Holding structure for concurrently holding a plurality of containers for substances for pharmaceutical, medical or cosmetic applications, transport structure and transport or packaging container comprising the same

Abstract

A holding structure for concurrently holding a plurality of containers for substances for pharmaceutical, medical or cosmetic applications includes a plurality of receptacles for receiving the containers therein at least in sections. The receptacles each have an open upper end for inserting the containers into the receptacles and a bottom end having a holding portion for limiting an axial movement of the containers in the receptacles. Guide portions are provided for guiding the containers as they are inserted into the receptacles. The guide portions are formed as guiding ribs extending in the longitudinal direction of the receptacles. Lead-in bevels are formed at upper ends of the guiding ribs which are inclined relative to the guiding ribs.

Claims

1. A holding structure for concurrently holding a plurality of containers for substances for pharmaceutical, medical or cosmetic applications, the holding structure comprising: a plurality of receptacles for receiving the containers therein at least in sections, the receptacles each having an open upper end for inserting the containers into the receptacles and a bottom end having a holding portion configured to limit an axial movement of the containers in the receptacles; guide portions provided and configured to guide the containers as they are inserted into the receptacles, the guide portions being formed as guiding ribs extending in a longitudinal direction of the receptacles, each of the guiding ribs being inclined at an angle of inclination relative to a central axis of a respective one of the receptacles, the angle of inclination being larger than 0° and less than or equal to 2°; and lead-in bevels formed at upper ends of the guiding ribs which are inclined relative to the guiding ribs, wherein the lead-in bevels are inclined relative to the guiding ribs at an angle in the range between 5° and 15°.

2. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the angle of inclination is larger than 0° and less than or equal to 1.5°.

3. The holding structure of claim 2, wherein the angle of inclination is larger than 0.5° and less than or equal to 1.0°.

4. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the lead-in bevels are inclined relative to the guiding ribs at an angle in the range between 10° and 15°.

5. The holding structure of claim 4, wherein the lead-in bevels are inclined relative to the guiding ribs at an angle in the range between 12.5° and 14.5°.

6. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the guiding ribs protrude radially inwards into the receptacles and are arranged distributed at angular spacings from one another.

7. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the guiding ribs of a respective receptacle surround a circle of a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the respective receptacle, wherein the diameter of the circle at bottom ends of the guiding ribs corresponds to an outer diameter of a respectively received container.

8. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein inner receptacles of the holding structure are formed by positioning cylinders extending in an axial direction, on side walls of which a plurality of guiding ribs are provided.

9. The holding structure of claim 8, wherein the guiding ribs of diametrically opposite positioning cylinders of a respective inner receptacle are arranged in alignment, and wherein the guiding ribs are arranged on the side walls of the positioning cylinders at angular spacings of 90° relative to each other.

10. The holding structure of claim 8, wherein the positioning cylinders are connected to each other via separation webs which are aligned along rows and columns.

11. The holding structure of claim 9, wherein the positioning cylinders are hollow cylindrical in shape, wherein an upper side edge of the positioning cylinders is rounded.

12. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein outer receptacles of the holding structure are formed by side walls which are curved in a circular manner at least in sections, an upper edge of the side walls being rounded.

13. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the holding portions are formed as holding protrusions protruding radially inwards, the holding protrusions surrounding respective openings at the bottom ends of the receptacles.

14. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein an upper side of the holding structure is planar at least along an edge of the holding structure and the bottom ends of the receptacles are connected to one another via webs which jointly span a plane.

15. The holding structure of claim 14, wherein the holding structure is formed as a nest for receiving the plurality of containers therein.

16. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein a length of each receptacle is matched to a length of a respective one of the containers such that upper ends or bottom ends of each container protrude from its respective receptacle and are freely accessible from above the holding structure.

17. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the holding structure is integrally formed from a plastic material by injection molding.

18. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the holding structure is formed as a receiving member in which the plurality of receptacles are integrally formed as frustoconical receptacles in a regular arrangement, so that the containers are directed with their upper ends towards the bottoms of the receptacles and can be accommodated in the receptacles of the receiving member while preventing direct contact of adjacent containers, and the receptacles are matched to the lengths of the containers so as to accommodate the containers therein completely; said holding structure further comprising a support member for covering bottoms of the containers accommodated in the receiving member, the support member being formed by a base plate having a planar support surface facing the receptacles.

19. The holding structure of claim 18, wherein the receiving member is formed in one piece by thermoforming a plastic material by deep-drawing from a plate-shaped plastic material.

