Abstract:
This assembly of elements comprises a plate with housings for receiving the objects for bulking, each housing being delimited by lateral walls and comprising a support zone for receiving the object for bulking. According to the invention, each housing is formed by a cell; the lateral walls delimiting the cells adjoin one another from one cell to an adjacent cell and extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the plate; each cell is shaped in order to at least partially receive in it the proximal part of an object for bulking; and each cell comprises at least one means for immobilizing each object for bulking.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to an assembly of elements for bulking elongate objects, particularly syringe bodies.  
       Description of the Prior Art  
       [0002]     Syringe bodies are frequently manufactured at one site and filled at another site, which involves transportation of these syringe bodies from one site to another.  
         [0003]     For this transportation, and in order to prevent any damage to the syringe bodies, it is common to bulk the syringe bodies on a plate with shafts for receiving the syringe bodies, and then to place the assembly in a packing box, this box then being sealed and sterilized. At the destination, the box is opened and then the plate is removed from this box, it being possible for this plate to be used for handling the syringe bodies and filling them using automated means.  
         [0004]     A known bulking plate, used in this specific application, comprises a base plate in which is formed a plurality of shafts projecting from one face of this base plate, these shafts being sized in order to receive the syringe bodies through them until the proximal collars of the syringe bodies come to bear against the upper free edges of these shafts.  
         [0005]     A plate of this type has the drawback that it is not very rigid, which limits its dimensions and thus the number of syringe bodies it is possible to place in one and the same box. This lack of rigidity may also have detrimental consequences on the automated or manual operations of handling the plates, of engaging or removing the plates in or from the packing boxes, and of filling the syringe bodies.  
         [0006]     Moreover, the syringe bodies are not immobilized relative to the plate either in the direction of their longitudinal axis or in terms of pivoting about that axis. The lack of axial immobilization limits the potential ways in which the packing box may be handled, during operations of sterilizing/decontaminating said box, or the possible storage positions of this box, or requires the syringe bodies to be held relative to the plate during handling or when in storage positions involving overturning of the box. The possible storage positions or ways in which the plate may be handled before or after it has been placed in this box are also limited in the same way. The lack of immobilization in terms of pivoting requires the provision of sufficient distance between two adjacent shafts so that the collars of the syringe bodies received in these two shafts, when these collars are non-circular, do not come into contact with one another, which could damage them or generate particles. The result of this is a limitation on the number of syringe bodies it is possible to accommodate on a plate of given dimensions.  
         [0007]     Moreover, the existing plate does not allow the placing on the syringe bodies of proximal support hold pieces to facilitate the support holding by the user&#39;s fingers when carrying out an injection. In point of fact, it would be advantageous to be able to place such proximal support hold pieces on the syringe bodies before filling of these syringe bodies, while fully protecting these proximal support hold pieces during transportation of the syringe bodies.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks.  
         [0009]     Its principal object is thus to provide an assembly of elements for bulking elongate objects, particularly syringe bodies, that includes a bulking plate that has significant rigidity so as to ensure perfect holding of the objects for bulking, without detrimental consequences for automated or manual handling of the plate and without an awkward restriction in terms of the dimensions that it is possible to give to this plate.  
         [0010]     Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly of elements for immobilizing the objects for bulking, particularly syringe bodies, relative to the bulking plate, both in the direction of their longitudinal axis and in terms of pivoting about that axis.  
         [0011]     A supplementary object of the invention is to provide an assembly of elements allowing the placing on the syringe bodies, before filling, of proximal support hold pieces as described above, while fully protecting these proximal support hold pieces during transportation of the syringe bodies.  
         [0012]     The assembly of elements in question comprises, in a manner known per se, a plate with housings for receiving the objects for bulking, each housing being delimited by lateral walls and comprising a support zone for receiving the object for bulking.  
         [0013]     According to the invention,  
         [0014]     each housing is formed by a cell;  
         [0015]     the lateral walls delimiting the cells adjoin one another from one cell to an adjacent cell and extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the plate;  
         [0016]     each cell is shaped in order to at least partially receive in it the proximal part of an object for bulking; and  
         [0017]     each cell comprises at least one means for immobilizing each object for bulking.  
