Method for manufacturing a tray for storing aneurysm clips and tray for storing aneurysm clips

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a tray 44 for storing aneurysm clips is disclosed, in which a metal plate 2 is first provided, which is then provided with perforations 4. The perforations 4 are produced by laser cutting, and the plate 2 provided with the perforations 4 is formed by bending into a corrugated or trapezoidal sheet 24, which has at least one trough-shaped recess 22 for storing aneurysm clips. Furthermore, a tray 44 for storing aneurysm clips is disclosed, which has a corrugated or trapezoidal sheet 24 provided with laser-cut perforations 4, wherein the corrugated or trapezoidal sheet 24 has at least one trough-shaped recess 22.

Description

Technical FieldThe present invention relates to a method for producing a tray consisting at least in parts of metal for storing aneurysm clips, in particular to a method in which a plate of metal is first provided, which plate is subsequently provided with perforations or a hole pattern. The present invention also relates to a corresponding tray for storing aneurysm clips.Prior ArtFirstly, trays for storing aneurysm clips which consist of plastic are known. The problem of such trays is that, in the case of plastic, the complete drying after washing or sterilizing the trays is possible only with great effort (i.e. with a long drying time and / or high drying energy effort).On the other hand, trays for storing aneurysm clips are already known which consist of metal. The problem of these previous trays made of metal is that their production is too complicated and cost-intensive.Disclosure of the InventionIt is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a tray which can be sterilized as simply as possible for storing aneurysm clips and a corresponding manufacturing method which is as simple as possible and by means of which such a tray can be manufactured for storing aneurysm clips.This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1, wherein a plate of metal is first provided, which is subsequently provided with perforations. The plate is preferably made of stainless steel (e.g., stainless steel 1.4301 and X5CrNi18-10, AISI 304, V2A, SUS304, respectively). Alternatively, the plate may be made of a titanium alloy or anodized aluminum. The plate preferably has a thickness in the range between 0.5 mm and 2.0 mm, in particular a thickness of 0.8 mm. According to the invention, the perforations are produced by means of laser cutting and the plate provided with the perforations is formed by means of bending into a corrugated or trapezoidal sheet which has at least one trough-shaped depression for storing aneurysm clips.The advantage of the method according to the invention is that a receptacle for aneurysm clips which is easy to sterilize is produced with only three steps.The use of a metal plate and the introduction of perforations or holes by means of laser cutting has several advantages. Firstly, laser cutting generally allows the perforation ratio, i.e. the ratio of hole area to total area, to be increased, since this allows a substantially more delicate perforation and a more effective perforation pattern to be produced than is possible, for example, by punching. On the other hand, the use of a metal plate also allows such a higher perforation ratio compared to known plastic trays, without having to fear losses in the inherent stability of the tray. Due to the higher puncture ratio, the area at which liquid can collect can be minimized.According to one aspect of the invention, at least one plug wall, preferably without tools, can be mounted in the at least one channel-shaped depression of the corrugated or trapezoidal sheet, which plug wall laterally delimits or divides the channel-shaped depression and which plug wall can be removed from the corrugated or trapezoidal sheet, preferably without tools.The at least one inventive trough-shaped depression can basically be formed with or without end faces. If it is designed without an end face, a compartment can be produced by means of panels which can be removed without tools. Such a compartment or a trough-shaped depression formed with end walls can be divided by means of at least one plug-in wall which can be removed without tools. The insertion walls are preferably designed such that they cooperate with a part of the perforations for connection to the corrugated or trapezoidal sheet. For example, they can be connected to corresponding perforations via clip connections.According to one aspect of the invention, the perforations can be produced by initially dividing boundary surfaces which define the individual perforations into subareas, subsequently dividing all subareas of all boundary surfaces into at least two groups according to their orientation, and finally producing the at least two groups of subareas of all perforations in each case en bloc or on a piece by means of laser cutting. In