Stackable moulded container which is made of a thermoplastic material and has a handle

Abstract

The invention relates to a moulded container (100), in particular a blow-moulded container, for accommodating a preparation, in particular a medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation (2), and for vertical stacking during transport and / or storage, which moulded container is made of a thermoplastic material and comprises: a base portion (20) at one end of a body portion (50); and a shoulder portion (80) at the axially opposite other end of the body portion (50). The moulded container (100) is moulded and / or shaped and / or designed in such a way that two identical moulded containers (100) can be stacked vertically. A handle (113) is attached to the moulded container (100) with its two opposite handle ends (118, 118) tangentially adjacent to two associated connection points (P) of two opposite outer lateral surfaces (60) of the moulded container (100) in order to form a handle centre portion (119) that extends, in particular in a round-conical shape, between the handle ends (118, 118) and axially beyond the shoulder portion (80).

Description

[0001] Stackable molded container made of a thermoplastic material with a handle

[0002] Description

[0003] Technical area

[0004] The present disclosure relates to a molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, for receiving a preparation, in particular a medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation, and for vertical stacking during transport and / or storage, made of a thermoplastic material, which has a handle. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to an associated vertical stacking arrangement or a stacking system comprising the molded containers according to the disclosure with the handle. Furthermore, an associated method for producing the molded container according to the disclosure with the handle and a use of the molded container according to the disclosure with the handle and / or the associated stacking arrangement for receiving and / or transporting and / or storing the preparation, in particular a medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation, and / or for providing the preparation for use, in particular in a dialysis machine, are proposed.

[0005] State of the art

[0006] Molded containers, particularly blow-molded containers, made of a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with thin walls and are recyclable, are currently used primarily in the beverage bottle sector, e.g., for bottling mineral water, as well as canisters for liquid cleaning / washing agents, everyday solutions, and the like, i.e., for use in the domestic or industrial sector. In contrast, the plastic containers or canisters conventionally used for medical and / or pharmaceutical preparations, particularly for dialysis solution concentrates, are solid, thick-walled containers that are primarily manufactured using (standard) injection molding processes. Consequently, the problem arises that these solid, thick-walled, particularly (standard) injection-molded plastic containers require a high level of plastic material.As a result, raw material costs, environmental pollution, energy consumption, machine investments and recycling costs are unfavorably high.

[0007] Utility model CN ​​204618983 discloses the use of a bias-molded PET container for filling a hemodialysis fluid. To improve production quality, it proposes providing an internal rib structure on the inside of the PET container that protrudes into the container's interior and is partially interrupted, acting as a type of flow breaker. Accordingly, the flow behavior of the hemodialysis fluid is to be modified in such a way that, particularly during filling during production, any splashing onto the outside of the PET container is prevented, thus preventing contamination that could impair its quality.

[0008] CN 204618983 also discloses an injection-molded carrying handle attached to a bottle mouth or container neck. The carrying handle consists of a ring body that is placed on the neck of the bottle mouth with an outer diameter. The ring body has an inner ring provided with friction teeth and a handle attached to the outer side of the ring body.

[0009] However, from the perspective of vertical stacking, the technical problem arises of providing a suitable (carrying) handle on the container. First and foremost, the handle must not interfere with vertical stacking, i.e., it must not interfere with a contact surface between two identical stackable containers (i.e., the contact surface between the base surface of an upper container and the shoulder surface of a lower container). Ideally, a handle should be provided that does not require, or even enforces, the provision of specific recesses in the contact surface.

[0010] In this respect, side handles are particularly proposed in the prior art. The side handles are usually integrally bias-molded, as is known, for example, from US Pat. No. 4,846,359 regarding a bias-molded fruit juice bottle. Furthermore, WO 98 / 05566 discloses a bias-molded plastic container with an inward-facing lateral recess and a separately molded plastic handle that is permanently attached to thickened areas of the plastic container above the recess using welding techniques. However, these side handles have several disadvantages. First, the lateral molding or recess results in instabilities or impairments with regard to molding production (more complex mold design, thus increased investment and manufacturing costs, reduced cycle rate, etc.).Furthermore, experience has shown that the mechanical (storage) stability of the container as a primary packaging material is negatively affected, particularly in the case of integral handles, due to the lateral seam division of the container caused by the demolding process, which represents a structural material weakness.

