Container with improved medical device nesting support and resistance to deformation

Abstract

A cartridge for holding one or more nested sets of medical components is provided herein. The cartridge includes a bottom wall, a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, and a top flange formed around a top edge of the plurality of side walls. Each side wall is configured as a stepped wall including a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion with a horizontal ledge formed therebetween parallel to the bottom wall. The cartridge further includes one or more support members extending upwardly from the bottom wall, wherein each of the one or more support members has a top surface vertically aligned with or vertically below the ledges of the plurality of side walls so that the support members are positioned to support a bottommost nested set of the one or more nested sets when placed within the cartridge.

Description

Cross-references to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 432,184, filed February 5, 2024, entitled “Container with Improved Medical Device Nest Support and Deformation Resistance,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] Background of the Invention Field of the Invention This disclosure generally relates to nesting arrangements for packaging medical containers (e.g., syringes) and / or their components (e.g., stops), and more specifically to an associated container or tub in which such nesting arrangement is received.

[0003] Description of related technologies Medical containers and components used with such containers (e.g., pre-filled or pre-filled syringes, cartridges, barrels, or stops) typically need to be transported from one location to another during or after manufacturing. For example, a medical container or a component thereof may be transported from a manufacturing location to a location where it can be filled with a medical fluid. As used herein, “medical fluid” can refer to a drug or other therapeutic agent used to treat chronic or acute conditions, as known in the art. Exemplary therapeutic agents may include, for example, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, biological substances, or biochemical substances that, when delivered to a patient in a therapeutically effective amount, can achieve the desired therapeutic effect.

[0004] During transport, medical containers or components may be supported by retaining devices (e.g., trays or "nestings"). As known in the art, nestings can be used to retain / transport syringe barrels or (e.g., after pre-filling of syringe barrels) stops to be inserted into such syringe barrels. One or more nestings may be disposed within a retaining and transporting container, which may be referred to as a housing, wherein the housing has an opening to allow placement of one or more nestings within the housing, which is then sealed by a sealing cap.

[0005] Regarding housings used for transporting multiple nested components (and thus holding medical containers or parts), current housing designs have several potential drawbacks in supporting and / or removing the nested components from the housing. In particular, the specific construction of existing housings is undesirable for a variety of reasons for nested components designed to hold syringe stops within them.

[0006] As an example, for a nested piece configured to hold a syringe stop within it, the housing used to hold such a nested piece may not provide sufficient support for the nested piece during storage / transportation. The housing for holding a nested piece with a syringe stop typically includes sidewalls with a stepped construction, wherein horizontally oriented ledges or support surfaces are formed on the sidewalls between the bottom wall and the top opening of the housing, where the ledges or support surfaces support the nested piece within the housing. That is, the ledges or support surfaces formed on the inner surface of the sidewalls support the periphery of the support plate of the bottommost nested piece held within the housing. However, due to design constraints and the need to accommodate various designs of nested pieces (e.g., nested pieces with 100 and 160 chimneys), the width of the ledges or support surfaces must be limited, providing only a very narrow support surface on which the support plates of one or more nested pieces can rest. Such a narrow protrusion or support surface may cause increased deflection of the bottommost nesting part, which may lead to problems on the customer side regarding the insertion / removal of the stop from the chimney-like part of the nesting part.

[0007] As another example, for a nest configured to hold a syringe stop within it, the housing used to hold such a nest is prone to deformation after prolonged use. That is, compared to a housing designed to hold a syringe barrel, the housing for a stop-holding nest holds the nest to a lower protrusion formed on the housing sidewall. This overall design results in a housing with height-increased sidewalls, which are more prone to deflection over time due to stress relaxation after prolonged use (i.e., the "box effect"). This deflection of the housing sidewalls due to stress relaxation can inhibit (e.g., using an automated unloading machine) the removal of one or more nests from the housing, as this deflection can cause contact / friction between one or more nests and the housing during removal.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need in the art for a housing design (for a nested component supporting a syringe stop) that provides additional support for the nested component held therein to prevent unnecessary deflection of the nested component. There is also a need in the art for a housing design (for a nested component supporting a syringe stop) that is more resistant to sidewall deflection and deformation that may occur due to stress relaxation in the sidewalls over a long period, thereby preventing potential problems that may arise from such deflection and deformation when removing the nested component from the housing. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This document provides a housing for holding one or more nested components, each of the one or more nested components including a plurality of chimney-like portions configured to hold a medical component therein. The housing includes: a bottom wall; and a plurality of sidewalls extending upward from the bottom wall and including an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, wherein each of the plurality of sidewalls includes a stepped wall, the stepped wall including a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion, wherein a protrusion is formed between the lower wall portion and the upper wall portion, the protrusion including a horizontal protrusion parallel to the bottom wall. The housing also includes: a top flange formed around the top edge of the plurality of sidewalls; and one or more support members extending upward from the bottom wall, each of the one or more support members having a top surface vertically aligned with or located vertically below the protrusions of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the one or more support members are positioned to support the bottommost of the one or more nested components when the one or more nested components are placed within the housing.

[0010] According to some aspects of this disclosure, the one or more support members include a plurality of steps formed as part of the plurality of sidewalls, each of the plurality of steps extending inwardly from its respective lower wall portion and configured to fit between adjacent chimney-like portions of the bottommost nesting member, wherein the top surface of each of the plurality of steps is vertically aligned with the protrusions of the plurality of sidewalls so as to contact the bottom surface of the support plate of the bottommost nesting member when the bottommost nesting member is placed in the housing.

[0011] According to some aspects of this disclosure, the one or more support members include a plurality of ribs formed as part of the plurality of sidewalls, each of the plurality of ribs extending inward from its respective lower wall portion and configured to fit between adjacent chimney-like portions of the bottommost nesting member, wherein the top surface of each of the plurality of ribs is vertically aligned with the protrusions of the plurality of sidewalls so as to contact the bottom surface of the support plate of the bottommost nesting member when the bottommost nesting member is placed in the housing.

[0012] According to some aspects of this disclosure, the one or more support members include one or more support columns extending upward from the bottom wall, wherein the top surface of each of the one or more support columns is positioned vertically below the protrusions of the plurality of side walls so as to support the lower edges of the plurality of chimney-shaped portions of the bottommost nesting member when the bottommost nesting member is placed in the housing.

