SUPPORT DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF CONTAINERS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL USE TO BE HANDLED IN A PROCESSING LINE

A support device for supporting a plurality of containers for pharmaceutical use to be handled in a processing line includes a plate having a plurality of first housing seats, wherein each first housing seat includes a first end edge defining an opening; and a base within each first housing seat, wherein the base includes at least one stacking element protruding above the first end edges of the first housing seats.

CROSS REFERENCES

This application is a U.S. application claiming priority to Italian Application No. 102022000015636 filed on Jul. 25, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a support device for supporting a plurality of containers for pharmaceutical use to be handled in a processing line.

BACKGROUND

The support device of the present disclosure meets the definition of “nest” of ISO 21881:2019 standard.

Although explicit reference will be made in this description and the following claims to containers for pharmaceutical use, the support device of the disclosure is also suitable for supporting containers for medical, cosmetic or veterinary use.

For simplicity of discussion, in the present description all the containers that be supported by the support device of the disclosure are also indicated with the term “primary containers”.

Non-limiting examples of primary containers are vials, ampoules, cartridges and syringes.

In the present description and in the appended figures specific reference will be made, as a non-limiting example of primary containers, to the cartridges.

As known, the primary containers are often handled in the processing lines by aggregating them into a secondary container called “nest”.

In accordance with ISO 21881:2019 standard, the nest comprises a plate made of plastic material on which a plurality of housing seats configured to house primary containers are made. These housing seats are distributed in the plate according to a predetermined layout and are shaped so as to stably support the primary containers, keeping them separated from each other and thus avoiding possible mutual collisions.

It is also known to aggregate the primary containers into a so-called “nest and tub” configuration, in which the primary containers are placed inside the housing seats of a nest and the nest is in turn placed inside a tray so-called “tub”. This configuration is particularly suitable for supporting and handling the primary containers during the various processing steps to which they are subjected along the processing line, such as washing, packaging, sterilization, filling, capping, crimping, freeze-drying, storage, manual or automated inspection operations, etc.

An example of nest is described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,207,832 B2.

The Applicant has noted that it is customary to stack multiple nests one over the other and handling the assembly defined by such stacked nests.

It is therefore advisable to provide the nests with appropriate measures to avoid relative movements between the various nests of the assembly (or stack) defined by them.

The technical problem underlying the present disclosure is to provide a support device that allows to stack thereon another support device avoiding relative displacements between the abovementioned two support devices after having been stacked.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure therefore relates to a support device for supporting a plurality of containers for pharmaceutical use to be handled in a processing line, comprising a plate having a plurality of first housing seats configured to house said containers, wherein each first housing seat comprises a first end edge defining an opening for inserting a respective container into the first housing seat and a base configured to support said container within the first housing seat, characterized in that it comprises at least one stacking element protruding above the first end edges of said first housing seats.

In the present description and in the appended claims, the terms “upper” and “lower”, and similar terms such as “above” and/or “below” and/or “over” and/or “under”, if present, are used with reference to the position taken by the support device during handling in the processing line of the containers for pharmaceutical use arranged therein.

The provision of the abovementioned stacking element makes it possible to obtain a stable assembly of two or more support devices stacked one over the other. In fact, said stacking element is configured to be stably housed in a respective recess provided on a lower surface of another support device, preventing said support devices, once they have been stacked one over the other, from being able to move with respect to each other.

The present invention can have at least one of the preferred features recited in the dependent claims and described hereinbelow, wherein each of these features can be provided individually or in combination with the other preferred features.

In a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, said at least one stacking element is connected to said plate.

Preferably, said at least one stacking element is made in a single piece with the plate.

Preferably, said first end edges protrude above the plate.

Preferably, the support device comprises four stacking elements.

In some embodiments, said four stacking elements are arranged near two opposite sides of the plate, more preferably with a substantially symmetrical arrangement with respect to a transverse centreline plane of the plate, with benefit for the stability of the assembly of stacked support devices thus formed.

Preferably, said at least one stacking element connects two adjacent first housing seats. This arrangement contributes to provide the plate, and therefore the support device of the invention, with a high stiffness or robustness.

