Perforated Sterilization Tray for Residual Liquid Vaporization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercially available sterilization trays fail to adequately balance the removal of residual liquid from medical devices prior to sterilization with allowing sterilant access, leading to delays and inefficiencies in the sterilization process due to residual liquid freezing or causing the process to abort.
Innovation Solution
A sterilization tray design with specific perforations, slots, and openings that facilitate vaporization of residual liquid while allowing sterilant diffusion, featuring a porous surface area of 35-45% to maximize vaporization and sterilant access, constructed from materials like aluminum or stainless steel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sterilization trays include multiple openings to facilitate sterilant access, then sterilant diffusion is improved, but residual liquid removal becomes insufficient causing freezing and process delays
Solution Approach 1:
The tray surface is segmented into multiple small perforations distributed across the bottom, sides, and lid rather than using fewer large openings. This segmentation allows numerous discrete pathways for liquid removal while maintaining adequate sterilant access through the collective effect of many small apertures.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tray have different opening characteristics - the bottom portion has perforations with specific area ratios, the sides have slots, and the lid has openings. Each region is optimized locally to balance liquid removal and sterilant access requirements for that specific area of the tray.
2Productivity
If tray openings are enlarged to remove residual liquid effectively, then liquid vaporization is improved, but sterilant contact with medical device is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of a few large openings, the tray employs numerous small perforations and slots that collectively provide sufficient surface area for liquid removal while individual small apertures maintain structural integrity and allow sterilant passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray utilizes three-dimensional opening distribution across multiple surfaces (bottom, sides, and lid) rather than relying on a single plane of large openings. This multi-dimensional approach increases total opening surface area for liquid removal while maintaining adequate sterilant access through spatial distribution.
3Stability of the object's composition
If tray is designed with minimal openings to prevent liquid leakage, then process stability is improved, but residual liquid accumulates causing freezing and aborts
Solution Approach 1:
The tray structure is divided into multiple sections (bottom, sides, lid) each with distributed small openings that collectively provide adequate liquid removal capability while individual small apertures maintain process stability by preventing uncontrolled leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray functions as a porous structure with numerous small perforations and slots that allow controlled passage of residual liquid during vaporization while maintaining structural integrity and process stability. The porous-like distribution of openings enables simultaneous liquid removal and sterilant access.
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 tray effectively removes up to 10-15 milliliters of residual liquid during load conditioning, preventing freezing and ensuring efficient sterilization by maximizing sterilant contact, thus reducing overall sterilization time and maintaining process efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
facilitate vaporization of residual liquid
Implementation Method 2
allowing sterilant diffusion
Data Source
AI summary
An aspect of the present disclosure is a tray for containing a medical device during a sterilization process. The tray includes a bottom portion comprising a plurality of perforations extending through a surface of the bottom portion. The tray further includes a plurality of side portions extending from the bottom portion, the plurality of side portions each comprising a plurality of slots extending through a surface of each respective side portion. The tray further includes a cover configured to releasably engage the plurality of side portions, the cover comprising a plurality of openings extending through a surface of the cover. Trays disclosed herein are designed to minimize residual liquid leakage and freezing and maximize diffusion of sterilant through the tray and into contact with the medical device(s).