[0013] According to some aspects of this disclosure, the one or more support columns include: a first support column positioned adjacent to a first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls; and a second support column positioned adjacent to a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls.

[0014] According to some aspects of this disclosure, the one or more support columns include a single support column positioned centered on the base wall and covering a large portion of the base wall.

[0015] According to some aspects of this disclosure, the one or more support columns include: a first pair of cylindrical support columns spaced apart from a first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls; and a second pair of cylindrical support columns spaced apart from a second sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls opposite to the first sidewall.

[0016] According to some aspects of this disclosure, the protrusion extends outward from the top edge of the lower wall portion to the bottom edge of the upper wall portion, and wherein the protrusion is configured to support a support plate for the bottommost of the one or more nested members held in the housing.

[0017] According to some aspects of this disclosure, each of the plurality of sidewalls includes one or more guide features extending upward from the protrusion thereon, wherein each of the one or more guide features defines a protrusion on the inner wall surface and a recess on the outer wall surface.

[0018] This document also provides a packaging system for storing multiple medical components. The packaging system includes one or more nesting members, each of which is configured to hold multiple medical components. Each nesting member includes: a support plate having a top surface and a bottom surface; and a plurality of chimney-like portions formed on the support plate and configured to hold the multiple medical components therein. Each of the plurality of chimney-like portions defines an opening in the support plate and includes a cylindrical wall extending downward from the bottom surface of the support plate, the cylindrical wall having a bottom edge and a top edge connecting to the support plate. The packaging system also includes a box body including: a bottom wall; and a plurality of side walls extending upward from the bottom wall and including an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface. Each of the plurality of side walls includes a stepped wall, the stepped wall including a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion, wherein a protrusion is formed between the lower wall portion and the upper wall portion, the protrusion including a horizontal protrusion parallel to the bottom wall. The box body also includes a top flange formed around the top edges of the plurality of sidewalls; and one or more support members extending upward from the bottom wall, each of the one or more support members having a top surface vertically aligned with or located vertically below the protrusions of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the one or more support members are positioned to support the bottommost of the one or more nesting members when the one or more nesting members are placed within the box body. The packaging system also includes a sealing cap applied over the box body and connected to the top flange.

[0019] According to some aspects of this disclosure, the top surface of each of the one or more support members is vertically aligned with the protrusions of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the one or more support members are configured to fit between adjacent chimney-like portions of the bottommost nest and to contact the bottom surface of the support plate of the bottommost nest when the bottommost nest is placed in the housing.

[0020] According to some aspects of this disclosure, the top surface of each of the one or more support members is positioned vertically below the protrusions of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the one or more support members are configured to contact the bottom edges of the plurality of chimney-shaped portions of the bottommost nesting member when the bottommost nesting member is placed in the housing.

[0021] This document also provides a housing for holding one or more nested components, each of the one or more nested components configured to hold multiple medical parts. The housing includes: a bottom wall; and a plurality of sidewalls extending upward from the bottom wall and including an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, wherein each of the plurality of sidewalls includes a stepped wall comprising a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion, wherein a horizontally oriented nested ledge is formed between the lower wall portion and the upper wall portion, the nested ledge being configured to support the lowest nested component of the one or more nested components. The housing also includes a top flange formed around the top edge of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the top flange defines an upper opening of the housing. The upper wall portion of each of the plurality of sidewalls includes a reinforcing band formed on the inner wall surface of the sidewall, the reinforcing band being configured to resist inward bending of the respective sidewall.

[0022] According to some aspects of this disclosure, the upper wall portion includes: a stepped wall comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the reinforcing band includes a reinforcing protrusion formed between the first portion and the second portion.

[0023] According to some aspects of this disclosure, the reinforcing protrusion on each of the plurality of sidewalls includes a tapered protrusion having a variable width along the length of the respective sidewall.

[0024] According to some aspects of this disclosure, each of the plurality of sidewalls includes one or more guide features extending upward from the nested protrusion thereon, wherein each of the one or more guide features defines a protrusion on the inner wall surface and a recess on the outer wall surface, and wherein one or more guide features on each first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls intersect with the reinforcing band formed on the sidewall.

[0025] This document also provides a housing for holding one or more nested components, each of the one or more nested components configured to hold multiple medical parts. The housing includes: a bottom wall; and a plurality of sidewalls extending upward from the bottom wall and including an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, wherein each of the plurality of sidewalls includes a stepped wall comprising a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion, wherein a horizontally oriented nesting protrusion is formed between the lower wall portion and the upper wall portion, the nesting protrusion being configured to support the lowest nested component of the one or more nested components. The housing also includes a top flange formed around the top edge of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the top flange defines an upper opening of the housing. The top flange includes a vertically oriented lip formed around its outer edge, the vertically oriented lip extending downward from the outer edge back to the bottom wall, wherein the top flange and the vertically oriented lip increase the stiffness of the plurality of sidewalls, causing the plurality of sidewalls to resist inward bending.

[0026] This document also provides a housing for holding one or more nested components, each of the one or more nested components configured to hold multiple medical parts. The housing includes: a bottom wall; and a plurality of sidewalls extending upward from the bottom wall and including an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, wherein each of the plurality of sidewalls includes a stepped wall comprising a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion, wherein a horizontally oriented nesting protrusion is formed between the lower wall portion and the upper wall portion, the nesting protrusion being configured to support the lowest nested component of the one or more nested components. The housing also includes a top flange formed around the top edge of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the top flange defines an upper opening of the housing. The thickness of each of the plurality of sidewalls is greater than the thickness of the bottom wall, such that the plurality of sidewalls resist inward bending.

[0027] According to some aspects of this disclosure, each of the plurality of sidewalls includes one or more guide features extending upward from the nested protrusion thereon, wherein each of the one or more guide features defines a protrusion on the inner wall surface and a recess on the outer wall surface; and wherein the thickness of each of the plurality of sidewalls increases at the location of the protrusion of the guide feature, increases at a location other than the protrusion of the guide feature, or increases both at the location of the protrusion of the guide feature and at a location other than the protrusion of the guide feature, such that the plurality of sidewalls can have a varying thickness or a constant thickness.

