Surgical suture abstract
An elongated, folded paper package for containing surgical suture
material and needles. The package includes folding panels which
cover and protect the suture material, winding pin holes to assist
in winding suture material, a foam block to hold the needles securely,
one slit to hold the package closed and additional slits for ease
of opening the package to expose the needles.
Surgical suture claims
What is claimed is:
1. A package for surgical sutures comprising
a central panel that is elongated along a longitudinal axis and
has two parallel sides that are longer than its width, two or more
first winding pin holes at one end, and two or more second winding
pin holes closer to the other end, said holes at one end being spaced
by substantially more than half said width such that a suture wound
on pins extending therethrough is near said parallel sides,
a unitary first panel connected to said central panel by a fold
joint along a said parallel side, said first panel having dimensions
along substantially all axes parallel to said longitudinal axis
that are less than the distance between said first and second holes
along said longitudinal axis such that said first panel substantially
covers the region between said first and second holes when folded
over said central panel but leaves said holes exposed, and
one or more additional panels connected to said central panel by
a respective fold joint so as to cover both of said holes when folded
over.
2. The package of claim 1 further comprising a further panel that
is connected to said central panel by a fold joint and covers one
said winding pin hole.
3. The package of claim 1 wherein one of said additional panels
has a slit that receives an edge of said central panel to hold said
package closed.
4. The package of claim 1 wherein said central panel has a needle
supporting area, and one of said additional panels has a series
of tear slits across the width of said additional panel so as to
expose said needle supporting area.
5. The package of claim 1 wherein said package further comprises
an adhesively applied foam block on said central panel for retaining
a needle.
6. The package of claim 1 further comprising a surgical suture
wound around said winding pin holes in a figure eight configuration.
7. A package for surgical sutures comprising
a central panel that is elongated along a first axis and has a
first group of winding pin holes at one end and a second group of
winding pin holes closer to the other end, the distance between
at least two holes in each group along a second axis perpendicular
to said first axis being greater than one-half the width of said
central panel along said second axis, two of said holes in each
said group being spaced along said second axis by about 80% of the
width of said central panel, each group including a third hole spaced
outward of said two holes along said first axis, and
one or more additional panels connected to said central panel by
a respective fold joint so as to cover both groups of said holes
when folded over.
8. The package of claim 7 further comprising a surgical suture
wound around said winding pin holes in a figure eight configuration.
9. The package of claim 7 further comprising a panel connected
to said central panel by a fold joint such that said further panel
covers the region between said two groups of holes when folded over
said central panel but leaves said holes exposed.
10. The package of claim 7 further comprising a further panel that
is connected to said central panel by a fold joint and covers one
said group of winding pin holes.
11. The package of claim 7 wherein one of said additional panels
has a slit that receives an edge of said central panel to hold said
package closed.
12. The package of claim 7 wherein said central panel has a needle
supporting area, and one of said additional panels has a series
of tear slits across width of said additional panel so as to expose
said needle supporting area.
13. The package of claim 7 wherein said package further comprises
an adhesively applied foam block on said central panel for retaining
a needle.
Surgical suture description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of packaging sutures
for surgical use.
A variety of packaging methods for suture materials have been devised
to address such problems as tangling of threads, elimination of
dust and particulates, accessibility of needles, and ease of use.
Most packaging materials are made out of a stiff paperboard which
can be cleaned and sterilized, and are folded in various ways to
enhance product delivery.
Solutions to tangling problems have included winding the suture
in loops or figure eights, interleaving looped suture with cards,
and winding the suture tightly around pins that fit through holes
in the paperboard during packaging. Needle accessibility is often
achieved by placing the needles in a designated portion of the package,
sometimes in a foam block, and tearing off that portion to expose
the needles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the invention features, in general, a package for
surgical sutures made of sheet material that has an elongated central
panel with two holes for insertion of winding pins during assembly
of the product. The first winding pin hole is near one end of the
central panel, and the second is closer to the other end. Additionally,
there are two or more panels that fold over the central panel: a
first panel is connected to the central panel by a fold joint and
covers the area between the two holes when folded. A second panel
completely covers the winding pin holes when folded. With this construction,
the suture is held securely in position during suture winding and
panel folding following removal of the winding pins, and does not
tangle or unwind during shipping or storage.
