Patent ID: 11931991
Assignee: HOWMEDICA OSTEONICS CORP.
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  A | IPC A  B

Claim 8:
9. A method for packaging an article, comprising the steps of:
printing, by an additive manufacturing process, a packaging unit having a substantially solid first portion defining an exterior of the packaging unit, a porous second portion and a plastic third portion defining a cavity with a single opening defining a first dimension, the second portion being disposed between the first and third portions; and
inserting the article into the cavity of the packaging unit such that third layer at least partially surrounds the article to secure the article, the article defining a second dimension greater than the first dimension, the first and second dimension being measured along a line extending across the opening,
wherein the step of inserting the article includes flexing the opening of the cavity to a third dimension to insert the article into the cavity and allowing the opening to return to the first dimension to secure the article, wherein the third dimension is equal to or greater than the second dimension, the third dimension being measured along the line extending across the opening.