20. A transport structure, consisting of a combination of: a holding structure for concurrently holding a plurality of containers for substances for pharmaceutical, medical or cosmetic applications and a plurality of containers held thereon, the holding structure comprising: a plurality of receptacles for receiving the containers therein at least in sections, the receptacles each having an open upper end for inserting the containers into the receptacles and a bottom end having a holding portion configured to limit an axial movement of the containers in the receptacles, the containers being accommodated in the receptacles at least in sections and are held axially secured to the holding structure; guide portions provided and configured to guide the containers as they are inserted into the receptacles, the guide portions being formed as guiding ribs extending in a longitudinal direction of the receptacles, each of the guiding ribs being inclined at an angle of inclination relative to a central axis of a respective one of the receptacles, and the angle of inclination being larger than 0° and less than or equal to 2°; and lead-in bevels are formed at upper ends of the guiding ribs which are inclined relative to the guiding ribs, wherein the lead-in bevels are inclined relative to the guiding ribs at an angle in the range between 5° and 15°.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a holding structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure in a perspective view;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates the holding structure according to FIG. 1 in a plan view;

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a partial sectional view along line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4A illustrates a representation of the partial detail according to FIG. 3 with a cartridge accommodated upside down in the receptacle;

(6) FIG. 4B illustrates a representation of the partial detail according to FIG. 3 at the beginning of the vertical insertion of the cartridge from above into the associated receptacle;

(7) FIG. 5A illustrates a representation of the partial detail according to FIG. 3 with an upright vial accommodated in the receptacle;

(8) FIG. 5B illustrates a representation of the partial detail according to FIG. 3 at the beginning of the vertical insertion of the vial from above into the associated receptacle;

(9) FIG. 6 illustrates the holding structure according to FIG. 1 in a perspective bottom view;

(10) FIG. 7 illustrates the holding structure according to FIG. 1 in a side view;

(11) FIG. 8A illustrates a holding structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure in a plan view;

(12) FIG. 8B illustrates a partial section along line 8B-8B in FIG. 8A; and

(13) FIG. 8C illustrates a partial section along line 8C-8C in FIG. 8A.

(14) Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(15) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a holding structure 1 provided according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure in a perspective view and in a top view. The holding structure 1 comprises a plurality of receptacles 5 that are arranged in rows and columns extending perpendicularly to them and serve for accommodating pharmaceutical containers, in particular vials or cartridges. The receptacles 5 are separated from each other by vertical positioning cylinders 20, which are connected to each other by plate-shaped separation webs 15 and connected to side walls 10 that are circularly curved in sections. Along the edge of the holding structure 1, outer receptacles 5B are arranged, which are separated from each other by side walls 10 and separation webs 15. The remaining inner receptacles 5A are separated from each other exclusively by the separation webs 15.

(16) Access openings 9 in the upper side 2, which are disposed offset to each other on two opposite sides of the holding structure 1, serve for gripping the holding structure 1.

(17) The receptacles 5 extend perpendicularly to the upper side 2 and are delimited in axial direction at their bottom ends by bottom webs 12, which are connected to the side walls 10 and the bottom ends of the positioning cylinders 20 and together span a plane (see FIG. 6), which serves to further reinforce the receptacles. The bottom webs 12 enclose circular openings 13 at the bottom ends of the receptacles and are connected to each other. The upper ends 21 of the positioning cylinders 20 are flush with the upper side 2. The edge 6 of the upper side 2 and the upper ends 21 of the positioning cylinders 20 have rounded or beveled edges 7.

(18) Longitudinal slots 11 are formed in the side walls 10 of the receptacles in order to save material and enable an optical inspection of the containers accommodated in the receptacles. The separation webs 10 are mainly used for further stiffening of the holding structure 1 and the positioning cylinders 20, but can also prevent direct contact between containers accommodated in adjacent receptacles 5.

(19) On all side walls 10 and positioning cylinders 20, guiding ribs 18, 25 are provided, which protrude radially inwards into the receptacles 5, so that the side walls of the containers do not come into contact with the side walls 10 and positioning cylinders 20, but rest directly against the guiding ribs 18, 25 and are guided by them during insertion into the receptacles 5. The guiding ribs 18, 25 essentially extend over the entire length of the receptacles 5 in their longitudinal direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the guiding ribs 18, 25 start at a slight distance to the upper side 2 of the holding structure 1 and each extend down to the bottom of the receptacles 6. While it is shown in the figures that the guiding ribs 18, 25 do not have any interruptions in their longitudinal direction, these may basically also be formed with interruptions. The upper ends of the guiding ribs 18, 25 have lead-in bevels 19, 26 which are inclined at an acute angle relative to the guiding ribs 18, 25. In the embodiment shown, the guiding ribs 18, 25 are designed as planar lead-in bevels. The upper ends of the lead-in bevels 19, 26 merge into the side walls 10 or positioning cylinders 20.