other words, each individual perforation is not produced in a continuous step. Instead, for example, in the case of perforations with rectangular recesses or slots, first all edges of all recesses which run in a first direction are cut, and subsequently all edges of all recesses which run in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction are cut. This avoids time-consuming changes in the direction of the laser during production. In addition, this procedure can also be advantageous with regard to avoiding local heat-induced thermal deformations. Creating the perforations by a laser produces heat which, in turn, can cause plate deformation. If each individual perforation is initially only partially cut, the amount of heat introduced locally is not as great as when a whole perforation is cut. To the extent to which the surface portions of the boundary surfaces must be aligned the same can be predetermined by means of tolerances. It is therefore not necessary for the corresponding subareas to be aligned exactly the same.According to one aspect of the invention, the plate may be clamped at two opposite ends prior to creating the perforations. In other words, the plate can be perforated in a clamped state. By clamping, the deformations generated by heat can be counteracted.A tray according to the invention for storing aneurysm clips has a corrugated or trapezoidal sheet provided with laser-cut perforations and having at least one trough-shaped depression.According to one aspect of the invention, the maximum width of the perforations is less than 1 mm, preferably in a range from 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm, in particular in a range from 0.5 mm to 0.8 mm. This ensures that the tray can be easily and well flushed with washing liquid and / or sterilizing fluid (for example water vapor) and that the aneurysm clips cannot either fall through the perforations or become stuck therein or become entangled or wedged or jammed.According to one aspect of the invention, the maximum web width or the distance between adjacent perforations is less than 0.8 mm, preferably in a range from 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm, in particular in a range from 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm. This ensures that the tray offers little area for collecting liquid with sufficient dimensional stability.According to one aspect of the invention, the tray can have at least one plug wall which is connected to the corrugated or trapezoidal sheet and can be removed without tools and which delimits or divides the channel-shaped depression. Due to the toolless removability, the size of a receptacle for aneurysm clips can be varied easily manually.According to one aspect of the invention, the at least one plug-in wall can have at least one projection and certain perforations can be matched to the shape of this at least one projection in such a way that the at least one projection can only be inserted into these certain perforations. It can thus be ensured that only certain sizes, for example standardized sizes, are permitted for aneurysm clip reception.According to one aspect of the invention, at least certain perforations can be of the same size and each have a cuboidal configuration. "Cuboidal" means in this context that the perforations have a substantially rectangular contour. These rectangular perforations can be arranged in rows parallel to one another and can be oriented with their respective longitudinal axis parallel to the direction of extent of the rows. Each row can be offset from at least one adjacent row by half a perforation length in the direction of extension of the rows. In other words, the uniformly cuboidal perforations can be arranged like bricks of a central rotor lining of a masonry. In contrast to a checkerboard-like arrangement, the offset distribution of the perforations has the advantage that it makes it difficult for individual perforations to expand.According to one aspect of the invention, the tray can have at least one receiving cover which is connected to the corrugated or trapezoidal sheet and can be removed without tools and which covers the channel-shaped depression at least in sections. By means of such a receiving cover, the receptacle for aneurysm clips can be closed towards the outside in such a way that an aneurysm clip accommodated in the receptacle is secured in the receptacle. In addition, information about the corresponding aneurysm clip can be advantageously attached to the outer side of the receiving cover.Brief Description of the DrawingsThe present invention is described in more detail below on the basis of preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the appended drawings. The following are shown: FIG. 1 is a plan view of a metal plate; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the plate shown in FIG. 2 in which a portion of a first set of boundaries of perforations is cut; FIG. 3 is a top view of the panel shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the entire first set of interfaces cut by the perforations; FIG. 4 is a plan view of the panel shown in FIGS. 1, 2 to 3 in which a portion of a second set of interfaces is cut from the perforations; FIG. 5 is a plan view of the plate shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 to 4, in which all interfaces are cut by the perforations; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the perforated plate shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the plate shown in FIG. 6, which has been provided with two trough-shaped depressions by bending; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the plate shown in FIG. 6 which has been formed into a trapezoidal sheet by bending; FIGS. 9 and 10 are perspective views of the trapezoidal sheet shown in FIG. 8, with insertion walls and end walls; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an alternatively constructed trapezoidal sheet with insertion walls, end walls; FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of the trapezoidal sheet shown in FIG. 11 with identification plates; FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of a tray according to the invention with an open lid; FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of the tray according to the invention with the lid closed; FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the tray according to the invention with a closed lid; FIG. 16 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of the tray according to the invention shown in FIG. 15 with an open lid; FIG. 17 is perspective views of a short identification plate; and FIG. 18 shows perspective views of a long identification plate.Identical or functionally equivalent features are provided with the same reference numerals in the individual figures.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSFIG. 1 shows a plan view of a metal plate 2 which has a substantially rectangular outline. In order to provide the plate 2 with perforations 4 (see FIG. 5 ), first edges or interfaces 6 of the perforations 4 are first cut into the plate 2 by means of a laser (not shown) (see FIGS. 2 and 3 ). A common feature of the first boundary surfaces 6 is that they all extend in a direction y. In order to cut the first boundary surfaces 6 as efficiently as possible, laser cutting is started at a starting point 8 in a corner of the plate 2 and the individual first boundary surfaces 6 are cut by the laser by pulsed driving of the laser during serpentine travel of the plate 2 (see arrows 10).After all the first interfaces 6 are cut and the laser is at the intermediate point 12, second edges 14 are cut. A common feature of the second boundary surfaces 14 is that they all extend in a direction x perpendicular to the direction y. Starting from the intermediate point 12, which is likewise located in a corner of the plate 2, the individual second boundary surfaces 14 are likewise cut by pulsed driving of the laser during the serpentine travel of the plate 2 (see arrows 16) with the laser.Pulsed driving of the laser means here that the laser runs substantially at high power when it intersects a perforation line. High power means that the power is so high that the material to be cut is cut over the entire thickness of the material at the corresponding cutting speed, which corresponds to the feed speed of the laser. If the laser is moved between two perforation lines, the laser is not completely switched off, but the power of the laser is merely reduced, to the extent that the surface of the sheet is not damaged. Because the laser is not completely switched off between two cutting processes of two perforation lines, the time until it runs again at high power is shortened. In this way, the cutting speed or the feed speed of the laser can be increased significantly compared to the case in which the laser is always completely switched off between two cutting processes.After all the second interfaces 14 are cut and the laser is at the end point 18, the laser cutting of the perforations 4 is completed (see FIGS. 5 and 6 ).According to the method shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 to 5, of the perforations 4 each having a substantially rectangular contour, first all short sides are cut before the corresponding long sides are cut. Alternatively, it is also possible for all long sides to be cut first before all short sides are cut.As shown in Fig. 6, only portions of the plate 2 can be perforated (hatched portion of the plate 2). For example, an edge may be left free of perforations.In FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 to 14, perforations are not provided for reasons of clarity.After laser cutting, the plate 2 provided with perforations 4 is bent several times around edges 20 parallel to the direction y in such a way that a trough-shaped depression 22 is produced (see FIG. 7 ). This process is repeated until the entire plate 2 has