[0011] Furthermore, such a design with a side-mounted (carrying) handle is ergonomically unfavorable. Therefore, when carrying such containers upright, the vertical force of gravity or the primary tensile force acts perpendicular to the handle, which is uncomfortable for the wrist. On the other hand, when carrying such containers lying down to avoid the previously described body-to-hand position, the liquid inside can slosh back and forth, which is also detrimental to the container closure. In particular, with side handles, it is ergonomically difficult to carry more than one container, which impractically slows down logistical processes, especially in everyday clinical practice.

[0012] Additionally, the handle should be made of as little material as possible to conserve resources, protect the environment, and reduce costs. However, conventional, solid, especially injection-molded, handles (especially as separate purchased parts) require a high level of material input and energy consumption due to their solid construction.

[0013] Furthermore, there is a need in the state of the art for a handle which not only shows positive application properties in production and during carrying or transport, but ideally also proves useful for securing the container in a clinical application, in particular in a dialysis machine.

[0014] Summary of Revelation

[0015] In view of the prior art described above, the present disclosure is intended to provide a container, which is improved with regard to a (carrying) handle and is made of a preferably thermoplastic material for receiving a preparation, in particular a medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation, and for vertical stacking during transport and / or storage, which container overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0016] This is achieved according to a first aspect of the present disclosure by a molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, with a handle according to the features of claim 1 and preferably by an associated vertical stacking arrangement or a stacking system according to the dependent claim directed thereto, more preferably by an associated method for producing the molded container according to the disclosure, in particular a blow-molded container, with the handle according to the dependent claim directed thereto and more preferably by using the molded container according to the disclosure, in particular a blow-molded container, with the handle and / or the associated stacking arrangement for receiving and / or transporting and / or storing the medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation and / or for (application-related) provision of the preparation, in particular in a dialysis machine, according to the dependent claim directed thereto.Preferred or advantageous embodiments of the disclosure emerge from the subclaims, the following description, and the accompanying figures. According to the core of the disclosure, the following subject matter emerges:

[0017] A molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, made of a thermoplastic (or a molded container produced using a thermoplastic molding process) for receiving a medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation, comprising a base portion at one end of a body portion, in particular with a frontal base surface of the base portion; and a shoulder portion at the axially opposite other end of the body portion. The molded container, in particular with regard to the base portion and the shoulder portion (or these relative to one another), is shaped and / or fitted and / or configured such that two (essentially) identical (or similar) molded containers can be stacked vertically (on top of one another) for transport and / or storage.

[0018] Essential to the disclosure here (according to the present aspect, which represents an aspect independent of preferred shape features of the molded container or of the base section and the shoulder section), a handle is attached to the molded container, in particular a blow-molded container. In particular, the handle is attached with its two opposite ends to two associated connection points of two opposite outer surfaces of the molded container. In particular, the handle is attached with its two opposite ends tangentially adjacent to the two associated connection points. In particular, the connection points (such) can be (arranged) on or from two opposite outer surfaces of the body section.In particular, the handle grip is attached, more preferably firmly connected and / or attached and / or glued, in order to form a handle grip middle section running between the handle grip ends and axially beyond the shoulder section, in particular in the shape of a round bow.

[0019] In other words, the molded container according to the disclosure, in particular a blow-molded container, is designed to hold a preparation, in particular a medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation, and for vertical stacking, for example during transport and / or storage, made of a thermoplastic material (such as PET, etc.). In other words, the molded container according to the disclosure is designed or shaped such that two identical molded containers can be stacked vertically. The molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, has a base section (container base) at one end of a body section and a shoulder section (container roof) at the axially opposite other end of the body section. In the present case, the molded container has the handle arranged or attached to it, which is essential to the disclosure.

[0020] According to the aforementioned embodiment, claimed here or essential to the disclosure according to claim 1, with the handle as the carrying handle or handle element (with reference to the associated Figures 9 and 10 relating to a preferred embodiment of the molded container with the handle), material can be advantageously saved. This is particularly true compared to an injection-molded carrying handle with a highly three-dimensional shape.