[0028] According to some aspects of this disclosure, the thickness of the top flange is greater than the thickness of the bottom wall and equal to the thickness of each of the plurality of sidewalls. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 A perspective view of a packaging system for storing and transporting multiple medical components according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the packaging system; Figure 3 The embodiments of this disclosure may include, in Figure 1 A top-view perspective view of the box in the packaging system; Figure 4 for Figure 3 A three-dimensional view of the box from below; Figure 5 For along Figure 4 The cross-sectional view taken from line 5-5 shows the bottommost nested piece held in place within the box. Figure 6 The embodiments of this disclosure may include, in Figure 1 A top-view perspective view of the box in the packaging system; Figure 7 for Figure 6 A three-dimensional view of the box from below; Figure 8 The embodiments of this disclosure may include, in Figure 1 A top-view perspective view of the box in the packaging system; Figure 9 for Figure 8 A three-dimensional view of the box from below; Figure 10 The embodiments of this disclosure may include, in Figure 1 A top-view perspective view of the box in the packaging system; Figure 11 for Figure 10 A three-dimensional view of the box from below; Figure 12 The embodiments of this disclosure may include, in Figure 1 A top view of the box in the packaging system; Figure 13 for Figure 12 A detailed perspective view of a portion of the box; Figure 14 It shows Figure 13 This part of the box, in which the bottommost nesting piece is held in place within the box; Figure 15 The embodiments of this disclosure may include, in Figure 1 A top view of the box in the packaging system; Figure 16 for Figure 15 A detailed perspective view of a portion of the box; Figure 17 It shows Figure 16 This part of the box, in which the bottommost nesting piece is held in place within the box; Figure 18 The embodiments of this disclosure may include, in Figure 1 A top-view perspective view of the box in the packaging system; Figure 19 for Figure 18 A three-dimensional view of the box from below; Figure 20 The embodiments of this disclosure may include, in Figure 1 A top-view perspective view of the box in the packaging system; Figure 21 for Figure 20 A three-dimensional view of the box from below; Figure 22 The embodiments of this disclosure may include, in Figure 1 A top-view perspective view of the box in the packaging system; Figure 23 for Figure 22 A detailed perspective view of a portion of the box; Figure 24 The embodiments of this disclosure may include, in Figure 1 A top-view perspective view of the box in the packaging system; Figure 25 The embodiments of this disclosure may include, in Figure 1 A top-view perspective view of the box in the packaging system; Figure 26 The embodiments of this disclosure may include, in Figure 1 A top-view perspective view of the box in the packaging system; and Figure 27 The embodiments of this disclosure may include, in Figure 1 A top-view perspective view of the box in the packaging system. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The following description is provided to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the described embodiments intended for carrying out the invention. However, various modifications, equivalents, variations, and substitutions will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Any and all of these modifications, variations, equivalents, and substitutions are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0031] In the following text, for descriptive purposes, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “lateral,” “longitudinal,” and their derivatives shall be used in connection with the present invention as oriented as shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the invention may employ various alternative variations unless explicitly stated otherwise. It should also be understood that the specific devices shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification are merely exemplary embodiments of the invention. Therefore, specific dimensions and other physical features associated with the embodiments disclosed herein should not be considered limiting.

[0032] Various aspects and embodiments of this disclosure relate to housings for transporting multiple nested components and the medical containers or parts thereby held in place. The housings are designed to allow for nested stacking of multiple empty housings during transport while minimizing the possibility of housing deformation due to such nested stacking.

[0033] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2A non-limiting embodiment of a packaging system 10 is shown, which can be used to package and transport a variety of medical components. The packaging system 10 includes a container or box body 12 in which a plurality of nesting pieces 14 can be housed, each nesting piece 14 holding a plurality of medical components therein. In the illustrated embodiment, each of these nesting pieces 14 is configured to hold a plurality of stops 16 therein, which, as is known in the art, can be used for syringe containers (e.g., pre-filled syringes); however, it should be appreciated that the nesting pieces 14 can alternatively hold other medical containers or components therein. The packaging system 10 also includes a sealing cap 18, which can be applied to the box body 12 after the nesting pieces 14 are packaged in the box body 12 to provide a sterile environment for storing and transporting the stops 16.

[0034] An exemplary nesting member 14 that can be held in the housing 12 Figure 2 As shown in the diagram. Each of these nesting elements 14 includes a support plate 20 having a first or upper surface 22, a second or lower surface 24, and a peripheral edge 26 extending around the support plate 20 between the upper surface 22 and the lower surface 24. In some examples, the periphery of the support plate 20 is substantially rectangular, having a longitudinal side 28 and a transverse side 30. In some embodiments, the longitudinal side 26 may be longer than the transverse side 30. In other embodiments, the support plate 20 may be square, in which case the longitudinal side 28 and the transverse side 30 have the same length.

[0035] The nesting member 14 also includes a tubular wall, member, or ridge (hereinafter referred to as "chimney portion 32") projecting outwardly and downward from a plane defined by the upper surface 22 of the support plate 20. Each chimney portion 32 may include a cylindrical wall 34 defining a receiving portion configured to receive a stop member 16 therein, wherein the receiving portion is sized to secure the entire stop member 16. The receiving portion 36 includes a top opening at the top end of the chimney portion 32 and a bottom opening at the bottom end of the chimney portion 32. Figure 2 As shown, according to some aspects of this disclosure, the nesting member 14 may be configured to include 100 chimney-shaped portions 32 loaded with stops 16 for use with 1-3 mL syringes. Alternatively, the nesting member 14 may be configured to include 160 chimney-shaped portions 32 loaded with stops 16 for use with 1 mlL syringes, or to include other numbers of chimney-shaped portions 32 depending on the size of the stops 16 held in the chimney-shaped portions.

[0036] In some embodiments, the nest 14 may also include intermediate finger-shaped notches 36 located on opposite longitudinal sides 28 (or transverse sides 30) of the plate 20, wherein each of these finger-shaped notches 36 includes a defining wall 38. The finger-shaped notches 36 allow a user's fingers to be inserted through them for gripping the nest 14, and the defining walls 38 provide an increased contact surface for these fingers.

