GB2500311A

GB2500311A - Bag for transporting an endoscope

Info

Publication number: GB2500311A
Application number: GB1303148.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ignatius Penna
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-02-22
Filing date: 2013-02-22
Publication date: 2013-09-18
Also published as: GB201303148D0; GB201203035D0

Abstract

A bag for medical equipment, said bag having in use two panels 3, including a large transparent window 4, the panels being sealed along three sides and characterised in that integrated means 2 for sealing the fourth side are on both faces of each panel. The bag may thus be sealed whether the normal way or inside out. The reversible bag may be initially sterile on the inside, such that a medical instrument such as an endoscope may be stored therein. The bag may then be turned inside out to receive the instrument after its use in a medical procedure, and may seal the instrument in. One of the seals may be detachable.

Description

A BAG

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a bag, more particularly a bag for medical equipment, typically although not exclusively.

Background

Use of scopes in medical procedures are increasing as increasing technical progress improves their qualities.

For example endoscopes, horoscopes and the like are common in many gastrointestinal, plastic surgery, urinary procedures or during pregnancy.

Particularly in smaller medical communities, said scopes can serve many surgeons, and many patients. Standards of hygiene must be maintained.

Guidelines are consequently published by relevant medical bodies such as in the United Kingdom the BSG (British Society of Gastroenterology), that state that when endoscopes have to be transported between a clean room to any other destination they have to be sealed to avoid any cross contamination.

Prior Art

Accordingly a number of patent applications have been filed in an attempt to resolve the problem, including the following:

United States patent application US 2011 235 951 (SPREHE) discloses a reclosable back-seam bag, comprising: a bag body having a top seal and a bottom seal, and a front wall and a back wall, the front wall being joined to the back wall at the top seal and the bottom seal; a first zipper patch having at least a first zipper flange front wall

seal disposed on the front wall, and a second zipper patch having a first zipper flange back wall seal disposed on the back wall, said first zipper patch including a first zipper profile having a female interlocking profile, said second zipper patch including second zipper profile having a male interlocking profile, said first zipper profile being releasably connected to said second zipper profile strip by engaging the male interlocking profile with the female interlocking profile, wherein said male interlocking profile and said female interlocking profile are each configured to cause said male interlocking profile to be separated from said female interlocking profile with a substantially equal opening force when being separated in a direction toward said top seal as when separated in a direction toward said bottom seal; and at least one frangible access portion disposed substantially parallel to said zipper patch for exposing contents of the reclosable bag, said frangible access being disposed through said top seal of said bag body.

Chinese utility model CN 201 678 122 (HEFENG) discloses a plastic bag, in particular to a novel plastic bag with double sealed mouths. The novel plastic bag of the utility model comprises a bag body. The uppermost end of the bag body is a plastic sealed mouth. A blank sealed mouth is arranged below the plastic sealed mouth. A shearing line for scissors to shear is reserved between the plastic sealed mouth and the blank sealed mouth. The utility model has the advantage that the adoption of double sealed mouths makes the use of the plastic bag convenient.

United States patent application US 2009 097 781 (TANG) discloses an airtight storage bag defined by at least one plastic film formed into a pouch that defines a containment region with an openable mouth, said bag further comprising, a first resealable zone extending completely across said openable mouth, to allow closure of said openable mouth,a second resealable zone extending completely across said openable mouth, located on the containment region side of said first resealable zone, to allow airtight closure of the containment region, anda vent located between said first and second resealable zones, to allow displacement of fluid from said containment region via said vent, at least when said first resealable zone is sealed,wherein said second resealable zone when sealed seals the containment region from the exterior of said bag.

