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

• US 10,124,928 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schott Pharma AG & Company KGaA (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Schott AG (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Wissner, Kai, Deutschle, Gregor Fritz, Koch, Kristopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Reynolds, Steven A.
• Application Number:
  US14/594,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20150166212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 206563, 206562, 206477, 206478
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/16 Holders for containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0069 Trays for holding or distributing medicines display trays A47F3/14; serving trays A47G23/06
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 21/18 using grippers engaging bottles, e.g. bottle necks
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/003 Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/42 Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position by means of filling-nozzles B65B39/00; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation by filling-nozzles B65B39/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/207 for inserting partitions between package contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/2892 by deformation of the container rim
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/36 with moulded compartments or partitions
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/108 Devices, e.g. plates, presenting apertures through which the articles project
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/50 comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed otherwise than by folding a blank
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 25/001 Handling, e.g. loading or unloading arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 5/06 the process involving freezing

Abstract

A holding structure for concurrently holding a plurality of containers for substances for cosmetic, medical or pharmaceutical applications, in particular of vials, is provided. The holder includes a carrier having a plurality of apertures or receptacles into which the containers can be inserted, and holding tabs for holding the containers in the apertures or receptacles. The holding tabs are at least two holding tabs, which are provided at the edge of a respective aperture or receptacle and protrude from an upper side of the carrier for holding the respective container. The holding tabs are resiliently pivoted or folded back as the containers are inserted into the apertures or receptacles. The holding tabs are matched to the containers such that the containers are held by the holding tabs with a radial clearance and low tension.

Claims

1. A holding structure for concurrently holding a plurality of necked containers for substances for cosmetic, medical, or pharmaceutical applications, said necked containers having a constricted neck portion near an upper end thereof that merges into an expanded upper rim, said holding structure comprising:

a carrier having a plurality of apertures or receptacles into which the containers can be inserted; and

holding tabs for holding the containers in the apertures or receptacles,

wherein at least two of the holding tabs are associated with each of the apertures or receptacles of the holding structure, are disposed at an edge of the apertures or receptacles of the holding structure and protrude from an upper side of the carrier for holding the respective container,

wherein the holding tabs are configured to resiliently pivot or fold back as the containers are inserted into the apertures or receptacles, and

wherein the holding tabs are matched to the containers such that the containers are held by the holding tabs with a radial clearance in the regions of the constricted neck portions, so that all holding tabs associated with a respective aperture or receptacle never touch the constricted neck portion of the container to be held at the same time.

2. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the holding tabs are preloaded resiliently towards a holding position by a resilient return member.

3. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the holding tabs are matched to the containers such that the containers rest loosely on upper sides of the holding tabs with an expanded rim, which is formed at an upper end of the containers.

4. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the holding tabs embrace the expanded upper rim, so that the containers are held by the holding tabs with the radial clearance or with the radial and additionally with an axial clearance.

5. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the holding tabs are disposed and distributed on the upper side of the carrier such that the holding tabs do not contact each other directly as the holding tabs are pivoted or folded back and that they do not obstruct a directly adjacent aperture or receptacle.

6. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein slanted insertion surfaces are formed at upper ends of the holding tabs each of which passing into a holding nose protruding radially inward for holding the containers.

7. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the apertures or receptacles on a lower side of the carrier opposite to the upper side are limited at least in sections by a respective side wall in order to prevent a contact of containers in directly adjacent apertures or receptacles, wherein the side walls are formed such that the containers are freely accessible from the lower side of the carrier.

8. The holding structure of claim 7, wherein the side walls are disposed distributed in a regular hexagonal arrangement on the lower side of the carrier, wherein the side walls of a respective aperture or receptacle are each circumferential and form a hexagonal honeycomb structure on the lower side of the carrier.

9. The holding structure of claim 7, wherein the side walls are disposed distributed in a regular hexagonal arrangement on the lower side of the carrier, and wherein the side walls of a respective aperture or receptacle are each circular in shape and circumferential.

10. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the holding tabs are integrally formed with the carrier and protrude arcuately from the upper side of the carrier.

11. The holding structure of claim 10, wherein the holding tabs of a respective aperture or receptacle respectively form a three-point bearing for holding the containers in the respective apertures or receptacles of the carrier.

12. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the carrier is planar and has edges that are formed as members that can be removed or pivoted back to reduce the base area of the carrier.

13. The holding structure of claim 12, wherein the members that can be pivoted back are connected to the carrier via film hinges or snap hinges or spring hinges, which are integrally formed with the carrier.

14. The holding structure of claim 12, wherein recesses and/or protrusions are formed on the members that can be pivoted back and/or on edges of the carrier, wherein the recesses and/or protrusions formed on the carrier are formed corresponding to the recesses and/or protrusions of a directly adjacent carrier so that a positive locking can be formed between these recesses and/or protrusions.

15. The holding structure of claim 14, wherein the protrusions and/or recesses have base areas that, when viewed in a plan view, are not rectangular, and wherein side walls, which protrude perpendicularly from surfaces of the holding structures, are formed along edges of the protrusions and/or recesses at least in sections.

16. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the holding structure has a longitudinal direction (x) and a transverse direction (y), wherein corresponding positive-locking structures are formed on opposite edges of the holding structure so that two holding structures of identical configuration can be coupled directly with each other so that these are immovable relative to each other in the longitudinal direction and/or in the transverse direction by positive-locking engagement of the positive-locking structures.

17. The holding structure of claim 16, wherein the positive-locking structures comprise a resilient tab with a first locking protrusion formed thereon or with a first locking recess formed thereon on a first edge of the holding structure and a second locking recess corresponding to the first locking protrusion or a second locking protrusion corresponding to the first locking recess on a second edge of the holding structure opposite to the first edge.

18. The holding structure of claim 1, wherein the holding tabs are configured in such a manner that all containers, which are accommodated in the apertures or receptacles of the carrier, are arranged or can be arranged at the same distance to the upper side of the carrier.

19. A transport or packaging container for a plurality of necked containers for substances for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications, said necked containers having a constricted neck portion near an upper end thereof that merges in an expanded upper rim,

wherein the transport or packaging container is box-shaped, and

wherein the transport or packaging container comprises a holding structure, which is accommodated in the box-shaped transport or packaging container to hold the plurality of necked containers within the transporting or packaging container, said holding structure comprising:

a carrier having a plurality of apertures or receptacles into which the containers can be inserted; and

holding tabs for holding the containers in the apertures or receptacles,

wherein at least two holding tabs are associated with each of the apertures or receptacles of the holding structure, which are disposed at an edge of apertures or receptacles of the holding structure and protrude from an upper side of the carrier for holding the respective container,

wherein the holding tabs are configured such that these are resiliently pivoted or folded back as the containers are inserted into the apertures or receptacles, and

wherein the holding tabs are matched to the containers such that these the containers are held by the holding tabs with a radial clearance in the regions of the constricted neck portions, so that all holding tabs associated with a respective aperture or receptacle never touch the constricted neck portion of the container to be held at the same time.