[0037] Now for reference Figures 3 to 5 According to one embodiment of this disclosure, a box body 12a that may be included in the packaging system 10 is shown and described in more detail. The box body 12a is formed from a single-piece molded plastic material (e.g., an injection-molded polystyrene box) and includes a plurality of sidewalls 40 extending upward from a bottom wall 42 defining the base of the box body 12a. Each of these sidewalls 40 may be configured as an angled sidewall that does not extend precisely vertically from the bottom wall 42, but rather extends upward from the bottom wall 42 at an angle. The internal volume of the box body 12a is hollow and is defined by the inner surface 44 of the bottom wall 42 and the inner surface 46 of the sidewalls 40.

[0038] Opposite to the bottom wall 42, the housing 12a is open, allowing the nesting member 12 to be inserted into the housing. A top flange 48 may be provided at the top of the side wall 40 opposite to the location of the bottom wall 42. The top flange 48 is configured to allow the sealing cap 18 (after one or more nesting members 12, including the stop member 14, have been placed in the housing 12a) to be sealed. Figure 1 and Figure 2 It is connected to the top flange.

[0039] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, each of these sidewalls 40 may have a stepped configuration that defines a (nested) protrusion 50 positioned between a lower sidewall portion 52 and an upper sidewall portion 54 of each sidewall 40. The upper sidewall portion 54 is offset outward from the lower sidewall portion 52 such that the internal opening 56 defined by the periphery of the protrusion 50 has a smaller area than the opening 58 defined by the flange 48 of the housing 12a. In use of the housing 12a, the protrusion 50 provides a horizontal surface configured to support the bottommost nested member 14. Figure 5 The plate 20 is arranged such that when the plate 20 is disposed in the housing 12a, the lower surface 24 of the plate 20 is disposed on the protrusion 50. Although the protrusion 50 is shown as extending continuously around the periphery of the inner surface 46 of the sidewall 40, it should be understood that the protrusion 50 may also be formed discontinuously around the periphery of the inner surface 46 of the sidewall 40.

[0040] According to various aspects of this disclosure, the housing 12a includes a plurality of features located therein that allow the housing 12a to be stacked with another housing having the same construction. Specifically, the housing 12a includes features located thereon that allow the stacking of multiple housings 12a when the housings are in an empty state (i.e., when not in use), for example when the housings 12a are transported from the factory where they are manufactured to the location where they will be loaded with the nesting piece 14. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, at least some of the sidewalls 40 include guide features 60 thereon that allow the multiple housings 12a to align and engage when it is desired to stack them together. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the first opposing lateral sidewalls 40a is shown as including two guide features 60 thereon, wherein these guide features 60 are aligned in the same position on each of the lateral sidewalls 40a, while the second opposing lateral sidewalls 40b are shown as each including a single guide feature, wherein these guide features 60 are offset from each other on the opposing lateral sidewalls 40b. The guide features 60 are formed to appear as protrusions 62 extending inwardly from the inner surface 46 of the sidewall 40 and as recesses 64 recessed inwardly into the outer surface 66 of the sidewall 40. Each guide feature 60 extends vertically upward from its bottom end 68, which is connected to the protrusion 50, to its top end 70, which is vertically aligned with the top flange 48 (and opening 58) at the top of the sidewall 40.

[0041] According to various aspects of this disclosure, the housing 12a also includes one or more support members located thereon, which provide additional support for the bottommost nested member 12 when the nested member is placed within the housing 12a. That is, it can be appreciated that the protrusion 50 may provide only limited support to the bottommost nested member 14 held within the housing 12a, because the chimney-like portions 32 of the nested member extend almost to the edges of the support plate 20 at least on both sides (i.e., the lateral sides 30), leaving little space for the support plate 20 to rest along these sides on the protrusion 50. To address the lack of support provided by the protrusion 50, support members are provided in the housing 12a that may engage the lower surface 24 of the support plate 20 or the bottom edges 72 of the plurality of chimney-like portions 32 of the bottommost nested member 14. The additional support provided by the support members to the bottommost nest 14 can prevent the nest 14 from deflecting or bending downwards, which could occur if the nest is not properly supported in the housing 12a.

[0042] exist Figures 3 to 5In one embodiment, the support members are configured as a first support post 74 and a second support post 74, which are formed on or near a pair of opposing sidewalls 40 of the housing 12a, specifically on or near the lower sidewall portion 52 of the sidewalls 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the support post 74 is formed on / near a second opposing lateral sidewall 40b, where the lateral side 30 of one or more nesting members 14 is positioned when placed within the housing 12a, wherein it should be appreciated that the protrusion 50 provides less support along the lateral side 30 to the bottommost nesting member 14. Each of these support posts 74 may have a generally box-shaped profile, wherein the support post 74 extends upward from the bottom wall 42 to a flat top surface 76. The height of the support post 74 is such that its top surface 76 is vertically below the protrusion 50 formed on the sidewall 40. With the support posts 74 configured such that the top surface 76 of the support posts 74 is positioned to engage the bottom edges 72 of the plurality of chimney-shaped portions 32 of the bottommost nested member 14 when the nested member is placed inside the housing 12a and on the protrusions 50 of the sidewall 40. Each of these support posts 74 may be sized to contact the plurality of chimney-shaped portions 32, for example, three (3) to five (5) chimney-shaped portions 32, as a non-limiting example.

[0043] With the protrusion 50 of the housing 12a providing some support to the lower surface 24 of the support plate 20 of the bottommost nested member 14, and the support column 74 providing additional support to the lower sides of the multiple chimney-shaped portions 32 of the bottommost nested member 14, the nested member is configured to have multiple points / multiple types of support within the housing 12a. With this support, even when the bottommost nested member 14 is equipped with a stop and additional nested members are mounted on top of the bottommost nested member 14, undesirable downward deflection / bending of the bottommost nested member 14 can be prevented.

[0044] Although Figures 3 to 5 A first support column and a second support column 74 of a specific size and located at a specific position in the housing 12a are shown, but it should be understood that the structure and / or number of support columns may vary according to other embodiments. Figures 6 to 11 An additional embodiment of support columns is shown, which may be included in the housing to provide support for the bottommost nested member 14 mounted in the housing.