Australian patent application AU 2003 204 749 (FLANAGAN) discloses a two-use bag suitable as a courier pouch or envelope is made from plastic film. The bag is

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made of longitudinally folding plastic film and transversely sealing and severing it at bag defining intervals. Thus the bag has a front cover and a rear cover separated at the bottom by the fold and with side seals. The open side forms a primary mouth and a primary closure flap is attached to the rear cover adjacent to the primary mouth. The flap can be folded over the primary mouth and sealed to the front cover to close the bag. To that end a peelable adhesive strip is provided on the free portion of the primary closure flap. A frangible section, defined by weakened lines, is provided on the bag bordering the primary mouth. Removal of the frangible section enables access to the bag. A secondary mouth is formed by the removal of the frangible section. A secondary closure section is attached to the rear cover adjacently below the weakened lines and can be folded over the secondary mouth to close it. To that end a peelable adhesive strip is provided on the secondary closure flap. In a modified form a frangible strip is provided as an extension of the front cover beyond the primary mouth. Identifying markings can be provided on the frangible section, the remainder of the bag and the frangible strip. The frangible strip can be removed prior to closing the primary mouth to provide a dispatch record. The frangible section can be retained as a receipt and second use record.

Granted European patent EP 0 908 392 (BOIS) discloses a bag with a self-adhesive closure element in which the self-adhesive closure element faces at least one opening made in a wall of the film of which the bag is composed, such that the self-adhesive face of the element is accessible through the said opening to allow the bag to be closed by contact of the self-adhesive face of the closure element on a second wall of the bag, opposite the wall having the closure element, characterized in that the film of which the walls of the bag are composed has a thickness "e" of between 100 and 150 pm, the said opening having two facing edges separated by a dimension "L" of between 6 and 25 times the thickness "e" of the film.

United States patent application US 5 647 671 (MAY) discloses a closure arrangement for a polymeric bag having first and second opposing films, comprising: first and second opposing base strips each having an inner and outer surface, said outer surfaces of said first and second base strips being adapted for attachment to the respective first and second films; at least two sealant ribs composed of low-temperature sealant material and attached to the inner surface of said first base strip; and a peelable strip wider than said sealant rib and having a pair of opposing surfaces, one of said opposing surfaces being connected to said inner surface of said

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second base strip and the other of said opposing surfaces being connected to said sealant ribs to form one-time peelable seals.

Granted Portuguese patent PT 80 953 (WAVIN) discloses an open ended plastic bag formed by heat sealing comprises a central and two outer longitudinal gusset fold edges bounding a first and a second gusset fold part, a bottom seal, and two first and two second fold part seals, at both sides of the bag. Additional seals extend parallel and near to the fold edges between central and outer fold edges. Each first, second and additional seal connects an outer bag foil layer with the opposite gusset fold part. Additional seals connected with second fold part seals extend to the free open end of the bag and additional seals connected with the first fold part seals extend to the transverse seal. As number of bags may form a web. Appts. for forming such bags comprises sealing means for forming a bottom seal, first and second fold part seals and additional seals. Method, and appts. are claimed for producing an improved heat-sealable gusset bag formed of plastic foil such that (a) at both sides of a bag two additional seals extend parallel to the fold edges in the region between the inner and outer fold edges, which additional seals are connected with the second fold part seals and extend from the second fold part seals towards the open end of the bag, each additional seal connected an outer foil layer of the bag with an opposite gusset fold.

In contrast the present invention provides a cheap, standardised, easy format means of meeting medical hygiene guidelines and standards for endoscopes.

Summary of the Invention Bag for Endoscopes

According to the present invention there is provided a bag for medical equipment, said bag having in use two faces (Fig 1) (Fig 2) including a large transparent window (4 Fig 1) (4 Fig 2) for visual content clarification , comprising a sterile inner and an outer, sealed along three sides and characterised in that integrated means for sealing the fourth side are made available when either the exterior or interior are uppermost (2 Fig 1) (2 Fig 2)

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In this way the scope bag may be used to cover a scope when in a first disposal a first face is the inner face and consequently the scope is in contact with the first face (Fig 1).

Secondly the second face (Fig 2) may be the inner face after a user turns the bag inside out, and subsequently the second face is in contact with the scope, and the first face is no longer in contact with the scope.

In this way transfer of matter or cross-contamination is prevented, minimised or reduced. The user is able thereby to provide a sterile environment in which to store or transport the scope to a location or procedure room, and after use or the procedure can put the scope into a clean self-contained environment.

