JP7549304B2 - Method for forming assembly container and clean field - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a method for forming an assembly container and a clean field.

Conventionally, assembled containers have been known as one type of container. For example, Patent No. 6647609 discloses an assembled container that can be stored and transported in a folded flat state and can be easily assembled when in use.

Patent No. 6647609

The above-mentioned conventional assembly container can be used as a container for temporarily storing instruments in an operating room. In this case, the inner circumferential surface of the assembly container needs to be a disinfected area (clean field). However, when assembling a conventional assembly container, the user needs to place their fingers on the inside of the upper end of the side wall and lift up the side wall. In this way, there is a risk that the inner circumferential surface of the assembly container will become contaminated when the user touches the inner circumferential surface of the assembly container.

Therefore, the present disclosure aims to provide an assembled container whose inner circumferential surface can be made into a clean area, and a method for forming a clean area using the assembled container.

The assembled container according to the present disclosure is an assembled container for forming a sterile field inside, and includes a bottom surface portion, a sidewall portion, a handle portion, and a mechanism. The sidewall portion is connected to the bottom surface portion and is disposed so as to surround the bottom surface portion. The handle portion is connected to each of two areas of the sidewall portion that are disposed opposite each other so as to sandwich the bottom surface portion. The boundary between the sidewall portion and the bottom surface portion is folded so that the two areas of the sidewall portion overlap with the bottom surface portion. The mechanism maintains the position of the sidewall portion relative to the bottom surface portion when the sidewall portion is erected relative to the bottom surface portion by pulling the handle portion in a direction away from the bottom surface portion. The handle portion is configured to be detachable from the sidewall portion without touching the inner peripheral surface of the sidewall portion that faces the bottom surface portion.

The assembled container package according to the present disclosure includes the assembled container and a sterile container. The sterile container has a sterilized internal space. The sterile container houses the assembled container in the internal space.

The method for forming a clean field according to the present disclosure includes a preparation step, a removal step, an assembly step, and a separation step. In the preparation step, the above-mentioned assembled container package is prepared. In the removal step, the assembled container is removed from the sterilized container of the assembled container package. In the assembly step, the assembled container is assembled by grasping the handle portion of the assembled container and pulling the handle portion in a direction away from the bottom portion, and placing the side wall portion upright relative to the bottom portion. In the separation step, the handle portion is separated from the side wall portion without touching the inner circumferential surface that constitutes the clean field.

The above makes it possible to realize an assembled container whose inner circumferential surface can be made into a clean area, and a method for forming a clean area using the assembled container.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the assembled container according to the embodiment in a folded state. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in the middle of assembling the assembled container shown in FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective schematic view showing region III in FIG. 2 . FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the assembled container shown in FIG. 1 in an assembled state. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a handle portion is separated from the assembled container shown in FIG. 4 . FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic view showing a handle portion of the assembled container shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the assembled container package according to the embodiment. 1 is a flowchart for explaining a method for forming a sterile field according to the present embodiment.

The following describes an embodiment of the present disclosure. Note that the same reference numbers are used for the same configurations, and the description will not be repeated.

<Configuration of assembled container>
Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an assembled container 10 according to the present embodiment in a folded state. Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in the middle of assembling the assembled container 10 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged schematic perspective view showing an area III in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the assembled container 10 shown in Fig. 1 in an assembled state. Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a handle portion 3 is separated from the assembled container 10 shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged schematic view showing the handle portion 3 of the assembled container 10 shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the assembly container 10 is an assembly container 10 for forming a sterile field inside, and mainly comprises a bottom portion 1, a side wall portion 2, a handle portion 3, and a mechanism 5. The bottom portion 1 has a rectangular shape in plan view. The side wall portion 2 is connected to the bottom portion 1 and is arranged to surround the bottom portion 1. The side wall portion 2 includes areas 2a and 2b connected to one pair of sides (long sides) of the bottom portion 1, and areas 2c and 2d connected to another pair of sides (short sides) of the bottom portion 1. One end of area 2a is connected to area 2c. The other end of area 2a is connected to area 2d. One end of area 2b is connected to area 2c. The other end of area 2b is connected to area 2d.

