Vacuum package system

• US 8,100,263 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daikyo Seiko, Ltd., West Pharmaceutical Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Daikyo Seiko, Ltd., West Pharmaceutical Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Vanderbush, Edward, Young, Scott, Lundquist, Jon, Yeager, Ricky, Togashi, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): REYNOLDS, STEVEN ALAN
• Application Number:
  US12/346,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20090100802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 206/524.8, 206/438, 206/571, 206/570, 206/564, 206/363, 206/370, 206/443, 206/557, 206/563, 206/560, 206/521, 206/523, 206364-366, 211/71.01
• US Class Current: 206/524.8
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/06 Packaging for specific medical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/002 Packages specially adapted therefor, e.g. for syringes or needles, kits for diabetics needle protection, e.g. caps, A61M5/3202; for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/008 Racks for supporting syringes or needles A61M5/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 31/06 the nozzle being arranged for insertion into, and withdrawal from, the mouth of a filled container and operating in conjunction with means for sealing the container mouth
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/067 in bags B65B5/061 - B65B5/065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/108 Devices, e.g. plates, presenting apertures through which the articles project
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/203 with one or several rigid inserts

Abstract

A vacuum packaging system for transporting a plurality of medical containers includes a plurality of medical containers each having a head side and a base side and a tray that receives and supports the medical containers. The tray includes opposing first and second sidewalls, opposing front and rear walls and a bottom floor. The walls extend generally vertically from the floor of the tray. At least one platform generally extends parallel to the floor of the tray. An air impervious flexible film defines an internal cavity. The air impervious flexible film completely surrounds the tray and the medical containers and the internal cavity is evacuated to and maintained at a predetermined vacuum level below atmospheric pressure. One of the head side and the base side of each medical container contacts a top surface of at least one platform when the medical containers are positioned in the tray.

Claims

1. A vacuum packaging system for transporting a plurality of medical containers comprising:

a plurality of sterile and pyrogen free medical containers, each medical container including a head side and a base side, the base side having a flange extending perpendicularly from a sidewall of the medical container;

a tray that receives and supports the medical containers, at least one platform generally extending parallel to a floor of the tray;

a nesting plate removably mountable in the tray, the nesting plate including a plurality of generally cylindrical sleeves extending upwardly from a generally planar base thereof when the nesting plate is positioned within the tray, each of the plurality of sleeves releasably receiving one of the plurality of medical containers; and

an air impervious flexible film defining an internal cavity, the air impervious flexible film completely surrounding the tray and the medical containers, the internal cavity being evacuated to and maintained at a predetermined vacuum level below atmospheric pressure,

wherein the head side of each medical container contacts a top surface of the at least one platform and the flange of the base side of each medical container directly contacts a top surface of one of the generally cylindrical sleeves of the nesting plate when the medical containers are positioned in the tray.

2. The vacuum packaging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one platform includes a plurality of projections extending perpendicularly from the floor of the tray.

3. The vacuum packaging system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of projections are diagonally oriented with respect to the walls of the tray.

4. The vacuum packaging system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one depression formed in the top surface of the at least one platform, the at least one depression being sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of one of the head side and the base side of a medical container when the medical container is positioned in the tray.

5. The vacuum system of claim 1, wherein the nesting plate includes reinforcing ribs extending generally perpendicularly from the base, the cylindrical sleeves defining holes in the base.

6. The vacuum system of claim 1, wherein the tray includes a mouth and a lip proximate its mouth, the nesting plate including a peripheral edge that is positioned on the lip to support the nesting plate within the tray in an assembled configuration.

7. The vacuum packaging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one platform is removably mountable to the tray.

8. The vacuum packaging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one platform has a predetermined height approximately equal to the distance between the floor of the tray and the head side or base side of the medical containers when the medical containers are positioned in the tray.

9. A vacuum packaging system for transporting a plurality of medical containers comprising:

a plurality of medical containers, each medical container including a head side and a base side;

a tray that receives and supports the medical containers, the tray including opposing first and second side walls, opposing front and rear walls and a bottom floor, the walls extending generally perpendicularly from the floor of the tray;

at least one platform generally extending parallel to the floor of the tray, the at least one platform including a plurality of spaced-apart projections extending perpendicularly from the floor of the tray; and

an air impervious flexible film defining an internal cavity, the air impervious flexible film completely surrounding the tray and the medical containers, the internal cavity being evacuated to and maintained at a predetermined vacuum level below atmospheric pressure,

wherein one of the head side and the base side of each medical container contacts a top surface of the at least one platform when the medical containers are positioned in the tray, and wherein one of the head side and the base side of at least one of the medical containers directly contacts a top surface of a portion of one of the projections.

10. The vacuum packaging system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of projections are diagonally oriented with respect to the walls of the tray.

11. The vacuum packaging system of claim 9 further comprising:

at least one depression formed in the top surface of the at least one platform, the at least one depression being sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of one of the head side and the base side of a medical container when the medical container is positioned in the tray.

12. The vacuum system of claim 9 further comprising:

a nesting plate removably mountable in the tray, the nesting plate including a plurality of generally cylindrical sleeves, each of the plurality of sleeves releasably receiving one of the plurality of medical containers.

13. The vacuum system of claim 12, wherein the nesting plate includes a generally planar base and reinforcing ribs extending generally perpendicularly from the base, the cylindrical sleeves defining holes in the base.

14. The vacuum system of claim 12, wherein the tray includes a mouth and a lip proximate its mouth, the nesting plate including a peripheral edge that is positioned on the lip to support the nesting plate within the tray in an assembled configuration.

15. The vacuum packaging system of claim 9, wherein the medical containers are comprised of syringes.

16. A vacuum packaging system for transporting a plurality of medical containers comprising:

a plurality of medical containers, each medical container including a head side and a base side;

a tray that receives and supports the medical containers, the tray including opposing first and second side walls, opposing front and rear walls and a bottom floor, the walls extending generally perpendicularly from the floor of the tray;

at least one platform generally extending parallel to the floor of the tray, the at least one platform having a predetermined thickness approximately equal to the distance between the floor of the tray and the head side or base side of the medical containers when the medical containers are positioned in the tray; and

an air impervious flexible film defining an internal cavity, the air impervious flexible film completely surrounding the tray and the medical containers, the internal cavity being evacuated to and maintained at a predetermined vacuum level below atmospheric pressure,

wherein one of the head side and the base side of each medical container contacts a top surface of the at least one platform when the medical containers are positioned in the tray.

17. The vacuum packaging system of claim 16, wherein the at least one platform includes a plurality of spaced-apart projections extending downwardly from the top surface thereof, each projection including an open top end proximate the top surface of the platform and a closed bottom end proximate the floor of the tray.

18. The vacuum system of claim 16 further comprising:

a nesting plate removably mountable in the tray, the nesting plate including a plurality of generally cylindrical sleeves, each of the plurality of sleeves releasably receiving one of the plurality of medical containers.

19. The vacuum system of claim 18, wherein the nesting plate includes a generally planar base and reinforcing ribs extending generally perpendicularly from the base, the cylindrical sleeves defining holes in the base.

20. The vacuum system of claim 18, wherein the tray includes a mouth and a lip proximate its mouth, the nesting plate including a peripheral edge that is positioned on the lip to support the nesting plate within the tray in an assembled configuration.