In all preferred embodiments the bag is formed of a single rectangular piece of plastics material or medical plastic film, heat sealed along three sides.

According to a second aspect of the present invention the means is comprised of a plurality, typically two, seals (2 Fig 1) (2 Fig 1).

Said bag material is preferably medical grade and ideally glossy or smooth finished in order to minimise attraction and collection of bacteria or matter in use.

The inner face as supplied will be sterile, for example wherein the bag is produced in a sterile environment and provided in a sealed container.

In preferred embodiments the seal or at least one seal for the bag may be comprised by or formed in use with a self adhesive strip, wherein the strip is provided before use with a cover, wherein said cover prevents adhesion or loss of adhesive properties.

In other embodiments the seal may be adhered to the bag before use, and may be detached from the bag to effect a closure when in use.

In preferred embodiments at least one of the strips is provided on a flap of material, wherein said flap is sealed or connected to a face on one side alone for the flap.

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In other embodiments two flaps are provided, wherein the flaps are opposite each other or more particularly the faces are not sealed along a portion of the sides adjoining the unsealed or sealable side.

The user would therefore remove a cover before use and thereby expose the strip, subsequently placing said strip onto an opposing area of the opposing face, simultaneously encompassing or encircling the scope or part of it.

For example, therefore after use of the scope the user would subsequently reverse the bag and remove the second cover to use the second strip and close the second flap over the opposing face.

Other embodiments may include additional or alternative means of closure, said means including such as drawstrings. Further embodiments may include press studs, or press seals composed of male and female corresponding sections.

According to a third aspect of the present invention a printed or embossed pattern, symbol or lettering (3 Fig 1) (3 Fig 2) is provided on at least one face of the bag, in order that the user may easily recognise the face in use, and so further reduce danger of cross-contamination.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realised that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction

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and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

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Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows a sketch of a bag showing the clean side image according to the present invention.

And

Figure 2 shows a sketch of a bag showing the contaminated side image according to the present invention.

Detailed Description of Figures

The pictured and preferred embodiment helps facilitate mobility of endoscopes or other medical scopes between procedure rooms and clean rooms in endoscopy units.

As the bags come sterile packed it also helps deliver a scope into a clean environment.

The seals (2 Fig 1) ( 2 Fig 2) in the pictured and preferred embodiment are removed from the back and subsequently used freely to seal the bag around something.

In use therefore a user would place an endoscope into the bag then sealing the flap (1 Fig 1) (1 Fig 2) with the self-adhesive seal (2 Fig 1) (2 Fig 2) so the scope is now enclosed in the bag, ready to be taken into a procedure room.

Now the endoscope has been sealed in the bag, the user can see through the large transparent window (4 Fig 1) (4 Fig 2) that the correct items have been selected for the procedure.

Once in the procedure room a nurse, assistant or the user then undoes a first seal (1 fig 1) and takes the scope out to be used on a patient.

During the procedure, after the procedure or in the meantime the bag is turned inside out to be ready to be used again.

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Preferred embodiments will feature graphics (3 Fig 1) (3 Fig 2) on the faces of the bag, said graphics being easily understood to indicate that the bag is either clean or contaminated (3 Fig 1) (3 Fig 2).

Once the scope has been used and is ready for cleaning the scope is then placed back inside the bag and sealed again (1 Fig 2) with the two way seal (2 Fig 2) to be taken to the clean room for cleaning.

This process is then repeated for the next scope with a clean bag.

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Claims

1. A bag for medical equipment, said bag having in use two faces, including a large transparent window, comprising a sterile inner and an outer, sealed along three sides and characterised in that integrated means for sealing the fourth side are made available when either the exterior or interior are uppermost.

2. A bag according to claim 1 wherein in use the means is comprised of a plurality, typically two, seals.

3. A bag according to claims 1 or 2 wherein at least one of the seals may be detached from the bag.

4. A bag according to claims 1, 2 of 3 wherein at least one face is provided with lettering graphics.

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