Systems and methods for packaging medical stoppers consisting of a cap and a plug.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for packaging medical stoppers consisting of a cap and a plug. The medical stopper is formed by a cap (51) mounted on a plug (52). The packaging system (100) includes: a container (10); at least one tray (20) having cavities (21) for receiving the medical stopper (50), the medical stopper being arranged such that the cap (51) together with the upper surface (20a) of the tray (20) defines a closed compartment (53) that individually isolates the plug (52), the tray (20) being placed in the container (10); and a porous cap (40) that is sealed to the container (10). The present invention also relates to a packaging method comprising the steps of: providing a container (10); arranging a tray (20) in the container (10); arranging at least one plug (50) in a cavity (21); sealing a perforated cap (40) on the container (10); placing the container (10) in at least one sealed bag and emptying the bag.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a packaging system for packaging and dispensing medical stoppers. The invention also relates to a method for packaging medical stoppers. Specifically, with regard to the dispensing of stoppers consisting of caps and inserts for sealing medical vials, this invention relates to the packaging of such stoppers. Background Technology

[0002] These stoppers are typically delivered in batches and poured into vibrating bowl feeders, or simply placed on trays so that they can be manually or automatically placed one by one onto vials to seal them.

[0003] These delivery protocols are insufficient if the cap is intended to seal vials for medical use. In this case, both the stopper and the vial must be free from contamination, particularly particulate contamination. However, without specific precautions, contact and friction between the stoppers themselves or between the stopper and the surface of the tray or vibrating bowl dispenser can easily generate particles, which may then be found in the vial. This can have very serious consequences if the vial is used to contain medical solutions to be drawn via syringe, as the particles may subsequently be found in the syringe and injected into the patient.

[0004] Therefore, it is important to have a solution for packaging and delivering vial stoppers, and more generally, packaging and delivering medical items, that allows for the limitation of particle generation.

[0005] Documents EP2753550 and US10064787 disclose tray and packaging systems that allow for the separate storage of different types of medical articles (syringes, vials). These medical articles cannot come into contact with each other, thus reducing particle generation. More specifically, EP2753550 attempts to reduce the contact surface area between the medical articles and the tray surface to reduce the area of ​​friction. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a pallet and packaging system that is different from and improves upon the prior art.

[0007] To achieve this objective, the present invention aims to provide a packaging system for a medical stopper, the medical stopper being formed by a cap mounted on an insert, the packaging system comprising:

[0008] - A container with an opening, a bottom, and outer walls;

[0009] - At least one tray, each tray having multiple receiving spaces, each receiving space containing a medical plug, the medical plug being arranged such that the cap, together with the upper surface of the tray, defines a closed compartment for individual isolation of the plug, the tray being placed in the container; and

[0010] - A porous cap, which is sealed to the upper edge of the outer peripheral wall of the container to close the container.

[0011] Other advantageous and non-limiting features of the invention, individually or in any technically feasible combination:

[0012] - Place the container in at least one sealed bag under vacuum.

[0013] According to another aspect, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for packaging a plug formed by a cap mounted on a plug, characterized in that the method includes the following steps:

[0014] - Provide containers with openings, bottoms, and outer walls;

[0015] - Arrange a tray with multiple receiving spaces at the bottom of the container;

[0016] - Arrange at least one plug in the receiving space such that the cap together with the upper surface of the tray defines a closed compartment in which the plug is isolated;

[0017] - Seal the porous cap on the upper edge of the outer peripheral wall of the container;

[0018] - Place the container in at least one sealed bag and evacuate the bag.

[0019] Other advantageous and non-limiting features of the invention, individually or in any technically feasible combination:

[0020] - The lid is integral with the container by being welded to the upper edge of the outer peripheral wall of the container;

[0021] -The packaging method includes the following steps:

[0022] * An additional tray is provided to form a stack of trays in the container, the additional tray resting on the cap of the plug arranged in the receiving space of the tray below;

[0023] At least one plug is arranged in the receiving space of the additional tray such that the cap, together with the upper surface of the tray, defines a closed compartment in which the plug is isolated. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention provided with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0025] Figure 1 A packaging system according to the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Description of medical plugs

[0027] In this configuration, the medical stopper 50 is formed by a cap 51 mounted on a plug 52. More specifically, the plug 52 is formed within a cavity defined by the cap 51. The cap 51 allows the stopper 50 to be manipulated to close the container opening by means of the plug 52 without contacting the plug. This limits the risk of contaminating the plug 52 when handling the stopper 50, and thus limits the risk of contaminating the container. A detailed description of such a stopper can be found, for example, in document FR2950865.

[0028] The cap 51 consists of a head 51a that is advantageously planar and a sidewall 51b that extends axially from the periphery of the head 51a to define a cavity for placing the plug 52.

