Thread winding device for needles and sutures, storage tray for needles and sutures, and storage tray for medical instruments

Abstract

Provided is an armed suture spooling device that facilitates a spooling operation with respect to a spool tray and allows for easy adjustment of the suture end position. A spool tray 10 for housing an armed suture, which is a suture with a suture needle attached thereto, comprises: a container portion 20 having a bottom surface 21 and a side wall 25; and a sheet-shaped lid portion 30 that fits inside the side wall. A spooling device comprises an upper surface element 50, a lower surface element 60, a circling element 70, and connecting posts 80. The upper surface element and the lower surface element have a planar shape identical to that of the spool tray. The upper surface element includes an upper surface rotational portion 51 rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the lid portion. The lower surface element includes a lower surface rotational portion 61 rotatable around the same axis as that of the upper surface rotational portion. The circling element includes a claw portion 76 which is inserted through a gap between the lid portion and the side wall of the container portion into the container portion. The claw portion includes a thread-passing portion 77 at the tip-end thereof through which the suture is passed. The spool tray is sandwiched between the upper surface element from the upper surface side of the lid portion, and the lower surface element from the lower surface side of the bottom surface of the container portion. The connecting posts extend through the lid portion and the bottom surface of the container portion, with the ends of the connecting posts being connectable to post-insertion portions 55, 65 respectively provided in the upper surface element and the lower surface element. In a state in which the upper surface rotational portion and the lower surface rotational portion are pressed, the spool tray, the upper surface element, and the lower surface element can be integrally rotated, whereby the suture that has passed through the thread-passing portion can be wound inside the spool tray.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a needle-attached suture winding device for storing medical needle-attached sutures in a suture winding tray, a needle-attached suture storage tray used for packaging medical needle-attached sutures, and a medical instrument storage tray used for storing medical instruments such as needle-attached sutures. [Background technology]

[0002] Background technology 1 Medical sutures with needles used in surgical and dental procedures consist of a suture attached to a straight or curved suture needle. Generally, the suture is inserted into a blind hole perforated at the base of the suture needle and then crimped together.

[0003] The sutures with needles, stored in trays or other cases, are sterilized and then sealed in a packaging bag to become the finished product for sale. The packaging bag is made of a bacterial-impermeable film and is sealed by sandwiching the entire sterilized case between the bags and sealing the sides. During surgery, the packaging bag is opened, the suture needle is grasped with a needle holder, and the suture is pulled out through an opening in the lid or elsewhere for use in suturing.

[0004] Cases for storing sutures with needles are typically made of paper, resin, or a resin container with a paper lid (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The sutures are stored inside the case wound in a circular, oval, or figure-eight shape. Therefore, when using a needle holder to grasp the needle and pull out the suture, the way the suture is wound is important because it must be possible to remove the suture smoothly without it getting tangled.

[0005] There are two methods for winding suture thread with needles: manual winding and machine winding. In manual winding, for example, the suture thread is wound around two rods in a figure-eight pattern, then removed from the rods and stored in a case. In this case, the person winding the thread repeatedly performs the task of winding the suture thread around two rods in the same posture. On the other hand, thread can also be wound automatically using a machine into a thread winding tray with a lid made of paper or the like attached to a resin container (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3).

[0006] Figure 10 illustrates a conventional method for winding suture thread onto a thread spool tray. In this method, the suture thread with a needle 40 is secured to a suture needle locking mechanism on the container 120, and the claw portion of the thread insertion member 150, which guides the suture thread 42 to the vicinity of the bottom surface 121 of the container 120, is inserted between the container 120 and the lid 130. As the thread spool tray 110 rotates relative to the thread insertion member 150, the thread insertion member 150 is moved in the same manner as if it were moving along the outer circumference of the thread spool tray 110, and the suture thread 42 is wound into the thread spool tray 110. However, setting up the thread spool tray 110 and the suture thread with a needle 40 basically has to be done manually, and automating everything would require enormous costs and a large, complex machine. Also, if the suture thread is thin, it can easily break, so it must be handled carefully, and in some cases, it may be better to wind the thread manually rather than using a machine.

[0007] If the packaging bag is sealed with the suture thread protruding from the spool tray, the protruding thread can get caught in the seal, potentially compromising sterilization safety. Therefore, when using a highly linear thread such as monofilament suture thread, the curved suture thread tends to straighten out and protrude from the spool tray. It is therefore common practice to attach the lid to the container first and then wind the thread carefully to prevent it from protruding.

[0008] The suture thread has a tendency that the tip of the thread is most likely to protrude from the spool tray. In particular, at the curved part of the spool tray or the opening of the lid, the bent suture thread tends to straighten out and protrude easily. Therefore, it is desirable to perform the spooling operation so that the tip position of the suture thread comes to a straight part of the spool tray where it is difficult to protrude. However, there are many factors related to the tip position of the suture thread, such as the length of the suture thread, the shape of the spool tray, and the strength of the spool. Adjusting the tip position of the thread is complicated. Also, especially in the spooling operation by machine, it is difficult to leave the tip of the suture thread inside the container part, and it is necessary to devise such as increasing the rotation speed of the tray, and then it becomes difficult to wind the thin suture thread with a machine.

[0009] Background Art 2 The medical suture thread with a needle used in surgical and dental operations is one in which a suture thread is attached to a straight or curved suture needle. Generally, the suture thread is inserted into a stop hole drilled at the proximal end of the suture needle and caulked and joined.

[0010] The suture thread with a needle stored in a case such as a storage tray is sterilized and the whole case is sealed in a packaging bag to become a product and sold. The packaging bag is made of a bacteria-impermeable film or the like, and is sealed by sealing the surroundings with the sterilized whole case sandwiched. Then, at the time of surgery, the packaging bag is opened, the suture needle is grasped with a needle holder, the suture thread is pulled out from the case, and used for suturing.

[0011] As a case for storing the suture thread with a needle, a storage tray in which a paper lid member is joined to a paper-made, resin-made, or resin container is common, and the suture thread is stored in a state of being wound in a circular, elliptical, or figure-eight shape in the case.

[0012] The method of winding the suture thread may be not only manual but also by machine. In the case of manual work, for example, a suture thread wound in a figure-eight shape around two rods is stored in a storage tray. On the other hand, direct winding may be performed using a machine in a storage tray in which a paper lid member is attached to a resin container member.

[0013] Figure 16 illustrates a method for winding suture thread into a storage tray. In this case, the suture thread with a needle 40A is secured to the bottom surface 121A of the container member 120A, and the tip of the thread insertion jig 150A, which guides the suture thread 42A to the vicinity of the bottom surface 121A of the container member 120A, is inserted between the container member 120A and the lid member 130A. By rotating the storage tray 110A relative to the thread insertion jig 150A, the thread insertion jig 150A is moved in the same manner as if it were moving along the outer circumference of the storage tray 110A, and the suture thread 42A is wound into the storage tray 110A.

[0014] Figure 17 illustrates the state of the suture with needle inside the storage tray. In this diagram, the suture 42A is wound in an oval shape around the outside of the fitting column 122A used to connect the container member 120A to the lid member. When using a highly linear thread such as monofilament thread as the suture 42A, the bent suture 42A tends to straighten out, making it prone to protruding from the storage tray 110A. Therefore, it is common practice to attach the lid member to the container member 120A first before winding the suture. It is natural that the suture 42A tends to protrude from its tip, but for example, when the suture 42A is wound in an oval shape as shown in Figure 17, the suture 42A tends to straighten out at the left and right positions of the arc, making it particularly prone to bulging and protruding near the straight portion of the oval. Furthermore, since the straight section of the storage tray 110A and the suture thread 42A are aligned parallel to each other, if vibration is applied in this state, the suture thread 42A is more likely to protrude from the storage tray 110A.

[0015] If the packaging bag is sealed with the suture thread 42A protruding from the storage tray 110A, the protruding suture thread may get caught in the seal, potentially causing problems such as compromised sterilization safety. Figure 18 is a plan view of a conventional storage tray that prevents suture thread from protruding, as shown in Patent Document 1. This storage tray 210A consists of a resin container member 220A with a paper lid member 230A attached, and multiple protruding ribs 226A are provided on the inside of the side wall 225A of the container member 220A. Notches 235A shaped to match the ribs 226A are provided along the outer circumference of the lid member 230A. In other words, when the lid member 230A is attached to the container member 220A, the ribs 236A fit into the notches 235A of the lid member 230A. As described above, by providing a notch 235A on the outer circumference of the lid member 230A, a wavy edge portion is formed in the planar direction along the outer circumference of the lid member 230A, which has the effect of preventing the suture thread 42A of the stored suture thread with needle 40A from protruding from the storage tray 210A. Specifically, even if the tip of the suture thread 42A protrudes from the gap between the container member 220A and the lid member 230A, the suture thread 42A can get caught in the notch 235A, thereby reducing the amount of protrusion from the tip. However, when winding the thread, the thread insertion jig 150A and the suture thread 42A tend to get caught in the notch 235A, which is a disadvantage as it makes it difficult to wind the thread smoothly.

[0016] Figure 24 illustrates a method for winding suture thread into a storage tray. In this case, the suture needle of the needle-attached suture thread 40B is secured to the bottom surface 121B of the container member 120B, and the tip of the thread insertion jig 150B, which guides the suture thread 42B to the vicinity of the bottom surface 121B of the container member 120B, is inserted between the container member 120B and the lid member 130B. By rotating the storage tray 110B relative to the thread insertion jig 150B, the thread insertion jig 150B is made to move in the same manner as if it were moving along the outer circumference of the storage tray 110B, and the suture thread 42B is wound into the storage tray 110B.

[0017] Figure 25 illustrates the state of the suture with needle inside the storage tray. In this diagram, the suture 42B is wound in an oval shape around the outside of the fitting column 122B used to connect with the lid member inside the container member 120B. When using a highly linear thread such as a monofilament thread as the suture 42B, the bent suture 42B tends to straighten out, making it prone to protruding from the storage tray 110B. Therefore, it is common practice to attach the lid member to the container member 120B first before winding the suture. The tip of the suture 42B is most likely to protrude, but for example, when the suture 42B is wound in an oval shape as shown in Figure 25, the suture 42B tends to straighten out at the left and right positions of the arc, so it may spread outwards and protrude near the straight portion of the oval. Furthermore, since the straight section of the storage tray 110B and the suture thread 42B are aligned parallel to each other, if vibration is applied in this state, the suture thread 42B is more likely to protrude from the storage tray 110B.

[0018] If the packaging bag is sealed with the suture thread 42B protruding from the storage tray 110B, the protruding suture thread may get caught in the seal, which can lead to problems such as the inability to guarantee sterilization safety. Figure 26 is a plan view of a conventional storage tray that prevents suture thread from protruding, as shown in Patent Document 1. This storage tray 210B consists of a resin container member 220B with a paper lid member 230B attached, and multiple protruding ribs 226B are provided on the inside of the outer wall 225B of the container member 220B. Notches 235B shaped to match the ribs 226B are provided along the edge of the lid member 230B. In other words, when the lid member 230B is attached to the container member 220B, the ribs 236B are fitted into the notches 235B of the lid member 230B. As described above, providing a notch 235B on the edge of the lid member 230B creates irregularities in the planar direction along the edge of the lid member 230B, which has the effect of preventing the stored suture thread 42B from protruding from the storage tray 210B.

[0019] Specifically, even if the tip of the suture thread 40B protrudes from the gap between the container member 220B and the lid member 230B, the amount of protrusion from the tip can be suppressed by the suture thread 42B catching on the notch 235B. However, when the thread insertion jig 150B is inserted between the lid member 230B and the container member 220B to perform the thread winding operation, the tip of the suture thread 42B is freed from the thread insertion jig 150B until the thread insertion jig 150B is removed from the storage tray 210B after the thread winding operation is completed. As a result, the tip of the suture thread 42B is more likely to protrude from the gap between the lid member 230B and the container member 220B caused by the insertion of the thread insertion jig 150B. In addition, the thread insertion jig 150B and the suture thread 42B are more likely to catch on the notch 235B, which is a disadvantage as it makes it difficult to perform the thread winding operation smoothly.

[0020] Background technology 3 Medical sutures with needles used in surgical and dental procedures consist of a straight or curved suture needle with the suture thread attached. Generally, the suture thread is inserted into a blind hole perforated at the base of the suture needle and crimped to secure it. Sutures can be classified into various types based on their material and shape, and absorbable sutures and barbed sutures are also sometimes used.

[0021] Medical instruments such as needles and sutures stored in storage trays are sterilized and then sealed in a packaging bag to form the product for sale. The packaging bag is made of a bacterial-impermeable film and is sealed by sandwiching the entire sterilized storage tray between the bags and sealing the sides. During surgery, the packaging bag is opened, and in the case of needles and sutures, the suture needles are grasped with a needle holder and the sutures are pulled out of the storage tray for use in suturing.

[0022] Common storage cases for sutures with needles include paper or plastic cases, or storage trays with lids attached to plastic containers. The sutures are typically stored wound in a circular, oval, or figure-eight shape.