The two handle portions 3 are connected to two areas 2a, 2b in the sidewall portion 2, which are arranged opposite each other with the bottom portion 1 in between. Specifically, one handle portion 3 is connected to the center of the upper end of area 2a. The other handle portion 3 is connected to the center of the upper end of area 2b. As shown in FIG. 6, an opening 3a is formed in the handle portion 3 for inserting fingers. The handle portion 3 can be folded at a folding line 3b along the edge of the opening 3a.

The boundary 4 between the side wall portion 2 and the bottom portion 1 is folded so that the regions 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d in the side wall portion 2 overlap the bottom portion 1. Specifically, one folding line 8 is formed so as to extend obliquely from the end (lower end) of the connection between the region 2a and the region 2c on the side of the bottom portion 1 toward the upper end of the region 2a. The other folding line 8 is formed so as to extend obliquely from the end (lower end) of the connection between the region 2a and the region 2d on the side of the bottom portion 1 toward the upper end of the region 2a. The region 2a is folded so as to be convex toward the bottom portion 1 at the two folding lines 8. The region 2b also has two folding lines 8 formed in the same way as the region 2a. The region 2b is also folded so as to be convex toward the bottom portion 1 at the two folding lines 8.

The elastic member 7 as the mechanism 5 includes a tip portion 7a, a curved portion 7b, and a root portion 7c as shown in FIG. 3. In the elastic member 7 shown in FIG. 3, at least a part of the root portion 7c is connected to the inner circumferential surface 2e of the side wall portion 2. Specifically, at least a part of the root portion 7c is fixed to a portion (end portion) on the region 2c side of the folding line 8 in the region 2a. The curved portion 7b is connected to the root portion 7c. In the curved portion 7b, the edge on the bottom portion 1 side is curved in a convex shape in the direction away from the bottom portion 1. The tip portion 7a is connected to the end of the curved portion 7b opposite to the side connected to the root portion 7c. The tip portion 7a includes a portion that protrudes toward the bottom portion 1 side beyond the edge of the curved portion 7b on the bottom portion 1 side.

An opening 4a is formed at the boundary 4 between the region 2c and the bottom surface portion 1. When the assembled container 10 is folded as shown in FIG. 1, the elastic member 7 shown in FIG. 3 is arranged so as to extend along the region 2c. Furthermore, the protruding portion at the tip 7a of the elastic member 7 is inserted into the opening 4a of the boundary 4. The elastic member 7 as the mechanism 5 arranged at the connection portion between the region 2a and the region 2d also basically has the same configuration as the elastic member 7 shown in FIG. 3. The elastic members 7 as the mechanisms 5 arranged at both ends of the region 2b also have the same configuration as the elastic member 7 shown in FIG. 3.

As shown by arrow 30 in Figure 2, an operator can pull handle portion 3 in a direction away from bottom portion 1 (or in a direction in which handle portions 3 move away from each other) to erect side wall portion 2 against bottom portion 1. At this time, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, elastic member 7 as mechanism 5 is moved to a position along region 2a or region 2b of side wall portion 2 to which base portion 7c is connected.

The elastic member 7 has a curved portion 7b, so that the elastic member 7 easily deforms at the curved portion 7b. Therefore, when the areas 2a and 2b are raised by pulling the handle portion 3, the elastic member 7 can be easily moved as described above. In other words, the elastic member 7 can be brought into the state shown in FIG. 4 simply by pulling the handle portion 3 (without touching the inner circumferential surface 2e of the side wall portion 2 and the bottom portion 1). As shown in FIG. 4, when the areas 2a and 2b are raised, the tip portion 7a of the elastic member 7 presses the end of the bottom portion 1, and the position of the elastic member 7 is fixed by the root portion 7c and the tip portion 7a. In this state, the elastic member 7 supports the portion where the folding lines 8 of the areas 2a and 2b are formed from the inside. In other words, the elastic member 7 acts as a support member that supports the position of the areas 2a and 2b of the side wall portion 2 relative to the bottom portion 1.