[0029] General description of packaging systems

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, the packaging system 100 according to the invention includes a container 10, at least one tray 20 provided with a receiving space 21, and a porous cap 40 arranged over the opening of the container 10 to close the container. Advantageously, in order to store more medical stoppers 50, the container 10 may include a plurality of identical trays 20. These trays 20 are thus stacked, each tray 20 stacked on top of each other parallel to the bottom 10a of the container 10. The container 10, containing the trays 20 and closed by the porous cap 40, is intended to be placed in at least one airtight bag (and typically two of these bags), in which air has been evacuated to place the entire assembly under vacuum.

[0031] Each tray in the tray 20 contains a plurality of medical plugs 50, which are stored individually in one of the receiving spaces 21 of the tray 20, with no possibility of contact between them. Of course, the shape and volume of the receiving spaces 21 will be adapted to allow them to accommodate the medical plugs 50 in question.

[0032] Container description

[0033] Container 10 is a hollow packaging element for receiving medical stoppers 50 placed in a tray 20. Container 10 includes an opening, a bottom 10a, and an outer peripheral wall 10b defining its overall shape. The outer peripheral wall 10b may be provided with a shoulder that allows the container 10 to be manipulated, particularly by automated equipment. Advantageously, container 10 has a parallelepiped shape to optimize the space required for storing a given number of medical stoppers 50. The dimensions of container 10 are selected based on the number of medical stoppers 50 to be packaged. These dimensions may conform to specifications or standards for use on an industrial scale. The height of the container is selected and / or adjusted according to the number of trays 20 and / or the shape of the stoppers 50 to be contained. In practice, the head 51a of the cap 51 of the stopper 50 arranged on the upper tray must be flush with the upper edge of the container wall so that subsequent vacuuming can press the cap 40 against the head of the cap. Container 10 may be formed of plastic materials, such as polypropylene, amorphous polyethylene terephthalate, or styrene polymers such as polystyrene.

[0034] Description of delivery pallets

[0035] Figure 1 A packaging system 100 according to the invention is shown, wherein stacks of pallets 20 are arranged in a container 10. Each pallet 20 includes an upper surface 20a and a lower surface 20b.

[0036] The upper surface 20a is provided with a plurality of receiving spaces 21, each for receiving and securing a single medical plug 50 to prevent any contact between two plugs 50. The receiving spaces 21 are typically arranged in a row on the upper surface 20a of the tray 20, and in this case take the form of recesses 21. The lower surface 20b of the tray 20 is advantageously planar so that it presses against the plug 50 of the lower tray in a tray stack, more specifically against the head 51a of the cap 51. Alternatively, the lower surface 20b of the tray 20 may be provided with a plurality of receiving spaces in a similar manner to the upper surface 20a to better restrict movement of the medical plugs 50.

[0037] Optionally, the lower surface 20b of a tray (referred to as "lower tray 20'") intended to be placed against the bottom of container 10 may be provided with a protrusion to allow the tray to be fixed and / or centered within container 10. In fact, the bottom 10a of container 10 may be provided with a centering element (e.g., a raised portion) that can engage with the protrusion on lower tray 20'. Therefore, lower tray 20' (and the entire stack of trays) is fixed in place within container 10, friction between tray 20' and container 10 is limited, and thus particle generation is prevented.

[0038] Tray 20 may be made of a plastic material, such as polypropylene or thermoplastic elastomer. Advantageously, the material of tray 20 has a lower hardness than the material of stopper 50.

[0039] Description of the cover

[0040] Once container 10 has filled tray 20 containing medical stoppers 50, a porous cap 40 is designed to be sealed to the upper edge of the wall 10b of container 10, for example, by means of plastic welding. The porous cap serves to keep the medical stoppers 50 clean and prevent particles from entering container 10. The porosity of the cap 50 allows air to be extracted from the container during a subsequent vacuuming step. It can be, for example, made of… Made into It is a commonly used material in the pharmaceutical industry.

[0041] Description of packaging method

[0042] In order to minimize contamination caused by particles and to maintain the possible sterility of the medical stopper 50, the various steps described below are preferably performed in a controlled environment.

[0043] The first tray 20', i.e., the stacked lower tray 20', is positioned on the bottom 10a of the container 10. The medical stopper 50 is then or pre-placed in the receiving space 21 of the first tray 20'. The medical stopper 50 is arranged such that the cap 51, together with the upper surface 20a of the tray, defines a closed compartment 53 to individually isolate the plug 52 and protect it from any particulate contamination that may occur within the packaging system 100. The medical stopper 50 is arranged such that the free end of the sidewall 51b contacts the bottom of the receiving space 21.