[0023] Figure 39 illustrates a conventional method of winding suture thread onto a storage tray. The storage tray 110E shown here is formed by attaching a paper or resin lid member 130E to a container member 120E. The container member 120E and the lid member 130E are attached by passing multiple fitting columns 127E, which rise from the bottom surface 121E of the container member 120E, through fitting holes 131E made in the lid member 130E. At this time, by making the tip of the fitting column 127E slightly larger than the fitting hole 131E, it is possible to prevent the attached lid member 130E from coming off. In this case, a larger tip makes it more difficult for the lid member 130E to come off, but if it is too large, it becomes difficult to attach the lid member 130E. Therefore, after passing a fitting column 127E, which has a smaller diameter than the fitting hole 131E, through the fitting hole 131E, the tip of the fitting column 127E is deformed to be larger than the fitting hole 131E to prevent the lid member 130E from coming off. With this joining method, the container member 120E and the lid member 130E can be reliably joined, but there are problems such as the joining work being complicated and the storage space being reduced because the fitting column 127E is located inside the storage container.

[0024] When performing a mechanical thread winding operation on the storage tray 110E shown in Figure 39, the suture needle of the needle-attached suture 40E is locked to the bottom surface 121E of the container member 120E, and the tip of the thread insertion jig 150E, which guides the suture 42E to the vicinity of the bottom surface 121E of the container member 120E, is inserted between the container member 120E and the lid member 130E. By rotating the storage tray 110E relative to the thread insertion jig 150E, the thread insertion jig 150E is moved in the same manner as if it were moving along the outer circumference of the storage tray 110E, and the suture 42E is wound around the fitting column 127E and stored.

[0025] In this type of machine-based suture winding process, particular care must be taken to prevent the tip of the suture thread 42E from separating from the thread insertion jig 150E and protruding outside the storage tray 110E during the final stage of the winding process. If the packaging bag is sealed with the suture thread 42E protruding from the storage tray 110E, the protruding suture thread may get caught in the seal of the packaging bag, potentially compromising the safety of sterilization.

[0026] Furthermore, there are storage trays that store sutures wound in a figure-eight shape or the like, without using a thread insertion jig 150E as shown in Figure 39 (see, for example, Patent Document 4). Figure 40 is a view of the inside of the top lid member with the sutures wound in a figure-eight shape. The illustrated top lid member 310E is connected to a bottom lid member (not shown) to form a storage tray for storing sutures with needles.

[0027] In this storage tray, the suture needle 41E of the suture thread 40E is secured to the needle locking part 320E provided on the top lid member 310E, and the suture thread 42E is stored wound in a figure-eight shape. The top lid member 310E is provided with an inner presser foot 340E and an outer presser foot 350E, and the suture thread 42E is wound in a figure-eight shape by passing through a passage sandwiched between the inner presser foot 340E and the outer presser foot 350E. With this configuration, it is considered to be highly effective in preventing the suture thread 42E from protruding from the storage tray. However, the structure of the top lid member 310E is complex, and the work of winding the suture thread 42E in a figure-eight shape along a predetermined path is cumbersome.

[0028] Furthermore, when storing barbed sutures using storage trays as shown in Figures 33 and 34, the barbs may get caught when removing the sutures. Therefore, storage trays designed for pulling out sutures are unsuitable for storing barbed sutures. In addition, when attaching the lid member 130E using the fitting column 127E, or when the internal structure is complex as shown in Figure 34, the sutures with needles 40E must be wound into a specific shape for storage. However, with a storage tray that has more storage space, it would be possible to store the sutures with needles loosely wound, or to store medical instruments other than sutures with needles.

[0029] Patent Document 5 discloses an automatic packaging machine for suture needles, wherein the base, outer wall, inner wall, and fingers of the automatic packaging machine for suture needles define a hollow peripheral groove that encloses the suture winding loop, and the fingers are bendable and, when released, essentially spring back to their original horizontal position, thereby allowing easy insertion of the suture 80C in the open position and easy storage of the suture loop within the hollow peripheral groove in the closed position. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0030] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 10835237 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 10981686 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 3688326 [Patent Document 4] China Patent Publication No. 201389047 [Patent Document 5] U.S. Patent No. 5664404 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0031] In view of these circumstances, the present invention aims to provide (1) a needle-attached suture winding device that allows for easy winding of sutures regardless of their size, and further allows for easy adjustment of the suture tip position to suppress the protrusion of the suture end; (2) a needle-attached suture storage tray that has a configuration that does not easily interfere with the winding work and suppresses the protrusion of stored sutures; (3) a needle-attached suture storage tray that suppresses the protrusion of sutures during and after winding and allows for smooth winding work; (4) a needle-attached suture storage tray that can suppress the protrusion of sutures during and after winding and allows for rapid winding work without using a lid member; and (5) a medical instrument storage tray that can store medical instruments such as needle-attached sutures, wherein the lid member and the container member are easily joined, the lid member is difficult to remove unintentionally, and a large storage space can be secured. [Means for solving the problem]

[0032] (1) The present invention relates to a needle-attached suture winding device, which stores a needle-attached suture in a winding tray comprising a container portion and an upper member, and further comprises a lower support that supports the container portion from the bottom surface, and a circumferential support that can circle around the lower support along the side surface of the lower support, wherein the lower support has a guide portion on its outer circumference, and the circumferential support has a claw portion that can be inserted between the upper member and the container portion, and an engaging portion that can engage with the guide portion, and the claw portion can engage with the guide portion when inserted into the inside of the container portion.

[0033] Here, the upper member may have a top fitting that presses down on it from above. Furthermore, the top fitting may have multiple connecting parts, with connecting members attached to all or some of the connecting parts, and the upper member may have through-holes through which all of the connecting members can pass.

[0034] Furthermore, the engaging portion may have contact points on its inner side that contact the guide portion, and these contact points may be able to contact the guide portion at three or more locations, and at least one of these contact points may be a roller.

[0035] (2) The present invention relates to a storage tray for needle-attached sutures, which stores needle-attached sutures with a suture needle attached to the end of the suture, and comprises a container member having a bottom surface and side walls, wherein the inner surface of the side walls is provided with a plurality of ribs connected to the bottom surface and side walls and protruding toward the inside of the container member, and the upper surface of the ribs is lower toward the inside of the container member.

[0036] Here, a lid member that can be joined to the container member may be further provided. The upper surface of the rib may be a straight line, a curve, or a composite shape of a straight line and a curve, with the highest point where it connects to the side surface of the container member and the lowest point where it connects to the bottom surface. Also, when the lid member and the container member are joined, it is preferable that the lid member is in contact with the upper surface of the rib.

[0037] Furthermore, the lid member may have protrusions directed toward the bottom surface of the container member at positions between adjacent ribs, and by providing multiple such protrusions, a series of thickness-direction irregularities may be formed along the edge of the lid member.

[0038] (3) The needle-attached suture storage tray of the present invention is a needle-attached suture storage tray for winding and storing needle-attached sutures, in which a suture needle is attached to the end of the suture, and comprises a container member having a bottom surface and side walls, and a lid member that can be attached to the container member, wherein the lid member has a plurality of grooves extending inward from the edge of the lid member, so that a series of thickness-direction irregularities are formed along the edge of the lid member.

[0039] Furthermore, the lid member is made of a flat resin plate with grooves, so that the rigidity is lower in the direction along the edge of the lid member than in the flat plate portion of the lid member, and higher in the direction inward from the edge of the lid member than in the flat plate portion of the lid member. In addition, multiple ribs are provided on the inner surface of the side wall, connected to the bottom surface and the side wall, and protruding toward the inside of the container member, and the grooves formed in the lid member are positioned between adjacent ribs.

[0040] The present invention provides a storage tray for needle-attached sutures, which stores needle-attached sutures in which a suture needle is attached to the end of the suture. The above storage tray comprises a bottom surface, an outer wall provided on the bottom surface, and an inner wall located inside the outer wall and also provided on the bottom surface. The above-mentioned outer wall has an outer wall surface facing the above-mentioned inner wall, and the above-mentioned inner wall has an inner wall surface facing the above-mentioned outer wall. The exterior wall surface of the exterior wall has multiple ribs that are connected to the bottom surface and the exterior wall surface and protrude toward the interior wall. The above-mentioned inner wall comprises a plurality of inner wall arms extending toward the above-mentioned outer wall, The height of the rib from the outer wall surface and the height of the inner wall arm from the inner wall surface shall be shorter than the distance between the outer wall surface and the inner wall surface.

[0041] The upper surface of the rib may be lower towards the inner wall. The upper surface of the rib may be a straight line, a curve, or a combination of a straight line and a curve, with the highest point being where it connects to the outer wall surface and the lowest point being where it connects to the bottom surface.

[0042] Each of the inner wall arms may be located between the outer wall surface and a position corresponding to the height of the rib in a plan view. The tip of the inner wall arm may be located closer to the bottom surface than its base end.

[0043] The bottom surface may have multiple slits. Each of the above-mentioned multiple slits may be located below each of the above-mentioned multiple inner wall arms in a plan view. Each of the above-mentioned multiple slits may include a first slit region and a second slit region that are positioned to sandwich the inner wall arm in a plan view. The width of the inner wall arm may be shorter than the sum of the widths of the first slit region and the second slit region.

[0044] (4) The present invention provides a storage tray for needle-attached sutures, which stores needle-attached sutures in which a suture needle is attached to the end of the suture. The above storage tray comprises a bottom surface, an outer wall provided on the bottom surface, and an inner wall located inside the outer wall and also provided on the bottom surface. The above-mentioned outer wall comprises a plurality of outer wall arms extending toward the above-mentioned inner wall, The above-mentioned inner wall comprises a plurality of inner wall arms extending toward the above-mentioned outer wall, The above-mentioned outer wall has an outer wall surface facing the above-mentioned inner wall, and the above-mentioned inner wall has an inner wall surface facing the above-mentioned outer wall. The height of the outer wall arm from the outer wall surface and the height of the inner wall arm from the inner wall surface shall be shorter than the distance between the outer wall surface and the inner wall surface.

[0045] The bottom surface may have a plurality of slits. Each of the plurality of slits may be located below each of the plurality of outer wall arms and the plurality of inner wall arms in a plan view. The width of each of the plurality of slits may be wider than the width of the corresponding outer wall arm and inner wall arm. Each of the above-mentioned multiple outer wall arms may be arranged alternately or partially alternately with each of the above-mentioned multiple inner wall arms. Each of the above-mentioned multiple outer wall arms or each of the above-mentioned multiple inner wall arms may be a bifurcated arm.

[0046] (5) The medical instrument storage tray of the present invention comprises a container member having a bottom surface and side walls, and a lid member shaped to fit inside the side walls. The inner surface of the side walls is provided with ribs and claws that protrude toward the inside of the container member, and these ribs and claws are arranged alternately around the inner circumference of the container member. When the lid member is attached to the container member, the lid member is positioned between the ribs and claws.

[0047] Here, the ribs are provided with a downward sloping portion toward the inside of the container member, and when the lid member is attached to the container member, the lid member is positioned between the sloping portion and the claw portion. Furthermore, the outer shape of the medical instrument storage tray is formed by alternating right and left curves. [Effects of the Invention]

[0048] The needle-equipped suture winding device of the present invention allows for easy winding of sutures onto the winding tray, regardless of the suture size. Furthermore, by appropriately selecting the installation position of the winding pins, the tip position of the suture can be easily adjusted.

[0049] The needle-attached suture storage tray of the present invention has a configuration that does not easily interfere with the suture winding process and has the effect of preventing the stored suture from spilling out of the storage tray.

[0050] According to the present invention, the grooves formed in the lid member prevent the suture thread from protruding from the storage tray during winding and after storage, and the irregularities formed along the edge of the lid member reduce the rigidity in the direction along the edge of the lid member, thereby enabling smoother thread winding operations.

[0051] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the leakage of suture thread during and after winding without using a lid member, thereby enabling rapid thread winding work.

