Multi-cell container

• US 10,226,400 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2013
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EA Pharma Co., Ltd (Ajinomoto Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EA Pharma Co., Ltd (Ajinomoto Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Kouno, Katsumi, Sakai, Hidetoshi, Shimizu, Kaoru, Kawai, Takahide
• Primary Examiner(s): Zalukaeva, Tatyana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sass, Sara
• Application Number:
  US13/892,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20130304016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,129 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/10 Bag-type containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1475 Inlet or outlet ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2024 having peelable seals
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2093 Containers having several compartments for products to be mixed
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2575/586 with means for reclosing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/566 Hand holes or suspension apertures
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5883 connected to the package at the sealed junction of two package walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3266 separated by a common rupturable seal, a clip or other removable fastening device

Abstract

A multi-cell container includes a bag of substantially flat shape made of flexible film, a partition wall as a separable seal welding opposite inner surfaces of the bag and dividing an inner space of the bag into a plurality of compartments and an inlet-outlet port located at a periphery of the bag so as to be opened to one of the plurality of compartments for introduction and/or discharge of liquid. The partition wall has a horizontal section extending in a direction along the bottom of the bag and a vertical section bent therefrom and extending to the topside of the bag. A first larger volume compartment is formed on one side of the partition wall adjacent the bag bottom and a second smaller volume compartment is formed on the other side of the partition wall. The inlet-outlet port is opened to the first chamber.

Claims

1. A multi-cell container comprising:

a bag of substantially flat shape made of a flexible film, the bag having a non-separable sealed portion extending from a bag bottom portion to a bag top portion along a periphery of the bag;

a separable seal which welds opposite inner surfaces of the bag and forms a partition wall which divides an inner space of the bag into a plurality of compartments; and

an inlet-outlet port located in the non-separable sealed portion at the periphery of the bag top portion to be opened to a first compartment of a larger volume of the plurality of compartments for introduction and/or discharge of liquid,

wherein the plurality of compartments is formed such that powdery medicines are storable respectively in the plurality of compartments, that a liquid introduced from the inlet-outlet port into the first compartment dissolves one of the powdery medicines to produce a solution in the first compartment, and that a separation of the separable seal causes the solution to be introduced into a second compartment, which is another of the plurality of compartments, to dissolve another of the powdery medicines stored therein,

wherein a portion of the bag corresponding to the bag bottom portion is inwardly folded such that a gusseted bottom is formed, and the non-separable sealed portion has a widened portion in a side peripheral portion of the bag between the bag top portion and the bag bottom portion such that the widened portion has an elongated opening for receiving fingers and forms a handle portion,

wherein said partition wall is positioned such that said partition wall faces, at least partially, the gusseted bottom of the bag,

wherein said partition wall includes a first part that extends horizontally from a side of the bag to a middle portion thereof, and a second part that extends away from the gusseted bottom of the bag, from an end of the first part to a top side of the bag adjacent the inlet-outlet port,

wherein the first compartment of the compartments, to which said inlet-outlet port is open, is located on a first side of said partition wall adjacent the gusseted bottom of the bag, and another compartment with no provision of said inlet-outlet port is located on a second side of said partition wall away from the gusseted bottom of the bag,

wherein said separable seal as said partition wall has a seal strength in a range between 1 to 5 N/15 mm,

wherein the first compartment has a first volume as the larger volume and the second compartment has a second volume less than the first volume of the first compartment, and

wherein said one of the powdery medicines stored in the first compartment is polyethylene glycol electrolyte powder.

2. A multi-cell container according to claim 1, wherein said partition further comprises a rounded corner portion at a location where the first and second parts are connected with each other.

3. A multi-cell container according to claim 1, wherein said separable seal has a seal strength which allows the seal to be separated only by shaking the bag in a state where the liquid is introduced into the first compartment, which is said one of the plurality of compartments.

4. A multi-cell container according to claim 1, wherein the separable seal has the seal strength in a range between 1 to 4 N/15 mm.

5. A multi-cell container according to claim 1, wherein the separable seal has the seal strength in a range between 1 to 3 N/15 mm.

6. A multi-cell container according to claim 5, wherein the flexible film is a multi-layer polyethylene film.

7. A multi-cell container according to claim 6, wherein the multi-layer polyethylene film has a thickness of 50 to 200 μ

m.

8. A multi-cell container according to claim 1, wherein the first part of the partition wall is connected to the handle portion.

9. A multi-cell container according to claim 1, wherein the gusseted bottom forms a base on which the multi-cell container stands in a upright position such that an opening of the inlet-outlet port faces up.

10. A multi-cell container according to claim 1, wherein an angle formed by the first part and the second part of the partition wall is acute.