Closure cap for a medical device suitable for a magnetic handle

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medical devices and in particular to the field of industrial processes requiring the handling of components of medical devices, up to their packaging for the end user. It relates in particular to a closing cap for a medical device, said cap being adapted for magnetic gripping. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A medical device may consist of a container (e.g. a bottle) intended to be filled with a pharmaceutical or chemical product, and a closure cap intended to close said container in a hermetic and secure manner (i.e. ensuring tamper-evident locking until final use). Document FR2598137 shows an example of such a cap.

[0003] The bottle of a medical device, supplied to a laboratory, usually enters an industrial filling line before being closed and locked by the closing cap. The bottles (respectively the caps) are delivered in batches, in dedicated, sterile containers, in which the bottles (respectively the caps) are conventionally held by trays, as is for example the case in document EP2753550.

[0004] The handling of bottles and caps in the filling line is carried out by mechanical gripping (gripper) or more often by suction (suction nozzle) because the latter option is less likely to scratch or damage the elements.

[0005] Suction systems, particularly for handling caps, nevertheless have the disadvantage of sucking up potential chemical, or even toxic, vapors released by the product introduced into the bottles, before they are closed: there is therefore a risk that these vapors are then released in an uncontrolled manner at the outlet of said suction systems. SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention aims to remedy, in whole or in part, the aforementioned drawback. The invention relates to a closing cap for a medical device of the bottle type, allowing the hermetic closing of the bottle filled with pharmaceutical or chemical product, and its locking, the closing cap being adapted to magnetic gripping, in particular in industrial lines for filling with pharmaceutical or chemical product. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The invention relates to a closure cap for a vial-type medical device, comprising: an elastomeric stopper intended to be inserted into a neck of a bottle after it has been filled with a pharmaceutical or chemical product, a plastic locking cap surrounding the stopper and intended to lock under a collar of the bottle when the stopper is inserted into the neck, the locking cap comprising, at an upper part, a capsule, a magnetic material integrated in whole or in part in the capsule, and in which: the capsule is formed of a plastic material and a part, formed in the magnetic material, is completely or partially encapsulated in the plastic material of said capsule, or the capsule is formed of a plastic material loaded with particles consisting of the magnetic material.

[0008] According to other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the invention, taken alone or in any technically feasible combination: the magnetic material forms a permanent magnet, in particular a neodymium-iron-boron NdFeB magnet or a ferrite magnet; the magnetic material is ferromagnetic, chosen in particular from iron, cobalt, nickel, or alloys containing them; the magnetic material is ferrimagnetic, chosen in particular from garnet or spinel ferrites; the locking cap comprises, at an upper part, a capsule, and the magnetic material is integral with or integrated in whole or in part in said capsule; the capsule is formed of a plastic material, and a part formed in the magnetic material is glued to one face of said capsule or inserted by force into a housing provided on one face of said capsule; the capsule is formed of a plastic material, and a part, formed in the magnetic material, is encapsulated in the plastic material of said capsule;the capsule is formed from a plastic material loaded with particles made of the magnetic material. ;

[0009] The invention also relates to a set of closure caps as above, said caps being arranged in a packaging container comprising at least one tray defining a plurality of housings, each closure cap being placed in a housing so that the magnetic material is capable of cooperating with a magnetic gripping tool.

[0010] The invention finally relates to a medical device comprising: a closure cap as mentioned above, and a bottle filled with a pharmaceutical or chemical product, hermetically sealed by said closure cap. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0011] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description of the invention which follows with reference to the appended figures in which: [ Fig. 1 ] There [ Fig. 1 ] has a closing cap according to the invention, and a bottle, the assembly forming a medical device, (a) the cap is in a temporary holding position on the bottle, (b) the cap is in a locked position on the bottle; [ Fig.2 ] There [ Fig.2 ] presents a plurality of closing caps, in accordance with the invention, packaged in a delivery container and adapted for magnetic gripping. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention relates to a closure cap 2 for a medical device 10 of the bottle type.

[0013] In the field of pharmaceutical applications, there are standards in terms of the internal diameter of the neck 12 of the bottle: 13mm and 20mm are examples.

[0014] The cap 2 comprises, on the one hand, a stopper 21 made of elastomer material, intended to be inserted into the neck 12 of the bottle 1, after the latter has been filled with a pharmaceutical or chemical product. It also comprises a locking cap 22 made of plastic material, surrounding the stopper 21 and intended to lock under the collar 13 of the bottle 1 when the stopper 21 is inserted into the neck 12. More precisely, as can be seen in the [ Fig. 1](b), in the locked position of the cap 2, the foot 21a of the stopper 21 is completely inserted into the neck 12, and hermetically closes the opening 11a of the bottle 1. The head 21b of the stopper 1 remains pressed against the collar 13. A clip or stop system, arranged on the internal walls of the locking cap 22 grips under the collar 13, immobilizing the stopper 21 in the opening 11a of the bottle 1 and thus securing the closure of the medical device 10.

