CONTAINER AND METHOD FOR RECONSTITUTION OF SUBSTANCES

Abstract

A method for reconstitution of substances includes a liquid container having a pre-determined volume of diluent and a powder container having a corresponding pre-determined amount of powder to be reconstituted. The method allows an individual to safely reconstitute the powder into a liquid solution having the desired concentration without measuring or potential spillage. The powder container includes a female threaded connection designed for liquid-tight attachment to the liquid container and further includes a breakable membrane seal which, when broken by the distal end of the liquid container, creates an orifice for the diluent to enter the powder container to reconstitute the powder and thereafter be displaced into the liquid container for use. Before the membrane seal is broken, the pre-determined amount of powder partially occupies the powder container chamber.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. A disposable container for reconstituting a powder into a liquid, the container comprising: a chamber having partially disposed within a pre-determined weight of a powder for reconstitution; a breakable membrane seal which when broken by tip of a separate liquid container, creates an orifice for diluent entry from a separate liquid container into the chamber and reconstituted liquid from the chamber into the separate liquid container; a cylindrical wall located on the side of the breakable membrane seal opposite the chamber, the cylindrical wall having female threads and the interior space surrounding the cylindrical wall defining a cavity; an outer cylindrical wall, concentric with said cylindrical wall and further having at least one radial support integrally connected to both walls; and, a removable adhesive seal covering the cavity.

4. (canceled)

5. The disposable container of claim 3 further comprising a protective adhesive film covering the distal circumference of the cylindrical wall.

6. (canceled)

7. The disposable container of claim 3 where said container is made of a transparent plastic material.

8. The disposable container of claim 3 where said pre-determined weight of powder occupies up to about 25% of the chamber.

9. A container comprising: a transparent thermoplastic body having a chamber and within said chamber is a pre-determined weight of a powder for reconstitution that occupies up to about 25% of the chamber; a portion of the thermoplastic body having a reduced wall thickness relative to the other portions of the body that defines a breakable membrane seal which when broken by tip of a separate liquid container, creates an orifice for diluent entry from a separate liquid container into the chamber and reconstituted liquid from the chamber into the separate liquid container; a cylindrical wall located on the side of the breakable membrane seal opposite the chamber, the cylindrical wall having female threads and the interior space surrounding the cylindrical wall defining a cavity; an outer cylindrical wall, concentric with said cylindrical wall and further having at least one radial support integrally connected to both walls; and, a removable adhesive seal covering the cavity.

10. The container of claim 9 where the orifice is sufficiently limited in diameter to prevent discharge of the pre-determined amount of powder while in powder form.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a powder container and liquid container for reconstituting substances described herein;

[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates the peeling away of a removable adhesive strip and insertion of the liquid container for threadable engagement;

[0033] FIG. 3 illustrates diluent displaced into the powder container;

[0034] FIG. 4 is illustrates motion of the containers to reconstitute the powder;

[0035] FIG. 5 illustrates force applied for the reconstituted solution being displaced into the liquid container;

[0036] FIG. 6 illustrates force removed for the reconstituted solution being displaced into the liquid container; and,

[0037] FIG. 7 is the liquid container containing the reconstituted solution.

[0038] FIG. 8 is an alternate embodiment for the powder container.

[0039] FIG. 9 is a view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0040] The figures provided herein are not necessarily drawn to scale and are provided for representational and instructional purposes.

[0041] FIG. 1 illustrates the two separate containers 10 and 12 which are used to reconstitute a substance. Powder container 12 has a predetermined amount of powder P for reconstitution into a liquid solution S. Liquid container 10 has a predetermined volume of diluent D to reconstitute powder P into solution S having the desired concentration.

[0042] Liquid container 10 is constructed using BFS technology and has a threaded neck 14 with male threads and a twist-off closure 16 which when removed, exposes the distal tip 18 that has an opening sufficient for liquid to pass as shown in FIG. 3. Liquid container 10 is made of a deformable but resilient plastic material which permits an individual (not shown) to squeeze the container to inwardly deform using a suitable force applied by thumb and forefinger as represented by the FIG. 3 arrows. Preferably, the plastic used would be PET, low density polyethylene, polypropylene, or copolymer blends thereof. A threadable cap 28 is provided for use following reconstitution as shown in FIG. 7.