[0044] Then, a second tray 20 is placed in the container 10, with its lower surface 20b resting on the head 51a of the cap 51 of the medical plug 50, which is placed in the receiving space 21 of the first tray. Before or after this operation, the medical plug 50 is placed in each receiving space 21 of the second tray 20. This is repeated as many times as the tray 20 to be placed in the container 10.

[0045] Then the porous cap 40 is placed on the container 10 to close the container, and then the porous cap is integrated with the upper edge of the wall 10b of the container 10.

[0046] In the next step, the container 10, with its opening sealed by the porous cap 40, is placed in at least one airtight bag (preferably two bags for safety reasons), and a vacuum is applied to the bag before it is airtightly sealed. Vacuuming the entire assembly allows the components of the assembly 100 to be vertically blocked by pressing the porous cap 40 against the plugs 50 on the upper plate. Vacuuming also allows the plugs 50 to be pressed against the upper surface 20a of the tray on which they are placed, forming an airtight compartment 53 in which each plug 52 is individually arranged. Vacuuming also allows the components of the assembly 100 to be horizontally blocked by deforming the outer peripheral wall 10b of the container 10 to press it against the edge of the tray 20. Therefore, vacuuming limits friction between the components of the assembly 100 by preventing vertical and horizontal movement of the components, and thus limits the generation of particles caused by friction.

[0047] Open the packaging system

[0048] To open the packaging system and retrieve the medical stoppers 50 packaged within, first remove the stacked containers 10 containing the trays 20 from the bag. Then remove the caps 40 to expose the medical stoppers 50. The medical stoppers 50 can then be picked up individually or row by row, either manually or automatically by machine. Once the tray at the top of the stack has been emptied of its medical stoppers 50, that tray is also removed to expose the medical stoppers in the trays below. These steps are repeated until all the medical stoppers 50 stored in the containers 10 have been removed.

[0049] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, and variations may be added without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

[0050] Although this article shows a stack of pallets in a container, it is certainly possible to arrange only one pallet in a container.

Claims

1. A packaging system (100) for a medical stopper (50), said medical stopper being formed by a cap (51) mounted on a plug (52), wherein, The cap (51) comprises a planar head (51a) and a sidewall (51b), the sidewall (51b) extending axially from the periphery of the head (51a) to define a cavity for receiving the plug (52), and the packaging system (100) includes: - Container (10), the container having an opening, a bottom (10a) and an outer peripheral wall (10b); - At least one tray (20), each of the at least one tray having a plurality of receiving spaces (21), each receiving space receiving a medical plug (50), the medical plug being arranged such that the free end of the sidewall (51b) of the cap (51) of the medical plug (50) contacts the upper surface (20a) of the tray (20), thereby such that the cap (51) and the upper surface (20a) of the tray (20) together define a closed compartment (53) for individually isolating the plug (52), the tray (20) being placed in the container (10); and - A porous cap, which is sealed on the upper edge of the outer peripheral wall (10b) of the container (10) to close the container.

2. The packaging system (100) according to claim 1, wherein, The container (10) is placed in at least one sealed bag under vacuum.

3. A method for packaging a medical stopper (50) formed by a cap (51) mounted on a plug (52), wherein, The cap (51) comprises a planar head (51a) and a sidewall (51b), the sidewall (51b) extending axially from the periphery of the head (51a) to define a cavity for receiving the plug (52), the packaging method being characterized in that the packaging method includes the following steps: - Provide a container (10) having an opening, a bottom (10a) and an outer peripheral wall (10b); - A tray (20) having multiple receiving spaces (21) is arranged at the bottom of the container (10); - At least one medical plug (50) is arranged in the receiving space (21) such that the free end of the sidewall (51b) of the cap (51) of the medical plug (50) contacts the upper surface (20a) of the tray (20), thereby the cap (51) and the upper surface (20a) of the tray (20) together define a closed compartment in which the plug (52) is isolated; - Seal the perforated cap (40) on the upper edge of the outer peripheral wall (10b) of the container (10); - Place the container (10) in at least one sealed bag and empty the sealed bag.

4. The packaging method according to claim 3, wherein, The porous cap (40) is rigidly attached to the container (10) by being welded to the upper edge of the outer peripheral wall of the container (10).

5. The packaging method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the packaging method comprises the following steps: - An additional tray is arranged to form a stack of trays (20) in the container (10), the additional tray abutting the cap (51) of the medical plug (50) arranged in the receiving space (21) of the lower tray (20); -At least one medical plug (50) is arranged in the receiving space (21) of the additional tray such that the cap (51) together with the upper surface (20a) of the tray (20) defines a closed compartment in which the plug (52) is isolated.

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