MEDICAL IMPLANT PACKAGE

• US 20090065376A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zimmer Dental Inc. (Zimvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Zimmer Dental Inc. (Zimvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gervais, Christopher M., Donahoe, Ryan M., Day, Thomas H., Meyer, Nathan J., Murillo, Fred
• Granted Patent: US 7,770,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/63.500
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/0056 about a lateral axis in the lid plane
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/20 Holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments drapes with means to hold surgical instruments A61B46/23; for catheters A61M25/02
• 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: A61C 8/0087 Means for sterile storage or manipulation of dental implants

Abstract

A medical implant package including a vial and a cap connected by a hinge. The vial includes a cavity for housing at least a portion of a dental implant. To access the implant, the cap is rotated about the hinge from a closed position to an open position. The cap defines a second cavity, separate from the vial cavity, sized to contain a healing screw. In one embodiment, the cap includes two portions connected by a living hinge which define the second cavity. The two cap portions, when moved relative to each other via the living hinge, permit access to the healing screw. In an alternative embodiment, the cap includes two retention members sized and configured to grip the healing screw. To remove the healing screw from the cap, the two retention members are displaced apart from each other by engaging them with a wedge extending from the vial.

Claims

1. A dental implant package for holding a dental implant comprising:

a container having a first contact surface; and

a cap having a second contact surface, said cap and said container defining a cavity configured for holding said dental implant, said implant being held between said first and second contact surfaces, said first end of said dental implant abutting said first contact surface, said second end abutting said second contact surface.

2. The dental implant package of claim 1 being configured to contact the implant only at the first and second contact surfaces.

3. The dental implant package of claim 1 wherein the cap comprises a plug defining said second contact surface.

4. The dental implant package of claim 3 wherein the cap defines a cavity shaped for receiving a healing screw alternatively to the plug, the plug extending over the cavity when the plug is assembled on the cap.

5. The dental implant package of claim 3 wherein the cap further comprises a resilient portion for holding the plug.

6. The dental implant package of claim 5 wherein the resilient portion defines a slot for receiving the plug.

7. The dental implant package of claim 5 wherein said plug comprises a shaft with a widened head defining the second contact surface, and an annular rim extending around the perimeter of the shaft, wherein the head and rim define a gap therebetween for receiving the resilient portion.

8. The dental implant package of claim 3 wherein the cap is configured so that the cap only contacts the implant at the plug.

9. The dental implant package of claim 1 further comprising a sleeve in said container for receiving the implant, said sleeve defining said first contact surface.

10. The dental implant package of claim 9 further comprising a plug disposed at said sleeve, and wherein the plug defines the first contact surface.

11. The dental implant package of claim 10 wherein said plug further comprises a recess, and wherein said recess defines said first contact surface.

12. The dental implant package of claim 10 wherein the sleeve only contacts the implant at the plug.

13. The dental implant package of claim 1 wherein the cap is further configured to receive a resilient bearing member, said resilient bearing member comprising said second contact surface

14. In combination:

a dental implant having a first end and a second end; and

a dental implant package assembly, comprising;

a container having a first contact surface; and

a cap having a second contact surface, said cap and said container defining a cavity containing said dental implant, said implant held between said first and second contact surfaces, said first end of said dental implant abutting said first contact surface, said second end abutting said second contact surface.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein at least one of the cap and the container comprise a plug for forming at least one of the first and second contact surfaces.

16. The combination of claim 15 wherein both the cap and the container comprise a plug, and wherein the dental implant package is configured so that the dental implant package only contacts the implant at the plugs.

17. The combination of claim 14 wherein the implant has a coronal end surface, and a distal end, and wherein the dental implant package only contacts the implant at the coronal end surface and the distal end.

18. The combination of claim 14 wherein the second contact surface is substantially flat and the first contact surface is recessed.

19. In combination:

a dental implant package comprising;

a dental implant having first and second ends, and

a container having a first contact surface and a cap having a second contact surface, said cap and said container defining a cavity containing said dental implant wherein said first end of said dental implant abuts said first contact surface and said second end of said dental implant abuts said second contact surface, said cap further defining a cavity configured to alternatively receive a plug and a healing screw;

an outer vial having a vial cavity configured to receive at least a portion of said dental implant package;

an outer cap removably mounted on the outer vial; and

an outer container having a base portion hingedly connected to a lid portion and being configured to receive the outer vial and outer cap.