[0052] According to the present invention, the container member and the lid member are joined using ribs and claws provided on the side wall of the container member, allowing for wider use of the interior of the storage tray, thus enabling the storage of various types of needles and sutures and medical instruments. Furthermore, the joining of the lid member and the container member is easy, and the ribs have a downward sloping portion toward the inside of the container member, and the outer shape of the storage tray is configured with alternating right and left curves, which helps to prevent the lid member from unintentionally coming off the container member. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0053] [Figure 1] These figures show two embodiments of the thread winding tray used in the present invention, in which the upper member and container part are separated. [Figure 2] These are diagrams of two embodiments of the thread winding tray used in the present invention, in which the upper member and the container part are joined together. [Figure 3] This is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the thread winding tray and thread winding device according to the present invention are separated. [Figure 4] This is an embodiment of the thread winding tray and thread winding device according to the present invention, showing the thread winding tray attached to the bottom component. [Figure 5] This is an embodiment of the thread winding tray and thread winding device according to the present invention, and is a view from below of the thread winding tray attached to the bottom fitting. [Figure 6] This is an embodiment of the thread winding device according to the present invention, showing all the thread winding devices set in the thread winding tray. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates the movement of the circulating device based on the number of contact points. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the relationship between the shape of the guide section and the contact points of the circulating device. [Figure 9] This is a diagram illustrating the placement of the thread winding pins. [Figure 10] This diagram illustrates a conventional method of winding suture thread onto a thread spool tray. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view of the storage tray of the present invention, where (a) is before the lid member is attached and (b) is after the lid member is attached. [Figure 12] This is a diagram of the ribs provided on the container component. [Figure 13] These are simplified cross-sectional views showing the positional relationship between the lid member and the rib, where (a) is the case when the rib is composed of a slope and a vertical surface, (b) is the case when the upper surface of the rib is curved, and (c) is the case when the upper surface of the rib is straight. [Figure 14] The diagram shows a lid member with a protrusion, where (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of the side wall, and (c) is an example of a cross-sectional view AA. [Figure 15] (a) is a perspective view of an embodiment of a lid member having a protrusion, and (b) is an enlarged view. [Figure 16] This is a diagram illustrating how to wind suture thread into a storage tray. [Figure 17] This diagram illustrates the state of the needles and sutures inside the storage tray. [Figure 18] This is a plan view of a conventional storage tray designed to prevent sutures from protruding. [Figure 19] This is an exploded view of the lid member and container member of the storage tray of the present invention. [Figure 20] The present invention relates to a storage tray, wherein (a) is a perspective view, and (b) and (c) are enlarged views of the edge portion of the lid member. [Figure 21] This is a simplified cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the lid member and the ribs, where (a) is an example of the cross-sectional direction of the side wall and (b) is an example of the AA cross-sectional view. [Figure 22] This is a magnified view of the curved rib on the top surface. [Figure 23] This is an explanatory diagram comparing the shape of the lid member during the thread winding process, where (a) is the case without irregularities and (b) is the case with irregularities. [Figure 24] This is a diagram illustrating how to wind suture thread into a storage tray. [Figure 25] This diagram illustrates the state of the needles and sutures inside the storage tray. [Figure 26] This is a plan view of a conventional storage tray designed to prevent sutures from protruding. [Figure 27] This shows a plan perspective view of the storage tray 1C of the present invention. [Figure 28]This is a schematic partial plan view of the storage tray 1C of the present invention, showing how suture threads 26C are stored in the storage tray 1C, where (a) shows the state before the movement of the thread insertion jig 30C, (b) shows the state after the movement of the thread insertion jig 30C, and (c) shows the movement of the thread insertion jig 30C further than in (b). [Figure 29] This is a schematic plan view showing an example of an outer wall arm in the storage tray 1C of the present invention, where (a) shows a vertical outer wall arm 11C' and (b) shows an inclined outer wall arm 11C''. [Figure 30] This is a schematic plan view showing examples of arms in the storage tray 1C of the present invention, where (a) shows a bifurcated outer wall arm and (b) shows a bifurcated inner wall arm. [Figure 31] This shows a plan perspective view of another example of the storage tray 1D of the present invention. [Figure 32] A partial plan view of another example of the storage tray 1D of the present invention is shown. [Figure 33] This is a perspective view of the storage tray of the present invention, where (a) is an exploded view of the lid member and the container member, and (b) is a view of the lid member and the container member joined together. [Figure 34] This is an enlarged view of the storage tray of the present invention, where (a) is the edge portion of the container member and (b) is the edge portion where the lid member and the container member are joined. [Figure 35] A simplified cross-sectional view and a cross-sectional view along line AA(BB) showing a container member joined to a lid member, where (a) is the case when the upper surface of the rib is an inclined surface, and (b) is the case when the upper surface of the rib is a curved surface. [Figure 36] This is an example of a lid member with a knob. [Figure 37] This is a diagram explaining how to use a thread winding jig. [Figure 38] This diagram illustrates how to wind suture thread in a figure-eight pattern using a thread winding jig. [Figure 39] This is a diagram illustrating a conventional method of winding suture thread onto a storage tray. [Figure 40] This is a diagram of the inside of the top cover component, where the suture thread is wrapped in a figure-eight pattern. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0054] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0055] 1. A thread spool tray for storing medical sutures with needles. Figure 1 shows two embodiments of the thread winding tray used in the present invention, in which the upper member and container part are separated. Figure 2 shows two embodiments of the thread winding tray used in the present invention, in which the upper member and container part are joined together. These thread winding trays 10 are trays for storing sutures with needles, and after storage, the entire tray is wrapped and sealed with a bacterial-impermeable film or the like.

[0056] The basic configuration of the thread spool tray 10 includes a container section 20 and an upper member. The upper member is one of the components or groups of components that prevent the stored suture thread from spilling out of the tray, and may be a lid section 30, or a lid member (for example, lid members 30A, 130A, 230A, 30B, 130B, and 230B) or an arm (for example, outer wall arm 11C, inner wall arm 12C, and inner wall arm 12D) as described later. The overall planar shape of the thread spool tray 10 can vary, including a rectangle, a rectangle with rounded corners, a circle, an ellipse, an oblong whose outer circumference is composed of arcs and straight lines, an oblong with opposite straight sections that are constricted, and a rectangle with rounded corners that are constricted in the straight sections, and is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. The oblong with opposite straight sections that are constricted is a shape like that shown in Figures 1(a) and 2(a), and is like the shape of a snowboard. In other words, when the thread spool tray 10 is placed horizontally, the outer shape is such that the left and right sides form arcs, such as roughly semicircles, and the upper and lower parts connecting these arcs are curved so that they are close together. Also, the straight parts form a rounded rectangle, as shown in Figures 1(b) and 2(b). A characteristic of these shapes is that when tracing the outer circumference of the thread spool tray 10, there are almost no straight parts, and the right and left curves are repeated to form a ring. Furthermore, with a thread spool tray 10 like those in Figures 1(b) and 2(b), it is possible to store multiple needles and sutures together.

[0057] The container section 20 is primarily made of resin and includes a bottom surface 21, side walls 25, a number of roughly cylindrical fitting columns 22 protruding from the bottom surface 21, and a needle locking section 24. The fitting columns 22 are mainly provided for attaching the lid section 30, and depending on the size and shape of the container, there are generally several to about 20 of them between the center of gravity of the container section 20 and the side walls 25, with the arrangement of the fitting columns 22 forming a ring. The suture thread is basically wrapped around the outside of these ring-shaped fitting columns 22. The height of the side walls 25 is less than 1 cm, as it only needs to be high enough to wrap the suture thread around.

[0058] The needle locking part 24 only needs to be able to hook and secure the suture needle when winding thread, so it may be a needle locking part 24 integrally formed with the container part 20, or it may be a separate sponge-like material that can be attached to the bottom surface 21 to secure the tip of the suture needle.

[0059] The lid 30 is approximately the same size as the container 20 or small enough to fit inside the side wall 25, and has an opening for removing the suture with a needle. The lid 30 also has a fitting hole 31 through which the fitting column 22 can pass. When the fitting column 22 is used to connect the container 20 and the lid 30, it is preferable to form a column head 23 at the upper end of the fitting column 22, with a diameter slightly larger than the cross-section of the cylindrical portion of the fitting column 22, so that the attached lid 30 does not easily come off. In addition, a connecting member 27 may be provided to connect adjacent fitting columns 22 near their bases. The connecting member 27 not only keeps the fitting column 22 vertical, but also lifts the lid 30 off the bottom surface 21 of the container 22, securing space for storing the suture with a needle. Therefore, the height of the connecting member 27 should be slightly below the lower end of the column head 23.

[0060] The lid portion 30 is basically made of a material that is flexible while maintaining its surface shape, and can be made of paper, resin, or synthetic paper made mainly from synthetic resin. However, when the column head 23 of the fitting column 22 is passed through the fitting hole 31, there is a risk of tearing if it is made of paper, and it may be difficult to pass it through if it is made of resin. Therefore, after the fitting column 22 is passed through the fitting hole 31, the upper end of the fitting column 22 is sometimes crushed to form the column head 23. As will be described in more detail later, when winding thread, the claw portion is inserted between the lid portion 30 and the container portion 22, and the claw portion slides around the thread winding tray 10. Therefore, the lid portion 30 must be structured so that it floats up to create a gap with the container portion 22 when the claw portion is inserted, and contacts the container portion 22 when the claw portion is not inserted.

[0061] Next, a thread winding device and method for manually winding thread onto such a thread winding tray 10 will be described. Figure 3 is a diagram of an embodiment in which the thread winding tray and thread winding device according to the present invention are separated. Figure 4 is an embodiment of the thread winding tray and thread winding device according to the present invention, showing the thread winding tray attached to the bottom fixture. Figure 5 is an embodiment of the thread winding tray and thread winding device according to the present invention, showing the thread winding tray attached to the bottom fixture as viewed from below. Figure 6 is an embodiment of the thread winding device according to the present invention, showing all the thread winding devices set on the thread winding tray. In these embodiments, the thread winding device is used with a square thread winding tray with rounded corners and tapered straight sections, but this is just one example, and the shape of the thread winding tray is not particularly limited and the shape is arbitrary.

[0062] To manually wind thread onto the thread winding tray 10, a thread winding device 1 is used, which includes a bottom tool 60 and a rotating tool 70. However, to ensure stable thread winding, it is preferable to also use a top tool 50 and multiple connecting pillars 80 that connect the top tool 50 and the bottom tool 60. Therefore, the following explanation will describe a configuration including the top tool 50, although minimal thread winding is possible even without the top tool 50. While the thread winding device of the present invention has the advantage of allowing manual thread winding, it is also possible to automate the thread winding process by incorporating this device into a machine.

[0063] The upper and lower parts 50 and 60 have the same planar shape as the spool tray 10. The upper part 50 is placed in contact with the upper side of the lid 30 of the spool tray 10, and the lower part 60 is placed in contact with the lower side of the bottom 21 of the container 20, sandwiching the spool tray 10 during use. Note that "same shape as the spool tray 10" includes similar shapes of roughly the same size as the planar shape of the spool tray 10. The upper part 50 is equipped with a pressing part 57 that presses down on the spool tray 10 from above the lid 30. The structure and shape of the pressing part 57 can vary as it should be matched to the spool tray 10, but in the case of a spool tray 10 in which the container 20 and lid 30 are joined using fitting columns 22 as shown in the figure, it is preferable to have a structure that can press down on the heads 23 of each column and the area around the heads 23. Specifically, if the pressing part 57 is dome-shaped or cylindrical and can enclose the column head 23, the inner surface of the dome or cylinder can press down on the column head 23 while the edge can press down on the lid 30. This makes it possible to maintain the stability of the thread winding tray 10 during the thread winding operation using the circulating tool described later, while suppressing the lid 30 from lifting up and preventing the lid 30 from coming off the fitting column 22.

[0064] A connecting column 80 is used to integrate the thread winding tray 10 when it is sandwiched between the top fitting 50 and the bottom fitting 60. The connecting column 80 passes through through holes 28 and 38 made in the bottom surface 21 of the lid 30 and the container 20, and both ends are inserted into the respective column insertion parts 55 and 65 provided on the top fitting 50 and the bottom fitting 60 to connect them integrally. In other words, the through holes 28 and 38 of the connecting column 80 must be provided in the bottom surface 21 of the lid 30 and the container 20 at the locations where the column insertion parts 55 and 65 are provided. The connecting column 80 does not interfere with the thread winding work if it passes inside the area surrounded by the ring-shaped fitting columns 22. In addition, the connecting column 80 can also be used to position the thread winding tray 10, the top fitting 50 and the bottom fitting 60, so basically two or more are needed, and it is good to provide about two to six or more.

[0065] The upper attachment 50 is equipped with an upper rotating part 51 that is rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the lid 30, and similarly, the lower attachment 60 is equipped with a lower rotating part 61 that is rotatable around an axis coaxial with the upper rotating part 51. The upper rotating part 51 and the lower rotating part 61 are about the size of a button, and by pinching and pressing them with the middle finger and thumb, the thread winding tray 10, which is integrated with the upper attachment 50 and the lower attachment 60, can be held in one hand. This makes it possible to rotate the integrated upper attachment 50, lower attachment 60, and thread winding tray 10 in the hand while holding them between the middle finger and thumb. If the upper attachment 50 is not used, the lid 30 of the thread winding tray 10 can be pressed directly with the fingers.

[0066] The rotating tool 70 includes a rotating tool base 71 having an engaging portion 72 that engages with a guide portion 66 provided along the outer circumference of the bottom tool 60, and a rotating tool lid 75 having a claw portion 76 that is inserted into the inside of the container portion 20 from between the side wall 25 of the container portion 20 and the lid portion 30. The rotating tool 70 is formed by placing the rotating tool lid 75 over the upper side of the rotating tool base 71 to form a single unit, and is configured to rotate along the outer circumference of the thread winding tray 10 and the bottom tool 60. The rotating tool base 71 and the rotating tool lid 75 can be formed by methods such as fitting a rod-shaped column together.

[0067] The rotating tool 70 is primarily designed to rotate clockwise relative to the spool tray 10. Alternatively, it can be said that the rotating tool 70 is fixed while the spool tray 10 rotates counterclockwise. The direction of rotation can be either direction, as long as it is predetermined. Furthermore, the claw portion 76 of the rotating tool lid 75 should be sloped toward the direction of travel to prevent it from catching on the lid 30 when the rotating tool 70 is rotated. Additionally, when the spool tray 10 is rotated with the claw portion 76 held down by the top tool 50, the tip of the claw portion 76 can slide without leaving the bottom surface 21 of the container 20. In other words, the top tool 50 not only holds down the lid 30 of the spool tray 10 with its pressing portion 57, but also simultaneously holds down the claw portion 76 of the rotating tool 70, stabilizing the spool winding operation. Furthermore, even without holding the claw portion 76 with the top tool 50, it is possible to insert the claw portion 76 into the container portion 20 and rotate the thread winding tray 10 without it lifting off the bottom surface 21 by firmly holding the rotating tool 70. Also, if the rotating tool lid portion 75 and the rotating tool base portion 71 are fixed together, it is possible to prevent the claw portion 76 from lifting or shifting even without the top tool 50, and to perform thread winding work reliably. The method of fixing the rotating tool lid portion 75 and the rotating tool base portion 71 is not particularly limited and can be a snap fit or fixing using a separate component.