Preferably, said two adjacent first housing seats are proximal to a perimeter edge of the plate. In this way the plate is strengthened precisely at the portions of the plate that are subjected to greater stresses during use. It is in fact at these portions that the support device is grasped for the handling thereof and the coupling of the support device with a tub.

Preferably, said at least one stacking element is shaped like a “V” or “I” or “C”.

Preferably, said at least one stacking element is connected to a reinforcing rib arranged above said plate. In this way an advantageous strengthening of both the stacking element and, more generally, of the plate is obtained.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said plate comprises, on a lower surface thereof, at least one recess formed between two adjacent housing seats and configured to house a respective stacking element of a further support device. The support device can therefore be arranged both under another support device of the same type and over another support device of the same type, defining in both cases an assembly (or stack) of support devices that, thanks to the provision of stacking elements housed in respective recesses, is particularly stable.

In other embodiments, the stacking elements are arranged at at least two respective opposite vertices of the plate.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, said plate comprises at least one second housing seat comprising a second end edge defining an opening for inserting a respective container into the second housing seat and which protrudes above the first end edges.

In this case the stacking element is defined by the abovementioned second end edge.

In this case, preferably, each second housing seat comprises, at a lower end thereof, a base configured to support said container within said second housing seat and the plate comprises, on a lower surface thereof, a recess extended around the base of said second housing seat. Said recess is configured to house a second end edge of another support device identical to that of the invention, making also in this case a particularly stable assembly (or stack) of support devices.

In another innovative aspects thereof, the support device (hereinafter referred to as first support device) comprises a plate having a plurality of identical housing seats, each housing seat comprising a respective end edge defining an opening for inserting a respective container into the housing seat. In this case, a plurality of recesses is provided on a lower surface of the plate, each recess extending around a respective base of said housing seats.

In this case, the first support device can be placed above another support device of the same type (hereinafter referred to as “second support device”) by inserting the end edges of the housing seats of the second support device into the recesses of the first support device, making also in this case a particularly stable assembly (or stack) of support devices.

These aspects are merely an illustrative aspect of the innumerable aspects associated with the present disclosure and should not be deemed as limiting in any manner. These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the referenced figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of technology is merely exemplary in nature of the subject matter, manufacture and use of one or more inventions, and is not intended to limit the scope, application, or uses of any specific invention claimed in this application or in such other applications as may be filed claiming priority to this application, or patents issuing therefrom. The following definitions and non-limiting guidelines must be considered in reviewing the description of the technology set forth herein.

In the following detailed description numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. For example, the present disclosure is not limited in scope to the particular type of industry application depicted in the figures. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present disclosure.

The citation of references herein does not constitute an admission that those references are prior art or have any relevance to the patentability of the technology disclosed herein. All references cited in the “Detailed Description” section of this specification are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

InFIGS.1-4, a first embodiment of a support device for supporting a plurality of containers for pharmaceutical use (not shown) in accordance with the present disclosure is indicated overall with10.

These containers are intended to be handled in a processing line (not shown).

Preferably, the abovementioned containers are cartridges.

The support device10comprises a body15having a substantially quadrangular shape. In the non-limiting example described herein, the body15is defined by a plate20having a substantially rectangular shape. Said plate20has four sides21and four vertices22, which are preferably rounded.

The plate20of the support device10can be made by moulding plastic material, for example polypropylene.

The plate20comprises a flat surface which is perforated at a plurality of housing seats30configured to house respective cartridges.

The housing seats30are distributed in the plate20according to a predetermined layout and are shaped so as to stably support the cartridges, keeping them separated from each other and thus avoiding possible mutual collisions.

In the non-limiting example ofFIGS.1-4the housing seats30are arranged in the plate20along a plurality of parallel rows (or columns) (FIG.1). The housing seats30may however be arranged according to a staggered honeycomb or checkerboard configuration, like for example inFIGS.7to10.

A plurality of housing seats30are adjacent to the sides21of the plate20and are hereinafter referred to as “perimeter housing seats30”, while another plurality of housing seats30are arranged in the plate20in a central position with respect to the perimeter housing seats30and are hereinafter referred to as “central housing seats30”.

