This invention relates to sterilization wrap. More particularly, it relates to sterilization wrap having two sheets or two layers of sterilization material.
Reusable medical instruments must be sterilized prior to each use. Normally, these instruments are sterilized by steam or ethylene-oxide. In order for the instruments to remain sterile after the sterilization procedure, the instruments must be wrapped in a material called “sterilization wrap”.
The most common type of sterilization wrap is a three-ply laminate consisting of a layer of melt blown polypropylene sandwiched between two layers of spun bond polypropylene. The wrap includes bond points all across the face of the material so that the material is held together, i.e., laminated. This three-ply material is commonly referred to as “SMS”, which is short for spun bond—melt blown—spun bond. Most hospitals specify SMS as the sterilization wrap to be used because SMS is sufficiently porous to permit steam, ethylene-oxide and other sterilization materials to penetrate through the material to the surgical instruments, but has filtration properties sufficient to prevent the passage of most pathogens there through and maintain sterility after the sterilization process. The wrap also protects articles during sterilization, and acts as a filtration medium for the sterilant.
In most hospitals, there is a protocol which requires surgical instruments to be wrapped with two separate sheets of SMS so that in the event one sheet becomes torn, there is a redundancy which will maintain the sterility of the surgical instruments. The wrapping of surgical instruments with two separate sheets of sterilization wrap obviously is labor intensive in that the nurse must first place the instruments on one sheet of sterilization material and wrap the instruments, and then place the wrapped package on another sheet of sterilization material and wrap the package containing the instruments.
In an attempt to reduce the labor required to provide dual wrapping of surgical instruments, Kimberly-Clark Corporation has developed a product called “One Step Sterilization Wrap”. One Step Sterilization Wrap is made by bonding two separate sheets of sterilization wrap together near two of the edges of the adjacent sheets. The Kimberly-Clark One Step product is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,635,134 and 5,688,476.
It is therefore one object of this invention to provide an improved two-sheet sterilization wrap.
It is another object of this invention to provide a two-sheet sterilization wrap which is easy to use.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved two-sheet sterilization wrap which is less likely to be contaminated and is less likely to be pulled apart.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a method for sterilizing an article utilizing an improved two-sheet sterilization wrap.
It is still another object of this invention to provided a two sheet sterilization wrap which eliminates confusion by the user regarding the number of sheets in each wrap.
In accordance with one form of this invention, there is provided a sterilization wrap made from two sheets or two layers of sterilization material. Each sheet or layer has first, second, third and fourth edges. Each sheet or layer includes a central portion. The first edge of the first sheet or layer is in register with and joined to the first edge of the second sheet or layer. The second edge of the first sheet or layer is in register with and joined to the second edge of the second sheet or layer. The third edge of the first sheet or layer is in register with and joined to the third edge of the second sheet or layer. The fourth edge of the first sheet or layer is registered with and joined to the fourth edge of the second sheet or layer. The central portions of each sheet or layer are substantially not bonded together. Thus two layers of sterilization material is provided for the article to be sterilized. The region between the central portion of each sheet or layer is protected from contaminates and the joined edges of the wrap are readily grasped by the person wrapping the articles to be sterilized.
In accordance with another form of this invention, there is provided a method for sterilizing an article, including the step of providing the article, wrapping the article with sterilization wrap made in accordance with the above-described design, and applying sterilization conditions to the wrapped article.
The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof may be better understood in reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now more particularly to
Sheet 32 is the same size as sheet 34, and the two sheets are in register with one another and are joined together by bonding the two sheets along all four of their respective edges, as illustrated by bond points 36.
As shown in
The bond points 36 along the edges of each sheet are preferably at the very end of the edges of each sheet. This will substantially reduce the likelihood that fibers from free edges will be released since the bonding process melts the fibers at the bond points. The bond points illustrated in
The central region 54 of sheet 32 and central region 56 of sheet 34 remain substantially not bonded together so that the passage of the sterilization materials through the wrap to the articles 60 to be sterilized is not substantially reduced by the points. That is, thermal bonding of the two sheets together in their central regions 54 and 56 will melt the SMS, resulting in a film like structure which would block the passage of a substantial amount of ethylene oxide or steam, which are the preferred sterilization materials.
Since the sterilization wrap is joined along all four edges, the wrap will not be visually distinguishable as two separate sheets. However, a significant advantage of the two sheets or layers being joined together along all four edges is the fact that debris will not be permitted to penetrate into the open space 58 since all four edges, in effect, are sealed. In addition, since the joining occurs directly adjacent to the edges, or even overlapping the edges, loss of fibers about the edges is substantially reduced. Furthermore, since all four edges are joined together, the likelihood that the two sheets or layers will stay together is substantially enhanced. Also, since the joining of all four edges occurs directly adjacent to the edges, there should be no user perception that there might be contamination between the sheets and/or that the sterilization materials might escape.
The sterilization wrap of the subject invention, with the two sheets bonded or joined together on the edges, also provides a reasonable rigid edge which is easily grasped by the person using the sterilization wrap.
One of the methods of joining is ultrasonic bonding which results in bond points. Alternatively, hot melt glue, a heated knife or wire, laser, water jet, thermo-mechanism, or mechanical embossing may be used to create the bonding.
The sterilization wrap of the subject invention is easy to manufacture. Two identical size sheets may be cut into the desired shape, most commonly square shape. The two sheets are placed in register, and then all four edges may be joined together by one of the techniques referred to above.
By utilizing this invention, there is no need for the user to handle two separate sheets of sterilization wrap in order to provide two layers of protection for the articles to be sterilized. A single application 30 is removed from its container and placed flat on a table. The article to be sterilized is placed in the center of the wrap/application 30. The article is then wrapped in the generally prescribed or acceptable fashion. The wrapped article is placed in an autoclave or gas enclosure and is subjected to sterilizing conditions.
From the foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent that many modifications may be made therein. It will be understood, however, that the embodiments of the invention are an exemplification of the invention only and that the invention is not limited thereto. It is to be understood, therefore, that it is intended in the appended claims to cover all modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/911,316 filed Aug. 3, 2004 and titled FOUR EDGE SEALED STERILIZATION WRAP AND METHOD FOR STERILIZING AN ARTICLE. Application Ser. No. 10/911,316 is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/119,183 filed Apr. 9, 2002, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,793,879 on Sep. 21, 2004 and is titled FOUR EDGE SEALED STERILIZATION WRAP AND METHOD FOR STERILIZING AN ARTICLE. Application Ser. No. 10/119,183 is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/451,056, filed Nov. 30, 1999, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,916 on Feb. 11, 2003 and is titled FOUR EDGE SEALED STERILIZATION WRAP AND METHOD FOR STERILIZING AN ARTICLE.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 09451056 | Nov 1999 | US |
Child | 10119183 | Apr 2002 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10911316 | Aug 2004 | US |
Child | 11373467 | Mar 2006 | US |
Parent | 10119183 | Apr 2002 | US |
Child | 10911316 | Aug 2004 | US |