Receptacle for receiving articles for storage in sterilized condition
First Claim
1. A receptacle for receiving articles for storage in sterilized condition, the receptacle being closed except for an opening for inserting the article, the receptacle comprising facing walls of material impermeable to both sterilizing vapor and microorganisms, and a substantially flat membrane impermeable to microorganisms but highly permeable to sterilizing vapor, the membrane being disposed between the facing walls in parallel relationship thereto, a portion of one surface of the membrane being bonded to at least one of the walls, the membrane being operatively associated with the walls to transfer sterilizing vapor to and from the interior of the receptacle along a path that traverses the surfaces of said membrane following insertion of the article and sealing of the opening by bonding a portion of the other side surface of the membrane to the other wall.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A receptacle for medical articles or the like is disclosed and includes confronting walls of impermeable, polymeric films portions of which sandwich a membrane impermeable to bacteria and other microorganisms but comparatively highly permeable to sterilizing vapor. The membrane is bonded to the receptacle walls so as to define with the walls a tortuous path aiding in the prevention of entry of contaminating microorganisms. The entire membrane is interposed between the walls so that virtually all surfaces of the membrane are protected against contamination. Various wall-to-membrane sealing configurations are disclosed.
47 Citations
29 Claims
- 1. A receptacle for receiving articles for storage in sterilized condition, the receptacle being closed except for an opening for inserting the article, the receptacle comprising facing walls of material impermeable to both sterilizing vapor and microorganisms, and a substantially flat membrane impermeable to microorganisms but highly permeable to sterilizing vapor, the membrane being disposed between the facing walls in parallel relationship thereto, a portion of one surface of the membrane being bonded to at least one of the walls, the membrane being operatively associated with the walls to transfer sterilizing vapor to and from the interior of the receptacle along a path that traverses the surfaces of said membrane following insertion of the article and sealing of the opening by bonding a portion of the other side surface of the membrane to the other wall.
- 8. A receptacle for receiving articles for storage in sterilized condition, the receptacle having a periphery and an opening along the periphery for inserting the article, the remainder of the periphery being sealed, the receptacle comprising facing walls of material impermeable to both sterilizing vapor and microorganisms and a substantially flat membrane impermeable to microorganisms but highly permeable to sterilizing vapor, the membrane forming a portion of the closure of the receptacle, substantially the entire membrane being disposed between the facing walls in parallel relationship thereto, a portion of one side of the membrane being sealingly bonded to one of the walls and a portion of the other side surface of membrane being sealingly bonded to the other of the walls, the membrane being operatively associated with the walls to transfer sterilizing vapor to and from the interior of the receptacle along a path that traverse the side surfaces of said membrane following insertion of the article and sealing of the receptacle opening.
- 13. A receptacle for receiving articles for storage in sterilized condition, said receptacle having opposed, longitudinal edge portions and opposed, transverse ends and including a pair of confronting walls of a material impermeable to both sterilizing vapor and microorganisms, the walls being sealed along the longitudinal edge portions and along one of the transverse ends, an opening being defined along the other transverse end, the receptacle further including a transversely-oriented, flat strip impermeable to microorganisms but highly permeable to sterilizing vapor extending the width of the receptacle near the opening and being parallel to and disposed substantially entirely between the walls of the receptacle, the strip having an outer, transversely oriented edge adjacent the opening and an inner, transversely oriented edge remote from the opening, on side surface of the strip being bonded to one of the walls by a first, continuous, transverse sealing joinder line, the opening of the receptacle being adapted to be sealed by a second continuous, transverse sealing joinder line in staggered relationship with the first joinder line bonding the other side surface of said strip to the other wall, the area of the strip bounded by the first and second joinder lines and the sealed longitudinal edge portions thereby defining a breathing area.
- 19. A receptacle for receiving articles for storage in sterilized condition, said receptacle having opposed, longitudinal edge portions and opposed, transverse ends and including a pair of confronting walls of a material impermeable to both sterilizing vapor and microorganisms, the receptacle being closed along the longitudinal edge portions and along one of the transverse ends, an opening being defined along the outer transverse end, the receptacle further including a transversely oriented, flat strip impermeable to microorganisms but highly permeable to sterilizing vapor extending the width of the receptacle along the one transverse end and forming the closure of that end, the strip being disposed in substantially its entirety between the walls of the receptacle and parallel thereto and having an inner transverse edge proximate the interior of the receptacle and an outer transverse edge, one side surface of the strip being bonded to one of the walls by a first, continuous, transverse sealing joinder line and the other side surface of the strip being bonded to the other wall by a second, continuous, transverse sealing joinder line, the first and second joinder lines being staggered to define, with the closed longitudinal edge portions, a breathing area along the strip, the receptacle being adapted to be sealed along the other transverse end following insertion of articles.
- 24. A package for storing an article in sterilized condition comprising facing walls of material impermeable to both sterilizing vapor and microorganisms, the walls being bonded together along a periphery to define an interior enclosing the article, a portion of the peripheral bonding of the walls comprising a flat breathable membrane impermeable to microorganisms but highly permeable to sterilizing vapor, the membrane being disposed between the facing walls in parallel relationship thereto, one of the side surfaces of said membrane being bonded to one of the walls by a first, continuous sealing joinder line and the other side surface of said membrane being bonded to the other wall by a second, continuous sealing joinder line, the first and second joinder lines being positioned to define a breathing area transversing the side surface of said membrane.
Specification