In another aspect, the invention features, in general, a package
for surgical sutures made of sheet material that has an elongated
central panel and two groups of holes for insertion of winding pins
during assembly of the product. The first group of winding pin holes
is near one end of the central panel, and the second group is closer
to the other end. The pins in each group of winding pin holes are
substantially spaced from each other (more than one-half the width
of the panel), so that the suture material may be wound loosely
in wide loops that reduce "memory" of the suture, especially
monofilament suture materials. Additionally, there are two or more
panels that fold over the central panel.
In preferred embodiments, the packages have an additional flap
at the end of the central panel. The package also has a slit on
one panel which receives the edge of another panel in order to hold
the package closed in the folded configuration. An adhesive-backed
label is applied over the panel holding the package closed in order
to provide a tamper-evident seal. Additional slits are provided
in a panel to allow the package to easily be torn open to expose
the needles and/or suture material. A foam block is attached to
the central panel near the region of the opening slits in order
to hold the needles of the suture material securely. The suture
material may be wound in a figure eight configuration around the
winding pins in the single or group winding pin hole arrangement.
Other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following
description of the preferred embodiment thereof and from the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of an unfolded suture package according to
the invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing needles and suture material arranged
in the FIG. 1 package mounted on a fixture with winding pins prior
to package folding.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the FIG. 1 package showing one panel folded
over a central panel and suture material between winding pins.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the FIG. 1 package showing a bottom panel
folded over the suture material and overlapping the first folded
panel.
FIG. 5 shows the fully folded surgical suture package according
to the invention.
FIG. 6 depicts the FIG. 5 package after opening along tear slits
to expose the needles for use.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following is a description of one preferred embodiment. This
description is not intended to be limiting.
Structure
Referring to FIG. 1 package 10 includes central panel 12 attached
to which are side panels 14 16 and 22 by fold joints. Central
panel 12 has winding pin holes 18a-c and 20a-c, and foam square
24 adhesively mounted thereon. Central panel 12 has the dimensions
1.4".times.3.6". Side panel 14 has the dimensions 1.4".times.1.9".
Side panel 16 has a long curved slit 26 (approximately 1.8"
in length) and four additional slits 28 30 32 and 34 across the
top all arranged along a tear line. Side panel 16 has the dimensions
1.6".times.3.6". Bottom panel 22 has downwardly converging
outward edges 36. Its dimensions are 0.6".times.1.1-0.8"
(attached base to outer edge). The dimensions of central panel might
be individually or jointly increased or decreased up to 50%, with
corresponding changes to the dimensions of the other panels.
Package 10 is made of stiff paperboard.
Use
In use, package 10 is mounted on a fixture such that pins 50 pass
through winding pin holes 18a-c and 20a-c (FIG. 2). Needles 42 attached
to suture material 40 are placed into foam block 24 of package 10
via slits 38 in foam block 24. Suture material 40 is wound around
pins 50 in a figure eight configuration.
Holes 18a-c extend across greater than one-half the width of central
panel 12 (in fact, the holes are 1.0" apart, about 80% of the
width), providing for a large radius of curvature for suture material
wound in a figure eight configuration.
Referring to FIG. 3 panel 14 is folded over central panel 12 and
suture material 40 securing the intersecting portions of the suture
material thereunder. The package is then removed from the fixture,
and side panel 22 is folded over, covering holes 20a-c and securing
the end portion of the suture thereunder (FIG. 4). FIG. 5 shows
panel 16 folded over panels 12 14 and 22. Slit 26 engages edge
44 to hold package 10 closed, and is covered with an adhesive backed
label (not shown) which provides a tamper proof seal.
FIG. 6 shows the opened package 10. It has been torn open starting
at slit 28 and further along slits 30 32 and 34. In the open configuration,
needles 42 are exposed and ready for use.
Package 10 allows ease of opening via slits 28-34 and access to
needles 42. The suture material 40 has a figure eight configuration
with large curvature having reduced memory and allows removal of
suture material 40 through the opening created by slits 28-34 without
tangling. Covering panel 16 offers protection for needles 42 and
suture material 40. |