The elastic member 7 as the mechanism 5 may have a configuration other than that described above. For example, the tip 7a of the elastic member 7 may have a configuration in which multiple portions (convex portions) that contact the bottom portion 1 are formed, or the edge of the curved portion 7b on the bottom portion 1 side may have a concave portion formed by straight lines. Any configuration may be used as the mechanism 5 as long as it is capable of supporting the position of the regions 2a and 2b when they are erected.

As shown in FIG. 6, the connection 6 between the handle portion 3 and the side wall portion 2 has perforations in which multiple slits 6a are arranged with non-slit portions 6b between them. The ratio (L1/L2) of the width L1 of the slits 6a to the width L2 of the non-slit portions 6b may be, for example, 1 to 100, and preferably 10 to 40. The thickness of the material constituting the connection 6 between the handle portion 3 and the side wall portion 2 is, for example, 0.2 mm to 10 mm, and preferably 0.2 mm to 1 mm.

As a result of the perforations formed in the connection 6 between the handle portion 3 and the sidewall portion 2, the handle portion 3 can be separated from the sidewall portion 2 by pulling the handle portion 3 strongly in the direction indicated by the arrow 31 in FIG. 5. In other words, the handle portion 3 is configured to be separable from the sidewall portion 2 without touching the inner circumferential surface 2e of the sidewall portion 2 that faces the bottom portion 1. The handle portion 3 can also be separated from the sidewall portion 2 by pulling the handle portion 3 in the direction indicated by the arrow 31 while twisting it relative to the sidewall portion 2.

The configuration of the connection 6 between the handle portion 3 and the side wall portion 2 is not limited to the perforations described above, and any configuration that allows the handle portion 3 to be easily separated from the side wall portion 2 can be used. For example, the thickness of the connection 6 may be locally made thinner than other portions, or the connection 6 may be made of a material that is weaker than other portions.

<Action and effect>
The assembled container 10 according to the present disclosure is an assembled container 10 for forming a sterile field therein, and includes a bottom portion 1, a sidewall portion 2, a handle portion 3, and a mechanism 5. The sidewall portion 2 is connected to the bottom portion 1 and is arranged to surround the bottom portion 1. The handle portion 3 is connected to each of two areas 2a and 2b arranged opposite to each other on the sidewall portion 2 so as to sandwich the bottom portion 1. A boundary portion 4 between the sidewall portion 2 and the bottom portion 1 is folded so that the two areas 2a and 2b in the sidewall portion 2 overlap with the bottom portion 1. The mechanism 5 maintains the attitude of the sidewall portion 2 relative to the bottom portion 1 when the sidewall portion 2 is erected relative to the bottom portion 1 by pulling the handle portion 3 in a direction away from the bottom portion 1. The handle portion 3 is configured to be detachable from the sidewall portion 2 without touching the inner peripheral surface 2e of the sidewall portion 2 facing the bottom portion 1.

In this way, the side wall portion 2 can be made to stand by the mechanism 5 by pulling the handle portion 3 in a direction away from the bottom portion 1. Furthermore, the handle portion 3 can be separated from the side wall portion 2 without touching the inner peripheral surface 2e of the side wall portion 2. Therefore, the assembled container 10 can be assembled in a clean state without touching the inner peripheral surface 2e and the bottom portion 1 with unclean hands. As a result, if the assembled container 10 is sterilized in advance, the inner peripheral portion of the assembled container 10 can be used as a clean field for placing surgical tools, etc.

In the assembled container 10, the connection 6 between the handle portion 3 and the side wall portion 2 may have perforations formed therein, with multiple slits 6a spaced apart by non-slit portions 6b. In this case, the handle portion 3 can be easily separated from the side wall portion 2.

