Sterilization Tray Corner Protector for Wrap Tear Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical instrument sterilization trays often compromise the sterile barrier due to sharp corners that cause sterile wraps to tear or puncture during the sterilization process, necessitating re-sterilization and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A corner protector with a flexible, monolithic structure featuring a threaded metal insert and smooth, rounded transitions to prevent the sterile wrap from tearing or puncturing, securely attached to the tray using a bolt and threaded engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate sterile container or sterile wrap is used to maintain sterility, then the sterile barrier is improved, but the wrap is susceptible to tearing or puncturing at sharp corners
Solution Approach 1:
The corner protector features rounded exterior surfaces with smooth transitions between all portions, eliminating sharp edges and corners. This curvature distributes contact pressure and prevents concentration of stress that would otherwise cause wrap tearing or puncturing, while maintaining the sterile barrier integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner protector acts as an intermediary component between the sharp corner of the sterilization tray and the sterile wrap. It interfaces with the tray corner through an interior surface configured to conform to the tray geometry, while presenting a protected exterior surface to the wrap, thereby preventing direct contact between the sharp corner and the wrap.
2Reliability
If the corner protector has a complex structure with multiple portions, then the protection against wrap tearing is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The corner protector integrates multiple functional portions (foot portion, first side wall portion, second side wall portion, and intermediate corner portion) into a single monolithic structure. This merging of functions into one piece reduces assembly complexity while maintaining the protective coverage against wrap tearing at all corner interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner protector is designed as a universal component that can be attached to various sterilization tray configurations through the threaded insert and bolt mechanism. The single design accommodates different tray corner geometries through the conforming interior surface, providing multi-functionality across different applications without requiring multiple specialized components.
3Strength
If the corner protector uses a threaded insert with bolt attachment, then the secure attachment to the tray is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded insert is pre-positioned within the foot portion of the corner protector during manufacturing. This preliminary placement of the attachment mechanism allows for straightforward assembly during tray preparation, where the bolt simply needs to be inserted through the tray aperture and engaged with the pre-positioned threaded insert, reducing the complexity of the attachment process.
Data Source
AI summary
A corner protector for position about a corner of an equipment sterilization tray includes a base portion having a perimeter and a first concave recess. A first wall portion extends from a first portion of the perimeter of the base portion and comprises a second concave recess. A second wall portion extends from a second portion of the perimeter and comprises a third concave recess wherein the first and second wall portions are substantially perpendicular to each other. A connecting portion extends from a third portion of the perimeter wherein the connecting portion connects the first and second wall portions to form a continuous wall.