CONTAINER FOR THE STERILE PACKAGING OF ARTICLES UNDER REDUCED PRESSURE

Abstract

The invention relates to a container for sterilely packaging objects under reduced pressure, said container comprising a lower part and an upper part. The container has an annular sealing element having a main sealing-element plane DH, the sealing element being H-shaped in cross-section perpendicular to the main sealing-element plane, with two flanges and a web. An entire lower edge of the upper part and an entire upper edge of the lower part can be slid between the flanges of the sealing element. The sealing element is designed to tightly close the container, the flange of the sealing element arranged on the outside of the container when the container is assembled being equipped with at least one predetermined rupture feature for destroying the tight closure of the container.

Claims

1. A container for the sterile packaging of articles under reduced pressure, wherein the container comprises a lower part and an upper part, wherein the lower part is constructed from a bottom and at least a lower part sidewall, wherein the at least one lower part sidewall extends upwardly from the bottom and wherein the bottom and the at least one lower part sidewall jointly define a lower part interior with an open upper end, wherein the upper part is constructed from a lid and at least an upper part sidewall, wherein the at least one upper part sidewall extends downwardly from the lid and wherein the lid and the at least one upper part sidewall jointly define an upper part interior with an open lower end, wherein the container comprises an annular sealing element with a sealing element main plane, wherein the sealing element in a cross section perpendicular to the sealing element main plane (DH) is realized in an H-shaped manner with two flanges and a web, wherein the upper part is designed such that it can be inserted between the flanges of the sealing element with an entire edge region of the upper part sidewall located adjacent to the open lower end of the upper part and the lower part is designed such that it can be inserted between the flanges of the sealing element with an entire edge region of the lower part sidewall located adjacent to the open upper end of the lower part, wherein the sealing element is designed for tightly sealing the container, and wherein the flange of the sealing element, which in an assembled state of the container is arranged on an outer side of the container, is provided with at least one predetermined rupture feature for destroying the tight seal of the container.

2. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined rupture feature for destroying the tight seal of the container consists of at least a perforation that extends over the entire vertical extent of the flange of the sealing element that is oriented perpendicular to the sealing element main plane, which in the assembled state of the container is arranged on the outer side of the container.

3. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the flange of the sealing element, which in the assembled state of the container is arranged on the outer side of the container, comprises a tab-like extension, wherein the tab-like extension is operatively connected to the predetermined rupture feature of the sealing element.

4. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one initial tearing notch is provided and operatively connected to the predetermined rupture feature.

5. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower part and/or the upper part consists of aluminum, an aluminum alloy or steel.

6. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottom, the at least one lower part sidewall, the lid and the at least one upper part sidewall have a wall thickness of 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm, preferably 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm, particularly preferably around 0.7 mm.

7. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one lower part sidewall and/or the at least one upper part sidewall is provided with at least one reinforcing rib.

8. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that a vertical extent of the web of the sealing element parallel to the flanges is between 1 mm and 10 mm, preferably between 1.5 mm and 6 mm, particularly preferably around 2 mm.

9. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that a horizontal extent of the web of the sealing element perpendicular to the flanges is between 1 mm and 8 mm, preferably between 2 mm and 5 mm, particularly preferably at 3 mm.

10. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that a vertical extent of the flanges of the sealing element perpendicular to the sealing element main plane is between 5 mm and 50 mm, preferably between 10 mm and 30 mm, particularly preferably around 15 mm.

11. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing element consists of plastic, rubber or silicon.

12. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the shape and the extent of the bottom and of the lid are essentially identical, the at least one upper part sidewall and the lid include an angle of around 90 with one another and the at least one lower part sidewall and the bottom include an angle of around 90 with one another.

13. Use of a container according to claim 1 for the sterile packaging of medical products under reduced pressure.

14. A method for the sterile packaging of articles under reduced pressure comprising the steps of a) supplying a container according to claim 1 in a non-assembled state, b) introducing the lower part, the upper part, the sealing element and the at least one article to be packaged into an environment under reduced pressure, c) introducing the at least one article to be packaged into the lower part interior or the upper part interior, d1) inserting the edge region of the upper part sidewall located adjacent to the open lower end of the upper part between the flanges of the sealing element, d2) inserting the edge region of the lower part sidewall located adjacent to the open upper end of the lower part between the flanges of the sealing element, and d) increasing the environmental pressure to the normal pressure, wherein at least either step d1) or step d2) is carried out after step b), wherein at least either step d1) or step d2) is carried out after step c), wherein step e) is carried out after steps c), d1) and d2), and wherein the insertion in steps d1) and d2) takes place in such a way that the predetermined rupture feature of the sealing element (7) is in the assembled state of the container arranged on an outer side of the container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the drawings. In these drawings,

[0041] FIG. 1 schematically shows a perspective view of an inventive container;

[0042] FIG. 2 schematically shows a side view of the container according to FIG. 1 with a portion including a sealing element shown in cross-section;

[0043] FIG. 3 schematically shows another side view of the container according to FIG. 1 in cross-section; and

[0044] FIG. 4 schematically shows a detail of FIG. 2 in the form of an enlarged representation in cross-section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0045] FIGS. 1 to 4 schematically show different views of an inventive container for the sterile packaging of articles under reduced pressure.

