Vacuum Package System and Method

• US 20070157564A1
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Incorporated (Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Co.)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Incorporated (Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Co.)
• Inventors: Vander Bush, Edward, Nase, Robert, Jansen, Hubert, Paproski, John, Togashi, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,428,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/434
• 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: 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 77/0446 the inner and outer containers being rigid or semi-rigid and the outer container being of polygonal cross-section not formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks B65D81/3825 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/203 with one or several rigid inserts

Abstract

A vacuum packaging system for transporting a plurality of medical containers including a tray that supports the medical containers and an air impervious flexible film defining an internal cavity. The air impervious flexible film completely surrounds the tray and the medical containers. The internal cavity is evacuated to a predetermined vacuum level below atmospheric pressure. A method for packaging the plurality of medical containers for transportation in the tray includes inserting the medical containers into the tray, inserting the tray filled with medical containers into the internal cavity, evacuating the internal cavity to a predetermined vacuum pressure and sealing the flexible film such that the predetermined vacuum pressure is generally maintained in the internal cavity.

Claims

1. A method for packaging a plurality of medical containers for transportation in a tray within an evacuated internal cavity of an air impervious flexible film, the method comprising the steps of:

a) inserting the medical containers into the tray;

b) inserting the tray filled with the medical containers into the internal cavity;

c) evacuating the internal cavity to a predetermined vacuum pressure such that the flexible film surrounds and engages the tray and at least portions of the medical containers; and

d) sealing the flexible film such that the predetermined vacuum pressure is generally maintained in the internal cavity.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step prior to step (a) of:

e) grasping one of the medical containers with a mechanical arm as one of the medical containers flows off of a medical container assembly line.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step after step (d) of:

e) irradiating the sealed flexible film, the tray and the medical containers.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps after step (d) of:

e) transporting the sealed flexible film and the medical containers;

f) inspecting the flexible film to ensure that the film is engaging the tray and at least portions of the medical containers indicating that the predetermined pressure is maintained within the internal cavity;

g) breaking the flexible film to gain access to the medical containers;

h) removing the tray from the internal cavity; and

i) removing the medical containers from the tray for introduction onto an assembly line for the introduction of medial products into the medical containers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the medical containers are comprised of syringes, the tray includes a lip and step (a) comprises the steps of:

a)(1) inserting a nesting plate into the tray such that a peripheral edge of the nesting plate is positioned on the lip; and

a)(2) inserting the syringes into cylindrical sleeves in the nesting plate such that a top rim of the sleeves is in contact with a flange of the syringes.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the medical containers are inserted into the tray in step (a) in a series of rows.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

e) irradiating the sealed flexible film, the tray and the medical containers following step (d); and

f) introducing an inert purge gas into the vacuum bag prior to step (c) to stabilize and prevent one of changes in chemical composition and discoloration of the medical containers in step (e).

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

e) molding the medical containers prior to step (a);

f) robotically transporting the medical containers to an inspection station prior to step (a); and

g) irradiating the sealed and evacuated vacuum bag and the medical containers following step (d).

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

e) transporting the sealed and evacuated flexible film, the tray and the medical containers to a filler; and

f) opening the internal cavity by tearing the flexible film at a tear notch;

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the medical containers are comprised of vials including a head side and a base side and further comprising the steps of:

g) inserting the vials into the tray in step (a) with their head side proximate a floor of the tray;

h) moving the tray, the vials and the rigid sheet out of the bag;

i) positioning a rigid sheet onto the base side and inverting the rigid sheet, vials and tray;

j) placing the rigid sheet on a support surface such that the base sides of the vials are resting on the rigid sheet;

k) moving the rigid sheet from beneath the base sides such that the base sides are resting on the support surface; and

l) moving the tray vertically away from the vials.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the medical containers are comprised of vials including a head side and a base side and further comprising the steps of:

g) inserting the vials into the tray in step (a) with their head side proximate a floor of the tray;

h) moving the tray and vials out of a tear in the bag such that the base side of the vials are in facing engagement with a support surface following step (f); and

i) moving the tray vertically away from the vials.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined vacuum pressure is approximately eight inches of mercury (8 in Hg) such that the flexible film surrounds and engages the tray and at least portions of the medical containers in a reduced external atmospheric pressure condition and the flexible film generally holds the vials in the tray without rubbing against each other or otherwise significantly moving during shipping.