The body15, and hence the plate20, has a perimeter portion15cdelimited externally by the four sides21and by the four vertices22of the plate20, and a central portion15ddelimited by the perimeter portion15cand comprising the perimeter housing seats30and the central housing seats30. The four sides21and the four vertices22form a perimeter edge23of the plate20.

Each cartridge has a substantially cylindrical shape and comprises a substantially circular open or closed base surface and, on the opposite side to the base surface, a top surface provided with a through opening configured to allow the filling of the cartridge with a predetermined amount of a pharmaceutical product, in the exemplary and non-limiting case of cartridges for pharmaceutical use.

The cartridges are typically made of glass or of a thermoplastic material.

After having placed the cartridges of a production batch in the housing seats30of the support device10with their top surface turned downwards, an organized assembly of cartridges is obtained, that allows the simultaneous handling and processing of all the cartridges of the production batch.

The cartridges, in fact, upon being placed in the housing seats30of the support device10, are moved along the processing line by handling the support device10. At least part of this handling is carried out after having inserted the support device10into a tub (not shown).

To this end, the perimeter portion15cof the plate20comprises a pair of opposite through slots17configured to facilitate the insertion and the extraction of the support device10into/from the tub.

The tub has a substantially parallelepipedal or truncated-pyramidal shape and comprises a substantially flat bottom surface and four substantially flat side walls which are connected two by two by respective connecting walls.

An inner perimeter edge extends from the inner faces of the side walls and of the connecting walls inwardly in the tub. This inner perimeter edge defines an abutment surface on which the perimeter portion15cof the plate20is intended to rest when the support device10is placed inside the tub. The inner perimeter edge may be replaced by a plurality of ribs extending from the inner faces of the side walls and/or connecting walls, each rib comprising a rest surface defining a respective abutment surface on which the perimeter portion15cof the plate20is intended to be rested.

Once the cartridges of a production batch are inserted into the housing seats30of the support device10and the latter is inserted into the tub, an aggregation configuration of the cartridges known as “nest and tub” is made, in which the support device10is the “nest” and the tub is the “tub”.

As shown for example inFIG.3, the housing seats30extend on opposite sides of the plate20between a lower surface15aarranged below the plate20and an upper surface15bthat, in the specific example shown in the accompanying drawings, is arranged above the plate20but that in other embodiments can be defined by the upper face of the plate20.

The lower surface15ais substantially flat and is defined at lower ends31aof the housing seats30.

The upper surface15bis also substantially flat and is defined at the upper ends31bof the housing seats30.

Each of the housing seats30comprises, at the lower end thereof31a, a base32having a through opening33and, at the upper end thereof31b, an end edge35defining a through opening36configured to allow the insertion and the extraction of a respective cartridge. The end edges35of the housing seats30project above the plate20, all at the same height.

The base32has a predetermined thickness measured between a lower face of the base32that is configured to rest on a substantially horizontal operating surface of the processing line and that lies on the abovementioned lower surface15aand an upper face of the base32that is configured to support the cartridge.

Each housing seat30further comprises a side wall34which, in the non-limiting example ofFIGS.1-4, is substantially cylindrical and delimits a substantially cylindrical space configured to receive the cartridge.

The side wall34extends starting from the base32up to the upper surface15bof the plate20along a longitudinal axis Y that is substantially orthogonal to the abovementioned flat surface of the plate20.

As shown for example inFIG.3, the side walls34extend on opposite sides with respect to the plate20. In this way, a lower portion34aof the side wall34is placed below the plate20(i.e. on the side of the base32) and an upper portion34bof the side wall34is placed above the plate20(i.e. on the side of the upper end31b).

In the non-limiting example ofFIGS.1-4, the base32is defined by six rest elements32aprojecting radially from the side wall34inwardly in the housing seat30and circumferentially equally spaced from each other, in particular arranged angularly offset by 60° from each other around the longitudinal axis Y. In other embodiments not shown, the rest elements are four and are angularly offset from each other by 90° or three and are angularly offset from each other by 120°.

In the present description and in the appended claims, the terms “axial” and the like are used to refer to a longitudinal direction of the housing seats30that is parallel to the longitudinal axis Y, the terms “radially” and the like are used to refer to any direction perpendicular to the abovementioned longitudinal axis Y, while the terms “circumferentially” and the like are used to refer to any circumferential direction about the abovementioned longitudinal axis Y.