[0046] The container comprises a lower part 1 and an upper part 2. The lower part 1 is realized in one piece and constructed from a bottom 3 and a lower part sidewall 4, wherein the lower part sidewall 4 extends vertically upward from the bottom 3 and the bottom 3 and the lower part sidewall 4 jointly define a lower part interior with an open upper end. The upper part 2 is likewise realized in one piece and constructed from a lid 5 and an upper part sidewall 6, wherein the upper part sidewall 6 extends vertically downward from the lid 5 and the lid 5 and the at least one upper part sidewall 6 jointly define an upper part interior with an open lower end.

[0047] The upper part 2 and the lower part 1 of the container are made of aluminum. The bottom 3, the lower part sidewall 4, the lid 5 and the upper part sidewall 6 have a wall thickness of around 0.7 mm. The lower part sidewall 4 is provided with three reinforcing ribs 12 (only illustrated in FIG. 1). The cited wall thickness and the reinforcing ribs on the one hand allow a material-saving production and on the other hand provide the container with a sufficient dimensional stability for also withstanding the pressure differential between the container interior and the surrounding atmosphere after the container has been filled under a vacuum without any difficulties.

[0048] The container also comprises an annular sealing element 7 with a sealing element main plane DH, wherein the sealing element 7, in a cross section perpendicular to the sealing element main plane DH is realized in an H-shaped manner with two flanges 8.1, 8.2 and a web 9. The upper part 2 is inserted between the flanges 8.1, 8.2 of the sealing element 7 with the entire edge region 6.1 of the upper part sidewall 6 located adjacent to the open lower end of the upper part and the lower part 2 is inserted between the flanges of the sealing element with the entire edge region 4.1 of the lower part sidewall 4 located adjacent to the open upper end of the lower part. The sealing element 7 made of silicone tightly seals the container. The flange 8.1 of the sealing element 7 arranged on the outer side of the container is provided with two predetermined rupture points features 10 and two initial tearing notches 13, which respectively are operatively connected to a predetermined rupture feature 10, in order to destroy the tight seal of the container. The predetermined rupture features 10 are realized in the form of a perforation of the flange 8.1.

[0049] The flange 8.1 of the sealing element 7 arranged on the outer side of the container comprises a tab-like extension 11, wherein the tab-like extension 11 is operatively connected to the two predetermined rupture features 10 of the sealing element 7. The tab-like extension 11 makes it possible to grip the sealing element in a particularly simple manner without any difficulties. Since the tab-like extension 11 is operatively connected to the predetermined rupture features 10 of the sealing element 7, the predetermined rupture features 10 can be destroyed by simply pulling on the tab-like extension 11 such that the sealing element 7 loses its sealing function and the lower part 1 and the upper part 2 of the container can subsequently be separated from one another without any problems. The tab 11 formed on the sealing element 7 is designed in such a way that the predetermined rupture features 10 can be destroyed by taking hold of the tab 11 with the thumb and index finger or by a translatory motion of the thumb while the container is clamped between two fingers of the same hand. The container can be altogether opened with one hand by subsequently flipping over the upper part with the aid of the thumb.

[0050] A vertical extent of the web 9 of the sealing element 7 parallel to the flanges 8.1, 8.2 lies around 4 mm. The web is dimensioned in such a way that it is not penetrated by the edge regions 6.1, 4.1 of the upper part sidewall 6 and the lower part sidewall 4 during their insertion between the flanges 8.1, 8.2 of the sealing element 7. At the same time, the perforations 10 cannot lead to a loss of the sealing function of the sealing element 7.

[0051] The horizontal extent of the web 9 of the sealing element 7 perpendicular to the flanges 8.1, 8.2 amounts to 3 mm and is therefore well adapted to the wall thickness of the edge regions 6.1, 4.1 of the upper part sidewall 6 and the lower part sidewall, which respectively amounts to around 0.7 mm.

[0052] A vertical extent of the flanges 8.1, 8.2 of the sealing element 7 perpendicular to the sealing element main plane DH lies around 20 mm. Starting from the web, the flanges extend upward and downward by a distance of 8 mm in both directions such that the tightness of the container is ensured and the container is also precluded from being inadvertently opened. The vertical extent of the flanges 8.1, 8.2 perpendicular to the sealing element main plane DH is therefore respectively well adapted to the extent of the upper part 2 of around 45 mm and the extent of the lower part 1 of around 95 mm.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0053] 1 Lower part [0054] 2 Upper part [0055] 3 Bottom [0056] 4 Lower part sidewall [0057] 4.1 Edge region of lower part sidewall [0058] 5 Lid [0059] 6 Upper part sidewall [0060] 6.1 Edge region of upper part sidewall [0061] 7 Sealing element [0062] 8.1, 8.2 Flanges of sealing element [0063] 9 Web of sealing element [0064] 10 Predetermined rupture feature [0065] 11 Tab-like extension [0066] 12 Reinforcing ribs [0067] 13 Initial tearing notch [0068] DH Sealing element main plane