[0021] Another technical advantage of the handle is that it can be attached very flexibly, meaning it can be attached virtually any time along the production or logistics value chain. Due to the lightweight, tangential attachment to the openly accessible outer surface, no special machine guides are required, as is otherwise required due to the high adjustment forces required for solid carrying handles.

[0022] In this regard, it should be noted that a person skilled in the art will understand that the aforementioned feature relating to the handle is initially to be regarded as independent of a specific shape design of the molded container or its manufacture. In particular, the present subject matter of the molded container having the handle (according to claim 1) is also directed to any container for any contents, i.e. without necessarily being restricted to the (hereinafter) alternatively or cumulatively preferred (optional) features of blow molding and / or a material made of thermoplastic material and / or a specific base / shoulder contour (according to a further aspect, which may or may not be claimed independently). In this respect, the further subject matter, which may or may not be claimed independently, or the associated feature, is further directed to a specific base-side mold structure orShape fit for vertical spapelability (in particular with regard to a bottom recess shape segment, etc., see below) as a technically independent problem and solution with consequently independently achieved advantages, as further disclosed below.

[0023] In this case, the skilled person will understand that the advantages disclosed in connection with the handle, which is attached externally to the shaped container (as a primary packaging means for the preparation), are, in the first respect, independent of a specific type or chemical and / or physical composition or intended use of the preparation. Nevertheless, synergistic aspects in the second respect are not excluded, which may arise, for example, from the application technology of the specifically preferred preparation.

[0024] In this respect, the preparation is generally not limited to a medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation. In other words, the term "preparation" encompasses all types, in particular those for or from the field of food and / or beverages, the agricultural industry, the chemical industry, commercial applications, detergents and cleaning agents, consumer goods, cosmetics, diagnostics, polymers, paints, perfumes, and the like. Furthermore, the preparation can have at least one of the states of aggregation, in particular a solid, e.g., powdered, form and / or a liquid form, e.g., an aqueous or organic solution of a solid and / or a gas, such as, more preferably, carbonated mineral water. Furthermore, the preparation can relate to a two- or multi-phase preparation, such as, for example, an emulsion (W / O or O / W) and / or a micellar solution and / or a foam.

[0025] In particular, alternatively or cumulatively, the handle can be designed, preferably at least in sections, to be flat, in particular as a film strip-shaped handle (or as a flat carrying handle and / or from a sheet-like structure and / or as a film handle) (with reference to the associated Figures 9 and 10 relating to this preferred embodiment with the film strip-shaped handle). Alternatively or cumulatively, the handle can be designed, preferably at least in sections, from a rolled and / or corded material or the like. Both of the aforementioned variants, as understood by those skilled in the art, advantageously enable cost-, energy-, and resource-saving production of the handle. In particular, it is conceivable to produce the handle in a continuous process by cyclically and / or repeat-wise cutting or lengthening from a film roll or(Cord) tape rolls and the like as a template (or feed). Very high production (line) speeds and production volumes are advantageously conceivable. In particular, production volumes, relative to machine / equipment investments, for an injection-molded or integrally bias-molded handle are significantly higher, i.e., more cost-effective.

[0026] Alternatively or additionally, the handle, in particular the foil handle, can be formed, preferably at least in sections, using a soft, foam-like material (or another such layer). This advantageously increases wearing comfort for the user due to the padding.

[0027] Preferred length and width dimensions of the preferably flat, in particular film-strip-shaped, handle can be, in particular for an exemplary molded container, in particular blow-molded container, with a nominal filling volume of 4.7 liters, preferably approximately 160 mm to 380 mm for the handle width and approximately 200 mm to 300 mm for the handle length.

[0028] Alternatively or additionally, the handle, in particular the flat handle or film handle, can be glued to the two associated connection points, in particular by means of a self-adhesive layer and / or hotmelt. Alternatively or additionally, the handle, in particular the flat handle or film handle, can be attached to the two associated connection points, in particular by spot welding. This advantageously brings about a reliable, long-term (storage) stable connection of the handle to the molded container. At the same time, the process step of attachment can be advantageously carried out in a cost-effective manner, either directly after a thermoplastic process with the process steps of thermoplastic forming or forming and then cooling the thermoplastically formed ormolded container for removal in its solidified state (i.e. downstream of a molding machine) or indirectly subsequently in a separate, downstream process step for attaching the handle, for example in a (re)packaging station.

