Patent Publication Number: US-2010126894-A1

Title: Tamper-evident sealing for seals of nozzle-shaped ports of a container

Description:
The invention concerns a tamper-evident sealing for seals of at least two nozzle-shaped ports of a container. 
     A tamper-evident sealing for seals of nozzle-shaped ports of a container based on prior art is characterized in that the entire container, including the nozzle-shaped ports with their seals, is sealed into plastic foil wrapping. The wrapping can be subsequently evacuated. The outer packaging serves on the one hand as a tamper-evident sealing for the seals of the nozzle-shaped ports and on the other the outer packaging is intended to reduce the evaporation of the liquid content, for instance of a container implemented as an infusion solution pouch. 
     Meanwhile, plastics for infusion solution pouches, for instance made from polypropylene-plastics, are available which feature almost 100% water tightness, so that a complete outer packaging does not appear to be stringently necessary and is associated with high material loss and therefore with high costs. 
     Furthermore tamper-evident sealings for nozzle-type openings of containers are known, for instance from DE-A-196 22 689, wherein for every opening of the nozzle-shaped ports a respective tamper-evident sealing is implemented which, however, are costly from a construction point of view. 
     Based on these considerations the invention has as its object to further improve a tamper-evident sealing for seals of nozzle-shaped ports of a container in such a way that it can be easy to install with little use of material and that it offers a secure sealing. 
     The object is met according to the invention by the fact that the tamper-evident sealing is implemented as a ribbon-shaped shrink wrap that joins the ends of the ports and encompasses the seals. 
     By means of the ribbon-shaped shrink wrap a secure sealing of the seals of the nozzle-shaped ports is achieved with little use of material. 
     According to a particularly preferred embodiment the ribbon-shaped shrink wrap is implemented as a shrink down hose section. By these means the benefit is achieved that, besides minor material use, a simple application is achieved. To this end shrink down hose sections are cut off from a shrink down hose roll, then pulled over the ends of the nozzle-shaped ports that feature the seals, and subsequently heat treated so that the shrink down hose sections encompass the seals in a form-fitting manner. 
     In order to achieve an easy opening of the tamper-evident sealing, it is provided, in the longitudinal direction, with a break-off point such as perforation, which can be easily torn open. 
     Furthermore an optical marking can be applied to facilitate detection of the perforation in the longitudinal direction. 
     Preferably the shrink down hose section is manufactured from transparent plastic. 
     A further preferred embodiment is characterized in that the nozzle-shaped ports feature equal lengths, wherein the seals mounted to the ends of the seals rest against one another in the sealed position and interlock with one another. An unintentional opening of the seals is thereby impossible. 
     Furthermore the seals are provided, on their edges, with longitudinally running grooves about which the shrink down hose section conforms, so that to this extent the shrink down hose section is also a rotational safeguard. 
     A further preferred embodiment is characterized in that the nozzle-shaped ports are implemented as flexible tube endings and that the seals can be brought in contact toward one another. 
     Preferably the seal is implemented as a Luer-Lock seal. 
     Additional details, advantages and characteristics of the invention are specified not only in the claims, from which the characteristics can be gathered—as such and/or in combination—but also from the following description of an embodiment example that can be gleaned from the drawing. 
    
    
     The only figure presents a tamper-evident sealing  10  for nozzle-shaped ports  16 ,  18 , each provided with a seal  12 ,  14 , of a container  20 , such as an infusion solution pouch. The container  20  encompasses a flexible container that defines an interior space as well as upper and lower heat seal or shrink wrap sections  22 ,  24 . In the upper sealing section  24  an opening  26  is provided for hanging purposes. In the lower sealing section  22  the nozzle-shaped ports  16 ,  18  are located, which preferably are implemented as flexible hose line. 
     The ends  28 ,  30  of the ports  16 ,  18  that feature seals  12 ,  24  are joined with one another by means of tamper-evident sealing  10  that is implemented as a shrink wrap. The shrink wrap  10  is thereby implemented as a shrink down hose section that is pulled over the seals  12 ,  14  and is then heat treated. The shrink down hose section  10  shrinks as a result of the heat treatment with the result that a seal is achieved. 
     For the easy opening of the tamper-evident sealing  10  it is intended that a perforation  32  is implemented in the longitudinal direction along which the tamper-evident sealing  10  can be exposed. 
     The seals  12 ,  14  are provided with grooves  34 ,  36  which interlock in the sealed state so that insofar an unintentional opening of the seals  12 ,  14 , which preferably are implemented as Luer-Lock seals, is also prevented.