[0043] Powder container 12 is constructed from a stretch blow molding process and is transparent. Powder container 12 includes a chamber 13 and a breakable membrane seal 20. During manufacture, base 15 is made separately from the remaining body. Once the pre-determined amount of powder P is deposited into volume V, base 15 is thereafter permanently affixed creating an air-tight seal within chamber 13. The only entry or exit from chamber 13 will be created once membrane seal 20 is broken. Membrane seal 20 has a reduced wall thickness relative to the adjacent portions of powder container 12 so that it will fail upon a sufficient force applied by tip 18 of liquid container 10 as will be discussed below. When membrane seal 20 is broken, an orifice is created for diluent entry from liquid container 10 into chamber 13 and reconstituted liquid from chamber 13 into liquid container 10. Powder container 12 also includes a general shaped cylindrical wall 22 having an inside diameter at least the diameter of the orifice. Wall 22 is located on the side of breakable membrane seal 20 opposite chamber 13. Cylindrical wall 22 includes female threading 26 for engagement with the male threads on liquid container 10. The space between cylindrical wall 22 defines a cavity C. In an alternate embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, powder container 112 further includes an outer cylindrical wall 130, concentric with cylindrical wall 122 also extends away from chamber 13. A plurality of supports 140 extend radially, integral with walls 122 and 130. Outer cylindrical wall 130 is an integral extension of the cylindrical wall surrounding chamber 13.

[0044] Referring to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, at the distal end of cylindrical wall 22 is a removable adhesive strip 24 which covers cavity C until powder container 112 is ready for use. Referring to the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, at the distal end of cylindrical wall 122 is a removable strip 124 which covers cavity C and the annular region between walls 122 and 130 until powder container 112 is ready for use.

[0045] Each powder container can be designed in various sizes, from micro (0.01-2 gr), medium (2-5 gr) and larger doses (above 5 gr). The size of the container can be defined as the weight of the substance to be reconstituted.

[0046] Having described the containers, to reconstitute the powder P, an individual (not shown) performs the following to steps.

[0047] Remove twist-off closure 16 from liquid container 10.

[0048] Remove adhesive strip 24 from powder container 12 illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0049] Threadably attach liquid container 10 to powder container 12 until distal tip 18 of neck 14 breaks membrane seal 20 creating an orifice through which diluent D can enter chamber 13.

[0050] The body of liquid container 10 is squeezed to expel diluent D through the orifice into chamber 13 as shown in FIG. 3. The threaded connection between both containers becomes a seal preventing leakage of diluent D. Liquid container 10 is positioned vertically above powder container 12 for gravity to assist in displacement of diluent D.

[0051] Once diluent D has been displaced into the powder container 12, both containers are moved in such a manner to cause the contents within chamber 13 to be shaken or swirled as represented by the arrows in FIG. 4 until the powder is reconstituted into liquid solution S.

[0052] Liquid solution S is then displaced into liquid container 10 by inverting the containers so that gravity can assist in displacement as well as the body of liquid container 10 being intermittently squeezed, represented by the facing pair of arrows; and, in a motion to swirl the contents within powder container 12 as represented by the circular pair of arrows depicted in FIG. 5. This movement assists in displacing air A from liquid container 10 into powder container 12. FIG. 6 illustrates the resiliency of liquid container 10 where expansion to its original form assists liquid solution S to flow therein when the container is not squeezed as represented by the opposite direction pair of arrows.

[0053] Once the reconstituted liquid solution S has been displaced into liquid container 10, powder container 12 is detached from liquid container 10 and discarded.

[0054] Reconstituted liquid solution S can then be used immediately or stored within liquid container 10 for subsequent use by threadably attaching cap 28.