Invertible Medical Packaging Insert Prevents Particle Abrasion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical packaging inserts fail to effectively prevent particle abrasion between medical objects and sterile packaging containers during transport, due to relative movement causing undesired contact and damage.
Innovation Solution
A medical packaging insert designed to be turned inside out, with tabs that pivot to completely enclose the receiving space, preventing direct contact with the packaging container and thus minimizing abrasion, produced through thermal forming and simple cutting or punching processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a traditional open trough-shaped packaging insert is used, then the medical object can be easily inserted and the structure is simple, but relative movement between the packaging container and medical object occurs causing particle abrasion
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging insert is designed to be turned inside out from a basic position where tabs protrude transversely to a packaging position where tabs point towards one another and close the receiving space. This inversion transforms the open trough structure into a closed container that completely surrounds the medical object, preventing relative movement and particle abrasion while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through thermal forming from flat layer material
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the packaging insert is turned inside out to close the receiving space, then particle abrasion is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging insert incorporates dynamic tabs that can pivot between two positions: in the basic position they protrude transversely from wall surfaces, and in the packaging position they point towards one another to close the receiving space. This dynamic capability allows the same structure to serve multiple functions - providing access during insertion and creating a sealed protective environment during storage and transport, thereby preventing particle abrasion without requiring multiple separate components
3Reliability
If tabs are made longer to completely close the receiving space, then the sealing effectiveness improves, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging insert utilizes thermal forming of flat layer material to create the three-dimensional structure with tabs. By controlling the thermal forming parameters and allowing the tabs to pivot to their closing position through gravity or minor applied force, the system achieves reliable sealing without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances. The tabs are designed to be sufficiently long to close the receiving space when in the packaging position, and the thermal forming process provides consistent geometry reproduction
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents particle abrasion by ensuring the medical object is completely surrounded by the packaging insert, maintaining the sterile barrier and simplifying production and handling processes.
Implementation Method 1
the container pan (12) is formed by thermal forming from a flat layer material (18)
Data Source
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AI summary
To improve a medical packaging insert for a medical packaging system for receiving at least one medical object, wherein the packaging insert comprises a container tray that defines a receiving space and is formed by thermal forming from a flat layer material defining a layer material plane, in such a way as to prevent, in particular, particle abrasion due to contact between the at least one medical object and a packaging container, especially a sterile packaging, it is proposed that two tabs projecting away from each other are formed on the container tray, which in a home position project transversely, in particular vertically, from opposing wall surfaces of the container tray, that the packaging insert is designed to be invertible and, by inverting it from the home position into a packaging position,in which the wall surfaces, which in the basic position face each other, point away from each other, and the two tabs point towards each other and at least partially, in particular completely, close off the receiving space. Furthermore, an improved medical packaging system and a method for packaging a medical object in a packaging insert are proposed.