Foldable Medical Vessel Packaging for Sealed Transfer and Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging for unit medical vessels, such as syringes, is inefficient in terms of processability, requiring special care for packing and unpacking, and does not adequately protect against mechanical damage and contamination during transport.
Innovation Solution
A packaging system comprising a foldable strip of unit medical vessels connected at spaced intervals with a primary container having a hermetically sealed inner volume and a transfer port with a closure, allowing easy transfer and protection from contamination and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional packaging with nest, housing, sealing cover, and header bag is used, then protection against mechanical damage and contamination is provided, but packing and unpacking require special care and are complex
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging is divided into a primary container that remains sealed during transport and a secondary packaging system that is opened only when needed. The foldable strip is segmented into individual vessel locations within the primary container, allowing easy removal of single vessels without exposing the entire batch to contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The foldable strip with attached vessels is extracted from the primary container through a transfer port without breaking the hermetic seal of the main container. This allows individual vessels to be removed while the primary container remains sealed and protected.
2Reliability
If conventional packaging is used, then vessels are protected during transport, but the processability and ease of packing/unpacking is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The foldable strip is designed to be flexible and dynamically foldable along predefined axes, allowing it to be easily inserted into and removed from the primary container. The strip can be folded compactly for storage and unfolded for access, making packing and unpacking operations simple and rapid.
Solution Approach 2:
The vessels are pre-attached to the foldable strip in the correct orientation and spacing before insertion into the primary container. This preliminary arrangement eliminates the need for complex manual positioning during packing and allows for easy, systematic removal during unpacking.
3Productivity
If vessels are handled individually for processing, then processing can be performed, but protection against contamination during transport is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The foldable strip acts as an intermediary carrier that keeps vessels in a protected state during transport while allowing individual access for processing. The strip can be partially opened or folded to present individual vessels to processing equipment without exposing the entire batch to the external environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The foldable strip with attached vessels is nested within the hermetically sealed primary container. This nested structure allows the vessels to remain protected during transport while the outer container provides a barrier against contamination, and the inner strip allows for controlled individual access.
Data Source
AI summary
A packaging for a plurality of unit medical vessels, including at least one foldable strip of unit medical vessels and a primary container defining a hermetically sealed inner volume inside the peripheral wall. The foldable strip of unit medical vessels is received in said inner volume of the primary container. The primary container has a transfer port having a closure. The closure having a closed configuration where, in the closed state of the primary container, it hermetically closes the transfer port, and an open configuration where it allows the at least one foldable strip of unit medical vessels to be transferred out of the primary container through the transfer port.