(20) FIG. 3 shows a partial section along line 3-3 in FIG. 2. It can be seen that the positioning cylinders 20 are hollow and cylindrical, with the holding protrusions 22 projecting radially inwards into the receptacles 5 vertically from the bottom ends of the positioning cylinders 20. According to FIG. 3, the guiding ribs 25 are inclined at an angle of inclination of 0.5° relative to the central axis of the receptacles 5. This angle of inclination may also be negligible, but anyway it is very small; in some embodiments it is maximal 2°. When producing the holding structure by an injection molding process, the guiding ribs 18, 25 may serve as demolding bevels to assist in demolding from an injection mold. As shown in FIG. 3, the lead-in bevels 26 are inclined at an angle of 14° relative to the guiding ribs 25, which also applies to the corresponding angle of inclination of the lead-in bevels 19 relative to the guiding ribs 18 on the side walls 10 of the receptacles 5.

(21) For radial support of the containers in the receptacles, several guiding ribs 18, 25 are arranged in each receptacle 5 spaced apart from each other, preferably at equal angular distances from each other on the side walls 10 and at equal angular distances from each other on the outer sides of the positioning cylinders 20.

(22) FIGS. 4A and 4B show the insertion of a cartridge 50 from vertical above into the receptacle 5 of a holding structure in two phases, namely in a fully inserted condition (FIG. 4A) and at the beginning of vertical insertion (FIG. 4B). The cartridges 50 are hollow cylindrical, with a cylindrical side wall 52 that merges over an inclined shoulder portion 54 into a constricted neck portion 55 having a smaller outer diameter than the cylindrical side wall 52, at the front end of which a widened rim 56 with an ejection opening 58 is formed. This may be closed by a stopper. The stopper may be secured by a crimped metal cover at the front end of the cartridge 50 (so-called pre-crimped cartridge). At its rear end, the cartridge 50 is open, with a filling opening 57 through which a liquid substance can be filled.

(23) When a cartridge 50 is inserted vertically from above into the receptacle 5, first the front end with the ejection opening 58 enters the region between the upper ends of the positioning cylinders 20 and the side walls. The front end of the cartridge 50 is guided into the receptacle 5 by the lead-in bevels 26 (and 19) provided in this region. As the cartridge 50 continues to approach, the transition region between the shoulder portion 54 and the cylindrical side wall 52 comes into contact with the lead-in bevels 26 (and 19), whereby the front end of the cartridge 50 is guided further into the receptacle 5. As the cartridge 50 continues to approach, the transition region between the shoulder portion 54 and the cylindrical sidewall 52 continues to be guided by the lead-in bevels 26 (and 19) until the transition region between the shoulder portion 54 and the cylindrical sidewall 52 slides along the guiding ribs 25 (and 18) until finally the shoulder portion 54 is directly supported on the holding protrusions 22. In this condition (see FIG. 4A), at least the front end of the cylindrical side wall 52 rests directly on the bottom end of the guiding ribs 25 (and 18) and is thus centered in the receptacle 5 and supported at a distance from the side walls 10 and positioning cylinders 20. In this condition, the front end of the cartridge including the constricted neck portion 55 and the widened upper rim 56 extends through the opening 23 between the holding protrusions 22, possibly including a metal lid crimped onto it. The metal lid does not come into contact with the holding protrusions 22, so that no forces are exerted on them and the stopper can safely close the filling opening 13 of the cartridge 50, even if large axial forces act on the cartridge 50, e.g. when inserting a plunger into the filling opening 57, while the cartridge 50 is accommodated and supported upside-down in the receptacles 5 in the position according to FIG. 4A. In this position, the rear ends of the cartridges 50 protrude from the receptacles 5.

(24) Accordingly, FIGS. 5A and 5B show the insertion of a vial 51 from vertically above into the receptacle 5 of a holding structure in two phases, namely in a fully inserted condition (FIG. 4A) and at the beginning of insertion (FIG. 4B). It is shown that the vial 51 is inserted upright. Generally, the vial 51 can also be inserted upside-down, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The guidance of the vial 51 during insertion described above is accomplished by the interaction of the transition region between the bottom 53 and the cylindrical side wall 52 of the vial with the lead-in bevels 26 (and 19) and the guiding ribs 25 (and 18). In the fully inserted state, the bottom 53 of the vial 51 is supported on the holding protrusions 22 and the vial 51 is thus secured in the receptacle 5 in axial direction.