Each rest element32ahas a quadrangular shape, substantially trapezoidal, and comprises a first side32bconnected to the side wall34, a second side32carranged inside the housing seat30in a distal position with respect to the side wall34and preferably shorter than the first side32band two opposite third sides32dconnecting the first side32bto the second side32c.

To allow centering the cartridges within the respective housing seats30, each housing seat30comprises a plurality of centering ribs38projecting radially from the tubular wall34inwardly in the housing seat30and extending along a longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis Y.

In the non-limiting example ofFIGS.1-4, the centering ribs38are twelve and have the same shape and dimensions as each other.

In general, the number of the centering ribs38is preferably even, so as to have a certain number of pairs of centering ribs38, which in the non-limiting example ofFIGS.1-4is six pairs.

Each pair of centering ribs38is arranged at and above a respective rest element32aof the base32.

The pairs of centering ribs38are circumferentially equally spaced from each other.

In the non-limiting example ofFIGS.1-4, the centering ribs38are arranged only above the rest elements32a, so that in the circumferential spaces defined between pairs of adjacent rest elements32ano centering ribs38are provided.

In particular, the centering ribs38of each pair of centering ribs38are arranged at the two third sides32dof the respective rest element32a.

In the non-limiting example ofFIGS.1-4, the centering ribs38extend on opposite sides with respect to the plate20between the rest elements32aand the upper ends31bof the housing seats30.

Each centering rib38comprises, at a free end thereof that is distal from the respective rest element32a, a tapered portion38aconfigured to facilitate the insertion of the cartridge into the housing seat30.

The support device10comprises a plurality of stacking elements40configured to allow stacking on the support device10another support device10of the same type.

In the non-limiting example ofFIGS.1-4, the stacking elements40are four and are arranged near two opposite sides21of the plate20. The four stacking elements40are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to a transverse centreline plane of the plate20. In other embodiments that are not shown, the stacking elements40could be more or less than four, for example two or six.

Each stacking element40projects above the end edges35of the housing seats30, and thus above the upper surface15b.

In the non-limiting example ofFIGS.1-4, the stacking elements40are made in a single piece with the plate20and extend between the side walls34of two adjacent perimeter housing seats30, in particular between the upper portions34bof said two housing seats30.

Each stacking element40is shaped like a “V”, with the vertex of the “V” facing toward the perimeter edge23.

Each stacking element40is connected, at the vertex of the “V”, to a reinforcing rib42also arranged above the plate20and preferably made in a single piece with the stacking element40and the plate20.

Further reinforcing ribs are arranged above the plate20. In the non-limiting example ofFIGS.1-4, four further ribs41are arranged at the perimeter portion15c, two of which are connected to the upper portions34bof two perimeter housing seats30. Further reinforcing ribs41aare arranged at the central portion15dbetween two respective adjacent housing seats30.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated herein, the plate20comprises, on the lower surface15a, one or more recesses44formed between two respective adjacent housing seats30configured to house respective stacking elements of another support device10of the same type.

In particular, four recesses44are provided, each configured to house one of the abovementioned four stacking elements40(FIG.2). Each recess44is defined between two lower portions34aof the side walls34of two adjacent perimeter housing seats30. The abovementioned recesses44are open towards the perimeter edge23of the plate20.

The support device10described above can therefore be arranged both under another support device of identical type and over another support device of identical type, defining in both cases an assembly (or stack) of support devices which, thanks to the provision of stacking elements housed in respective recesses, is particularly stable.

A second embodiment of a support device10in accordance with the present disclosure is shown inFIG.5. Parts and components that are identical or analogous to those of the support device10ofFIGS.1-4are indicated by the same reference numeral and for their description reference is made to the above description.

The support device10ofFIG.5differs from the support device10ofFIGS.1-4in the stacking elements, indicated with140, which in this case have a cross-section shaped like an “I” and which do not have respective reinforcing ribs analogous to the reinforcing ribs42described above with reference toFIGS.1-4.