[0029] The molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, is made of a thermoplastic, in particular PET, and is designed in particular to hold a medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation and in particular for vertical stacking during transport and / or storage. The molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, has in particular a base section at one end of a body section and a shoulder section at the axially opposite other end of the body section. The shoulder section can (optionally) have a container neck in its axial extension. In particular, the container neck can be closable or closed with an (optional) closure. In a front-side base surface of the base section, a base recess can (optionally) be axially retracted into the interior of the container. The base recess can (optionally) be designed to enable the stackable molded containers, in particular blow-molded containers, (orWhen stacked to form a vertical stacking arrangement according to the following second aspect of the disclosure), the container neck can be form-fitted or configured to receive a further, in particular closed, container neck in a contactless manner, which is similar to the container neck. In this case, a preferably flat, in particular film-strip-shaped, (essential to the object) handle (optionally, in addition to this, a dimensionally stable molded handle) is attached, in particular glued or attached, to the (optionally stackable) molded container, in particular a blow-molded container. The handle is in particular attached to form a handle center section, in particular in the shape of a rounded bow, extending between the handle ends and axially beyond the shoulder section.The handle is attached with its two opposite handle ends, in particular tangentially, to two associated connection points of two opposite outer surfaces of the (blow) molding container, in particular the body section.

[0030] These arrangement features have the respective and overall advantageous effect that the two ends of the handle (i.e. the opposite side of the adhesive strip, for example) counteract any possible unintentional removal by a user and the handle as a whole is held in position.

[0031] In particular, the particularly flat material or the flat structure of the flat, especially film-strip-shaped, handle can be a (particularly multi-layer) plastic film and / or a paper laminated with plastic film and / or a fiber-reinforced composite material. Furthermore, the use of a combination of different (plastic) materials can be preferred. Further preferably, the flat material can initially be folded in order to unfold into its final form only upon use. Further preferably, the flat material or the flat structure can comprise, in particular be, an elastic material and / or a shape memory material, whereby the handling of the molded container according to the disclosure, in particular a blow-molded container, is further simplified or improved in this preferred embodiment. In particular, the handle can be attached to the molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, orbe fastened such that the handle rests on the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container, in a metastable state and protrudes from the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container, in a stable state.

[0032] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, a handle's central section can be printed, particularly with specific usage information and / or article descriptions. This provides a technically simple way of providing (legally required) product labeling and user information.

[0033] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the handle can be mounted off-center with respect to each of the two connection points. In particular, the handle can be offset in a transverse direction from a plumb point falling in a cross-sectional plane of the axial axis. This firstly improves vertical stackability. Furthermore, it improves ergonomics when carrying a pair of horizontally adjacent, especially stackable, identical molded containers.

[0034] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the handle grip can be set at an angle to the axial axis at each of the two connection points. In particular, a handle grip setting angle defined between the axial axis (or vertical) and a longitudinal extension line of the handle grip can be in the angular range between 10 and 50 degrees, preferably between 30 and 40 degrees, even more preferably between 25 and 35 degrees [Note with reference to Figure 10: the angle indicated therein with the reference symbol "W" to the horizontal refers to the angle supplementary to a right angle or 90°, starting from the handle grip setting angle (handle grip setting supplementary angle with the reference symbol "W"); therefore in the angular range between 80 and 40 degrees, preferably between 60 and 50 degrees, even more preferably between 65 and 55 degrees].

[0035] In addition to the very good handling of the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container, this results in further advantages as follows: improved stackability (insofar as the carrying handle does not come into contact with the contact surface during vertical stacking or can interfere with it); furthermore, the possibility of attaching the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container, e.g. by means of a suspension device of the dialysis machine; furthermore, a further improved emptying of residual quantitiesZ - removal of a contained (liquid) preparation, e.g. through a suction nozzleZ - lance of the dialysis machine, i.e. a minimization of the residual quantity that cannot be removed; and furthermore, an improvement in manual carrying properties (more favorable center of gravity, the wearer's hand does not come into contact with the container neck Z (screw) cap).