[0045] refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7The illustration shows a housing 12b comprising support members configured as a first support post 80 and a second support post 80, formed on or near a pair of opposing sidewalls 40 of the housing, specifically on or near the lower sidewall portion 52. In the illustrated embodiment, the support post 80 is formed on / near the second opposing lateral sidewall 40b, where the lateral side 30 of one or more nesting members 14 is positioned within the housing 12b, wherein it should be appreciated that the protrusion 50 provides less support along the lateral side 30 towards the bottommost nesting member 14. Similar to... Figures 3 to 5 The support columns 74, each of the support columns 80 may have a generally box-shaped profile, wherein the support column 80 extends upward from the bottom wall 42 to a flat top surface 82, and the height of the support column 80 positions the top surface 82 vertically below the protrusion 50 formed on the side wall 40, such that the top surface 82 of the support column 80 is positioned to engage the plurality of chimney-shaped portions 32 of the bottommost nesting member when the nesting member is placed inside the box 12b and on the protrusion 50 of the side wall 40. Figure 2 The bottom edge of ) is 72. However, Figure 6 and Figure 7 The support columns are elongated in the horizontal direction, thus presenting a large top surface supporting the bottommost nested member, wherein the top surface of the support column is sized to extend beyond half the length of the nested member. Thus, as a non-limiting example, each of these support columns may be sized to contact the bottom ends of five (5) to ten (10) chimney-shaped portions 32 of the nested member 14.

[0046] refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9 The diagram shows a housing 12c, which includes support members configured as a plurality of cylindrical support posts 84 spaced apart on a bottom wall 42. Specifically, a first pair of cylindrical support posts 84a is provided, generally positioned spaced apart from one sidewall (of the second opposing lateral sidewall 40b), and a second pair of cylindrical support posts 84b is provided, generally positioned spaced apart from opposing sidewalls (of the second opposing lateral sidewall 40b). Each of these cylindrical support posts 84 extends upward from the bottom wall 42 to a flat top surface 86 and has a height that positions the top surface 86 vertically below a protrusion 50 formed on the sidewall 40, such that the top surface 86 of the cylindrical support post 84 is positioned to engage the bottommost nesting member 14 when the nesting member is placed within the housing 12c and on the protrusion 50 of the sidewall 40. Figure 2The bottom edge 72 of a plurality of chimney-shaped portions 32. In some embodiments, cylindrical support posts 84 may be positioned such that each support post 84 is centered between a plurality of adjacent chimney-shaped portions 32 of the nesting member 14. Thus, for example, each cylindrical support post 84 may be centered between a group of four (4) adjacent chimney-shaped portions 32 (when the chimney-shaped portions 32 are arranged in a linear array on the nesting member 14), or may be centered between a group of three (3) adjacent chimney-shaped portions 32 (when the chimney-shaped portions 32 are arranged in a hexagonal array on the nesting member 14).

[0047] refer to Figure 10 and Figure 11 The image shows a housing 12d, which includes a support member configured as a single central support post 88, the outline of which is generally box-shaped. The central support post 88 extends upward from the bottom wall 42 to a flat top surface 90, wherein the height of the central support post 88 positions the top surface 90 vertically below a protrusion 50 formed on the side wall 40, such that the top surface 90 of the central support post 88 is positioned to engage the bottommost nesting member 14 when the nesting member is placed within the housing 12d and on the protrusion 50 of the side wall 40. Figure 2 The bottom edges 72 of the plurality of chimney-shaped portions 32 of the nest 14. In some embodiments, the central support post 88 may be sized to contact the bottom edges 72 of most of the chimney-shaped portions 32 of the nest 14 (including all chimney-shaped portions 32 located in the central region of the nest 14), the central region of the nest being provided with minimal support due to the engagement between the protrusion 50 and the edge of the support plate 20 of the nest 14.

[0048] Now for reference Figures 12 to 17 And continue to refer to Figure 2 Additional housing embodiments are provided, which include support members that can engage with the lower surface 24 of the support plate 20 of the bottommost nest 14. The additional support provided by the support members to the bottommost nest 14 prevents the nest 14 from deflecting or bending downwards, which could occur if the nest is not properly supported in the housing 12.

[0049] First refer to Figures 12 to 14The diagram shows a housing 12e, which includes support members configured as a plurality of steps 92 formed as part of a lower sidewall portion 52 on at least some of the sidewalls 40. In some embodiments, an arrangement of three (3) steps 92 is provided on the lower sidewall portion 52 of the first sidewall (of the second opposing lateral sidewall 40b) and on the lower sidewall portion 52 of the second sidewall (of the second opposing lateral sidewall 40b) opposite the first sidewall, wherein when one or more nesting members 14 are placed within the housing 12a, the lateral sides 30 of the one or more nesting members 14 are positioned on the second sidewall, and it will be appreciated that the protrusions 50 provide less support along the lateral sides 30 toward the bottommost nesting member 14.

[0050] Each of the plurality of steps 92 may have a structure somewhat similar to that of the protrusion 62 of the guiding feature, wherein the step 92 has a vertically elongated structure. The step 92 extends inwardly from the inner surface 46 of the lower sidewall portion 52 to extend into the volume defined by the lower wall portion 52 and the bottom wall 42. The step 92 extends vertically upward from the bottom wall 42 to a top surface 94, which is positioned at the same height as the protrusion 50, i.e., the top surface 94 of the step 92 is vertically aligned with the protrusion 50. With the step 92 configured in this way, the top surface 94 of the step 92 is positioned to engage the lower surface 24 of the support plate 20 of the bottommost nested member 14 when the nested member is placed within the housing 12e and on the protrusion 50 of the sidewall 40. The top surface 94 of each of these steps 92 may be sized such that it can fit between adjacent chimney-shaped portions 32 of the nested member 14 to contact the lower surface 24 of the support plate 20 of the bottommost nested member 14.

[0051] With the protrusion 50 of the housing 12e providing some support to the lower surface 24 of the support plate 20 of the bottommost nested member 14, and the step 92 providing additional support to the lower surface 24 of the support plate 20 of the bottommost nested member 14, the nested member is configured to have multiple points / multiple types of support within the housing 12e. With this support, even when the bottommost nested member 14 is equipped with a stop and an additional nested member is mounted on top of the bottommost nested member 14, undesirable downward deflection / bending of the bottommost nested member 14 can be prevented.