         [0018]     The fact that the lateral walls are adjoining enables these walls to form continuous lines for stiffening the plate, giving it a rigidity that is well adapted to handling of the plate using, inter alia, automated means. Reception of the proximal parts of the objects for bulking in the cells fully protects these proximal parts, and immobilizing the objects for bulking relative to the plate prevents any risk of damage to one object by another, despite the contiguous nature of the cells.  
         [0019]     The assembly of elements may be used for bulking syringe bodies and may therefore comprise, in addition to said plate, support hold pieces for placing on the proximal ends of the syringe bodies, or integral therewith, in order to form surfaces for the support holding of the user&#39;s fingers when carrying out an injection, each cell having dimensions that correspond at least partially to those of one of these support hold pieces and each support hold piece being shaped in order to interact with the immobilization means of each cell.  
         [0020]     The assembly of elements thus allows assembly of the plate and of these support hold pieces, and the engagement of one support hold piece in a cell is achieved in a precise manner.  
         [0021]     The lateral walls delimiting the cells may be slightly flared in order to form a cell entry having dimensions greater than those of a support hold piece.  
         [0022]     These cell entries make it possible to guide each support hold piece during its engagement in a cell.  
         [0023]     Each support hold piece may be held on a syringe body before the placing of this syringe body in a cell of the plate. Each support hold piece may also be shaped so that it is possible for it to be placed in a cell of the plate and for it to receive the syringe body after said placing.  
         [0024]     According to a possible embodiment of each support hold piece in this second case, each support hold piece comprises an opening for the engagement of a syringe body and a series of fingers arranged radially in this opening, these fingers being shaped in order to grip the syringe body between them, with flexing, when this syringe body is engaged in said opening, in order to assemble the support hold piece and the syringe body.  
         [0025]     Preferably, each immobilization means consists of at least one snap-fitting tooth provided in a zone of a lateral wall delimiting the cell.  
         [0026]     These teeth make it possible to immobilize the objects for bulking after simple insertion of these objects in the cells, but immobilization is reliable.  
         [0027]     According to a possible embodiment of the invention in this case, a wall delimiting two adjacent cells comprises a recess provided in its thickness, from the section of this wall, this recess forming two separate snap-fitting teeth, one for each of these cells.  
         [0028]     According to another possible embodiment of the invention in this same case, a wall delimiting two adjacent cells comprises a notch in which there is a single snap-fitting tooth, this snap-fitting tooth comprising two snap-fitting projections on its two opposite faces, one for each of these cells.  
         [0029]     Each cell preferably has a square or rectangular shape such that the lateral walls delimiting the cells form mutually perpendicular stiffening lines, giving the plate significant rigidity in the directions of these stiffening lines.  
         [0030]     Each cell thus advantageously comprises two immobilization means arranged on two opposite sides of the cell, and particularly, when the cell is rectangular, on the smaller sides of this rectangular cell.  
         [0031]     These two spaced immobilization means fully hold the syringe body relative to the plate.  
         [0032]     Each support zone may consist of at least one wall forming a rim extending inside the cell.  
         [0033]     The plate may comprise zones allowing or promoting its gripping. These may, in particular, be walls extending substantially in the plane of the plate, these walls forming surfaces on which vacuum suction cups equipping a machine for handling the plate may be applied.  
         [0034]     Preferably, the plate is molded as a single piece of synthetic material. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0035]     For it to be understood correctly, the invention is again described below with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawing that represents, by way of non-limiting examples, two possible embodiments of the assembly of elements to which it relates.  