In the assembled container 10, the mechanism 5 includes an elastic member 7. The elastic member 7 is connected to the inner circumferential surface 2e of the sidewall portion 2. The elastic member 7 presses the bottom portion 1 when the sidewall portion 2 is erected against the bottom portion 1. In this case, when the sidewall portion 2 is erected, the elastic member 7 as the mechanism 5 includes a portion connected to the sidewall portion 2 and a portion that presses the bottom portion 1, so that the elastic member 7 can support the inner circumferential surface 2e of the sidewall portion 2. As a result, the sidewall portion 2 of the assembled container 10 can be maintained in an erected state.

<Configuration and Effects of Assembled Container Packaging>
FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view showing an assembled container package 20 according to the present embodiment. The assembled container package 20 shown in FIG. 7 includes the assembled container 10 and a sterile container 21. The sterile container 21 has a sterilized internal space. The sterile container 21 is made of any material such as resin. The sterile container 21 accommodates the assembled container 10 in the internal space. Specifically, the assembled container 10 in a folded state is held inside the sterile container 21. In this state, the inside of the sterile container 21 and the assembled container 10 are sterilized and disinfected. In this way, the assembled container 10 is stocked as the assembled container package 20, and the assembled container 10 is taken out of the sterile container 21 and assembled when necessary, whereby a clean field can be easily formed as the internal space of the assembled container 10.

<Method of forming aseptic field and its effects>
Fig. 8 is a flow chart for explaining the method for forming a clean area according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 8, the method for forming a clean area according to the present embodiment first performs a preparation step (S10). In this step (S10), the assembled container package 20 shown in Fig. 7 is prepared.

Next, a removal step (S20) is performed. In this step (S20), the assembled container 10 is removed from the sterilized container 21 of the assembled container package 20. For example, a part of the sterilized container 21 is cut out to form an opening that connects the internal space of the sterilized container 21 to the outside, and the assembled container 10 is removed from the opening. For example, the assembled container 10 may be removed from the sterilized container 21 without touching it by lifting the sterilized container 21 so that the opening faces downward.

Next, the assembly step (S30) is carried out. In this step (S30), the handle portion 3 of the assembled container 10 is grasped and pulled in a direction away from the bottom portion 1, as shown in Figures 2 to 4. As a result, the side wall portion 2 can be brought into an upright position relative to the bottom portion 1. In this manner, the assembled container 10 is assembled.

Next, a separation step (S40) is performed. In this step (S40), the handle portion 3 is separated from the side wall portion 2 without touching the inner circumferential surface 2e that constitutes the clean area. Specifically, the handle portion 3 is pulled in the direction indicated by the arrow 31 in FIG. 5 with a force stronger than that used to pull the handle portion 3 in the above step (S30). As a result, the non-slit portion 6b in the perforation of the connection portion 6 shown in FIG. 6 breaks, and the handle portion 3 can be separated from the side wall portion 2. At this time, the worker does not need to touch the inner circumferential surface 2e. In this way, by assembling the assembled container 10 whose inside is a clean area, the clean area can be formed in any location. Various devices taken out of a sterilized bag, for example, can be temporarily placed inside the assembled assembled container 10.

The method for forming a clean field using the assembled container package 20 described above can be carried out in various environments. For example, the method for forming a clean field may be used to obtain a clean field for temporarily placing disinfected instruments in an operating field (clean field) in an operating room. In this case, for example, a nurse in charge of the operating room performs the above steps (S10) to (S40). In addition, after the above step (S20), if a (clean) nurse who has washed her hands during surgery operates the assembled container 10 and the assembled container 10 itself is placed in the clean field, the outer peripheral surface of the assembled assembled container 10 is also in a clean state, so the separation step (S40) may be omitted. Since the outer periphery of the assembled container 10 assembled in this way is also a clean field, the assembled container 10 forms an area for arranging instruments and items used in surgery inside the clean field in an operating room or the like, since the outer periphery is also a clean field. Alternatively, the assembled container 10 forms an area where clean instruments and items can be temporarily placed while preventing them from falling onto the floor or the like. In the above-mentioned clean field, the above steps (S10) to (S40) may be performed by a clean nurse or the like, but the above steps (S10) to (S40) may also be performed by a (dirty) nurse or the like who has not washed their hands during surgery. When such a dirty nurse performs the above steps (S10) to (S40) in the clean field, these steps may be performed before the doctor and patient enter the operating room in which the clean field is formed.

