10/116, 810, filed April 5,2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sterilizable package. More specifically, the present invention relates to a sterilizable package that can be tom open from any where across the side of the bag as desired by the user.

2. Discussion of the Related Art Packages for the reception and, thereafter, sterilization of medical products and the like are known in the art. One example of such a package is shown in Figures 1-3, where a prior art sterilizable package 10 is illustrated. Package 10 is formed of a ply 12. Ply 12 itself is formed of two (2) of plies of plastic material. One of the two plies is a carrier and the other ply is a heat sealer, to effect the heat seal between these two plies. For example, one ply is conventionally made of polyester and the other ply is conventionally made of polypropylene. A specially treated paper 14 is disposed opposite to ply 12, which is known in the art as a sterilizable kraft paper. Ply 12 is heat sealed to paper 14 along a heat seal line 16 along essentially three edges of the package. To use package 10, the product to be sterilized is inserted into the open top of the package, as illustrated in Figure 1. Thereafter, a backing paper 18 is removed to expose an adhesive 20 so that the top open edge of package 10 can be closed by applying adhesive 20 to ply 14. Thereafter, package 10 is sterilized by any conventional sterilizing technique so that the product may then be stored until the product is required for use. To open the sterilized package 10 and access the product, the user will grasp a bottom end 22 of package 10 and separate ply 12 from ply 14, as illustrated in Figure 3. This process usually requires a certain amount of deftness by the user and involves the risk that the sterilized product may accidentally fall out from package 10. Ill addition, because this package utilizes two plies of film and a heat seal between the film and the paper, it is very difficult to provide gussets in the side of the bag to increase the volume for receiving the product to be sterilized because this would effectively double the side wall thickness in the gusset area immediately adjacent to where the heat seal is formed.

U. S. Patent No. 3,642, 126 to Kurtz et al. discloses another package for receiving medical products. The package includes a sealed compartment 3 for containing a medical object 4. An edge 8 of the package is provided with a plurality of tear-initiating areas 9. These areas are illustrated as being slots that extend through the front and back sheets 1,2 from the outer edge of the package towards the sealed compartment 3. A second opposite edge is provided with the same tear-initiating areas 9. To open the package, one grabs the package near one of the tear-initiating areas and the user tears open the package from this edge 8. Thus, the package in accordance with the Kurtz disclosure has the slots 9 extending all the way to the outer edge of the package. With this structure there is a significant risk that the package could be accidentally snagged and thereby inadvertently opened. In addition, having the slits at the edge of the package does not provide an orderly package for storing or stacking purposes.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a sterilizable package that can be easily torn open from anywhere along the side of the package, with minimal risk of the package being inadvertently opened. In addition, there is a need to provide a sterilizable package that can accommodate relatively larger volume products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with a currently preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a sterilizable package formed of a first sheet connected to a second sheet achieves these and other needs. More specifically, the first sheet forms a first side of the package and a portion of the second side of the package. The second sheet is connected to the first sheet to define an interior chamber of the package. The second sheet forms a portion of the second side of the package. The second sheet has a first edge. A plurality of slots are disposed along the first edge at predetermined spaced apart locations. The first sheet is folded over along a fold line, thereby forming a folded portion. The folded portion is connected to the second sheet. The folded portion forms a portion of the second side of the package. The fold line forms a first edge of the package. The first edge of the second sheet is in the interior of the package between the first side and the folded portion of the first sheet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES The above and still further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of a specific embodiment therefor, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein the reference figures are utilized to designate like components, and wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sterilizable package in accordance with the prior art; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the sterilizable package of Figure 1, shown with a medical product being sealed therein; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the sterilizable package of Figure 1, shown in the process of being opened; Figure 4 is a plan view of a sterilizable package in accordance with the present invention; Figure 5 is a plan view of a sterilizable package of Figure 4, shown with a medical product being disposed therein; Figure 6 is a partial exploded perspective view of the first sheet and second sheet of the sterilizable package in accordance with the present invention; Figure 7 is an enlarged detail of circle 7 from Figure 6; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the first and second sheet of the sterilizable package in accordance with the present invention, showing how the first sheet is attached to the second sheet; Figure 9 is an enlarged detail of circle 9 from Figure 8; Figure 10 is a partial perspective view of the bottom portion of the sterilizable package, shown being folded into a sealed position; Figure 11 is a partial perspective view of the bottom portion of the sterilizable package in accordance with the present invention, shown in a further step of being folded into the sealed position; Figure 12 is a partial perspective view of a side of the sterilizable package in accordance with the present invention, shown being torn to access the sterilized contents of the package; Figure 13 is a perspective exploded view of the first and second sheet of a gusseted sterilizable package in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 14 is a perspective view of a gusseted sterilizable package shown with a product therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to Figures 4-12, a sterilizable package 100 in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. Sterilizable package 100 is formed of a first sheet 102 and a second sheet 104. First sheet 102 has a first edge 106, a second edge 108, a third edge 110 and a fourth edge 112. The second sheet 104 has a first edge 114 and a second edge 116. A plurality of slots 118 are disposed along first edge 114 at predetermined spaced apart locations, preferably along the entire length of edge 114. A second set of a plurality of slots 120 are disposed along the second edge 116, again at predetermined spaced apart locations, preferably along the entire length of edge 116.