         [0036]      FIG. 1  is a partial view, in perspective, of a syringe-body packing box in which is placed a bulking plate forming part of this assembly of elements, according to the first embodiment;  
         [0037]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of two cells in the bulking plate and of a proximal support piece placed in one of these cells, also forming part of said assembly of elements, this proximal support piece equipping the proximal end of a syringe body;  
         [0038]      FIG. 3  is a view of the proximal support piece and of the cell receiving this piece, in section along line III-III in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0039]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of three cells in the bulking plate and of a proximal support piece placed in one of these cells, according to a second embodiment; and  
         [0040]      FIG. 5  is a view of the proximal support piece and of the cell receiving this piece, in section along line V-V of  FIG. 4 , during engagement of a syringe body through said piece. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0041]      FIG. 1  shows a packing  1  used for transporting a syringe body  2  from a site for manufacturing these syringe bodies  2  to a site for subsequent processing of these syringe bodies  2 , particularly a site where they are filled.  
         [0042]     The packing  1  comprises a box  3 , a plate  4  for bulking the syringe bodies  2 , a protective sheet  5  placed over the top of the plate  4  and a sealing sheet  6  closing the box  3  hermetically.  
         [0043]     The box  3  is made from synthetic material. It comprises an upper shoulder  10  for receiving the edges of the plate  4  and an outer rim  11  allowing sealing of the sheet  6 .  
         [0044]     The plate  4  will be described in detail below.  
         [0045]     The protective sheet  5  protects the syringe bodies  2  during subsequent operations such as sterilization, transportation and decontamination of the box  3 . It may, in particular, be made from a material known as “TYVEK®”, manufactured by Dupont de Nemours.  
         [0046]     The sealing sheet  6  hermetically closes the box  3 . It may also be made from “TYVEK®”.  
         [0047]     These sheets  5 ,  6  are permeable to gases or sterilizing radiation, but seal against bacteria.  
         [0048]     The syringe bodies  2  conventionally comprise a hollow body  15  ending, at a distal end, in an end piece including, or capable of receiving, an injection needle, and a proximal collar  16 . In the example shown in  FIG. 1 , the distal end of each hollow body  15  includes a cap  17  protecting the end piece and any needle, while the proximal end of this same body  15  receives, by snap-fitting on said collar, a proximal support piece  20 . This proximal piece  20  allows the user&#39;s fingers to be supported on either side of the body  15  when carrying out an injection. In the example shown in  FIG. 5 , the syringe body  2  is engaged through an opening  22  formed in the proximal support piece  20  until the proximal collar  16  of this syringe body  2  bears against fingers of the piece  20 , as will be described in greater detail below.  
         [0049]     The plate  4  is produced by molding from a synthetic material as a single piece. As may be seen in  FIG. 1 , it delimits a plurality of rectangular cells  25  arranged side by side and delimited by rectilinear walls  26 ,  27 , these walls  26 ,  27  intersecting at right angles and extending in terms of width in a direction perpendicular to the general plane of the plate  4 . Each wall  26 ,  27  extends, at the edges of the plate  4 , beyond the closest perpendicular wall  27 ,  26  in order to form tabs  28  for support holding on the shoulder  10  of the box  3 . In certain locations, two consecutive tabs  28  are connected to one another by a wall  29  extending in the general plane of the plate  4 , the faces of which are smooth. These walls  29  allow adhesion of the plate  4  to vacuum suction cups equipping automatic means for handling the plate  4 , these handling means making it possible to seize the plate  4  with a view to its engagement in the box  3  and/or its removal from this box  3  after transportation, and/or the transfer of this plate  4  toward subsequent units for processing the syringe bodies  2 , particularly units for filling these syringe bodies  2 .  
         [0050]     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , there are two cells  25  in the plate  4  and a syringe body  2  of which the proximal support piece  20  is engaged in a cell  25 .  
         [0051]     As may be seen in these figures, each part of a wall  26  delimiting a smaller side of a cell  25  has, in the median zone of this smaller side, a recess  30  formed in the thickness of this part of a wall  26 , starting from the edge of this wall. This recess  30  delimits two snap-fitting teeth  31  connected to the contiguous edges of the wall  26  by wall sections  32 .  