The above-mentioned method for forming a clean field may also be performed in a location other than an operating room. For example, the above-mentioned method for forming a clean field may be performed in an examination room or treatment room of a general clinic, or in a patient room of a hospital ward. In this case, a clean field (an area defined by the inner surface 2e of the assembly container 10) for temporarily placing sterilized equipment in a location that is not a clean field can be obtained. In other words, a clean area can be formed in an unclean space.

When the above method is performed in a place that is not a clean field, it is assumed that the hands of the nurses performing the above steps (S10) to (S40) are not clean. For this reason, by performing the above steps (S30) and (S40) without touching the inner circumferential surface 2e of the assembled container 10, an assembled container 10 with the inside being a clean field can be obtained. In this case, the outer periphery of the assembled container 10 is not clean. In other words, the inner periphery of the assembled container 10 is a clean field formed in an unclean space. In this way, the assembled container package 20 can be used to ensure a clean field not only in an operating room, but also in any other place such as an examination room or a hospital room. In the above-mentioned place that is not a clean field, the above steps (S10) to (S40) may be performed by a nurse who has not washed his/her hands during surgery (unclean) as described above, but the above steps (S10) to (S40) may also be performed by a clean nurse who has washed his/her hands during surgery.

The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. Unless inconsistent, at least two of the embodiments disclosed herein may be combined. The basic scope of the present disclosure is indicated by the claims rather than the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

1 bottom surface portion, 2 side wall portion, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, III area, 2e inner peripheral surface, 3 handle portion, 3a, 4a opening, 3b, 8 folding line, 4 boundary portion, 5 mechanism, 6 connection portion, 6a slit, 6b non-slit portion, 7 elastic member, 7a tip portion, 7b curved portion, 7c base portion, 10 assembled container, 20 assembled container packaging body, 21 sterilized container, 30, 31 arrows, L1, L2 width.

Claims (3)

An assembly vessel for forming a sterile field therein, comprising:
The bottom part and
A sidewall portion connected to the bottom portion and arranged to surround the bottom portion;
and a handle portion connected to each of two areas of the side wall portion that are disposed opposite each other so as to sandwich the bottom surface portion,
A boundary between the side wall portion and the bottom surface portion is folded so that the two regions of the side wall portion overlap the bottom surface portion; and
a mechanism for maintaining the position of the side wall portion relative to the bottom portion when the handle portion is pulled in a direction away from the bottom portion to make the side wall portion stand upright relative to the bottom portion,
The handle portion is configured to be detachable from the side wall portion without touching an inner circumferential surface of the side wall portion facing the bottom portion,
The assembled container has a connection between the handle portion and the side wall portion, the connection having a perforation with a plurality of slits spaced apart. 2. The assembled container according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanism includes an elastic member connected to the inner circumferential surface of the side wall portion and pressing against the bottom portion when the side wall portion is erected against the bottom portion. The method includes a step of preparing an assembled container package,
The assembled container package includes:
The assembled container according to claim 1 ;
a sterile container having a sterile interior space and housing the assembly container in the interior space; and
removing the assembled container from the sterilized container of the assembled container package;
assembling the assembled container by gripping the handle portion of the assembled container and pulling the handle portion in a direction away from the bottom portion to make the side wall portion stand upright relative to the bottom portion;
and separating the handle portion from the side wall portion without touching the inner circumferential surface that constitutes the clean area.

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