[0036] In particular, the geometry selected for attaching the handle, ie with the off-center arrangement andZor with the oblique handle angle, represents a significant improvement over previous solutions (ie centrally mounted and straight Z axially extending) (as known in the field of beverage bottle multipacks or multiple containers, but attached to the outer film shrink secondary packaging holding several beverage bottles together, ie not directly to the individual beverage bottle). As a result, the carrying properties are significantly improved.

[0037] Furthermore, it is advantageously avoided that a user's hand comes into contact with the other parts of the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container. This results in an advantageous reduction of the associated risk of injury. In addition, the handle can be made significantly shorter when mounted at an angle than when mounted vertically (handle angle of 90°) in order to prevent the user's fingers from coming into contact with the closure during use, which in turn leads to advantageous material savings with regard to the film strips and the like that have to be cut to length for the handle. The person skilled in the art will understand that, as an alternative to a preferred / particularly advantageous angled attachment, as explained above, an axial and central attachment of the handle is possible depending on the individual case (e.g. in accordance with any handle labeling machinery that may already be available).It remains fundamentally conceivable / feasible that the handle center section is located directly above the container neck or a closure (corresponds to a handle angle of 90°, the so-called “overhead attachment”).

[0038] The above-mentioned handle grip angle [defined in each case between the axial axis (or vertical) and a longitudinal extension line of the handle grip] in the angular range between 10 and 50 degrees, preferably between 30 and 40 degrees, even more preferably between 25 and 35 degrees, provides the user with the advantageous option of being able to carry two molded containers according to the disclosure, in particular blow-molded containers, with one hand at the same time. The handle grips or handle grip center sections are each enclosed by one of the user's hands. The (vertically / axially extending) lateral outer surfaces of two containers / canisters, in particular the molded container according to the disclosure, in particular blow-molded containers, come into direct contact with one another, i.e. when gripped in pairs, and stabilize this carrying arrangement. The aforementioned preferred angular range gives rise to physical forces orGravity vector components that press / press the canisters, in particular the molded containers according to the disclosure, in particular blow-molded containers, against each other at said adjacent outer shell surfaces. Consequently, a molded composite of two canisters is advantageously further stabilized, for example, against slipping and displacement.

[0039] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the (first) thermoplastic of the molded container having the handle or of the base, body, and / or shoulder section and / or a respectively associated identical, similar, or different material of the handle, in particular a second thermoplastic of the handle, can be or comprise: polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE such as PE-HD; PE-LD), polyamide (PA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), in particular polyethylene terephthalate (PET); or a mixture / blend of the aforementioned types of thermoplastics. Optionally, the (first and / or second) thermoplastic can be partially or completely made of a recycled and / or recyclable material. Cumulatively or alternatively, the (first and / or second) thermoplastic can preferably comprise a biodegradable material and / or mass, e.g.Polylactic acid (PLA), or consist essentially thereof. Optionally, the (first and / or second) thermoplastic can contain an additive / auxiliary and the like, such as to achieve functional properties in blow molding production (e.g. demolding additive) and / or in product application (e.g. UV protection, nanosilver) and the like. Furthermore, the (first and / or second) thermoplastic can preferably be (virtually) free of a plasticizer. Optionally, it can be preferred that the (first and / or second) thermoplastic or the molded container according to the disclosure produced therefrom, in particular blow-molded container, and / or handle is / are transparent (colorless or colored) or opaque (colorless or colored).

[0040] In this case (optional; according to an aspect which may be claimed independently), the base surface [in particular outside an (optional) base recess for stackability (and optionally for receiving an optional container neck on the shoulder section)] can be shaped as a relief-like base contour surface with at least one axially retracted base recess mold segment and with base load contact mold segments adjacent to the base recess mold segment and axially projecting beyond it, so that the at least one base recess mold segment is excluded from a standing surface of the blow-molded container. In this case, in particular the at least one base recess mold segment can be shape-fitted orbe designed to be spaced apart from a further shoulder section similar to the shoulder section by a gap without contact, so that only the ground load contact mold segments form a supporting load contact surface on the further shoulder section.

