Multiple-chamber medical container and bag for enclosing same

• US 8,343,128 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory Incorporated (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory Incorporated (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Nagao, Katsuyoshi, Kawakami, Keiichi, Yokoyama, Toshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiest, Philip R
• Application Number:
  US10/509,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,539 Days
• Field of Search: 604/85, 604/87, 604403-416, 206/219, 206/527, 206/222
• US Class Current: 604/410
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/10 Bag-type containers
• 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 81/3266 separated by a common rupturable seal, a clip or other removable fastening device
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3272 formed by arranging one flexible container within another

Abstract

A multiple-chamber medical container 1 comprises a container body 5 having two chambers 9, 11 for containing medicaments therein and a partitioning weak seal portion 13 for separating the chambers 9, 11 from each other, a medicinal outlet portion 7 attached to the container body 5 for discharging the medicaments from the chambers therethrough, and an openable small container 15 disposed in the first chamber 9 and having a medicament enclosed therein, the partitioning seal portion 15 being openable so as to cause the chambers 9, 11 to communicate with each other for use. The small container 15 can be opened by opening the partitioning weak seal portion 13.

Claims

1. A multiple-chamber medical container comprising:

a container body having multiple chambers for containing medicaments therein and a partitioning seal portion for separating the multiple chambers from one another,

a medicinal outlet portion attached to the container body for discharging the medicaments from the chambers therethrough, and

an openable additional small container formed of sheet material located within at least one of the multiple chambers and having a medicament enclosed therein;

wherein the partitioning seal portion is formed by separably bonding opposing inner wall surfaces of the container body,

the small container is structured to open in response to external force,

the small container has a bonded portion bonded to the container body, and

the bonded portion comprises opposing outer surfaces of the sheet material, wherein the opposing outer surfaces are each bonded to the opposing inner wall surfaces of the chambers in the vicinity of the partitioning seal portion, and

the small container is opened in accordance with the separation of the opposing inner wall surfaces of the container body.

2. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the small container and the partitioning seal portion is 0 to 50 mm.

3. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 1 wherein,

the small container is heat-sealed at at least one portion of a peripheral edge thereof,

the heat-sealed portion is structured to open in response to external force,

a nonbonded portion of the small container inwardly of the sealed portion of the peripheral edge has the bonded portion bonded to the container body.

4. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 1, wherein the bonded portion of the small container comprises a plurality of bonded parts arranged with at least one nonbonded part positioned therebetween.

5. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 4, wherein said at least one nonbonded part is provided in the vicinity of the center of the bonded portion.

6. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 1, wherein the sheet material of the small container comprises a multilayer film and the small container is opened by delaminating the multilayer film.

7. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 6, wherein the sheet material of the small container comprises a multilayer film formed by laminating a plurality of resin layers having low miscibility with one another.

8. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 1, wherein the sheet material of the small container is at least partly heat-sealed, the heat-sealed portion is structured to open in response to an external force.

9. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 1, wherein the small container is disposed in at least one of the chambers to thereby accommodate the medicament in the chamber.

10. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 9, wherein the medicinal outlet portion is connected to the chamber having the small container disposed therein.

11. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 1, wherein a discharge-control seal portion is further provided as an openable partition between the medicinal outlet portion and the chamber.

12. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 1, wherein a medicament selected from among an antibiotic, anticancer drug, cardiotonic drug, vitamin and trace element is enclosed in the small container.

13. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 1, wherein:

the sheet material of the small container is at least partly heat-sealed;

the heat-sealed portion is structured to open in response to an external force; and

the bonded portion is located on the heat-sealed portion.

14. A bag for enclosing therein at least one multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 1, wherein

the bonded portion of the small container is provided approximately in parallel to the partitioning seal portion, and

the medical container is folded along an edge of the bonded portion on one side thereof opposite to the partitioning seal portion before being placed into the bag.

15. A multiple-chamber medical container comprising:

a container body having multiple chambers for containing medicaments therein and a partitioning seal portion for separating the multiple chambers from one another,

a medicinal outlet portion attached to the container body for discharging the medicaments from the chambers therethrough, and

an openable additional small container formed of sheet material located within at least one of the multiple chambers and having a medicament enclosed therein;

wherein the partitioning seal portion is formed by separably bonding opposing inner wall surfaces of the container body

the small container is structured to open in response to external force,

the small container has a bonded portion bonded to the container body, and

the bonded portion comprises opposing outer surfaces of the sheet material, wherein the opposing outer surfaces are each bonded to the inner wall surfaces of the partitioning seal portion such that the small container is positioned partly inserted into the partitioning seal portion, and

the small container is opened in accordance with the separation of the opposing inner wall surfaces of the container body.

16. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 15, wherein the sheet material of the small container comprises a multilayer film and the small container is opened by delaminating the multilayer film.

17. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 16, wherein the sheet material of the small container comprises a multilayer film formed by laminating a plurality of resin layers having low miscibility with one another.

18. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 15, wherein the sheet material of the small container is at least partly heat-sealed, the heat-sealed portion is structured to open in response to an external force.

19. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 15, wherein the small container is disposed in at least one of the chambers to thereby accommodate the medicament in the chamber.

20. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 19, wherein the medicinal outlet portion is connected to the chamber having the small container disposed therein.

21. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 15, wherein a discharge-control seal portion is further provided as an openable partition between the medicinal outlet portion and the chamber.

22. A multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 15, wherein a medicament selected from among an antibiotic, anticancer drug, cardiotonic drug, vitamin and trace element is enclosed in the small container.

23. A bag for enclosing therein at least one multiple-chamber medical container according to claim 15, wherein

the bonded portion of the small container is provided approximately in parallel to the partitioning seal portion, and

the medical container is folded along an edge of the bonded portion on one side thereof opposite to the partitioning seal portion before being placed into the bag.