[0052] Now for reference Figures 15 to 17 The image shows a housing 12f, which includes a plurality of support members configured as a plurality of ribs 96, which are formed as part of at least some of the lower sidewall portions 52 of the sidewall 40. Similar to... Figure 12 and Figure 13In the embodiment, the step 92 is provided on the box body 12e, and the arrangement of three (3) ribs 96 can be provided on the lower side wall portion 52 of the first side wall (of the second opposite lateral side wall 40b), and the arrangement of three (3) ribs 96 can be provided on the lower side wall portion 52 of the second side wall (of the second opposite lateral side wall 40b) opposite to the first side wall.

[0053] Each of these 96 ribs can have the same... Figures 12 to 14 In the embodiment, the structure of the step 92 provided on the box body is somewhat similar, except that the profile of the rib 96 is thinner / narrower than that of the step 92. The rib 96 extends inward from the inner surface 46 of the lower sidewall portion 52 to extend into the volume defined by the lower wall portion 52 and the bottom wall 42. The rib 96 extends vertically upward from the bottom wall 42 to the top surface 98, which is positioned at the same height as the protrusion 50, i.e., the top surface 98 of the rib 96 is vertically aligned with the protrusion 50. With the rib 96 configured in this way, the top surface 98 of the rib 86 is positioned to engage the lower surface 24 of the support plate 20 of the bottommost nest 14 when the nest is placed inside the box body 12f and on the protrusion 50 of the sidewall 40. The top surface 9 of each of these ribs 96 can be sized so that it can fit between adjacent chimney-shaped portions 32 of the nest 14 to contact the lower surface 24 of the support plate 20 of the bottommost nest 14 and provide support to the bottommost nest. With the use of rib 96 to provide this support, even when the bottommost nest 14 is equipped with a stop and an additional nest is loaded on top of the bottommost nest 14, the bottommost nest 14 is prevented from deflecting / bending downward by an undesirable amount.

[0054] Now for reference Figures 18 to 27 According to other aspects of this disclosure, housings 12 may be provided that include features thereon that make their sidewalls 40 more resistant to deformation or deflection that may occur after prolonged use. That is, housings 12 may include features thereon that make their sidewalls 40 more resistant to inward bending or deflection of the "box effect" type, which may result from stress relaxation of the sidewalls 40, wherein it should be recognized that injection-molded housings may undergo such stress relaxation as the housing ages. As described in further detail below, housings 12 may include various features to resist such inward bending or deflection of the sidewalls 40.

[0055] First refer to Figure 18 and Figure 19A box body 12g according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The structure of box body 12g is substantially similar to that of boxes 12a to 12f, and therefore common features among these boxes are numbered the same. Typically, box body 12g includes sidewalls 40, a bottom wall 42, and a top flange 48, wherein the sidewalls 40 have a stepped configuration defining a protrusion 50 positioned between a lower sidewall portion 52 and an upper sidewall portion 54 of each sidewall 40. Box body 12g also includes guide features 60 thereon, which provide alignment and engagement of the plurality of boxes when it is desired to stack them together. In the illustrated embodiment, both the first opposing lateral sidewalls 40a and the second opposing lateral sidewalls 40b are shown to include guide features 60, wherein the first opposing lateral sidewalls 40a include two guide features 60 thereon, and the second opposing lateral sidewalls 40b include a single guide feature thereon. As described above, the guide feature 60 is formed to appear as a protrusion 62 extending inward from the inner surface 46 of the sidewall 40, and to appear as a recess 64 recessed inward into the outer surface 66 of the sidewall 40.

[0056] According to various aspects of this disclosure, the housing 12g also includes a reinforcing band 100 located thereon, which is formed on the inner surface 46 of the sidewall 40—on the upper sidewall portion 54 of each sidewall 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the reinforcing band 100 is configured as a shelf or protrusion 102 (“reinforcing protrusion”) formed on the upper sidewall portion 54 of each sidewall 40. That is, the upper sidewall portion 54 may be formed with a stepped configuration, wherein the upper sidewall portion 54 has a lower first portion 104 and an upper second portion 106 separated by the reinforcing protrusion 102. The reinforcing protrusion 102 may have a horizontal (or substantially horizontal) orientation, and the protrusion 102 extends outwardly from the upper edge of the second portion 106 to the lower edge of the first wall portion 104 of the upper sidewall portion 54. The reinforcing protrusion 102 can have a constant and typically narrow width, such as a few millimeters, which does not significantly increase the size of the opening 58 of the housing 12g, but is sufficient to increase the rigidity of the upper sidewall portion 54 of the sidewall 40. With the increased rigidity provided by the reinforcing protrusion 102, the sidewall 40 is made more resistant to inward bending that may be caused by stress relaxation of the injection-molded housing 12g.

[0057] Now for reference Figure 20 and Figure 21According to another embodiment of this disclosure, a housing 12h is shown, wherein the housing 12h also includes a reinforcing band 108 formed on the inner surface 46 of the sidewall 40. The reinforcing band 108 is also configured as a reinforcing protrusion 110 formed on the upper sidewall portion 54 of each sidewall 40. However, compared to the reinforcing protrusion 102 with a constant width provided on the housing 12h, the reinforcing protrusion 110 in the housing 12h is formed as a “gradient protrusion” with a variable width along the length of each sidewall 40. As a non-limiting example, for the reinforcing protrusion 110 provided on each first opposing lateral sidewall 40a, the reinforcing protrusion 110 has an increasing width along the length of the sidewall 40a, which lies between the guide features 60 provided on the sidewall 40a, wherein the thickest width of the reinforcing protrusion 110 is provided at the (horizontal) midpoint of the sidewall 40a. The width of the reinforcing protrusion 110 gradually narrows towards the corners of the housing 12h at each end of the sidewall 40. The gradient reinforcing protrusion 110 is also used to increase the stiffness of the sidewall 40, making the sidewall 40 more resistant to inward bending that may be caused by stress relaxation of the injection-molded box body 12h.