[0015] On the [ Fig. 1 ](a), the cap 2 is only placed on the bottle 1, in a temporary holding position.

[0016] The plastic material constituting the locking cap 22 may for example be polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP) or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

[0017] As illustrated in the [ Fig. 1], the locking cap 22 of the cap 2 may comprise an external body 22a (or ring) and a cage 22b (or wire cage), the latter being configured to fit and lock axially in the external body 22a. In the temporary holding position ([ Fig. 1 ] (a)), it is advantageous for flexible tabs, or other holding element forming part of the cage 22b, to block the stopper 21 inside the cage 22b. Other flexible tabs can be arranged in the cage 22b to rest on the collar 13 of the bottle 1, when the cap 2 is in the temporary holding position; in the definitive closing position, these other flexible tabs are locked under said collar 13 ([ Fig. 1 ] (b)).

[0018] The locking cap 22 also comprises a capsule 23, at its upper part; in particular, in the example of the [ Fig. 1], the capsule 23 is integral with the external body 22a. It can for example be formed from one of the plastic materials mentioned previously for the locking cap 22.

[0019] This capsule 23 is intended to be irreversibly separated from the cap 2, to allow access to the head 21b of the stopper 21: this occurs when the product, contained in the permanently closed medical device 10, must be removed by the end user. Alternatively, the cap 2 can be breakable to allow the user to remove it, so as to access the stopper 21 and remove the product.

[0020] Of course, such a locking cap structure 22 is given as an example, and other configurations could be implemented with the objective of maintaining the cap 21 on the bottle 1, while providing a means of access to the product stored in the body 11 of the bottle 1, for the end user.

[0021] The closing cap 2 further comprises a magnetic material 24, intended to cooperate with a magnetic gripping tool, in particular in industrial lines for filling pharmaceutical or chemical products.

[0022] According to a first variant, the magnetic material forms a permanent magnet, in particular a neodymium-iron-boron NdFeB magnet or a ferrite magnet.

[0023] According to a second variant, the magnetic material is ferromagnetic and is chosen in particular from iron, cobalt, nickel, or alloys containing them, or ferrimagnetic and is chosen in particular from garnet ferrites and spinel ferrites.

[0024] Given the disposable (single-use) nature of the closure caps 2, this second variant may prove more economical because several soft magnetic materials are easily supplied and inexpensive.

[0025] The magnetic material 24 can take the form of a part integrated into the capsule 23, or take the form of particles mixed with at least one plastic material making up said capsule 23.

[0026] Advantageously, the magnetic material 24 is integral with the locking cap 22 by being arranged on or integrated into said cap 22.

[0027] Note that it could also be possible to arrange the magnetic material 24 on or integrate it into the stopper 21; nevertheless, due to the direct proximity of the stopper 21 with the pharmaceutical or chemical product contained in the bottle 1, it is easier in terms of health standards to associate the magnetic material with the locking cap 22.

[0028] The capsule 23 is formed of a plastic material: a part formed in the magnetic material 24 can therefore be integrated on or in the latter. According to a first option, the part made of magnetic material 24 is completely or partially overmolded (encapsulated) in the capsule 23, during the molding of said capsule 23. According to a second option, which is not part of the present invention, the part is glued to an upper face or a lower face of the capsule 23 (in the latter case, to be located between the capsule 23 and the external body 22a of the locking cap 22), after molding of the capsule 23. Finally, in a third option, which is not part of the present invention, the part made of magnetic material 24 is force-fitted into a housing, produced during molding, at the upper face or the lower face of the capsule 23.

[0029] According to one or other of these three options, the part made of magnetic material 24 can take any shape, provided that it is adapted to the association of the part on or in the capsule 23. We can cite in particular the shapes of a disc, a ring or other polygonal shape in the plane (x,y), the main plane of the capsule 23.

[0030] Alternatively, the capsule 23 may be formed from a plastic material loaded with particles consisting of the magnetic material 24.

[0031] When the locking cap 22 does not include a capsule 23 (the external body 22a is then closed in its upper part), an option which is not part of the present invention, the magnetic material 24 is arranged on or integrated in the upper part of the external body 22a, in the center or at the periphery, in any form, for example disc, ring or other polygonal form in the (x,y) plane.

[0032] The external body 22a is made of a plastic material: a part formed in the magnetic material 24 can be integral with said body 22a or integrated in whole or in part in the latter. The first, second and third options mentioned above can apply, namely: the part made of magnetic material 24 is completely or partially overmolded in the external body 22a, during the molding thereof, or the part is glued on or under the upper part of the external body 22a (in the latter case, to be located between the external body 22a and the cage 22b), after molding of said body 22a, or the part made of magnetic material 24 is force-fitted into a housing, produced during molding, on or under the upper part of the external body 22a.

