FILTER MODULE PACKAGING UNIT

Abstract

A sterile filter module/dialyzer packaging including a filter module, preferably a dialyzer, sterile-packaged in a primary packaging. The filter module having an essentially cylindrical central section and a filter module connection formed at the end of the central section. The primary packaging is a blister packaging with a plastic molded part as a lower section forming a receiving compartment for the filter module and a soft upper foil which, with the lower section, closes the receiving compartment for the filter module. The upper foil is fixed onto the lower section so as to be hermetically sealed and the filter module is fixed at least in sections by means of form fit.

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. A packaging unit for a filter module with an essentially cylindrical central section and at least one filter module connection formed at an end of the central section, wherein the packaging unit comprises: a blister packaging with a plastic molded part as a hard lower section forming a receiving compartment for the filter module; and a soft upper foil coupled to the hard lower section to close the receiving compartment for the filter module, wherein the soft upper foil is fixed onto the hard lower section to hermetically seal the receiving compartment and is form fit at least in sections to the filter module to fix the filter module position within the packaging unit.

14. The packaging unit of claim 13, wherein the filter module is a dialyzer.

15. The packaging unit of claim 13, wherein the packaging unit further comprises: at least one getter positioned within the receiving compartment for the filter module to bind molecular oxygen present in the packaging unit.

16. The packaging unit of claim 15, wherein the getter induces negative pressure by absorption of the molecular oxygen in the packaging unit and wherein the hard lower section is dimensionally stable so that only the soft upper foil is deformed as a result of the negative pressure.

17. The packaging unit of claim 13, wherein the soft upper foil fits against the cylindrical central section of the filter module and does not come into contact with the at least one filter module connection formed at the end of the central section of the filter module so that they are open.

18. The packaging unit of claim 13, wherein the upper foil is a shrink foil.

19. The packaging unit of claim 13, wherein the upper foil is sealed onto a continuous peripheral edge of the hard lower section.

20. The packaging unit of claim 13, wherein the hard lower section forms a connection receiving structure at both ends of the central section of the filter module, and wherein the connection receiving structure is widened to accommodate the at least one filter module connection such that the at least one filter module connection remains open and fluidly connected with the receiving compartment

21. The packaging unit of claim 13, wherein a depth of the receiving compartment for the filter module in the hard lower section is less than a diameter of the cylindrical central section of the filter module.

22. The packaging unit of claim 21, wherein the depth is less than half the diameter.

23. The packaging unit of claim 22, wherein the depth is less than a third of the diameter.

24. The packaging unit of claim 23, wherein the depth is less than a quarter of the diameter.

25. Packaging for filter modules comprising: at least one of the packaging units of claim 13; and a tray including a receiving compartment for each of the at least one of the packaging units, the receiving compartment configured to receive the cylindrical central section of the filter module enclosed by the soft upper foil.

26. The packaging of claim 24, wherein the tray is configured to form fit with the cylindrical central section enclosed by the soft upper foil in at least one of an axial direction or a tangential direction.

27. The packaging of claim 25, wherein the tray includes a U-shaped cross-section with an upper plate and two plates joined on both sides of the upper plate, wherein the upper plate comprises the receiving compartment, which runs from a first of the two side plates to a second of the two side plates, wherein the receiving compartment is configured for form fit with at least one of the packaging units, with a respective filter module packaged therein.

28. The packaging of claim 27, wherein the receiving compartment is a partially cylindrical recess.

29. The packaging of claim 25, further comprising: external packaging, wherein the tray is configured to at least partially form fit within the external packaging.

30. Packaging for filter modules comprising: at least one of the packaging units of claim 13; and external packaging configured to form fit at least sections of a peripheral edge of the hard lower section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0029] The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing. Included in the drawing are the following figures:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective depiction of a sterile dialyzer primary packaging in a first embodiment;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows the dialyzer primary packaging of FIG. 1 in a cross-section running transversely to the axial direction;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a tray for use as part of the invention;

[0033] FIG. 4 shows an external packaging for use as part of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] The term “dialyzer” is mainly used below, wherein at this point attention is drawn to the fact that this can be understood as any type of filter module.

[0035] A sterile dialyzer primary packaging 1 (also referred to in the following as primary packaging 1) is shown in FIG. 1 with a dialyzer 2 sterile-packaged inside it. The primary packaging 1 is combined with further primary packagings 1 with dialyzers packaged inside them with a secondary packaging or external packaging/external box 3 and one or more trays 2 to form a packaging unit. The secondary packaging 3 is for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a folding box 3.