[0068] The suture thread 42 of the needle-attached suture thread 40, in which the suture needle 41 is locked to the needle-locking part 24 of the container part 20, is set between the circulating tool base part 71 and the circulating tool lid part 75 before the thread winding operation. At that time, the suture thread 42 is set so that it passes through the thread-threading part 77 provided at the tip of the claw part 76. Since the thread-threading part 77 is gate-shaped and has an open bottom, the suture thread 42 is stretched out and placed on the upper surface of the circulating tool base part 71, and the circulating tool lid part 75 is placed over it so that the suture thread 42 passes inside the thread-threading part 77, thereby surrounding the suture thread 42 with the bottom surface 21 of the container part 20 and the thread-threading part 77. As described above, when the rotating tool 70 rotates around the bottom tool 60, the thread-threading portion 77 at the tip of the claw portion 76 can slide on the floor surface 21 of the container portion 20, so that the suture thread 42 does not come off the thread-threading portion 77 during the winding operation. Therefore, when the suture needle 41 of the needle-attached suture thread 40 is locked to the needle-locking portion 24, the suture thread 42 is passed through the thread-threading portion 77, and the claw portion 76 is inserted between the container portion 20 and the lid portion 30, and the winding tray 10 is rotated, the rotating tool 70 moves along the outer circumference of the winding tray 10 and the bottom tool 60, and the suture thread 42 is wound into the winding tray 10 by passing through the thread-threading portion 77.

[0069] The rotating tool 70 can be moved by engaging the engaging portion 72 of the rotating tool base 71 with the guide portion 66 provided on the lower tool 60, thereby enabling stable thread winding without separating from the lower tool 60. Furthermore, because the rotating tool 70 is configured to remain attached to the lower tool 60, the thread winding device 1 can be made more compact than conventional designs when automated.

[0070] Here, the guide section 66 is provided in a rail-like manner along the outer circumference of the lower part 60, and it is generally preferable to provide a guide section that is a rail in the vertical upward direction and a guide section that is a rail in the downward direction. The guide section 66 can be provided by either the upper or lower section alone, but by hooking onto both the upper and lower guide sections 66, the rotating device 70 can be moved more stably. By cutting out a part of the lower rail, it becomes possible to fit the engaging section 72 into the upper and lower rail-shaped guide sections 66. Thus, the rotating device 70 can engage with the guide section 66 with the claw section 76 inserted into the inside of the container section 20.

[0071] Furthermore, to allow the circulating tool 70 to move smoothly, there should be some clearance in the contact between the guide portion 66 and the engaging portion 72. If the engaging portion 72 tightly grips the rail-shaped guide portion 66, it becomes difficult to move it smoothly, especially on the curved outer circumference of the bottom tool 60. However, if the clearance is too large, the angle of the circulating tool 70 relative to the bottom tool 60 will not be stable, causing inconsistencies in the wound suture thread and making the suture thread more prone to tangling. In that case, the skill of the operator will be required to perform the thread winding work neatly, rendering the guide portion 66 meaningless. Also, in the case of a thread winding tray 10 having an uneven portion 26 on the inside of the side wall 25 of the container portion 20, if the angle of the circulating tool 70 is not stable, the claw portion 76 will come into contact with the uneven portion 26 on the inside of the side wall 25, making it difficult to perform smooth rotation. Therefore, it is desirable to have a structure that allows the angle of the rotating tool 70 relative to the lower tool 60 to be kept constant, so that the thread winding operation can always be performed neatly regardless of the operator's skill.

[0072] Figure 7 illustrates the movement of the circulating tool based on the number of contact points. As mentioned above, in order to move the circulating tool 70 smoothly and perform stable thread winding work, the angle of the circulating tool 70 relative to the bottom tool 60 must be kept constant. This would require increasing the contact area between the guide part 66 and the engaging part 72, but doing so would make the movement of the circulating tool 70 less smooth. Therefore, in order to reduce the contact area, multiple contact points 74 are provided so that the guide part 66 and the engaging part 72 make point contact. For the contact points 74, protrusions that make contact at the tip may be provided, or rollers 73 may be provided. In the case of rollers 73, the structure becomes more complex, but the rotation allows the circulating tool 70 to move more smoothly.

[0073] Figure 7(a) shows a case where there is one contact point 74 on the outside and one on the inside of the guide portion 66. In this case, where there are two contact points, it can be seen that the orientation of the circulating device 70 relative to the guide portion 66 is prone to deviation. Next, Figure 7(b) shows a case where there is one contact point 74 on the outside and two contact points 74 on the inside of the guide portion 66. In this structure, the angle of the circulating device 70 relative to the guide portion 66 can be kept approximately constant in both curved and straight sections. Of course, all contact points may be rollers 73, or only the outer contact point may be a roller 73. Figure 7(c) shows another form of the three-point contact in Figure 7(b), where the inner contact point is an elongated oval. With this shape, in curved sections, the two contact points 74 are located near the ends of the oval on the inside of the guide portion 66, and in straight sections, the circulating device can contact the guide portion 66 at some point on the oval. The outside of the guide portion 66 can be contacted by rollers 73 or the like.

[0074] In summary, by providing a structure that allows contact with the guide section 66 at three or more points, the angle of the circulating tool 70 relative to the guide section 66 can be kept approximately constant. In the section of the guide section 66 shown in Figure 7(b) where the small rollers 73 and protrusions are lined up and in contact with the inside of the guide section 66, the spacing between the contact points 74 and the width of the claw section 76 should be approximately the same. This is because, when the thread winding tray 10 and the bottom tool 60 are of similar size, if the width of the claw section 76 is too wide compared to the spacing between the contact points 74, the claw section 76 will interfere with the container section 20 and the uneven surfaces 26 inside the container, making it difficult for the circulating tool 70 to slide smoothly. The above-described guide section configuration is also effective when automating the thread winding device.

[0075] Here, if the overall planar shape of the spool tray is an oval shape with opposing straight sections tapered (like a snowboard) as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or a square with rounded corners where the straight sections are tapered—in other words, if tracing the outer circumference of the spool tray results in a shape where right and left curves are repeated to form a ring—then it is important to note that a gap may occur between the contact point and the guide section. Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the shape of the guide section and the contact point of the circulating tool.

[0076] Figure 8(a) shows the case where rollers 73 are provided at two locations inside the guide portion 66 and one location outside, and Figure 8(b) shows the case where elongated oval contact points 74 are provided inside the guide portion 66 and rollers 73 are provided outside. In these configurations, there are basically three contact points 74: two inside the guide portion 66 and one outside. However, if the thickness of the guide portion 66 is kept constant, when there are three contact points 74 at a position where the guide portion 66 bulges outward and curves, a gap is created between the guide portion 66 and the contact points 74 at a position where the guide portion 66 is recessed inward and curves, making it difficult to achieve three-point contact. In such cases, there is a concern that the circulating tool 70 will rattle relative to the guide portion 66, and the suture thread may fly out of the container when winding the thread.

[0077] Therefore, as shown in Figures 8(a') and 8(b'), in positions where the guide portion 66 curves inward, it is preferable to increase the thickness of the guide portion 66 so that there are three contact points 74. In addition to this embodiment, it is preferable to change the thickness of the guide portion 66 to match the curve so that the circulating tool 70 can move stably along the guide portion 66.

[0078] In the winding method described above, the suture thread 42 is basically wound along the outside of the ring-shaped fitting posts 22. However, when winding is complete, if the tip of the suture thread 42 reaches the curved part of the winding tray 10 or the opening of the lid 30, the tip of the suture thread 42 tends to protrude from the winding tray 10. Also, if the suture thread is wound tightly around the outer circumference of the ring-shaped fitting posts 22, it may become tangled when removing the suture thread 40 with a needle, making it difficult to pull it out smoothly.

[0079] Therefore, several connecting members 81 are provided on the outside of the ring-shaped fitting columns 22. The connecting members may have any shape, including cylinders, prisms, cones, and pyramids (they may also be rod-shaped pins). Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the installation positions of the connecting members. Figure 9(a) shows the case where no connecting members are used, and the suture thread 42 is wound along the outside of the ring-shaped fitting columns 22. Figure 9(b) shows the case where there are two connecting members 81, Figure 9(c) shows the case where there are four connecting members 81, and Figure 9(d) shows the case where there are eight connecting members 81.

[0080] The connecting member 81 is attached to the connecting portion 56 of the top fitting 50 and passes through the through portion (e.g., through hole and through gap) 39 provided in the lid portion 30 to reach the bottom surface 21 of the container portion 20. Here, the position of the connecting member 81 is outside the annularly arranged fitting column 22 and inside the side wall 25 of the container portion 20.

[0081] The top fitting 50 has multiple connecting parts 56, and accordingly, the through-holes 39 in the lid 30 are also made in the same positions. The thread winding operator will then select several of the connecting parts 56 to which the connecting members 81 will be attached. In other words, as shown in Figures 9(a) to (d), the installation positions and locations can be arbitrarily determined, so the connecting members 81 may be attached to all of the connecting parts 56, or to just two.

[0082] Where a connecting member 81 is provided, the suture thread 42 is wrapped around the outside of the connecting member 81, and where a connecting member 81 is not provided, the suture thread 42 is wrapped around the outside of the fitting column 22. In other words, at the location where a connecting member 81 is provided, the suture thread 42 passes between the connecting member 81 and the side wall 25 closest to the connecting member 81.

[0083] The connecting portion 56 may also be provided on the bottom fitting 60. That is, the bottom fitting 60 may have multiple connecting portions 56, and connecting members 81 may be attached to all or part of the connecting portions 56. The connecting members 81 penetrate through the through portions (e.g., through holes and through gaps) provided in the container portion 20 and reach the lid portion 30. If the connecting portion 56 is provided on the bottom fitting 60, the lid portion 30 may or may not have the through portion 39.

[0084] When using a highly linear thread such as monofilament thread as the suture thread 42, the stored suture thread 42 tends to straighten out, making it prone to overflowing from the spool tray 10. In particular, the ends of the suture thread 42 are prone to overflowing at the opening of the lid 30 and at curved areas on the outer circumference of the spool tray 20. Therefore, if the ends of the suture thread 42 are in a position where they are prone to overflowing during the spooling process, the attachment position and number of connecting members 81 can be changed to adjust the position so that the ends of the suture thread 42 are in a straight section of the spool tray 10 where they are less likely to overflow.

[0085] Furthermore, the suture thread 42 can be made of various materials, including monofilament threads and braided threads, and therefore the optimal position for the thread end to settle varies. In addition, the length of the suture thread 42 may vary during the production process, and in the case of braided threads, some are hardened with adhesive to prevent fraying, in which case the hardened length may vary. However, since the attachment position and number of connecting members 81 can be changed to accommodate any type of suture thread 42, the position of the thread end can be easily adjusted for all types of suture thread 42.

[0086] Once the winding of the suture thread 42 is complete, the circumferential tool 70, the upper tool 50, and the lower tool 60 are removed. At this time, the connecting column 80 and the connecting member 81 are removed from the thread winding tray 10. In this case, for example, if the suture thread is wound around the connecting member 81 rather than only around the fitting column 22, there is more slack in the suture thread 42 relative to the fitting column 22, so the force that causes the suture thread 42 to straighten is considered to be weaker. Therefore, if the connecting member 81 is placed outside the fitting column 22, the possibility of the suture thread 42 protruding from the thread winding tray 10 is considered to be low. In addition, compared to the case where the suture thread 42 is tightly wound on the outside of the fitting column 22, the suture thread 42 is wound loosely, which has the advantage of being able to be pulled out smoothly.

[0087] Using the thread winding tray and device described above, thread winding can be easily performed manually, and the position of the suture end can be easily adjusted. Specifically, by holding the rotating tool in the right hand, gripping the upper and lower rotating parts with the middle finger and thumb of the left hand, and rotating the thread winding tray, which is integrated with the jig, with the index finger of the left hand, thread winding can be easily performed. Furthermore, since the thread winding can be done almost entirely in the palm of the hand, the worker can always maintain a comfortable working posture, improving work efficiency. In addition, there is no need to introduce expensive thread winding machines, so the economic burden is also reduced. Moreover, because this thread winding device has a simple structure, it can be used with all kinds of sutures and thread winding trays by preparing a thread winding device that matches the shape of the thread winding tray and the suture. Furthermore, especially with fine sutures, delicate handling is required, and manual winding, which allows for adjustment of thread handling and winding rotation speed, is more efficient than machine winding.

[0088] Furthermore, the thread winding device of the present invention can be automated not only by manual operation but also by integration into a machine. Moreover, because the circulating jig moves along the guide section of the lower component, the thread winding device of the present invention can be made more compact than conventional devices. It is also possible to restrict the movement of the circulating jig and rotate the lower component and thread winding tray.

[0089] 2. Storage tray for sutures with needles. 2-1 First Embodiment Figure 11 is a perspective view of the storage tray of the present invention, where (a) is before the lid member is attached and (b) is after the lid member is attached. Figure 12 is a diagram of the ribs provided on the container member. This storage tray 10A is a tray for storing sutures with needles attached to the ends of the sutures, wound in a circular or figure-eight shape, and after storage, the entire tray is wrapped and sealed with a bacterial-impermeable film or the like. Note that winding the sutures in a circular shape includes not only perfect circles but also ellipses and oblongs, depending on the shape of the storage tray 10A.

