in the rim that extends through the inner wall and the outer wall.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein the second shell includes an inner wall that is configured to engage the outer wall of the first shell when the second shell is coupled to the first shell, and the second passageway extends through the inner wall of the second shell.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein:

the first shell includes a flange extending outwardly from the outer wall,

the second shell includes a flange that is engaged with the flange of the first shell when the second shell is coupled to the first shell, and

the second passageway is a channel extending through the inner wall and the flange of the second shell.

6. The container of claim 3, wherein:

the compartment of the first shell is a first compartment,

the second shell includes (i) a rim that defines an outward-facing opening, and (ii) an inner wall that extends inwardly from the opening to define a second compartment in the second shell, and

when the second shell is coupled to the first shell, (i) the inner wall of the second shell engages the outer wall of the first shell, and (ii) the first compartment and the second compartment cooperate to define the chamber.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the first orientation, the first shell and the second shell cooperate to define a receptacle sized to receive a first orthopaedic surgical instrument of the orthopaedic surgical instruments.

8. The container of claim 7, wherein when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the first orientation, the first shell and the second shell cooperate to define a second receptacle sized to receive a second orthopaedic surgical instrument of the orthopaedic surgical instruments.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the vent defined by the first shell and the second shell when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the first orientation is a plurality of vents that permit fluid to advance into and out of the chamber.

10. A system for use in an orthopaedic surgical procedure, comprising:

an orthopaedic surgical instrument having a first side and a second side,

a first shell defining a first slot sized to receive the first side of the orthopaedic surgical instrument, and

a second shell configured to be coupled to the first shell, the second shell defining a second slot sized to receive the second side of the orthopaedic surgical instrument,

wherein the second shell is configured to be coupled to the first shell in a plurality of orientations including a first orientation in which (i) the first slot and the second slot cooperate to define a receptacle sized to receive the orthopaedic surgical instrument and (ii) fluid is permitted to advance into and out of the receptacle, and

wherein when the orthopaedic surgical instrument is received in the first slot of the first shell and the second shell is in a second orientation of the plurality of orientations, the second shell is configured to engage the orthopaedic surgical instrument such that the second shell is prevented from being coupled to the first shell in the second orientation.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first shell includes (i) a rim that defines an outward-facing opening and (ii) an inner wall that extends inwardly from the opening to a base wall, and the inner wall and the base wall define a compartment in the first shell that includes the first slot.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first slot of the first shell includes:

a first end defined by (i) a first inner surface of the first shell located in an imaginary plane positioned between the rim and the base wall, and (ii) a curved surface extending upwardly from the first inner surface, and

a second end defined by (i) a second inner surface located in a second imaginary plane positioned between the rim and the base wall, the second inner surface extending parallel to the first inner surface, (ii) a third inner surface located in a third imaginary plane positioned between the rim and the second imaginary plane, and (iii) a fourth inner surface extending obliquely between the second inner surface and the third inner surface.

13. The system of claim of claim 12, wherein the second shell includes (i) a rim that defines an outward-facing opening and (ii) an inner wall that extends inwardly from the opening to a base wall, and the inner wall and the base wall define a compartment in the second shell that includes the second slot.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second slot of the second shell includes:

a first end defined by a first inner surface of the second shell, the first inner surface being located in a fourth imaginary plane positioned between the rim and the base wall of the second shell, and

a second end defined by (i) a second inner surface of the second shell, the second inner surface of the second shell being located in a fifth imaginary plane positioned between the rim and the base wall of the second shell, (ii) a third inner surface of the second shell, the third inner surface being located in a sixth imaginary plane positioned between the rim of the second shell and the fifth imaginary plane, and (iii) a fourth inner surface of the second shell extending obliquely between the second inner surface and the third inner surface of the second shell.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the first orientation, the first end of the first slot of the first shell and the first end of the second slot of the second shell are aligned to define a first end of the receptacle, and the second end of the first slot and the second end of the second slot are aligned to define a second end of the receptacle, and

when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the second orientation, the first end of the first slot is aligned with the second end of the second slot.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising a second orthopaedic surgical instrument, wherein when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the second orientation, the first shell and the second shell cooperate to define a second receptacle sized to receive the second orthopaedic surgical instrument.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the second orientation, fluid is prevented from advancing into and out of the second receptacle.

18. A system for use in an orthopaedic surgical procedure, comprising:

a first orthopaedic surgical instrument,

a second orthopaedic surgical instrument, and

a container comprising;

a first shell including (i) a rim that defines an outward-facing opening, (ii) an inner wall that extends inwardly from the opening to a base wall, the inner wall and the base wall defining a first compartment, and (iii) an outer wall that extends from the rim opposite the inner wall, and

a second shell configured to be coupled to the first shell in a plurality of orientations, the second shell including (i) a rim that defines an outward-facing opening, and (ii) an inner wall that extends inwardly from the opening to a base wall, the inner wall and the base wall of the second shell defining a second compartment,

wherein when the second shell is coupled to the first shell, (i) the inner wall of the second shell engages the outer wall of the first shell, and (ii) the first compartment and the second compartment cooperate to define a chamber in the container, and

wherein the plurality of orientations include (i) a first orientation in which fluid is permitted to advance into and out of the chamber and the chamber includes a first receptacle sized to receive the first orthopaedic surgical instrument, and (ii) a second orientation in which fluid is prevented from advancing into and out of the chamber and the chamber includes a second receptacle sized to receive the second orthopaedic surgical instrument.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the first shell includes a first passageway that extends through the inner wall and the outer wall of the first shell,

when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the first orientation, the first passageway is aligned with a second passageway of the second shell to permit fluid to advance into and out of the chamber, and

when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the second orientation, the first passageway is spaced apart from the second passageway to prevent fluid from advancing into and out of the chamber.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the inner wall of the second shell is positioned over the first passageway of the first shell when the second shell is coupled to the first shell in the second orientation.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the first passageway includes a first channel defined in the rim of the first shell, and

the second passageway includes a second channel defined in the second shell.