Sterile Medical Container with Rounded Hooking Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers for sterile medical devices fail to provide adequate shock resistance and maintain sterility due to structural weaknesses from welding or adhesive tape, leading to damage risks and difficulties in assembly and disposal.
Innovation Solution
A container with a box-shaped body featuring rounded hooking elements and cavities made by vacuum thermoforming, allowing for secure and easy attachment of medical devices using adjustable straps, reducing strain and risk of breaking the sterile barrier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If welding is used to attach the supporting body to the container wall, then the attachment strength is improved, but the sterility barrier is compromised due to through holes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful welding process from the attachment method and replaces it with ultrasonic welding of the lid to the container body, while the supporting body is attached using adhesive tape without penetrating the sterile barrier. This separates the structural attachment function from the sterility protection function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces adhesive tape as an intermediary substance between the supporting body and the container wall, allowing attachment without direct mechanical penetration that would compromise sterility. The adhesive tape acts as a mediator that provides both attachment strength and sterility protection.
2Reliability
If adhesive tape is used to fix the supporting body to the container wall, then the sterility barrier is maintained, but the attachment security deteriorates over time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the attachment system into two independent parts: the lid attachment to the container body (using ultrasonic welding for strong, permanent fixation), and the supporting body attachment to the container wall (using adhesive tape for removable, flexible fixation). This segmentation allows each attachment method to be optimized for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention treats the supporting body and adhesive tape attachment as a disposable component that can be easily removed and replaced. The adhesive tape provides sufficient attachment security for the intended use period, and the entire supporting body assembly can be discarded with the medical device after use, eliminating long-term attachment security concerns.
3Ease of operation
If hooking elements are inserted into cavities with excessive force, then the assembly is completed, but the sterile barrier may be broken due to cracks or fractures
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies curvature to the hooking elements, giving them a rounded shape that facilitates easy insertion into the cavities without requiring excessive force. The curved geometry allows the hooking elements to flex and conform to the cavity shape, reducing stress concentration and preventing cracks that would compromise sterility.
4Strength
If the supporting body is firmly attached to the container wall, then shock resistance is improved, but production waste increases due to rejected containers
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the attachment method from permanent welding to removable adhesive tape attachment, and modifies the hooking element geometry to have rounded edges. These parameter changes allow for easier assembly without excessive force, reducing the rejection rate of containers due to assembly difficulties while maintaining adequate shock resistance through proper adhesive selection and application.
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 container effectively protects medical devices from shock and maintains sterility with reduced production waste and operator strain, ensuring secure attachment and easy disposal.
Implementation Method 1
rounded hooking elements and cavities made by vacuum thermoforming
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
A container for sterile medical devices comprises: a box-shaped body forming a compartment for containing at least one medical device; straps connected to the box-shaped body to removably secure the medical device inside the containment compartment; the straps (14) are provided with hooking elements for securing to the box-shaped body in respective cavities (13) for receiving the hooking elements themselves; the receiving cavities (13) are made as one with a wall (4) of the box-shaped body (2) and the hooking element (12) has an outer surface with rounded edges.