         [0052]     Each snap-fitting tooth  31  is connected to the wall  26  in its lower part and comprises, on its outer face relative to the recess  30 , a snap-fitting projection  33  of triangular shape. This projection  33  delimits an inclined upper edge that forms a ramp against which the piece  20  bears during its engagement in the cell  25 , and a lower edge for retaining the piece  20  in the cell  25 . It will easily be understood with reference to  FIG. 3  that the bearing of the piece  20  up against the two opposite projections  33  of one and the same cell  25  causes the two teeth  31  to retract inside the recesses  30  in order to allow the passage of the piece  20  beyond the projections  33 , the wall sections  32  allowing this withdrawal on account of their flexibility. Once the piece  20  has passed beyond the projections  33 , the teeth  31  regain their normal shape shown in  FIG. 3 , in which the projections  33  hold the piece  20  in the cell  25 .  
         [0053]     Each cell  25  also comprises four walls  35  located at its corners, forming supports for receiving a piece  20 . As shown more particularly in  FIG. 3 , the faces of these walls  35  turned toward the projections  33  are located at a distance from the lower zone of these projections  33  that corresponds substantially to the thickness of the lateral parts of a piece  20 . The teeth  31  thus hold the piece  20  pressed against the walls  35  and therefore immobilize the syringe body  2  relative to the plate  4 .  
         [0054]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show a plate  4  and a piece  20  that are very similar to those just described. For the purposes of simplification, the elements already described with reference to FIGS.  1  to  3 , and that appear again in this plate  4  and this piece  20 , will not be described again and are denoted by the same numerical references.  
         [0055]     In this case, each wall  26  comprises a notch  40  in which there is a single snap-fitting tooth  31 , this tooth  31  comprising snap-fitting projections  33  on its two opposite faces. One and the same snap-fitting tooth  31  allows the retention of two pieces  20  in two consecutive cells  25  in the longitudinal direction of these cells.  
         [0056]     Each proximal support piece  20  comprises, as far as it is concerned, the opening  22  and the fingers  23  mentioned above. These fingers  23  project radially toward the center of this opening  22 , and their free ends define a central circular passage  45  with a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the hollow body  15  of a syringe body  2 . As will be understood with reference to  FIG. 5 , the piece  20  may be placed in a cell  25  by snap-fitting in the manner mentioned above, and then a syringe body  2  may be inserted in said passage  45  until the proximal collar  16  of the body  15  comes into contact with the fingers  23  and arrives in a recess  46  that the piece  20  has for this purpose. During this insertion, the fingers  23  flex and grip the body  15  between them, which assembles the support hold piece  20  and the syringe body  2  together.  
         [0057]     It appears from the aforesaid that the invention is a decisive improvement over the prior art, providing an assembly of elements for the bulking of elongate objects, particularly syringe bodies  2 , that includes a plate  4  with rigidity that is well adapted to handling operations using automated means and that has no awkward limitations in terms of its dimensions.  
         [0058]     This assembly of elements makes it possible to immobilize the syringe bodies  2  relative to the plate  4 , both in the direction of the longitudinal axis of these syringe bodies  2  and in terms of pivoting of said syringe bodies about that axis.  
         [0059]     The assembly of elements also makes it possible to place on the syringe bodies  2 , before filling, proximal support hold pieces  20 , fully protecting these pieces  20  during transportation of the syringe bodies.  
         [0060]     It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above by way of example, but that it encompasses, on the contrary, all variant embodiments included in the field of protection defined by the claims appended hereto. Thus, clearly, the piece  20  shown in  FIG. 4  may be used with a plate  4  as shown in  FIG. 2 , and a piece  20  as shown in  FIG. 2  may be used with a plate  4  as shown in  FIG. 4 . Each snap-fitting tooth  31  shown in  FIG. 4 , comprising snap-fitting projections  33  on its two opposite faces, could be replaced by a pair of teeth each having a projection  33  on one of its faces, the projections  33  of these two teeth  31  being located on two opposite faces of these teeth  31 . The shape of the cells may be other than rectangular, and in particular may be square, hexagonal, octagonal, or polygonal in a general manner.