[0090] The basic configuration of the storage tray 10A includes a container member 20A. The overall planar shape of the storage tray 10A can be various, including a rounded rectangle, an ellipse, an oblong with an outer perimeter composed of arcs and straight lines, an oblong with a constricted shape where the opposing straight lines are joined, and a rounded rectangle with a constricted straight line. The oblong with a constricted shape where the opposing straight lines are joined is the shape shown in Figure 11, which is like the shape of a snowboard. In other words, when the storage tray 10A is placed horizontally, the left and right sides form arcs such as semicircles, and the top and bottom parts form a curved outer perimeter that is joined so that they are close together.

[0091] The container member 20A is primarily made of resin and has the shape of a shallow vessel consisting of a bottom surface 21A and side walls 25A. The side walls 25A may be shaped to rise perpendicularly from the bottom surface 21A, or their cross-section may be a curved shape such as an arc. The height of the side walls 25A is less than 1 cm, as it only needs to be tall enough to store sutures wound around it. The bottom surface 21A is also provided with a suture needle locking part 24A for securing sutures with needles. The suture needle locking part 24A only needs to be able to hook and fix the suture needle, so it may be a locking part integrally formed with the container member 20A, or it may be a separate base plate placed on the bottom surface 21A that can be used to insert and fix the tip of the suture needle.

[0092] The storage tray 10A may further have a lid member 30A. The lid member 30A has substantially the same shape as the container member 20A, is shaped to fit inside the side wall 25A, and has an opening for removing the stored needle-attached sutures. There are various methods for connecting the lid member 30A and the container member 20A, but a common method of connection is to pass multiple substantially cylindrical fitting columns 22A, which are provided protruding from the bottom surface 21A of the container member 20A, through fitting holes 31A made in the lid member 30A. Depending on the size and shape of the container, the fitting columns 22A are generally provided in a ring arrangement of several to about 20 columns between the center of gravity of the container member 20A and the side wall 25A.

[0093] To prevent the lid member 30A from easily coming off, it is advisable to form a column head 23A at the upper end of the fitting column 22A with a diameter slightly larger than the cross-section of the cylindrical portion of the fitting column 22A. Paper and resin can be used as materials for the lid member 30A, but if it is made of paper, there is a risk of tearing when the column head 23A of the fitting column 22A is passed through the fitting hole 31A, and if it is made of resin, it may be difficult to pass it through, so it is also advisable to use synthetic paper made mainly of synthetic resin.

[0094] In addition, a connecting member 27A may be provided to connect adjacent fitting columns 22A near their bases. The connecting member 27A not only keeps the fitting columns 22A vertical, but also holds the lid member 30A suspended from the bottom surface 21A of the container member 22A. Therefore, the height of the connecting member 27A is slightly below the lower end of the column head 23A.

[0095] In the storage tray 10A configured as described above, the suture with a needle is stored with the needle locked in the suture needle locking part 24A, and the suture is wound around the fitting column 22A and the side wall 25A several times to about ten times.

[0096] Multiple ribs 26A are provided on the inner surface of the side wall 25A of the container member 20A, connecting to the bottom surface 21A and the side wall 25A, and protruding toward the inside of the container member 20A. The ribs 26A are approximately the same thickness as the container member 20A, and their upper surfaces are shaped to slope downward toward the inside of the container member 20A.

[0097] Figure 13 is a simplified cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the lid member and the rib, where (a) is the case when the rib is composed of a slope and a vertical surface, (b) is the case when the upper surface of the rib is curved, and (c) is the case when the upper surface of the rib is straight. Figure 13(a) shows the shape of a typical rib 26A, which basically holds down the suture thread 42A that bulges outward on the vertical surface on the center side of the container. However, even if the suture thread 42A rises above the vertical surface, the slope on the upper surface of the rib 26A causes the suture thread 42A to slide towards the inside of the container member 20A and the bottom surface 21A, preventing the suture thread 42A from coming out of the container member 20A. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 13(b) and (c), even if the shape of the rib 26A when viewed from the side is a straight or curved shape, with the highest point where it connects to the side surface 25A and the lowest point where it connects to the bottom surface 21A, the suture thread 42A can be moved toward the inside of the container member 20A and toward the bottom surface 21A, similar to Figure 13(a).

[0098] The shapes of these ribs 26A are merely examples; any shape other than those shown is acceptable as long as the upper surface of the rib 26A slopes downward toward the inside of the container member 20A, and the upper surface of the rib 26A may be a composite shape of straight and curved lines. Here, when the lid member 30A and the container member 20A are joined, it is preferable that the lid member 30A is in contact with the upper surface of the rib 26A. With such a structure, there will be no gap between the upper surface of the rib 26A and the lid member 30A, and the inclination of the upper surface of the rib 26A and the downward pressure from the lid member 30A will prevent the suture thread 42A from protruding outside the container member 20A. Note that, as shown in Figure 13(b), the lid member 30A may be slightly bent and placed on the upper surface of the rib 26A. In this case, a strong pressing force is applied in the direction in which the lid member 30A contacts the rib 26A, which further enhances the effect of preventing the suture thread 42A from coming out.

[0099] When using particularly straight threads, such as thick monofilament threads, as sutures, the sutures tend to straighten out, and even if a slope is provided on the upper surface of the rib 26A, the sutures 42A may protrude from the storage tray 10A. Therefore, the lid member 30A may also be provided with a protrusion to hold the sutures 42A downwards.

[0100] Figure 14 shows a lid member with a protrusion, where (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of the side wall, and (c) is an example of a cross-sectional view AA. Figure 15 shows (a) a perspective view of an embodiment of a lid member with a protrusion, and (b) an enlarged view.

[0101] The edge of the lid member 30A is provided with multiple protrusions 32A that extend toward the bottom surface 21A along its entire circumference, excluding the opening. Here, to prevent interference between the ribs 26A of the container member 20A and the protrusions 32A of the lid member 30A when the container member 20A and the lid member 30A are joined, the protrusions 32A are positioned between adjacent ribs 26A. The protrusions 32A may simply protrude downward from the lid member 30A, or they may have an uneven shape as shown in Figure 14(c). In this case, if the protrusions 32A are formed along almost the entire circumference of the edge of the lid member 30A, a continuous series of thickness-direction irregularities 33A will be formed along the edge of the lid member 30A. Note that "continuous series" means that there are no notches or slits on the edge, and the irregularities 33A are connected and lined up in a continuous row.

[0102] If the lid member 30A does not have a protrusion 32A, the lid member 30A may warp to the point where a gap is created between the container member 20A and the lid member 30A. In contrast, by providing the protrusion 32A on the lid member 30A, the lid member 30A is less likely to warp, and when it does warp, it applies strong pressure to the rib 26A. As a result, the protrusion 32A of the lid member 30A presses down on the suture thread 42A from above, and the rib 26A of the container member 20A presses down on the suture thread 42A from below, making it very difficult for the suture thread 42A to protrude outwards through the gap between the container member 20A and the lid member 30A. Note that the lid member 30A and the upper surface of the rib 26A do not necessarily have to be in contact, as long as the protrusion 32A can push the suture thread down to a position lower than the upper surface of the rib 26A.

[0103] Furthermore, the protrusion 32A on the lid member 30A is a projection in the thickness direction of the lid member 30A, so the lid member 30A is easily deformed in the direction along the edge, but is difficult to deform in the radial direction (from the outer edge towards the center). As a result, when winding thread using the thread insertion jig 150A as shown in Figure 16, the lid member 30A is easily deformed in the direction along the edge in accordance with the movement of the insertion jig 150A. Compared to the conventional case where a notch is provided in the planar direction of the lid member 30A, the possibility of the suture thread or thread insertion jig 150A getting caught is lower, and it is less likely to interfere with the thread winding work.

[0104] As described above, by providing ribs on the inside of the side wall that slope downward toward the inside of the container member, and by appropriately providing protrusions on the outer circumference of the lid member toward the bottom surface of the container member, it is possible to prevent the needle-attached sutures stored inside the storage tray from protruding from the storage tray without interfering with the thread winding process.

[0105] 2-2 Second Embodiment Figure 19 is an exploded view of the lid member and container member of the storage tray of the present invention. Figure 20 is the storage tray of the present invention, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) and (c) are enlarged views of the edge portion of the lid member. This storage tray 10B is a tray for storing sutures with needles attached to the ends of the sutures, and after storage, the entire tray is wrapped and sealed with a bacterial-impermeable film or the like. The sutures are basically wound in a circular shape, and "circular" means not only a perfect circle, but also an ellipse or oblong shape to match the shape of the storage tray 10B.

[0106] The basic configuration of the storage tray 10B includes a container member 20B and a lid member 30B. The overall planar shape of the storage tray 10B can be various, including a rounded rectangle, an ellipse, an oblong with an outer perimeter composed of arcs and straight lines, an oblong with a constricted shape between opposing straight lines, and a rounded rectangle with a constricted straight line. Here, the storage tray 10B exemplified in Figures 19 and 20 has an oblong shape with a constricted shape between opposing straight lines, which is like the shape of a snowboard. In other words, when the storage tray 10B is placed horizontally, the left and right sides form arcs such as semicircles, and the top and bottom parts form a curved outer perimeter that is constricted so that they are close together.

[0107] The container member 20B has the shape of a shallow vessel with a bottom surface 21B and side walls 25B. The side walls 25B may be shaped to rise perpendicularly from the bottom surface 21B, or they may have a curved cross-section such as an arc. The height of the side walls 25B is less than 1 cm, as it only needs to be tall enough to store sutures wound around it. The bottom surface 21B is also provided with a suture needle locking part 24B for securing sutures with needles. The suture needle locking part 24B only needs to be able to hook and fix the suture needle, so it may be a locking part integrally formed with the container member 20B, or it may be a separate base plate placed on the bottom surface 21B that can be used to insert and fix the tip of the suture needle.

[0108] The lid member 30B has an opening for removing the stored needle-attached sutures, but its general shape is similar to that of the container member 20B. There are various ways to connect the lid member 30B and the container member 20B, but a common method is to pass multiple roughly cylindrical fitting columns 22B, which are provided protruding from the bottom surface 21B of the container member 20B, through fitting holes 31B made in the lid member 30B. Depending on the size and shape of the container, the fitting columns 22B are generally arranged in a ring shape, ranging from several to about 20 columns, between the center of gravity of the container member 20B and the side wall 25B. In addition, by providing connecting members 27B that connect the bases of adjacent fitting columns 22B, it is possible not only to keep the fitting columns 22B vertical, but also to hold the lid member 30B suspended above the bottom surface 21B of the container member 22B. Furthermore, to prevent the joined lid member 30B from easily coming off, it is preferable to form a column head 23B at the upper end of the fitting column 22B, which has a diameter slightly larger than the cross-section of the cylindrical portion of the fitting column 22B. In the storage tray 10B with the above configuration, the suture needle is locked to the suture needle locking portion 24B, and the suture thread with the needle is stored by winding the suture thread around the fitting column 22B and the side wall 25B several times to about ten times.

[0109] The lid member 30B is basically made of a resin plate such as propylene, but it may also be made of paper or synthetic paper. Multiple grooves 32B are provided around the edge of the lid member 30B, extending toward the bottom surface 21B, along the entire circumference except for the opening. These grooves 32B are formed inward from the edge of the lid member 30B. In other words, since the grooves 32B are formed along almost the entire circumference of the edge of the lid member 30B, a series of thickness-direction irregularities 33B are formed along the edge of the lid member 30B, or in other words, the edge of the lid member 30B is frill-like or bellows-like. Note that "series" means that there are no notches or slits on the edge of the lid member 30B, and the irregularities 33B are connected and lined up in a continuous row.

[0110] If the lid member 30B does not have the grooves 33B, the lid member 30B is flat and tends to warp near the edge, creating a gap between the container member 20B and the lid member 30B. In contrast, by providing the grooves 33B on the lid member 30B, it becomes less likely to warp near the edge, and the suture thread 42B stored in the container member 20B can be held down from above by the lower surface of the groove 32B, thereby preventing the suture thread 42B from protruding outside the storage tray 10B.

[0111] It is preferable to provide multiple ribs 26B on the inner surface of the side wall 25B of the container member 20B, which are connected to the bottom surface 21B and the side wall 25B and protrude inward toward the inside of the container member 20B. By providing such ribs 26B, it is possible to prevent the sutures from spreading outward.

[0112] Here, when the container member 20B and the lid member 30B are joined together, the groove 32B should be positioned between adjacent ribs 26B so that the ribs 26B of the container member 20B and the protrusions 33B of the lid member 30B do not interfere with each other. In other words, the downwardly recessed portion of the protrusions 33B should be positioned between the ribs 26B. Figure 21 is a simplified cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the lid member and the ribs, where (a) is an example of the cross-sectional direction of the side wall and (b) is an example of the AA cross-sectional view.

[0113] As shown in Figures 21(a) and (b), if the groove 32B of the lid member 30B interlocks with the rib 26B of the container member 20B from above and interlocks with the rib 26B of the container member 20B from below, it becomes very difficult for the suture thread 42B to protrude outwards from the gap between the container member 20B and the lid member 30B. The rib 26B protrudes inwards toward the container member 20B, and similarly, the groove 32B is formed inwards from the edge of the lid member 30B. In this case, the length of the groove 32B extending inwards toward the lid member 30B should be about the same as, or longer than, the length of the rib 26B extending inwards toward the container member 20B. If the length of the groove 32B is short, there is a possibility that the suture thread will get caught between the upper surface of the rib 26B and the lid member 30B. Furthermore, while it is desirable for the lid member 30B and the upper surface of the rib 26B to be in contact, they do not necessarily have to be in contact if the lower surface of the groove 32B can push the suture down to a position lower than the upper surface of the rib 26B.