[0036] According to aspects of the invention, the primary packaging 1 is realized as a hard-soft blister packaging with a lower section 6 which forms a receiving compartment or receiving trough 5 for the dialyzer 2. After proper positioning of the dialyzer 2 inside it, the lower section 6 is hermetically sealed with a lid section 7 placed on top of it in the form of an upper foil 7. The upper foil 7 is a plastic foil, preferably a shrink foil, which is positioned on a peripheral edge 8 of the lower section 6 and hermetically sealed to the latter.

[0037] The lower section 6 is made of plastic, for example with moulding, and possesses a defined form with two stable side walls 9, 10 facing each other and a trough 11 positioned between them. The front faces 12, 13 of the lower section together with the side walls 9, 10 and the trough 11 form the receiving compartment 5 for the dialyzer 2 and merge on the latter's open side with the peripheral edge 8. The trough 11, side walls 9, 10 and front faces 12, 13 are configured with the appropriate stability. “Stable” in this sense is taken to mean that the lower section does not essentially deform in the event of negative pressure occurring in the primary packaging due to the binding of oxygen. Unlike the lower section 6, the upper foil exhibits reduced dimensional stability. Reduced dimensional stability in this case means that in the event of negative pressure occurring in the receiving compartment 5 due to a binding of molecular oxygen, it deforms at least in sections and brings about an equalization of pressure. In this event, the upper foil acquires a tighter or closer fit against the dialyzer 2 in a way described later.

[0038] In order bind molecular oxygen which, after closing the primary packaging 1, is present in the atmosphere enclosed inside it and in order to remove the molecular oxygen from the atmosphere for the purpose of radiation (gamma) sterilization of the packaged dialyzer, a getter 14 is placed in the receiving compartment 5.

[0039] The inner contour of the receiving compartment 5 is configured in such a way that an area of the dialyzer 2 is inserted in it. The stable sides 9, 10, 12, 13 of the receiving space 5 form a volume which is larger than the volume of the sections of the dialyzer 2 inserted in it, so that the latter's radial dialyzer connections 15 and axial dialyzer connections 16 are not closed by the lower section 6 or the upper foil 7 (see in particular FIG. 2). In this way, the inside of the dialyzer 2 is connected fluidically with the atmosphere of the receiving compartment 5 so that molecular oxygen present inside the dialyzer 2 can also be bound with the getter 14. A central cylinder section 23 of the dialyzer 2 between the end dialyzer connections 15, 16 is tightly enclosed by the upper foil 7, see in particular FIG. 2. In his way, the dialyzer 2 is fixed in position and held in the receiving compartment and therefore onto the lower section 6 due to the upper foil 7 fitting tightly against the cylinder section 23 It is also possible to state that the lower section 5 consists of a hard element adapted to the shape of the dialyzer and the soft upper foil 7 tightly envelopes but does not close the dialyzer 2 so that the oxygen absorber 14 can take effect and also bind molecular oxygen from the inside of the dialyzer 2.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows the tray 4 which is packaged together with several primary packagings 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in an external packaging 3 according to FIG. 4. The tray 4 has a cross-section running transversely to the axial direction of the dialyzer 2 which is essentially U-shaped. It comprises an upper plate 17 and side plates 18, 19 joined to it which are facing each other. A foot 20, 21 is formed on the side of each side plate 18, 19 facing away from the upper plate 17.A number of recesses 22 are formed in the upper plate 17. These preferably run parallel to each other. As is clearly shown in FIG. 3, they are essentially partially cylindrical in shape, here semi-cylindrical. Each of the recesses 22 forms a receiving compartment for one dialyzer 2 packaged in a primary packaging 1. The primary packaging 1 with the dialyzer 2 hermetically sealed inside it is inserted in the tray 4 in such a way that the upper foil 7 points to the tray 4. There is a form fit between the respective recess 22 and the cylinder section 23 with the upper foil 7 fitting tightly against it. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the two end sections 24, 25 of the dialyzer 2 have a larger diameter than the central cylinder section 23. The width of the tray 4, i.e. the distance between the two side plates 18, 19, is measured such that the respective side plate 18, 19 and the side section 24, 25 of the dialyzer 2 positioned at its side abut each other. The dialyzer 2 packaged in the primary packaging 1 is therefore fixed in position by the respective recess 22 in the tangential direction and by the side plates 18, 19 in the axial direction.

[0041] The dimensions of the peripheral edge 8 of the lower section 6 and the external packaging 3 are harmonised in such a way that a number primary packagings 1 can be stably positioned in the external packaging 3.