DE10240597A1 - Sterile container and filter unit for a sterile container - Google Patents

Abstract

Around a filter unit for a sterile container, in particular for receiving and sterile storage of surgical cutlery or material, comprising a receiving container, a lid for closing the receiving container and a gas exchange opening which can be closed by the filter unit, the filter unit comprising a sterile filter held by at least one carrier element To improve that the risk of contamination of the sterile filter when replacing it is proposed that the filter unit has at least one handle area separate from the sterile filter for gripping and holding the filter unit and that the handle area includes a handle surface. It is also proposed to improve a sterile container in that a filter unit described above is provided on it.

Description

The invention relates to a filter unit for a sterile container, in particular for receiving and sterile storage of surgical cutlery or Material comprising a receptacle, a lid for closing of the receptacle and a closable by the filter unit Gas exchange opening, the filter unit being one of at least one Carrier element held sterile filter comprises.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a sterile container, in particular for Recording and sterile storage of surgical cutlery or Material comprising one formed by a container bottom and container walls Recording room, a lid for closing the recording room and one gas exchange opening that can be closed by a filter unit.

In such sterile containers, for example, surgical cutlery or Material sterilized and stored. So during the sterilization process Superheated steam can get into the sterile container Gas exchange opening required. However, to prevent germs after sterilization, Bacteria or the like can get into the sterile container the gas exchange opening with a before the sterilization process Sterile filter closed, which allows gas exchange, but none unwanted pathogen can penetrate into the sterile container.

When replacing the filter units on the sterile container, it proves to be disadvantageous that with a not very careful procedure when Replace the sterile filter with your fingers and get dirty can be.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a filter unit and a Sterile container of the type described above so that the The risk of contamination of the sterile filter when replacing it is reduced becomes.

This task is carried out in a filter unit of the type described in the introduction solved according to the invention in that the filter unit at least one of the sterile filter separate handle area for gripping and holding the Has filter unit and that the grip area includes a grip surface.

Due to the handle area separated from the sterile filter, it is possible that a Person when replacing the filter unit on the specially provided Can grasp and hold the grip area. The filter unit can be placed on the handle area seize safely, thereby reducing the risk that the person with their Fingers slip on the sterile filter and it becomes dirty.

The at least one grip area is preferably on the at least one Carrier element arranged. This increases the stability of the filter unit, in particular, the carrier element and the grip area can be formed in one piece become.

It is advantageous if the at least one grip area has one on the at least one comprises a recess arranged in the support element. Seize one Operator the filter unit on the handle area, so the fingers of the Operator held in the recess, slipping is prevented.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, several, can the at least one support element arranged handle areas provided his. This increases the likelihood that the filter unit at a random grip on one of the grip areas is detected. About that In addition, several grip areas allow the filter unit on both sides, for example, can be grasped with two hands, making the exchange of Filter unit is facilitated.

It is advantageous if the sterile filter between two carrier elements is held clamped. In this way it becomes at least partially on both sides protected against finger contact.

It is advantageous if the sterile filter with the at least one carrier element is inextricably linked, in particular glued or welded. This will prevents the sterile filter from falling out. In addition, the Replacing the sterile filter is easier because it works as a unit with at least one Carrier element is replaced. Furthermore, the sterile filter by the stabilizes at least one carrier element, which is particularly common used, flexible sterile filters is advantageous.

In order to protect the sterile filter even more securely and to add stability increase, the two support elements can be permanently connected be, in particular glued or welded.

This creates the largest possible passage area through the sterile filter a safe and stable mounting of the sterile filter is guaranteed, it can be provided that the at least one carrier element one first, outer holding frame and that the sterile filter on the outer Holding frame is held.

It is favorable if the at least one carrier element has a second, inner holding frame and if the inner holding frame within the arranged first, outer holding frame and by means of connecting elements connected to it. Especially with highly flexible, thin or Particularly sensitive sterile filters are the result of this special design Sterile filter additionally stabilized.

A particularly large passage area for a gas exchange results if the inner and / or outer holding frames are annular.

The manufacture of a filter unit is particularly simple and inexpensive, if the connecting elements are radial, from a center of the inner and outer holding frame include away webs.