[0114] The shape of the rib 26B is about the same thickness as the container member 20B, and when viewed from the side, it may be a roughly rectangular shape as shown in Figure 21(a), or the upper surface of the rib 26B may be sloped downwards toward the inside of the container member 20B. When the rib 26B is roughly rectangular, it basically holds down the suture thread 42B that spreads outwards with its inner vertical surface. However, when the suture thread 42B rises to near the upper surface of the rib 26B, if the upper surface of the rib 26B is sloped, the suture thread 42B can slide toward the inside and bottom surface 21B of the container member 20B, preventing the suture thread 42B from protruding outside the container member 20B.

[0115] Furthermore, the shape of the rib 26B when viewed from the side does not have to be limited to a roughly rectangular shape. Figure 22 is an enlarged view of a rib with a curved top surface. In this way, even if the shape of the rib 26B when viewed from the side is not roughly rectangular, but is a straight line, curve, or a composite shape of a straight line and a curve, with the highest point where it connects to the side wall 25B and the lowest point where it connects to the bottom surface 21B, the suture thread 42B can still be moved toward the inside of the container member 20B and toward the bottom surface 21B. And even in the case of such a shape for the rib 26B, if the groove 32B of the lid member 30B and the rib 26B are configured to interlock in an alternating manner, the suture thread 42B can be prevented from protruding outward from the gap between the container member 20B and the lid member 30B.

[0116] The grooves 32B provided in the lid member 30B are protruding portions in the thickness direction of the lid member 30B. Therefore, the lid member 30B has irregularities 33B formed along its edge, making it soft and easily deformable, but it is hard and difficult to deform in the radial direction (from the edge of the lid member inward). In other words, when multiple grooves 32B are provided in the lid member 30B, the rigidity in the direction along the edge becomes lower than that of the flat portion of the lid member 30B, while the rigidity of the lid member 32B inward from the edge becomes higher than that of the flat portion of the lid member 30B. Consequently, when winding thread using the thread insertion jig 150B as shown in Figure 24, the shape of the edge portion of the lid member 30B deforms to match the cross-sectional shape of the insertion jig 150B.

[0117] Figure 23 is an explanatory diagram comparing the shapes of the lid members during the thread winding process, where (a) is the case without irregularities and (b) is the case with irregularities. The insertion jig 150B is sandwiched between the container members 20B, 120B and the lid members 30B, 130B, and the thread winding process is performed by moving it in the direction of the arrow. The insertion jig 150B is provided with an inclination in the direction of movement so that it can move smoothly without getting caught on the lid members 30B, 130B.

[0118] Figure 23(a) shows the thread winding process of a storage tray 110B without the protrusions shown in Figure 24. Because the edge of the lid member 130B is flat, it deforms as a whole rather than partially, making it easy for a large gap to occur between the lid member 130B and the container member 120B on the rear side of the moving thread insertion jig 150B. This gap is not very large in the thickness direction of the insertion jig 150B, but it is a long gap along the edge of the lid member 130B. On the other hand, Figure 23(b) shows the thread winding process of a storage tray 10B with protrusions 33B as shown in Figure 20. Because the protrusions 33B on the edge of the lid member 30B are easily deformed by opening and closing, the gap between the lid member 130B and the container member 120B on the rear side of the moving thread insertion jig 150B is smaller than in Figure 23(a). In particular, the length of the gap can be kept shorter than when the lid member 130B is flat.

[0119] Since the tip of the suture thread is particularly prone to getting caught in the gap at the rear of the thread insertion jig 150B when the thread winding is finished, providing the lid member 30B with irregularities 33B allows the gap at the rear of the jig 150B to close more quickly after the jig 150B has passed through, thereby strengthening the effect of suppressing the protrusion of the suture thread.

[0120] As described above, by appropriately providing grooves that protrude towards the bottom surface of the container member near the edge of the lid member, it is possible to suppress the leakage of suture thread from the storage tray during and after winding. Furthermore, by providing ribs on the inside of the side wall, the synergistic effect of the grooves and ribs can be enhanced to further suppress the leakage of suture thread. In addition, the unevenness of the edge of the lid member formed by the multiple grooves reduces the rigidity in the direction along the edge, allowing the thread winding jig to slide smoothly during winding.

[0121] 2-3 Third Embodiment Figure 27 shows a plan perspective view of the storage tray 1C according to this embodiment. Figures 28(a) to (c) are partial plan views of the storage tray 1C schematically showing how suture thread 26C is stored in the storage tray 1C. The storage tray 1C is a tray for storing suture thread 26C with a needle (not shown) attached to the end, wound in a circular shape, and after storage, the entire tray is wrapped and sealed with a bacterial-impermeable film or the like. Note that winding the suture thread 26C in a circular shape includes not only perfect circles but also ellipses and oblongs, depending on the shape of the storage tray 1C.

[0122] The overall planar shape of storage tray 1C can be various, including a rounded rectangle, an ellipse, an oblong with an outer perimeter composed of arcs and straight lines, an oblong with a constricted shape where the opposing straight lines meet, and a rounded rectangle with a constricted straight line. The oblong with a constricted shape where the opposing straight lines meet is like the shape of a snowboard (see Figure 11). In other words, when storage tray 1C is placed horizontally, the left and right sides form arcs such as semicircles, and the top and bottom parts form a curved outer perimeter that is constricted so that they meet closely.

[0123] The storage tray 1C is primarily made of resin and has the shape of a shallow container with a bottom surface 20C, an outer wall 21C, and an inner wall 22C. The outer wall 21C has an outer wall surface 21Ca facing the inner wall 22C, and the inner wall 22C has an inner wall surface C22a facing the outer wall C21. The distance D between the outer wall surface C21a and the inner wall surface C22a is... C It is preferable that this value remains constant.

[0124] Furthermore, the bottom surface 20C is provided with a suture needle locking section 23C for securing a suture with a needle. The suture needle locking section 23C only needs to be able to hook and secure the suture needle, so it may be a locking section integrally formed with the storage tray 1C, or it may be a separate base plate placed on the bottom surface 20C that can be used to secure the tip of the suture needle by inserting it.

[0125] The outer wall 21C may be shaped to rise perpendicularly from the outer circumference of the base surface 20C, or its cross-section may be a curved shape such as an arc. The height of the outer wall 21C should be less than 1 cm, as it only needs to be tall enough to store the suture thread 26C. The inner wall 22C is located inside the outer wall 21C and may be shaped to rise perpendicularly from the base surface 20C or have a curved shape. The height of the inner wall 22C is preferably the same as the height of the outer wall 21C, but they may be different.

[0126] The outer wall 21C is provided with a plurality of outer wall arms 11C extending toward the inner wall 22C, and the inner wall 22C is provided with a plurality of inner wall arms 12C extending toward the outer wall 21C (the plurality of outer wall arms 11C and the plurality of inner wall arms 12C are collectively referred to simply as "arms 10C"). Each of the plurality of outer wall arms 11C is separated from each other. Each of the plurality of inner wall arms 12C is separated from each other. The outer wall arms 11C are spaced apart from the inner wall arms 12C.

[0127] Height H of each exterior wall arm 11C from the exterior wall surface 21Ca CO and the height H of each inner wall arm 12C from the inner wall surface 22Ca CI The distance between walls is D C Shorter than. In one embodiment, the plan view tip of each outer wall arm 11C points toward the inner wall 22C, and the plan view tip of each inner wall arm 12C points toward the outer wall 21C (if the outer wall 21C and inner wall 22C are curved surfaces, the outer wall 21C and inner wall 22C are tangent planes to the outer wall 21C and inner wall 22C). The plan view tip refers to the tip of the plan projection of the arm 10C on the bottom surface 20C, and may not coincide with the actual tip of the arm 10C. For example, even if the actual tip of the outer wall arm 11C is perpendicular to the bottom surface, the plan view tip of the outer wall arm 11C may be pointing toward the inner wall 22C. In one embodiment, H CO This is the length from the outer wall surface 21Ca to the tip of each outer wall arm 11C, H CI This is the length from the inner wall surface 22Ca to the tip of each inner wall arm 12C. In one embodiment, the height H of the outer wall arm 11C is... CO The height H of the outer wall arm 11C and the adjacent inner wall arm 12CCI The sum is the wall-to-wall distance D C is longer. The outer wall arm 11C may have the same length as the inner wall arm 12C or may have a different length.

[0128] The suture thread 26C is housed in the space 25C defined by the outer wall arm 11C, the inner wall arm 12C, the bottom surface 20C, the outer wall 21C, and the inner wall 22C. Therefore, the outer wall arm 11C and the inner wall arm 12C each extend from the outer wall 21C and the inner wall 22C so as to form a space 25C capable of housing the suture thread 26C. The outer wall arm 11C and the inner wall arm 12C are preferably parallel to the bottom surface 20C, but do not have to be parallel to the bottom surface 20C as long as the necessary number of suture threads 26C can be housed in the space 25C. The distance from the bottom surface 20C to the arm 10C is not limited as long as the necessary number of suture threads 26C can be housed in the space 25C using a thread insertion jig (also referred to as a circumferential tool) 30C described later.

[0129] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of outer wall arms 11C is alternately or partially alternately arranged with each of the plurality of inner wall arms 12C. "Partially alternately arranged" refers to a state in which two or more outer wall arms 11C and / or two or more inner wall arms 12C are arranged partially continuously (adjacent to each other). The interval between the arms 10C may be an interval that allows the thread insertion jig (also referred to as a circumferential tool) 30C to move. In one embodiment, the bottom surface 20C includes a plurality of slits 27C. Each slit 27C is located under each arm 10C in a plan view. By providing the slit 27C under each arm 10C, even if the arms 10C collide with each other when the thread insertion jig 30C moves, the arm 10C can bend in the direction of the bottom surface 20C so that the tip of the arm 10C protrudes from the slit 27C, and the stop of the thread insertion jig 30C can be avoided. The length of the slit 27C (the length in the wall-to-wall direction) is the wall-to-wall distance D CPreferably, the width of the slit 27C (length perpendicular to the wall-to-wall direction) is wider than the width of each corresponding arm 10C (e.g., 2 to 4 times (e.g., 2, 3, and 4 times)). The outer wall arm 11C and the inner wall arm 12C are flexible. The flexibility of the arm 10C can be achieved by the material of the arm 10C and / or the size of the arm 10C (e.g., the cross-sectional area in the longitudinal direction).

[0130] The suture thread 26C extending from the suture needle locked in the suture needle locking portion 23C is housed in the space 25C through the opening 24C provided in the inner wall 22C without the use of a cover member. The outer wall surface 21Ca facing the opening 24C does not necessarily have an outer wall arm 11C.

[0131] Figures 28(a) to (c) are schematic partial plan views of the storage tray 1C showing how suture threads 26C are stored in the storage tray 1C. In Figure 28(a), the dashed lines represent auxiliary lines. The storage tray 1C can store suture threads 26C using a thread winding jig (not shown, e.g., thread winding jig 50E in Figure 37) and a thread insertion jig 30C. The thread insertion jig 30C is configured to contact an outer wall arm 11C and an inner wall arm 12C, and is configured to supply the suture threads 26C into the space 25C. First, the insertion jig 30C, which holds the suture threads 26C, is placed on the outer wall 21C so that the suture threads 26C extending from a suture needle (not shown) locked in a suture needle locking part 23C (not shown) enter the space 25C (Figure 28(a)). Next, the suture insertion jig 30C is moved along the outer wall 21C (in the direction of the white arrow) (Figure 28(b)). The outer wall arm 11C and the inner wall arm 12C bend in a way that allows them to return to their original position in the direction of the movement of the suture insertion jig 30C as the jig moves. The suture thread 26C is supplied to the suture insertion jig 30C in the direction of the black arrow as the jig moves. As the suture insertion jig 30C moves, each outer wall arm 11C and each inner wall arm 12C return to their original position, holding the suture thread 26C in the space 25C.

[0132] Figures 28(a) to (c) show horizontal supply in which the suture insertion jig 30C is in contact with each arm 10C so that each arm 10C is bent horizontally with respect to the bottom surface 20C, while the suture thread 26C is stored in the space 25C. However, the storage tray 1C according to this embodiment is also capable of vertical supply in which the suture thread 26C is stored in the space 25C while the suture insertion jig 30C is in contact with each arm 10C so that each arm 10C is bent toward the bottom surface 20C.