[0058] Now for reference Figure 22 and Figure 23 The diagram illustrates a housing 12i according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. To enhance the resistance of the sidewalls 40 of the housing to deformation or deflection, the top flange 48 of the housing 12i is configured to increase the stiffness of the sidewalls 40. Specifically, the top flange 48 includes a vertically oriented lip 112 formed around its outer edge, wherein the lip 112 extends downward from the horizontal top surface of the flange back to the bottom wall 42. The lip 112 is formed around the entire periphery of the top flange 48, such that the lip 112 is provided as a single, continuous structure. The vertically oriented lip 112 formed on the top flange 48 serves to increase the stiffness of the plurality of sidewalls 40 and to make these sidewalls more resistant to inward bending that may be caused by stress relaxation of the injection-molded housing 12i.

[0059] Now for reference Figures 24 to 27 The diagram illustrates housings 12j and 12k according to an additional embodiment of the present disclosure. Unlike housings 12h and 12i, housings 12j and 12k do not include unique features that make their sidewalls 40 more resistant to deformation or flexure; instead, they are configured to inherently provide enhanced resistance to deformation or flexure of the sidewalls 40. That is, the sidewalls 40 of housings 12h and 12i are formed with increased thickness, which makes the sidewalls 40 more resistant to deformation or flexure.

[0060] First see Figure 24 and Figure 25Compared to housings 12a to 12i, housing 12j is formed such that the thickness of its sidewall 40 is increased, wherein the sidewall 40 is also formed such that its thickness is greater than the thickness of the bottom wall 42. In some embodiments, as a non-limiting example, the thickness of the sidewall 40 may be increased by 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm. In some embodiments, such as Figure 24 As shown, additional material added to the sidewall 40 (to increase its thickness) can be added to the inner surface 46 of the sidewall 40 (thus reducing the size of the opening 58 of the housing 12j). In other embodiments, such as Figure 25 As shown, additional material added to the sidewall 40 (to increase its thickness) can be added to the outer surface 66 of the sidewall 40.

[0061] According to various aspects of this disclosure, the thickness of the sidewall 40 may be increased throughout the entire sidewall 40, or may be increased at all locations except where the guide feature 60 is present. In some embodiments, the thickness of the top flange 48 may be increased together with the thickness of the sidewall 40. The thickness of the top flange 48 may be increased by the same amount as the thickness of the sidewall 40. As the thickness of the sidewall 40 (and the top flange 48) increases, the sidewall 40 of the housing 12j can be manufactured to be more resistant to inward bending that may be caused by stress relaxation of the injection-molded housing 12j.

[0062] Now for reference Figure 26 and Figure 27 A housing 12k is provided, wherein the sidewalls 40 are formed with a variable, increasing thickness, making the sidewalls 40 more resistant to deformation or deflection. That is, compared to the sidewalls 40 of housing 12j (whose sidewall thickness increases along the entire sidewall (optionally, except for guide feature 60)), the sidewalls 40 of housing 12k are formed with a variable “gradual thickness.” As an example, the thickness of each sidewall 40 can increase by a maximum amount at / near its horizontal midpoint, and then gradually decrease as the sidewalls 48 extend toward the corners of housing 12k. In some embodiments, such as Figure 26 As shown, additional material added to the sidewall 40 (to increase its thickness) can be added to the inner surface 46 of the sidewall 40 (thus reducing the size of the opening 58 of the housing 12k). In other embodiments, such as Figure 27 As shown, additional material added to the sidewall 40 (to increase its thickness) can be added to the outer surface 66 of the sidewall 40. As the thickness of the sidewall 40 increases—with greater increases at desired locations—the sidewall 40 of the housing 12k can be made more resistant to inward bending that may be caused by stress relaxation of the injection-molded housing 12k.

[0063] Advantageously, embodiments of the present invention provide a housing for transporting multiple nested elements and medical components (e.g., stops) thereby held therein. The housing is designed to provide additional support for the nested elements held therein, thereby preventing undesirable deflection of the nested elements. The housing is also designed to have enhanced resistance to sidewall deflection and deformation that may occur due to stress relaxation in the posterior sidewalls over time, thereby preventing potential problems that may arise from such deflection and deformation when removing the nested elements from the housing.

[0064] Although this disclosure has been described in detail for illustrative purposes based on embodiments or aspects currently considered most practical and preferred, it should be understood that such detailed description is for that purpose only, and this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments or aspects. Rather, this disclosure is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it should be understood that this disclosure contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any embodiment may be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment.

Claims

1. A housing for holding one or more nested components, each of the one or more nested components including a plurality of chimney-like portions configured to hold a medical component therein, the housing comprising: bottom wall; A plurality of sidewalls extending upward from the bottom wall and including an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, wherein each of the plurality of sidewalls includes a stepped wall, the stepped wall including a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion, wherein a protrusion is formed between the lower wall portion and the upper wall portion, the protrusion including a horizontal protrusion parallel to the bottom wall; A top flange formed around the top edge of the plurality of sidewalls; and One or more support members extending upward from the bottom wall, each of the one or more support members having a top surface vertically aligned with or located below the protrusions of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the one or more support members are positioned to support the bottommost of the one or more nesting members when the one or more nesting members are placed in the box.

2. The box body according to claim 1, wherein, The one or more support members include a plurality of steps formed as part of the plurality of sidewalls, each of the plurality of steps extending inward from its respective lower wall portion and configured to fit between adjacent chimney-like portions of the bottommost nesting member, wherein the top surface of each of the plurality of steps is vertically aligned with the protrusions of the plurality of sidewalls so as to contact the bottom surface of the support plate of the bottommost nesting member when the bottommost nesting member is placed in the housing.

3. The box body according to claim 1, wherein, The one or more support members include a plurality of ribs formed as part of the plurality of sidewalls, each of the plurality of ribs extending inward from its respective lower wall portion and configured to fit between adjacent chimney-shaped portions of the bottommost nesting member, wherein the top surface of each of the plurality of ribs is vertically aligned with the protrusions of the plurality of sidewalls so as to contact the bottom surface of the support plate of the bottommost nesting member when the bottommost nesting member is placed in the housing.

4. The box body according to claim 1, wherein, The one or more support members include one or more support columns extending upward from the bottom wall, wherein the top surface of each of the one or more support columns is positioned vertically below the protrusions of the plurality of side walls so as to support the lower edges of the plurality of chimney-shaped portions of the bottommost nesting member when the bottommost nesting member is placed in the housing.

5. The box body according to claim 4, wherein, The one or more support columns include: A first support column positioned adjacent to the first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls; and A second support column is positioned adjacent to the second sidewall that is opposite to the first sidewall among the plurality of sidewalls.