The sterile filter is held even more securely if the connecting elements of the two interconnected support elements in a normal direction are arranged to overlap to a level defined by the sterile filter. As a result, when the sterile filter is held on both sides between the two Carrier elements in the area of the connecting elements are particularly stable Sterile filter holder reached. Furthermore, the passage area of the Sterile filter maximized for gas exchange.

However, it can also be advantageous if the connecting elements of the two interconnected support elements by one parallel to one Normal direction oriented to a plane defined by the sterile filter Axis of rotation are arranged rotated relative to each other. It does Passage through the sterile filter somewhat reduced the stability of the However, the filter unit increases because a finger accidentally slips off the sterile filter is not so easily pushed through when holding the filter unit can be. The connecting elements form harmless fingers Barriers.

It is expedient if they are arranged rotated relative to one another Connection elements of the two interconnected support elements relative are offset from each other by an angle of rotation resulting from the quotient between 360 ° and twice the number of connecting elements. As a result, all the connection elements of the filter unit serve as Stabilization for the sterile filter, whereas with an overlapping arrangement of the connecting elements only the simple number of connecting elements Stabilization of the filter unit contributes.

So that the filter unit can be detected particularly reliably, it is favorable if the at least one grip area on the outer and / or the inner Holding frame is arranged.

To prevent your fingers from accidentally slipping off the sterile filter prevent it can be beneficial if the outer and / or the inner Holding frame have a frame width in the radial direction and if the at least one grip area has a grip area width in the radial direction, which is at least in sections larger than the frame width of the Grip area adjacent sections of the outer and / or inner Holding frame. Accordingly, the opposite sections of the Holding frame widened grip area enables a safe grasping of the filter unit, which creates the risk of contamination or damage to the sterile filter is reduced.

To make it even more difficult for fingers to slip off the grip area, the at least one grip area can comprise a finger retention element. The finger retention element retains fingers from the grip area could slip off. The finger retention element thus forms in any way a barrier for a finger.

Preferably, the finger retention member includes a gripping surface of the Grip area surrounding edge. The grip area of the grip area The finger grips the gripping surface at least in sections surrounding edge prevented from sliding off the grip surface.

A structured and / or roughened one can provide a particularly good hold Provide grip area.

With a sterile container, the task at the beginning is the one at the beginning described type according to the invention solved in that the filter unit is one of Filter units according to the invention described above comprises.

By providing the sterile container with such a filter unit reduces the risk of contamination or damage to the filter unit, so that the functionality of the sterile container is improved overall. The Risk of germs or pathogens entering the interior of the Sterile container after sterilization is reduced.

The following description of preferred embodiments of the invention serves in connection with the drawing for further explanation. It demonstrate:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sterile container.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view through a lid of the sterile container shown in FIG. 1 along line 2-2;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a filter unit; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a filter unit.

In Fig. 1, a total provided with the reference numeral 10. Sterile container is shown having a well 12 for receiving occlusive example, surgical instruments or material, and with a trough 12, the lid 14.

The cover 14 can be connected to the tub 12 by means of two closures 16 each arranged on the end face. Each closure comprises a bearing block 18 arranged on the end face of the cover 14 and a pivotably mounted bracket 20 which, in a locked state, as shown in FIG. 1, engages around a locking projection 22 arranged on the tub 12 .

In order to allow a guest exchange between an environment and the interior of the sterile container 10 , two essentially circular ventilation openings 24 are arranged symmetrically in the cover, which are spanned by two crossing webs 28 .

On an outside of the cover 14 , each of the two ventilation openings 24 is completely covered by a protective cover 28 .

The sectional view in FIG. 2 shows a filter cassette 30 which completely covers the ventilation opening 24 in the interior of the cover 14 and which comprises a half-shell filter housing 32 with a filter unit 34 mounted therein. The filter housing 32 comprises an annular filter housing frame 33 , which is resiliently biased towards the cover 14 for receiving the filter unit 34 . The filter housing frame 33 is covered on a side facing away from a cover underside 36 with a base 40 , so that a flat, cylindrical filter receptacle 46 which is open towards the cover underside 36 is formed by the two parts. The filter cassette 30 is essentially symmetrical with respect to an axis of symmetry oriented perpendicular to the cover 14 . The bottom 40 is provided with longitudinal slots 42 inclined at an angle to the bottom 40 and forming through openings and a central bore 44 .