Each stacking element140comprises an upper portion140aprojecting above the end edges35of the housing seats30, and therefore above the upper surface15b, and that has a transverse length, measured along a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis Y, which is lower than the distance between the two housing seats30connected by the stacking element140. Said upper portion140aextends from a lower portion140bof the stacking element140that extends between the plate20and the end edges35and that connects the abovementioned two housing seats30. The transverse length of the lower portion140bis therefore greater than that of the upper portion140a.

In the non-limiting example ofFIG.5, four pairs of centering ribs38, arranged above four rest elements (not shown) are provided.

A third embodiment of a support device10in accordance with the present disclosure is shown inFIG.6. Parts and components that are identical or analogous to those of the support device10ofFIGS.1-4are indicated by the same reference numeral and for their description reference is made to the above description.

Looking at the plate20of the support device10ofFIG.6from above, it can be noted that it differs from the support device10ofFIGS.1-4in the stacking elements, that in this case are defined by stacking elements340extending outwardly from the upper portion34bof the side wall34.

Each of the stacking elements340comprises a respective upper portion340aprojecting above the end edges35of the housing seats30.

In particular, in the embodiment ofFIG.6, each of the four perimeter housing seats30arranged at the four vertices22of the plate20comprises a respective stacking element340facing toward the perimeter portion15cof the plate20and having a substantially semi-cylindrical shape.

A further embodiment of a support device10in accordance with the present disclosure is shown inFIGS.7-9. Parts and components that are identical or analogous to those of the support device ofFIGS.1-4are indicated by the same reference numeral and for their description reference is made to the above description.

Looking at the plate20of the support device10ofFIGS.7-9from above, it can be noted that it differs from the support device10ofFIGS.1-4both in the arrangement of the housing seats30, which in this case is staggered like a honeycomb or checkerboard, and in the stacking elements240, which in this case are defined by end edges235of housing seats230projecting above the end edges35of the other housing seats30of the plate20.

The housing seats230differ from the other adjacent housing seats30only in that their upper portion234bof their side wall234has an extension greater than that of the upper portion34bof the side wall34of the other housing seats30.

The centering ribs38of the housing seats230are identical to the centering ribs38of the housing seats30, whereby the centering ribs38of the housing seats230do not reach the end edges235of the housing seats230.

The housing seats230are four, arranged near two opposite sides21of the plate20in a substantially symmetrical manner with respect to a transverse centreline plane of the plate20.

Looking at the plate20of the support device10ofFIGS.7-9from below, it can be noted that it differs from the support device10ofFIGS.1-4also in that a plurality of annular-shaped recesses244are made on the lower surface15aof the plate20.

The recesses244are four and are arranged at the four housing seats230.

Each recess244extends circumferentially around the base32of the respective housing seat230.

Each base32of the housing seats230is identical to the base32of the housing seats30and comprises six rest elements32aconfigured to support a respective cartridge. The lower face of the rest elements32aof the housing seats230is defined on the lower surface15aof the plate20. The depth of the recesses244is lower than the thickness of the rest elements32a.

The four recesses244are configured to house the end edges235of another support device10identical to that ofFIGS.7-9so as to stack those two support devices10.

A further embodiment of a support device10is shown inFIG.10. Parts and components that are identical or analogous to those of the support device10ofFIGS.1-4are indicated by the same reference numeral and for their description reference is made to the above description.

The support device10ofFIG.10differs from the support device10ofFIGS.1-4in that the stacking elements40are not provided and in that annular-shaped recesses444totally analogous to the recesses244ofFIGS.8and9are made at all the housing seats30.

Each base32of the housing seats30ofFIG.10is identical to the base32of the housing seats30ofFIGS.1-4. Thus, the lower face of the base32of the housing seats30ofFIG.10is defined on the lower surface15aof the plate20.

The recesses444are configured to house the end edges35of a support device10identical to that ofFIG.10so as to stack said two support devices10. The support device10provided with the abovementioned recesses444can therefore be arranged above or below another support device10of the same type.

The preferred embodiments of the disclosure have been described above to explain the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to utilize the present disclosure. However, as various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings, including all materials expressly incorporated by reference herein, shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by the above-described exemplary embodiment but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.