trough-shaped depressions 22 over its entire surface (see FIG. 8 ). The plate provided with the trough-shaped depressions 22 is referred to below as trapezoidal sheet 24.In order to produce defined aneurysm clip receptacles 26, insertion walls 28 and 29 are inserted into the channel-shaped depressions 22 (see arrow 30 in FIG. 9 ). For larger aneurysm clips, large aneurysm clip receptacles 34 are provided in a part 32 of the trapezoidal sheet 24. The baffles 28 may be solid plates or may also have perforations.The insertion walls 28 and 29 can be castellated. This means that the plug walls 28 and 29 are formed such that partial regions enter individual depressions 22 of the trapezoidal sheet 24 and that other partial regions of the plug walls 28 and 29 connect the partial regions entering different depressions 22. The plug walls 28 are longer than the plug wall 29, that is to say that a respective plug wall 28 has six castellations and divides all six depressions 22 of the trapezoidal sheet 24, whereas the short plug wall 29 has only three castellations and divides only three of the six depressions 22. By providing the short insertion wall 29, the large aneurysm clip receptacles 34 can be formed in the depressions not divided by the insertion wall 29.In order to close ends of the channel-shaped depressions 22, end walls 38 are provided which are attached to the wavy edges of the trapezoidal sheet 24 (see arrows 40 in FIG. 9 ). Preferably, the end walls 38 are joined to the trapezoidal sheet 24 by laser welding.Instead of providing castellated partitions 28 and 29, it is also possible to produce the trapezoidal sheet from a slotted plate. The correspondingly resulting trapezoidal sheet 24' shown in FIGS. 11, 12 to 13 has slots 42 into which substantially rectangular insertion walls 28' and 29', respectively, can be inserted.It is also possible to provide slots in the trapezoidal sheet 24 which merely facilitate or improve the fastening of tin-shaped plug-in walls 28' or 29'.In order to be able to mark the aneurysm clip receptacles 26 and 34, identification labels 44 and 46 are provided. For mounting the identification plates 44 and 46, respectively, these are inserted from above onto the trapezoidal sheet 24 (see arrow 48 in FIG. 12 ). The identification plates 46 are long, that is to say they are suitable only for inscription of large aneurysm clip receptacles 34. The identification plates 44 are short and serve for inscription of normal aneurysm clip receptacles 26. If the identification plates 44 and 46 are attached to a corresponding aneurysm clip receptacle 24 and 36, one leg of the L-profile extends along a side wall of an aneurysm clip receptacle and the other leg of the L-profile extends in the plane of the access opening of the aneurysm clip receptacle 24 and 26 next to the access opening. On the top side of a respective cover plate, a representation (not shown) of the aneurysm clip to be stored in the respective aneurysm clip receptacle 26 or 34 can be provided.As shown in FIG. 13, the trapezoidal sheet 24, the end walls 38, the insertion walls 28 and 29 and the identification plates 44 and 46 form a tray 48 according to the invention.As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the tray 48 can be closed with a lid 50 (see arrow 52 in FIG. 13 ). Preferably, the tray 48 is made of a sheet having a thickness of 0.8 mm and the lid 50 is made of a sheet having a thickness of 1 mm.The embodiment of the tray according to the invention for storing aneurysm clips shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 and described above merely represents a possible implementation of the claimed invention.According to another advantageous embodiment shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the cut perforated sheet of FIG. 6 is cut into individual strips and a trough-shaped depression 22 with an adjoining receiving surface for an identification plate is then bent from each strip. A plurality of these members thus formed are assembled into a group by laser welding. End plates or end walls 38' are welded onto the end faces of the channel-shaped depressions 22, thus forming a tray 24"'. The end walls 38' have feet 54 and receptacles 56, into which projections 58 of a cover 50' can be inserted, as well as a receptacle 60 for a closure element 62, which is provided on the cover 50' and serves to detachably fasten the cover 50' to the tray 24" and in the process to cover and thus close the channel-shaped depressions 22. Plug-in walls 28 can be introduced in a releasable manner transversely to the channel-shaped depressions 22 in order to form from the channel-shaped depressions 22 a plurality of separate aneurysm clip receptacles 26 for different aneurysm clips. The receiving surfaces are preferably slotted in such a way that the plug walls 28 can be inserted from above as far as the bottom of the channel-shaped depressions 22.In FIGS. 17 and 18, short and long identification plates 64 and 