The filter unit 34 comprises two clamping disks, namely an upper clamping disk 48 facing the underside of the cover 36 and a lower clamping disk 49 , between which a disk-shaped, flat sterile filter is held, for example a PTFE filter that can be used as a permanent filter.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the two clamping disks 48 and 49 comprises an outer clamping ring 52 and 53 and an inner clamping ring 54 and 55 , which are connected to each other via eight radially extending spokes 56 and 57, respectively. In addition, in the interior of the inner clamping ring 55 of the lower clamping disk 49 , a web arrangement 58 made of two crossing webs is mounted for stabilization purposes and carries a central centering pin 60 pointing away from the underside of the lid 36 .

To connect the lower clamping plate 49 to the upper clamping plate 48 , the upper clamping plate 48 is provided with an annular groove 62 into which an annular projection 64 , which points in the direction of the underside 36 of the cover, engages. A sealing ring 68 is inserted into a further annular groove in the upper clamping disk, which is open in the direction of the underside of the lid 36 , with which the upper clamping disk 48 and thus the entire filter cassette 30 are sealed off from the underside 36 of the lid.

In order to connect the filter unit 34 to the filter housing 32 , a bayonet connection is provided between the filter housing frame 33 and the upper clamping disk. For this purpose, the upper clamping disk 48 carries a plurality of bayonet grooves 70 , which are open radially outward over its circumference and into which a corresponding projection radially inward on the filter housing frame 33 can be inserted.

Furthermore, two diametrically opposite grip areas 72 are formed on the filter unit 34 , specifically on the outer clamping ring 53 of the lower clamping disk 49 . Each grip area 72 is formed symmetrically to a spoke 57 , symmetrical to the latter, an extension 74 of the spoke 57 separating two recesses 76 and 77 from one another, each having a grip surface 78 and 79 in the bottom and one in the form of a projection from the wear the respective edge 78 or 79 of the projecting edge 80 or 81 . Each of the two grip surfaces 78 and 79 is additionally provided with a rib structure 82 . Instead of the rib structure 82 , the grip surface 78 or 79 can also be roughened or structured in any other shape.

The recesses 76 and 77 have at their end facing away from the extension 74 a width that is slightly smaller than the width of the outer clamping ring 53 in the radial direction. In the direction of the extension 74 , the gripping surface 78 or 79 widens on one side in the direction of the axis of symmetry 38 . It is bounded by the edge 80 at least on its side pointing towards the axis of symmetry 38 , but can also be completely surrounded by the edge 80 . The edge 80 serves in particular as a finger retention element in order to prevent fingers immersed in the depressions 76 and 77 from slipping off onto the sterile filter 50 .

The filter cassette 30 is assembled by grasping the filter unit 34 on the grip areas 72 with fingers and inserting it into the filter housing frame 33 already mounted on the cover 14 in the direction of the axis of symmetry 38 and then rotating it. The filter unit 34 is held on the filter housing frame 33 by the bayonet connection. Finally, the bottom 40 is pushed with its bore 44 over the centering pin 60 and connected with further locking projections in the area of adjoining surfaces between the bottom 40 and the filter housing frame 33 .

In the exemplary embodiment of a filter unit 34 shown in FIG. 3, the two clamping disks 48 and 49 are connected to one another in such a way that the spokes 56 and 57 are offset relative to one another by an angle of rotation 84 of 22.5 °. The sterile filter 50 is therefore not clamped between two spokes 56 and 57 , but rather lies alternately on one of the two spokes 56 and 57, respectively. This relative alignment of the spokes 56 and 57 to one another additionally protects the sterile filter against damage, because at a distance of 22.5 °, one of the spokes 56 or 57 protects the sterile filter against being pushed through if a person or an object hits the filter unit 34 should grab or get.

FIG. 4 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a filter unit, provided overall with reference number 134 , in which identical parts are provided with the same reference numbers and additionally preceded by 1. The filter units 34 and 134 differ in that in the filter unit 134 the spokes 156 and 157 are arranged to overlap one another, so that a distance between the spokes 156 and 157 corresponds to a spoke angle 186 of 45 °. The sterile filter 150 is accordingly additionally clamped between two spokes 156 and 157 , but the free area between adjacent spokes 156 is twice as large as in the filter unit 34 .