[0133] Figures 29(a) and (b) are schematic plan views showing examples of exterior wall arms 11C (vertical exterior wall arm 11C' and inclined exterior wall arm 11C'', respectively) according to another embodiment. In Figures 3(a) and (b), the dashed lines represent auxiliary lines and the inclination angle α C 'and α C The '' indicates the angles of the vertical exterior wall arm 11C' and the inclined exterior wall arm 11C'' relative to the exterior wall 21C, respectively. Figure 29(a) shows the angle of the vertical (inclination angle α) relative to the exterior wall 21C. C An example of a vertical outer wall arm 11C' extending at an angle of approximately 90 degrees is shown. The vertical outer wall arm 11C' can bend equally in any direction and therefore does not affect the direction of travel of the thread insertion jig 30C. Figure 29(b) shows an example of an outer wall arm 11C' that is inclined relative to the outer wall 21C (inclination angle α C An example of an inclined outer wall arm 11C'' extending (<90 degrees) is shown, which has a constricted portion 14C on the side portion 13C of the inclined outer wall arm 11C'' that is closer to the outer wall 21C to facilitate bending. In one embodiment, the inclination angle α CThe angle of the constriction is 45 to 90 degrees (for example, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85 and 90 degrees, or within the range of any two angles selected from these (for example, 50 to 85 degrees and 55 and 80 degrees)). The constriction 14C is preferably provided at a position half an arm length (the length from the outer wall 21C to a point half the length from the tip of the inclined outer wall arm 11C'') ± 0 to 10% half an arm length. The inclined outer wall arm 11C'' can be easily bent in the direction of inclination and difficult to bend in the direction opposite to the direction of inclination, thereby limiting the direction of travel of the thread insertion jig 30C to the direction of inclination. The inclined outer wall arm 11C'' may or may not have the constriction 14C. The above examples of the vertical outer wall arm 11C' and the inclined outer wall arm 11C'' can also be applied to the inner wall arm 12C (vertical inner wall arm 12C' and inclined inner wall arm 12C'', respectively). (The vertical outer wall arm 11C' and the vertical inner wall arm 12C' may simply be referred to as "vertical arm 10C'", and the inclined outer wall arm 11C'' and the inclined inner wall arm 12C'' may simply be referred to as "inclined arm 10C'').

[0134] Figure 30(a) is a schematic plan view showing an example of an outer wall arm 11C (bifurcated outer wall arm 11C''') according to another embodiment. The outer wall 21C is provided with a bifurcated outer wall arm 11C''' extending toward the inner wall 22C, and the inner wall 22C is provided with a vertical inner wall arm 12C' extending toward the outer wall 21C. The bifurcated outer wall arm 11C''' comprises a first outer wall sub-arm 11C'''a, a second outer wall sub-arm 11C'''b, and an outer wall arm straight section 11C'''c. One end of the outer wall arm straight section 11C'''c is connected to the outer wall 21C, and the other end of the outer wall arm straight section 11C'''c is connected to the base end of the first outer wall sub-arm 11C'''a and the base end of the second outer wall sub-arm 11C'''b, so that the bifurcated outer wall arm 11C''' forms a Y shape. The tip of the vertical inner wall arm 12C' is located between the first outer wall sub-arm 11C'''a and the second outer wall sub-arm 11C'''b. Figure 30(b) is a schematic plan view showing an example of an inner wall arm 12C (bifurcated inner wall arm 12C''') according to another embodiment. The inner wall arm 12C may be a bifurcated inner wall arm 12C''' (comprising a first inner wall sub-arm 12C'''a, a second inner wall sub-arm 12C'''b, and an inner wall arm straight section 11C'''c), and the outer wall arm 11C may be a vertical outer wall arm 11C' (the bifurcated outer wall arm 11C''' and the bifurcated inner wall arm 12C''' may simply be referred to as "bifurcated arm 10C'''", the first outer wall sub-arm 11C'''a and the first inner wall sub-arm 12C'''a may simply be referred to as "first sub-arm 10C'''a", the second outer wall sub-arm 11C'''b and the second inner wall sub-arm 12C'''b may simply be referred to as "second sub-arm 10C'''b", and the outer wall arm straight section 11C'''c and the inner wall arm straight section 11C'''c may simply be referred to as "arm straight section 10C'''c").

[0135] The outer wall 21C in this embodiment may be provided with a plurality of return-shaped members to prevent the stored suture threads 26C from coming out of the storage tray 1C. The return-shaped members protrude from the outer wall 21C toward the inner wall 22C, and the height H of the outer wall arm 11C CO It is preferable that it be shorter than this. It is preferable that each return-shaped member is provided between the outer wall arms 11C.

[0136] 2-4 Fourth Embodiment Figure 31 shows a plan perspective view of the storage tray 1D according to this embodiment. Figure 32 is a partial plan view of the storage tray 1D. The differences between the storage tray 1D according to the first to third embodiments will be described below.

[0137] The storage tray 1 is primarily made of resin and has the shape of a shallow container with a bottom surface 20, an outer wall 21, and an inner wall 22. The outer wall 21 has an outer wall surface 21a facing the inner wall 22, and the inner wall 22 has an inner wall surface 22a facing the outer wall 21. The distance D between the outer wall surface 21a and the inner wall surface 22a is preferably constant. The bottom surface 20 is preferably provided with a slit 27.

[0138] Multiple ribs 11D are provided on the outer wall surface 21Da of the outer wall 21D, connecting the bottom surface 20D to the outer wall surface 21Da and projecting toward the inner wall 22D. The ribs 11D are approximately the same thickness as the storage tray 1D, and their upper surface is shaped to slope downward toward the inner wall 22D. (For details of the ribs 11D, see rib 26A in the first embodiment). In one embodiment, the height H of the ribs 11 from the outer wall surface 21Da. DR The distance between walls is D D It is shorter than that.

[0139] The inner wall 22D comprises a plurality of inner wall arms 12D extending toward the outer wall 21D or beyond the outer wall top 21Db of the outer wall surface 21D. Each of the plurality of inner wall arms 12D is spaced apart from one another. In one embodiment, each inner wall arm 12D may be curved so as to bulge in the direction of travel of the thread insertion jig. In one embodiment, the tip 12Da of the inner wall arm 12D may be located closer to the bottom surface 20D than its base end 12Db. In one embodiment, each inner wall arm 12D may be curved toward the bottom surface 20D. In one embodiment, the inner wall arm 12D may have a projection extending from the tip 12Da toward the bottom surface 20D. The projection on the tip 12Da of the inner wall arm 12D allows the thread to be caught by the projection of the inner wall arm 12D when the thread is stored.

[0140] In one embodiment, the bottom surface 20D is provided with a plurality of slits 27D. Each slit 27D is located below each inner wall arm 12D in a plan view. The provision of slits 27D below each inner wall arm 12D allows the inner wall arm 12D to bend in the direction of the bottom surface 20D so that the tip portion 12Da of the inner wall arm 12D protrudes from the slit 27D even if the rib 11D and the inner wall arm 12D collide when the thread insertion jig moves, thereby preventing the thread insertion jig from stopping. In one embodiment, the slit 27D extends between the outer wall 21D and the inner wall 22D. In one embodiment, the width of the slit 27D (slit width W) DS ) is the width (arm width W) of the corresponding inner wall arm 12D in a plan view. DA ) is longer than the width between the ribs 11D adjacent to the corresponding inner wall arm 12D or the average width between the ribs 11D. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of slits 27D is located in a first slit region A that sandwiches the inner wall arm 12D in a plan view. Ds1 and the second slit region A Ds2 It is equipped with. In one embodiment, the length of the inner wall arm 12D is such that in plan view the first slit region A Ds1 Equal to the length of the second slit region A Ds2 It is also equal to the length of the slit width W. DS This is the first slit region A Ds1 Width (First slit width W) Ds1 ) and the second slit region A Ds2 Width (second slit width W) Ds2 ) and arm width W DA It is equal to the sum of the arm width W. In one embodiment, the arm width W DA The first slit width W Ds1 and second slit width W Ds2 Shorter than the sum of the widths of the slits W. DS The arm width W of each corresponding inner wall arm 12D DA It is preferable that the width be wider than that (for example, 2 to 4 times wider (e.g., 2, 3, and 4 times wider)).

[0141] In one embodiment, the height H of each inner wall arm 12D from the inner wall surface 22Da DI The distance between walls is D D Shorter than. In another embodiment, the height H of each inner wall arm 12D from the inner wall surface 22Da. DI The distance between walls is D D Longer than that. Rib 11D height H DR The height H of its rib 11D and the adjacent inner wall arm 12D DI The sum of the distances is the distance between walls D D It is longer than that.

[0142] In one embodiment, each of the multiple inner wall arms 12D is arranged without alternating or partially alternating contact with each of the multiple ribs 11D. "Partially alternating" means that two or more inner wall arms 12D and / or two or more ribs 11D are arranged in a partially continuous (adjacent) manner. In one embodiment, each tip 12Da of the inner wall arm 12D is arranged adjacent to the side wall 11Da of the rib 11D. In one embodiment, each tip 12Da of the inner wall arm 12D is positioned such that, in a plan view, it is positioned between the outer wall surface 21Da and the height H of the rib 11D. DR Boundary B corresponding to and along the outer wall surface 21Da D It is located between the two.

[0143] The sutures are shifted from the outer wall 21D towards the inner wall 22D and housed in the space 25D defined by the inner wall arm 12D, the bottom surface 20D, the rib 11, and the inner wall 22D.

[0144] As described above, by providing ribs 11D on the outer wall surface 21Da, the suture thread extending from the suture needle locked in the suture needle locking portion 23D can be stored in the space 25D through the opening 24D provided in the inner wall 22D without using a cover member.

[0145] 3. Medical Instrument Storage Tray The medical instrument storage tray of the invention is capable of storing medical instruments such as needles and sutures wound in a figure-eight or circular shape, and has the characteristic that the lid member can be easily attached to the container member and is difficult to detach unintentionally.

[0146] Figure 33 is a perspective view of the storage tray of the present invention, where (a) is a disassembled view of the lid member and the container member, and (b) is a view of the lid member and the container member joined together. Figure 34 is an enlarged view of the storage tray of the present invention, where (a) is the edge portion of the container member, and (b) is the edge portion where the lid member and the container member are joined together.

[0147] The basic configuration of the storage tray 10E includes a container member 20E and a lid member 30E. The overall outer shape of the storage tray 10E can be various, including a rounded rectangle, an ellipse, an oblong with an outer perimeter composed of arcs and straight lines, an oblong with a constricted shape between opposing straight lines, and a rounded rectangle with a constricted straight line. Here, the oblong with a constricted shape between opposing straight lines is like a snowboard; when the storage tray 10E is placed horizontally, the left and right sides form arcs such as semicircles, and the top and bottom parts are constricted so that they approach each other, creating a curved outer perimeter.

[0148] The container member 20E is made of resin and has the shape of a shallow vessel with a bottom surface 21E and side walls 25E. The cross-sectional shape of the side walls 25E may be a wall that rises perpendicular to the bottom surface 21E, or it may be a curved wall such as an arc as shown in the figure.

[0149] The lid member 30E is shaped to fit inside the side wall 25E of the container member 20E and is basically made of flat paper. It may also be made of resin or synthetic paper, but if it is made of paper, product information can be easily printed on the surface, so the trouble of enclosing a separate sheet of paper with product information when the product is made can be avoided. In other words, the number of parts can be reduced compared to conventional products. Also, when storing absorbable sutures, depending on the type of paper, it can also act as a desiccant. When storing sutures with needles, an opening 31E is made in the lid member 30E so that the sutures stored inside can be pulled out through the opening 31E when using the sutures with needles. The shape of the opening 31E is not particularly limited, but since the sutures may be damaged if they rub against the lid member 30E at a specific point when the sutures are pulled out, it is better to make it an elongated hole without corners.

[0150] It is preferable to provide multiple ribs 26E on the inner surface of the side wall 25E of the container member 20E, which are connected to the bottom surface 21E and the side wall 25E and protrude toward the inside of the container member 20E. The shape of the ribs 26E should be about the same thickness as the container member 20E, and when viewed from the side, the shape of the upper surface of the ribs 26E should be an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the inside of the container member 20E. When the lid member 30E is attached to the container member 20E, the edge of the lid member 30E will basically come into contact with the upper surface of the ribs 26E. By making the upper surface of the ribs 26E an inclined surface, the lid member 30E can be automatically moved toward the center of the container member 20E and stabilized. Furthermore, because the upper surface of the ribs 26E is an inclined surface, the suture thread 42E stored inside can slide toward the inside of the container member 20E and the bottom surface 21E, preventing the suture thread 42E from protruding outside the container member 20E.

[0151] The side wall 25E is provided not only with ribs 26E but also with claw portions 27E that protrude from the side wall 25E toward the inside of the container member 20E. The claw portions 27E are members that prevent the lid member 30E from coming off by pressing down on the lid member 30E from above when the lid member 30E and the container member 20E are joined together, and it is preferable to provide them between adjacent ribs 26E. In other words, the ribs 26E and claw portions 27E are provided alternately on the inner circumference of the container member 20E. Here, since the lid member 30E is guided to the center position of the container member 20E by the inclination of the upper surface of the ribs 26E, the length of the claw portions 27E that are hooked onto the lid member 30E is constant at any position on the inner circumference of the storage tray 10E. Therefore, the pressing of the claw portions 27E is effective to the same degree over the entire circumference of the lid member 30E, so it is possible to avoid a situation where the grip of the claw portions 27E weakens at a particular position. In this way, unless someone intentionally tries to remove the lid member 30E, it is basically possible to avoid the lid member 30E coming off the container member 20E.

[0152] Figure 35 shows a simplified cross-sectional view and a cross-sectional view along line AA(BB) of a container member with a lid member attached, where (a) is the case when the upper surface of the rib is an inclined surface, and (b) is the case when the upper surface of the rib is a curved surface. When the lid member 30E is attached to the container member 20E, the lid member 30E fits between the rib 26E and the claw portion 27E and is locked in place. In other words, when attaching the lid member 30E to the container member 20E, the edge portion of the lid member 30E should be pushed from the upper side of the claw portion 27E to the lower side of the claw portion 27E. Therefore, in order to make it easier to push in the lid member 30E, it is preferable that the front upper surface 27Ea of the claw portion 27E be sloped downwards toward the tip. Also, in order to prevent the attached lid member 30E from coming off, it is preferable that the lower surface 27Eb of the claw portion 27E be a horizontal surface.