6. The box body according to claim 4, wherein, The one or more support columns include a single support column positioned centered on the bottom wall and covering most of the bottom wall.

7. The housing according to claim 4, wherein, The one or more support columns include: A first pair of cylindrical support columns spaced apart from a first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls; and A second pair of cylindrical support columns spaced apart from the second sidewall that is opposite to the first sidewall among the plurality of sidewalls.

8. The box body according to claim 1, wherein, The protrusion extends outward from the top edge of the lower wall portion to the bottom edge of the upper wall portion, and wherein the protrusion is configured to support a support plate for the bottommost of the one or more nested members held in the housing.

9. The box body according to claim 8, wherein, Each of the plurality of sidewalls includes one or more guide features extending upward from the protrusion thereon, wherein each of the one or more guide features defines a protrusion on the inner wall surface and a recess on the outer wall surface.

10. A packaging system for storing multiple medical components, the packaging system comprising: One or more nested components, each of the one or more nested components being configured to hold a plurality of medical components, each of the one or more nested components comprising: A support plate having a top surface and a bottom surface; and A plurality of chimney-shaped portions are formed on the support plate and configured to hold the plurality of medical components therein. Each of the plurality of chimney-shaped portions defines an opening in the support plate and includes a cylindrical wall extending downward from the bottom surface of the support plate, the cylindrical wall having a bottom edge and a top edge connecting to the support plate. The box body includes: bottom wall; A plurality of sidewalls extending upward from the bottom wall and including an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, wherein each of the plurality of sidewalls includes a stepped wall, the stepped wall including a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion, wherein a protrusion is formed between the lower wall portion and the upper wall portion, the protrusion including a horizontal protrusion parallel to the bottom wall; A top flange formed around the top edge of the plurality of sidewalls; and One or more support members extending upward from the bottom wall, each of the one or more support members having a top surface vertically aligned with or located vertically below the protrusions of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the one or more support members are positioned to support the bottommost of the one or more nested members when the one or more nested members are placed within the housing; and A sealing cap is applied over the housing and connected to the top flange.

11. The packaging system according to claim 10, wherein, The top surface of each of the one or more support members is vertically aligned with the protrusions of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the one or more support members are configured to fit between adjacent chimney-shaped portions of the bottommost nest and to contact the bottom surface of the support plate of the bottommost nest when the bottommost nest is placed in the box.

12. The packaging system according to claim 10, wherein, The top surface of each of the one or more support members is positioned vertically below the protrusions of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the one or more support members are configured to contact the bottom edges of the plurality of chimney-shaped portions of the bottommost nesting member when the bottommost nesting member is placed in the housing.

13. A housing for holding one or more nested pieces, each of the one or more nested pieces being configured to hold a plurality of medical components, the housing comprising: bottom wall; A plurality of sidewalls extending upward from the bottom wall and including an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, wherein each of the plurality of sidewalls includes a stepped wall, the stepped wall including a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion, wherein a horizontally oriented nested protrusion is formed between the lower wall portion and the upper wall portion, the nested protrusion being configured to support the bottommost nested member of the one or more nested members; and A top flange formed around the top edge of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the top flange defines the upper opening of the housing; The upper wall portion of each of the plurality of sidewalls includes a reinforcing strip formed on the inner wall surface of the sidewall, the reinforcing strip being configured to resist inward bending of the respective sidewall.

14. The housing according to claim 12, wherein, The upper wall portion includes: a stepped wall comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the reinforcing band includes a reinforcing protrusion formed between the first portion and the second portion.

15. The housing according to claim 14, wherein, The reinforcing protrusion on each of the plurality of sidewalls includes a tapered protrusion having a variable width along the length of the respective sidewall.

16. The housing according to claim 13, wherein, Each of the plurality of sidewalls includes one or more guide features extending upward from the nested protrusion thereon, wherein each of the one or more guide features defines a protrusion on the inner wall surface and a recess on the outer wall surface, and wherein one or more guide features on each first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls intersect with the reinforcing band formed on the sidewall.

17. A housing for holding one or more nested members, each of the one or more nested members being configured to hold a plurality of medical components, the housing comprising: bottom wall; A plurality of sidewalls extending upward from the bottom wall and including an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, wherein each of the plurality of sidewalls includes a stepped wall, the stepped wall including a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion, wherein a horizontally oriented nested protrusion is formed between the lower wall portion and the upper wall portion, the nested protrusion being configured to support the bottommost nested member of the one or more nested members; and A top flange formed around the top edge of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the top flange defines the upper opening of the housing; The top flange includes a vertically oriented lip formed around its outer edge, the vertically oriented lip extending downward from the outer edge back to the bottom wall, wherein the top flange and the vertically oriented lip increase the stiffness of the plurality of sidewalls, making the plurality of sidewalls resist their inward bending.

18. A housing for holding one or more nested pieces, each of the one or more nested pieces being configured to hold a plurality of medical components, the housing comprising: bottom wall; A plurality of sidewalls extending upward from the bottom wall and including an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, wherein each of the plurality of sidewalls includes a stepped wall, the stepped wall including a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion, wherein a horizontally oriented nested protrusion is formed between the lower wall portion and the upper wall portion, the nested protrusion being configured to support the bottommost nested member of the one or more nested members; as well as A top flange formed around the top edge of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the top flange defines the upper opening of the housing; The thickness of each of the plurality of sidewalls is greater than the thickness of the bottom wall, thereby making the plurality of sidewalls resistant to inward bending.

19. The housing according to claim 18, wherein, Each of the plurality of sidewalls includes one or more guide features extending upward from the nested protrusion thereon, wherein each of the one or more guide features defines a protrusion on the inner wall surface and a recess on the outer wall surface; and The thickness of each of the plurality of sidewalls increases at the location of the protrusion of the guide feature, increases at a location other than the protrusion of the guide feature, or increases both at the location of the protrusion of the guide feature and at a location other than the protrusion of the guide feature, so that the plurality of sidewalls can have a varying thickness or a constant thickness.

20. The housing according to claim 19, wherein, The thickness of the top flange is greater than the thickness of the bottom wall and equal to the thickness of each of the plurality of sidewalls.

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