Claims (20)

1. Filter unit for a sterile container, in particular for receiving and sterile storage of surgical cutlery or material, comprising a receiving container, a lid for closing the receiving container and a gas exchange opening which can be closed by the filter unit, the filter unit comprising a sterile filter held by at least one carrier element, thereby characterized in that the filter unit ( 34 ) has at least one handle area ( 72 ) separate from the sterile filter ( 50 ) for gripping and holding the filter unit ( 34 ) and that the handle area ( 72 ) comprises a handle surface ( 78 ). 2. Filter unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one grip area ( 72 ) is arranged on the at least one carrier element ( 49 ). 3. Filter unit according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the at least one grip region ( 72 ) comprises a recess ( 76 , 77 ) arranged on the at least one carrier element ( 49 ). 4. Filter unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality, on the at least one support element ( 49 ) arranged handle areas ( 72 ) are provided. 5. Filter unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sterile filter ( 50 ) between two carrier elements ( 48 , 49 ) is held clamped. 6. Filter unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sterile filter ( 50 ) with the at least one carrier element ( 48 , 49 ) is non-detachably connected, in particular glued or welded. 7. Filter unit according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the two carrier elements ( 48 , 49 ) are inextricably linked, in particular glued or welded. 8. Filter unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one carrier element ( 48 , 49 ) comprises a first, outer holding frame ( 52 , 53 ) and that the sterile filter ( 50 ) is held on the outer holding frame ( 52 , 53 ) is. 9. Filter unit according to claim 8, characterized in that the at least one carrier element ( 48 , 49 ) comprises a second, inner holding frame ( 54 , 55 ) and in that the inner holding frame ( 54 , 55 ) within the first, outer holding frame ( 52 , 53 ) and is connected to it by means of connecting elements ( 56 , 57 ). 10. Filter unit according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the inner and / or outer holding frame ( 52 , 53 ; 54 , 55 ) are annular. 11. Filter unit according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that the connecting elements comprise radial webs ( 56 , 57 ) directed away from a center of the inner and outer holding frames ( 52 , 53 ; 54 , 55 ). 12. Filter unit according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the connecting elements ( 156 , 157 ) of the two interconnected support elements ( 148 , 149 ) in a normal direction ( 138 ) overlap to a level defined by the sterile filter ( 150 ) are arranged. 13. Filter unit according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the connecting elements ( 56 , 57 ) of the two interconnected carrier elements ( 48 , 49 ) oriented around a plane parallel to a normal direction to a plane defined by the sterile filter ( 50 ) Rotation axis ( 38 ) are arranged rotated relative to each other. 14. Filter unit according to claim 13, characterized in that the relatively rotated connecting elements ( 56 , 57 ) of the two interconnected support elements ( 48 , 49 ) are offset relative to each other by an angle of rotation ( 84 ), which results from the quotient between 360 ° and twice the number of connecting elements ( 56 ; 57 ) results. 15. Filter unit according to one of claims 8 to 14, characterized in that the at least one grip area ( 72 ) on the outer and / or the inner holding frame ( 52 , 53 ; 54 , 55 ) is arranged. 16. Filter unit according to one of claims 8 to 15, characterized in that the outer and / or the inner holding frame ( 52 , 53 ; 54 , 55 ) have a frame width in the radial direction and that the at least one grip area ( 72 ) has a grip area width in has radial direction, which is at least in sections greater than the frame width of sections of the outer and / or inner holding frame ( 52 , 53 ; 54 , 55 ) adjacent to the grip area ( 72 ). 17. Filter unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one grip area ( 72 ) comprises a finger retention element ( 80 , 81 ). 18. Filter unit according to claim 17, characterized in that the finger retaining element comprises an edge ( 80 , 81 ) surrounding the gripping surface ( 78 , 79 ) of the gripping region ( 72 ). 19. Filter unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gripping surface ( 78 , 79 ) is structured and / or roughened. 20. Sterile container, in particular for receiving and sterile storage of surgical cutlery or material, comprising a receiving space formed by a container bottom and container walls, a lid for closing the receiving space and a gas exchange opening which can be closed by a filter unit, characterized in that the filter unit comprises a filter unit ( 34 ; 134 ) according to any one of the preceding claims.