66, respectively, are shown. In order to be connectable to the corresponding trapezoidal sheet 24" shown in FIG. 16, the identification plates 64 and 66, respectively, formed as L-profiles, each have at least one projection 68 on their legs, which can be clipped into corresponding recesses in the trapezoidal sheet 24".List of reference characters2 Metal plate 4 Perforations 6 First boundary surfaces 8 Starting point of the laser 10 Movement of the laser when cutting the first boundary surfaces 12 Intermediate point of the laser after cutting all first boundary surfaces 14 Second boundary surfaces 16 Movement of the laser when cutting the second boundary surfaces 18 End point of the laser after cutting all second boundary surfaces 20 Bending edges 22 Trough-shaped depressions 24, 24', 24"Trapezoidal sheet 26 (normal) Aneurysm clip receptacle 28; 28'; 29; 29' Plug wall 30 Movement when mounting a plug wall 32 Part of the trapezoidal sheet with large aneurysm clip receptacles 34 Large aneurysm clip receptacle 36 Receptacle cover for normal aneurysm clip receptacle 38, 38' End wall 40 Movement when mounting the end wall 42 Slot 44 (normal) identification plate 46 Large identification plate 48 Tray 50 Cover 52 Movement when closing the cover 54 Stand foot 56, 60 receptacle 58; 64 Projection 62 Closure element

Claims

Method for producing a tray (44) for storing aneurysm clips, in which a metal plate (2) is first provided, which is subsequently provided with perforations (4), characterized in that the perforations (4) are produced by means of laser cutting, and the plate (2) provided with the perforations (4) is formed by means of bending into a corrugated or trapezoidal sheet (24) which has at least one trough-shaped depression (22) for storing aneurysm clips.Method according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one plug wall (28, 29), preferably without tools, is mounted in the at least one channel-shaped depression (22) of the corrugated or trapezoidal sheet (24), which plug wall laterally delimits or divides the channel-shaped depression (22) and which can be removed, preferably without tools, from the corrugated or trapezoidal sheet (24).Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the perforations (4) are produced by boundary surfaces (6, 14) which define the individual perforations (4) being initially divided into subareas, all subareas of all boundary surfaces subsequently being divided into at least two groups according to their orientation, and the at least two groups of subareas finally being produced in each case en bloc by means of laser cutting.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the plate (2) is clamped at two opposite ends before the perforations (4) are produced.Tray (44) for storing aneurysm clips, which is produced in particular according to the method according to one of Claims 1 to 4 and has a corrugated or trapezoidal sheet (24) provided with laser-cut perforations (4) with at least one trough-shaped depression (22), characterized in that the maximum width of the perforations is less than 1 mm, preferably lies in a range from 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm, in particular lies in a range from 0.5 mm to 0.8 mm; and / or the maximum web width between adjacent perforations is less than 0.8 mm, preferably lies in a range from 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm, in particular lies in a range from 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm.Tray (44) according to claim 5, characterised byat least one insertion wall (28; 29) which can be mounted and removed without tools with the corrugated or trapezoidal sheet (24) and which laterally delimits or divides the channel-shaped depression (22).Tray (44) according to claim 6, characterised in that specific perforations (4) each have a contour matched to at least one projection of the at least one insertion wall (28; 29), so that the at least one insertion wall (28; 29) can be connected to the corrugated or trapezoidal sheet (24) only by cooperation of its at least one projection with one of the perforations (4) matched to the projection.Tray (44) according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that at least certain perforations (4) are of the same size and each have a rectangular configuration, these rectangular perforations (4) are arranged in rows parallel to one another and are oriented with their respective longitudinal axis parallel to the direction of extent of the rows, and each row is offset with respect to at least one adjacent row in the direction of extent of the rows, in particular by half a perforation length.Tray (44) according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterised byat least one receiving cover (36, 38) which is connected to the corrugated or trapezoidal sheet (24) and can be removed without tools and which covers the channel-shaped depression at least in sections.

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