(25) As shown in FIG. 6, stiffening ribs 8 are provided on the rear side of the holding structure 1 for further stiffening. The cup-shaped design of the receptacles 5 is clearly visible.

(26) A holding structure 1, as described above, can be used for storage and transport of pharmaceutical containers such as vials or cartridges. For handling, the holding structure 1 can be gripped and guided by means of grippers or the like via the access openings 9. The pharmaceutical containers can be further processed or processed while held by the holding structure 1, as described above. For sterile transport, such a holding structure may be stored as a so-called nest in a tub-shaped transport or packaging container, for example in the manner disclosed in European Patent Application EP 2 868 593 A1, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference for disclosure purposes. The transport or packaging container may be closed or sealed by a gas-permeable plastic film, in particular by a plastic film which is formed from a gas-permeable braid of plastic fibers and in particular is a TYVECK® film.

(27) Such a holding structure can be formed in one piece, in particular by injection molding from a plastic material. The lead-in bevels and guiding ribs assist the demolding of the holding structure.

(28) A holding structure provided according to the present disclosure is, however, basically also suitable for so-called tray solutions, especially for vials, as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C.

(29) According to FIGS. 8A to 8C, the holding structure 1 is designed as a receiving member, in which the majority of the receptacles are formed in one piece and in a regular arrangement as frustoconical receptacles 5. The receptacles 5 are closed by circumferential side walls 10. The vials 51 (as an example of a pharmaceutical container) are directed with their upper ends towards the bottoms 14 of the receptacles 5 and are accommodated in the receptacles 5 of the receiving member 1, preventing direct contact between adjacent vials 51. The vials 51 are fully accommodated in the receptacles 5, so that they do not protrude beyond the edge of the holding structure 1. The lengths of the receptacles 5 may be matched to the vials 51 so that the bottoms of the vials 51 are flush with the edge of the holding structure 1. The lead-in bevels and guiding ribs described above are formed on the inner side of the side walls 10.

(30) To form a transport structure, additionally a support member can be placed on the receiving member and connected to it in such a way that the bottoms of the vials accommodated in the receiving member are covered. The support member may be formed by a base plate having a planar support surface facing the receptacles and on which the bottoms of the vials 51 are directly supported.

(31) The receiving member and/or support member of such a holding structure may be formed in one piece by thermoforming a plastic material, in particular by deep-drawing from a plate-shaped plastic material, such as by deep-drawing a thin film or a thin film plate with a material thickness of up to 2.0 mm, such as of up to 1.25 mm or of up to 1.0 mm.

(32) For such a tray system, generally the receiving member may also be manufactured from a plastic material by injection molding, whereby the lead-in bevels and guiding ribs can assist the demolding of the receiving member in the manner described above.

(33) If a non-sterile transport of the pharmaceutical containers is sufficient, the receiving member may be formed to a non-sterile closed transport structure by connecting it to the support member. If a sterile transport of the pharmaceutical containers is desired, the open side of the receiving member may also be sealed with a sealing film, for example by bonding along a flange-like edge of the receiving member, if necessary with additional welding points, to form a sterile transport structure.

(34) For sterile transport, such a transport structure may be accommodated in at least one sterile outer packaging bag, possibly together with other similar transport structures, and packed sterile against the environment. The at least one sterile outer packaging bag may have a gas-permeable portion or even be completely formed by it, which is formed in particular by a braid of plastic fibers, such as polypropylene fibers (PP).

(35) While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(36) 1 holding structure 2 upper side 2A bottom 3 upper edge 4 rounded corner region 5 receptacle 5A inner receptacle 5B outer receptacle 6 upper edge 7 rounded edge region 8 stiffening rib 9 access opening 10 side wall 11 slot 12 bottom web 13 opening 14 bottom 15 separation webs 16 rib 18 guiding rib 19 lead-in bevel of guiding rib 18 20 positioning pin 21 upper end of positioning pin 20 22 holding protrusion 23 cavity 24 upper edge region 25 guiding rib 26 lead-in bevel of guiding rib 25 27 rounded edge region 50 cartridge/container 51 vial/container 52 side wall 53 bottom 54 shoulder portion 55 narrowed neck portion 56 upper edge 57 filling opening 58 ejection opening