[0153] In Figure 35(a), at the edge of the lid member E30, the upper surface of the rib 26E is positioned lower than the lower surface 27Eb of the claw portion E27, so the lid member 30E is positioned between the rib 26E and the claw portion 27E. In such a case, the edge of the lid member 30E basically rests on the rib 26E and contacts the inclined surface, so the lid member 30E is guided to the center of the container member 20E.

[0154] Figure 35(b) shows an example where the inclined surface of the rib 26E is curved. In this case, at the edge of the lid member 30E, the lower surface 27Eb of the claw portion 27E and the upper surface of the rib 26E are at approximately the same height, or the upper surface of the rib 26E is slightly higher. If the lid member E30 is made of paper, as shown in the cross-sectional view of line BB, the edge of the lid member E30 can undulate vertically and fit between the rib E26 and the claw portion E27. In this case, the lid member E30 is held in place and fixed by the rib E26 and the claw portion E27 from above and below.

[0155] In either case, when the lid member 30E and the container member 20E are joined, the lid member 30E will basically be in contact with the inclined portion 26Ea of the rib 26E. As a result, even if the stored sutures try to protrude from the storage tray 10E, the lid member 30E covers them from above, preventing them from moving out of the container member 20E along the inclined portion 26Ea, and the sutures will be pushed back inward. In particular, even if the sutures are thick and try to lift the lid member 30E, the claw portion 27E holds them down around the entire circumference of the storage tray 10E, making it difficult for the sutures to protrude. Furthermore, even when storing medical instruments other than sutures, if the edge of the lid member 30E is fixed by the rib 26E and the claw portion 27E, it is difficult for the medical instruments to protrude from the storage tray 10E.

[0156] The locked lid member 30E is positioned between the claw portion 27E and the rib 26E, making it difficult to remove unless intentionally detached. However, if the outer circumference of the storage tray 10E has straight sections, the lid member 30E may come off if the retaining force of multiple claw portions 27E is released simultaneously and the tray slides parallel to the straight section. Therefore, by making the outer circumference of the storage tray 10E, which has an oval shape with opposing straight sections that are constricted, a shape in which right and left curves alternate and continue, it is possible to prevent the lid member 30E from sliding off even if the retaining force of multiple claw portions 27E is released.

[0157] In addition to pulling out the stored sutures with needles through the opening 31E provided in the lid member 30E, the lid member 30E may also be removed from the container member 20E to remove the entire suture. In particular, in the case of barbed sutures, it is difficult to pull them out through the opening 31E, so the lid member 30E is removed from the container member 20E to remove them. Similarly, if medical instruments other than sutures are stored, the lid member 30E is removed to remove them. If the lid member 30E is difficult to detach from the container member 20E, it will be difficult to remove the stored items, so it is desirable that the structure allows for intentional removal.

[0158] Figure 36 shows examples of lid members with a handle. Figure 36(a) shows an example in which a handle 35E is provided by improving the shape of the opening 31E, and Figure 36(b) shows an example in which a handle 35E is provided so as to protrude outward from the container member 20E.

[0159] In Figure 36(a), by grasping the knob 35E and pulling it toward the center of the lid member 30E, the multiple claws 27E near the knob 35E release from the lid member 30E, allowing the lid member 30E to be removed in a chain reaction. Similarly, in Figure 36(b), by grasping the knob 35E and moving it to peel off the lid member 30E, the multiple claws 27E near the knob 35E release from the lid member 30E, allowing the lid member 30E to be removed in a chain reaction. Note that these knobs 35E are designed so that the lid member 30E is difficult to remove unless they are intentionally grasped and moved in the correct direction.

[0160] When storing sutures with needles in the storage tray 10E of the present invention, the sutures can be easily wound in a figure-eight shape by using a dedicated suture winding jig. Figure 37 is a diagram illustrating how to use the suture winding jig. Figure 38 is a diagram illustrating how to wind the sutures in a figure-eight shape using the suture winding jig.

[0161] The thread winding jig 50E consists of a jig base 52E and multiple support columns 51E that stand vertically from the jig base 52E. The support columns 51E pass through the through holes 28E and 32E made in the lid member 30E and the container member 20E to position them, and are used to wind the suture thread 42E in a figure-eight pattern.

[0162] The specific method of winding the thread is as follows: First, the suture needle of the needle-attached suture is pulled out from the back side of the lid member 30E through the opening 31E to the front side of the lid member 30E, and the suture needle is secured to the surface of the lid member 30E. One method of securing the suture needle is to make a slit near the center of the lid member 30E and pass the suture needle through the slit to secure it, which has the advantage of not requiring any other member to secure the suture needle. The suture thread 42E extending from the secured suture needle is assumed to be on the back side of the lid member 30E through the opening 31E.

[0163] Next, with the back surface of the lid member 30E facing upwards, the support column 51E is passed through the through hole 32E and opening 31E of the lid member 30E and placed on the jig base 50E. Then, as shown in Figure 38, the suture thread 42E is wrapped around the support column 51E in a figure-eight pattern. At this time, the end of the suture thread 42E should be tucked between the support columns 51E so that it does not protrude outside the lid member 30E. Note that this thread winding process can be easily done by hand.

[0164] Next, with the inside of the container member 20E facing downwards, the support column 51E is passed through the through hole 28E, and the container member 20E is lowered along the support column 51E to connect the lid member 30E and the container member 20E. The method of connection is as explained in Figure 35, and the edge portion of the lid member 30E is pushed between the claw portion 27E and the rib 26E all around.

[0165] Once the lid member 30E and the container member 20E are joined together to complete the storage tray 10E, the suture thread 42E is automatically stored inside the storage tray 10E. Therefore, by lifting the joined lid member 30E and container member 20E along the support column 51E and removing them from the thread winding jig 50E, the thread winding operation is completed. Note that this thread winding operation can also be performed with a lid member having a handle as shown in Figure 36.

[0166] As described above, when using the medical instrument storage tray of the present invention, the rim of the lid member is locked using ribs and claws provided on the side wall of the container member, making it easy to connect the lid member and the container member. Furthermore, by devising the shape of the ribs and the outer circumference of the container member, the connection can be made stronger, and a configuration that is difficult to come off unintentionally can be made. In addition, since the area near the center of the container member is not used for connection, a large storage space can be secured. Furthermore, by providing a tab on the lid member, it is possible to intentionally remove the lid member, making it easy to take out the stored items. Moreover, if the stored items are sutures, it is possible to prevent the sutures from protruding from the storage tray, and furthermore, manual winding of the sutures using a jig is easy, and the sutures can be reliably stored in the storage tray.

[0167] 4 Other Embodiments A component or part thereof in one embodiment can be replaced with a component in another embodiment. For example, the thread spool tray described in "1. Thread spool tray for storing medical needles and sutures" can be replaced with the storage tray described in "2. Storage tray for needles and sutures".

[0168] Furthermore, the thread winding tray and storage tray disclosed in this embodiment can store not only sutures with needles but also sutures without needles. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0169] 1... Thread winding device, 10... Thread winding tray, 20... Container section, 21... Bottom surface, 22... Fitting column, 23... Column head, 24... Needle locking section, 25... Side wall, 26... Recessed section, 27... Connecting material, 28... Through hole, 30... Lid section, 31... Fitting hole, 38... Through hole, 39... Through section, 40... Suture thread with needle, 41... Suture needle, 42... Suture Thread, 50...Upper part, 51...Upper rotating part, 55...Column insertion part, 56...Connecting part, 57...Pressing part, 60...Lower part, 61...Lower rotating part, 65...Column insertion part, 66...Guide part, 70...Circular part, 71...Circular part base, 72...Engaging part, 73...Roller, 74...Contact point, 75...Circular part cover, 76...Claw part, 77...Thread threading part 80...Connecting column, 81...Connecting member 10A...Storage tray, 20A...Container component, 21A...Bottom surface, 22A...Fitting column, 23A...Column head, 24A...Needle locking part, 25A...Side wall, 26A...Rib, 27A...Connecting material, 30A...Lid component, 31A...Fitting hole, 32A...Protrusion, 33A...Concave and concave, 40A...Suture thread with needle, 41A...Suture needle, 4 2A...Suture thread, 110A...Storage tray, 120A...Container component, 121A...Bottom surface, 122A...Fitting column, 125A...Side wall, 130A...Lid component, 150A...Thread insertion jig, 210A...Storage tray, 220A...Container component, 225A...Side wall, 226A...Rib, 230A...Lid component, 235A...Notch 10B...Storage tray, 20B...Container component, 21B...Bottom surface, 22B...Fitting column, 23B...Column head, 24B...Needle locking part, 25B...Side wall, 26B...Rib, 27B...Connecting material, 30B...Lid component, 31B...Fitting hole, 32B...Groove, 33B...Protrusions and recesses, 40B...Suture thread with needle, 41B...Suture needle, 4 2B...Suture thread, 110B...Storage tray, 120B...Container component, 121B...Bottom surface, 122B...Fitting column, 125B...Side wall, 130B...Lid component, 150B...Thread insertion jig, 210B...Storage tray, 220B...Container component, 225B...Side wall, 226B...Rib, 230B...Lid component, 235B...Notch 1C···Storage tray, 10C···Arm, 10C'···Vertical arm, 10C''···Inclined arm, 10C''''···Bifurcation arm, 10C''''a···First sub-arm, 10C'''b···Second sub-arm, 10C'''c···Arm straight section, 11C···Outer wall arm, 11C'···Vertical outer wall arm, 11C''··Inclined outer wall arm, 11C'''···Bifurcation outer wall arm, 11C'''a···First outer wall sub-arm, 11C'''b···Second outer wall sub-arm, 11C'''c··Outer wall arm straight section, 12C···Inner wall arm Arm, 12C'···Vertical inner wall arm, 12C''···Inclined inner wall arm, 12C'''···Bifurcated inner wall arm, 12C'''a···First inner wall sub-arm, 12C'''b···Second inner wall sub-arm, 12C'''c···Inner wall arm straight section, 13C···Side section, 14C···Constricted section, 20C···Bottom surface, 21C···Outer wall, 21Ca···Outer wall surface, 22C···Inner wall, 22Ca···Inner wall surface, 23C···Suture needle locking section, 24C···Opening, 25C··Space, 26C··Suture thread, 27C···Slit, 30C··Thread insertion jig, H CO ...Height of the exterior wall arm, H CI ...Height of the inner wall arm, D C ...distance between walls, α C ', α C ''...Inclination angle 1D...Storage tray, 11D...Rib, 11Da...Side wall of rib, 12D...Inner wall arm, 12Da...Tip of inner wall arm, 12Db...Base end of inner wall arm, 20D...Bottom surface, 21D...Outer wall, 21Da...Outer wall surface, 21Db...Top of outer wall, 22D...Inner wall, 22Da...Inner wall surface, 23D...Suture needle locking part, 24D...Opening, 25D...Space, 27D...Slit, A Ds1 ...First slit region, A Ds2 ...Second slit region, B D ...boundary, D D ...distance between walls, H DR ...Rib height, H DI ...Height of the inner wall arm, W DA ...arm width, W DS ...Slit width, W DS1...First slit width, W DS2 ...Second slit width 10E...Storage tray, 20E...Container component, 21E...Bottom surface, 25E...Side wall, 26E...Rib, 26Ea...Inclined section, 27E...Claw section, 27Ea...Front top surface, 27Eb...Bottom surface, 28E...Through hole, 30E...Lid component, 31E...Opening, 32E...Through hole, 35E...Pinch section, 42E...Suture thread, 50E...Thread winding jig, 51E...Support column, 52E...Jig base

Claims

1. A thread winding device for storing a needle-attached suture thread, in which a suture needle is attached to the suture thread, in a thread winding tray, The aforementioned thread winding tray is A container portion having a needle locking portion for locking the suture needle and a side wall, It comprises an upper member formed to be approximately the same size as the container portion or to fit inside the side wall, and positioned on top of the container portion. The aforementioned thread winding device is A lower support member that supports the container portion provided on the thread winding tray from the bottom surface, A circulating device that can rotate around the lower device along the side surface of the lower device, Equipped with, The aforementioned lower part has a guide portion on its outer circumference, The circumferential device has a claw portion that can be inserted between the upper member and the container portion, and an engaging portion that can engage with the guide portion, and when the claw portion is inserted into the inside of the container portion, it can engage with the guide portion. A thread winding device for storing a needle-attached suture in a thread winding tray, characterized in that the suture needle of the needle-attached suture is locked to the needle locking portion, the suture is set to the claw portion, and while the claw portion is inserted between the container portion and the upper member, the circumferential tool is moved along the outer circumference of the thread winding tray and the lower tool, thereby winding the suture through the claw portion into the thread winding tray.

2. The needle-equipped suture winding device according to claim 1, characterized in that it has an upper member for pressing down on the upper member from above.

3. The needle-equipped suture winding device according to claim 2, characterized in that the upper part has multiple connecting parts, connecting members are attached to all or some of the connecting parts, and the upper part has through-ports through which all of the connecting members can pass.

4. The needle-equipped suture winding device according to claim 1, characterized in that it has contact points on the inside of the engaging portion that contact the guide portion, and the contact points can contact the guide portion at three or more locations.

5. The needle-equipped suture winding device according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one of the contact points is a roller.

Images