[0033] Alternatively, the outer body 22a may be formed from a plastic material loaded with particles consisting of the magnetic material 24.

[0034] Note that, according to an option which is not part of the present invention, the magnetic material 24 could also be integral with or integrated in whole or in part into the cage 22b, according to the same options as those described above.

[0035] The volume and magnetic properties of the magnetic material 24 are dimensioned so that the magnetic attraction between said material 24 and a magnetic gripping tool is sufficient to lift and manipulate the closure cap 2 in an industrial chain, for example during a process for filling and closing vials 1 for medical devices 10.

[0036] The closing cap 2 according to the invention is compatible with a magnetic gripping tool 200, as illustrated in the [ Fig.2 ]. Such a tool can take different forms but at least includes one end fitted with a magnet or an electromagnet or formed from a soft ferromagnetic material.

[0037] In the case of an electromagnet, this is activated when the cap 2 is extracted from its packaging tray 50 until it is positioned on the bottle 1. It is then deactivated, once the cap 2 is placed on the bottle 1 ([ Fig. 1 ] (a)) or, once the cap 2 is permanently locked onto the bottle 1 ([ Fig. 1 ](b)).

[0038] In the case of a simple magnet placed at the end of an axis, this must be strong enough to allow the extraction and conveyance of the cap 2 without risk of falling, until it is positioned on the bottle 1, and weak enough so that once the cap is locked on the bottle, the magnet of the tool releases it, without lifting the medical device 10 and without tearing off the removable capsule 23 when it is present.

[0039] According to the invention, the closure caps 2 can be packaged in the form of a set 100 of caps 2. For this, said caps 2 are arranged in a packaging container (not shown), which comprises at least one tray 50 defining a plurality of housings 51 ([ Fig.2 ]). Each closing cap 2 is placed in a housing 51 so that the magnetic material 24 is able to cooperate with the magnetic gripping tool 200.

[0040] When the bottle 1 is filled with the pharmaceutical product, the magnetic gripping tool 200 picks up a closing cap 2 from the tray 50, and places it on the bottle 1, in the temporary holding position illustrated in [ Fig. 1] (a). The gripping tool 200 may then be configured to release the cap 2, which will be pressed into the locking position on the bottle 1 by applying a pressing force, for example by a press occurring later in the filling line. Alternatively, the gripping tool 200 may also be configured to apply the pressing force and lock the cap 10 onto the bottle 30, before releasing the magnetic grip.

[0041] The closure cap 10 according to the present invention prevents the aspiration of potential chemical vapors, while allowing reliable and practical gripping in an industrial chain.

[0042] The invention further relates to the medical device 10 illustrated in [ Fig. 1 ](b), which comprises a closure cap 2 as described above and a bottle 1 filled with a pharmaceutical or chemical product and hermetically sealed by said cap 2.

[0043] Optionally, the dimensioning (volume and magnetic properties) of the magnetic material 24 included in the cap 2 can be defined so as to allow the conveying and gripping of the medical device 10, for example, to place said device 10, after closing the bottle 1, in a collective reconditioning container or to extract it from such a container at the stage of final use.

[0044] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments and examples described, and variant embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. Closure cap (2) for a vial-type medical device (10), comprising: - an elastomeric stopper (21) intended to be inserted into a neck (12) of a vial (1) after filling thereof with a pharmaceutical or chemical product, - a plastic locking cap (22) surrounding the stopper (21) and intended to be locked under a collar (13) of the vial (1) when the stopper (21) is inserted into the neck (12), characterised in that the locking cap (22) comprises, at an upper part, a capsule (23), - a magnetic material (24) integrated in whole or in part in the capsule (23); and wherein: - the capsule (23) is formed of a plastics material and a part, formed in the magnetic material (24), is completely or partially encapsulated in the plastics material of said capsule (23), or - the capsule (23) is formed of a plastics material loaded with particles made of the magnetic material (24).

2. Closure cap (2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the magnetic material (24) forms a permanent magnet, in particular a neodymium-iron-boron NdFeB magnet or a ferrite magnet.

3. Closure cap (2) according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic material (24) is ferromagnetic, in particular selected from iron, cobalt, nickel, or alloys containing them.

4. Closure cap (2) according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic material (24) is ferrimagnetic, in particular selected from garnet or spinel ferrites.

5. Set (100) of closure caps (10) according to one of the preceding claims, said caps (10) being disposed in a packaging container comprising at least one tray (50) defining a plurality of housings (51), each closure cap (2) being placed in a housing (51) such that the magnetic material (24) is able to cooperate with a magnetic gripping tool (200).

6. Medical device (10) comprising: - a closure cap (2) according to one of claims 1 to 4, and - a vial (1) filled with a pharmaceutical or chemical product, hermetically closed by said closure cap (2).