Referring now to Figures 6-9, to attach first sheet 102 to second sheet 104, an adhesive is applied along a first glue line 122 and a second glue line 124. Thereafter, first sheet 102 is folded along a fold line 126,128 thereby forming a folded over portion 130,132. Fold line 126 forms a new first edge 134 of the package 100 and fold line 128 forms a new second edge 136 of the package 100. As illustrated in Figure 9, first edge 114 of second sheet 104 is in the interior of the package between the first side of the package and the first folded portion 130 of first sheet 102. Additionally, as illustrated in Figure 9, first edge 114 of the second sheet 104 is spaced inwardly from the first edge 134 of package 100. Also, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 9, slots 118 are disposed outside of the glue line 122 so they do not impinge on the sterile area of the package.

Referring now to Figure 8, first sheet 102 is folded over a third fold line 150 at a top portion of package 100. Thus, a third folded portion 152 is connected to second sheet 104 by a third glue line 125. Third folded portion 152 forms a portion of the second side of the package.

Once folded and glued, third fold line 150 forms a third edge 154 of the package. A third edge 156 of second sheet 104 is disposed in the interior of the package between the first side of the package and the third folded portion 152 of first sheet 102. Third edge 156 of second sheet 104 preferably does not have any slots therein. However, third edge 156 and the fourth edge could have slots therein if desired by the user.

Referring now to Figures 10 and 11, the bottom portion of bag 100 is illustrated. As illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, a medical product or the like to be sterilized is first inserted into the package 100. Thereafter, the bottom portion of the package must be closed prior to sterilization. To achieve this an adhesive that is capable of withstanding sterilizing conditions is applied onto at least one of the two sheets 102,104. As illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, the adhesive 142 is placed on sheet 104 and is of sufficient width to ensure a sterile sealing of the package during the sterilization process. A backing paper is preferably applied to the adhesive to protect the adhesive before it is required to be accessed to close the package, as is known in the art. The bottom of the package is preferably folded over at least twice before being sealed to the exposed adhesive 142. Thus, a tortuous path has been created to prevent germs or other bacteria from entering into the sealed, sterilized interior of the package. Once sealed, the package can be sterilized utilizing any conventional sterilizing condition, such as, for example, steam, dry heat, chemical vapor, ethylene oxide or radiation. Package 100 may now be stored until the product is required for use.

Referring now to Figure 12, to open the sterilized package 100, the user may grab the package from anywhere on the side depending upon the size and location of the sterilized medical product contained within the bag. The bag may be torn partially or completely across depending upon the desires of the user. As illustrated in Figure 12, the bag can be readily torn from the side due to the plurality of slits 118,120 which aid in initiating the tear through sheets 102,104. Once the bag has been torn sufficiently, the sterilized product can be accessed by the user for further use.

Second sheet 104 is preferably made of a transparent plastic film so that the user can readily identify the product contained within the sterilizable package. The plastic film must be made of a material that can withstand the sterilizing methods to be used. For example, if steam sterilizing is used, the plastic material must be able to withstand the relatively high temperatures o steam sterilization, which are conventionally around 136°C. Second sheet 104 may be made of films such as, for example, polypropylene, polyester film (e. g., MYLAR, which is a biaxially oriented film), polycarbonate film or nylon.

First sheet 102 is preferably made of paper to permit the sterilant to pass into the interior and so that indicia, such as, for example, labels, and indicators, can be printed thereon. First sheet 102 must be made of a paper that can withstand the sterilizing methods to be used.

Preferably, the paper is a bleached, kraft-type paper that is treated so that it will have a wet strength sufficient to withstand steam sterilization if this is the sterilization technique being used.

Currently, a paper having a weight of 30-45 pounds per 3000 square yards is preferred.

The glue used to form glue lines 122,124 must be made of an adhesive that is capable of withstanding the sterilizing methods to be used. In other words, the adhesive must not decompose or release from the film or the paper during the sterilization process. For example, polyurethane based adhesives and acrylic based adhesives are among those currently preferred for forming the glue lines.

The paper of the bag may be imprinted with a label 150 and a sterilization indicator 152, using techniques that are well known in the art. The sterilizer indicator will, for example, change with a readily observable change to indicate exposure to one or more given sterilization conditions. As illustrated in drawing Figures 4,5 and 8, the word sterilized is used and typically the color of the word changes from one color to another when the packaging has been subject to a sterilization process. Additionally, the ink used to be applied to the bag must be of the type to withstand all sterilization conditions, without running. These types of inks are well known in the art.

Referring now to Figures 13 and 14, another gusseted sterilized package 200 in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. This embodiment is essentially similar to the embodiment of Figures 4-12 except that the sides of the paper sheet 202 are gusseted at 203, 205 to permit the package to expand to contain a product 207 having relatively greater width.

All other aspects of the package 200 are similar to package 100 and will not be described in further detail for the sake of brevity in the disclosure.

The sterilizable package may also be formed from one sheet. For example, the first sheet will form the first side of the package and the second side of the package. The first sheet will have a first edge and a second edge. The first edge is then connected to the second edge thereby defining an interior chamber. A plurality of slots are disposed along the first edge at predetermined spaced apart locations. The first edge is in the interior of the package so that the slots will be within the interior of the package as well.

Thus, while there have been shown, described, and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or steps which perform substantially the same function, in substantially the same way, to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Substitutions of elements from one described embodiment to another are also fully intended and contemplated. It is also to be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but that they are merely conceptual in nature. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.