[0041] The last further aspect of the present disclosure, which may be claimed independently of the aforementioned aspect of the handle grip, therefore consists in forming a number of axial depressions on the (mold) container roof and a number of axial projections on the (mold) container base, which are coordinated with one another in such a way that when the (mold) containers are stacked on top of one another, the projections move into the depressions up to a stop in the depressions, so that a distance or a free gap remains between the (mold) container base of the upper (mold) container and the (mold) container roof of the lower (mold) container.

[0042] More specifically, the further (independent) aspect of the present disclosure consists in forming, in particular during the manufacture of the container, already during the (blow) molding or thereafter by repeated heating and deformation in the region of an end wall (container roof, shoulder section) forming / having a container spout, a number (preferably a plurality) of circumferentially spaced axial depressions / troughs, which each form a load contact surface that is aligned substantially plane-parallel or obliquely to a container bottom and extends radially (and at least partially in the circumferential direction).Furthermore, in particular during the manufacture of the container, already during (blow) molding or thereafter by repeated heating and deformation in the region of the container base, a number (preferably a plurality) of circumferentially spaced axial projections are formed, each of which forms a load support surface that is aligned substantially plane-parallel to the load contact surfaces and extends radially (and at least partially in the circumferential direction), such that when two containers are stacked, they contact each other exclusively at the load contact surfaces and the load support surfaces in the axial direction.the troughs in the area of ​​the container roof and the projections in the area of ​​the container bottom are coordinated with each other in terms of their shape and dimensions in such a way that when two containers of the above design are stacked on top of each other, they only rest axially in the area of ​​the load contact and load support surfaces formed by the troughs and projections (extending horizontally / at right angles to the axial axis of the container), whereas the axially projecting webs between the roof-side troughs and the axially receding indentations between the bottom-side projections essentially do not absorb any axial loads (i.e. are theoretically axially contactless).

[0043] The shoulder section can have an (optional) container neck (outlet) in its axial extension. In particular, the container neck can be closable or closed with an optional closure. In a front-side bottom surface of the bottom section, a (central) bottom recess can be retracted axially into the interior of the container. In this case, the bottom recess can be shape-fitted or designed to receive a further, in particular closed, container neck similar to the container neck in a stackable manner (or when stacking to form a vertical stack arrangement according to the second aspect of the disclosure below) without contact. In this case, the bottom surface can be designed (radially) outside the bottom recess as a relief-like bottom contour surface, in particular concave, with at least one axially retracted bottom recess mold segment (indentations) and, in particular,convex, with bottom load contact mold segments (protrusions) adjacent to the bottom recess mold segment and axially projecting beyond it, so that the at least one bottom recess mold segment is excluded from a standing surface (load support surface) of the mold container, in particular the blow mold container. In other words, in particular the at least one bottom recess mold segment can be shortened in relation to the or all bottom load contact mold segments with respect to the axial axis. In other words, accordingly, in particular the at least one bottom recess mold segment (sub)divides the standing surface of the bottom surface of the mold container, in particular the blow mold container, which can now be formed (essentially only) by the bottom load contact mold segments.

[0044] Thus, the (optional) relief-like bottom contour surface (according to the further aspect, which may be claimed independently) forms a three-dimensional shape structure directed into the interior of the container, which offers the following functions and (application) technical advantages:

[0045] On the one hand, with regard to the removal of the (valuable) medical and / or pharmaceutical (especially liquid) preparation during its intended use from a particularly upright molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, the residual amount that can no longer be removed from the container is advantageously reduced. In other words, the fillable lumen portion near the bottom surface (last accessible, for example, by a suction hose of a dialysis machine, etc., for removing the preparation) is advantageously reduced in favor of the volumes occupied by the bottom recess and by at least one bottom recessed mold segment, which is additionally retracted into the interior of the container.

[0046] On the other hand, the (optional) relief-like base contour surface (according to the further aspect, which may be claimed independently), in conjunction with the base recess (specific "dome geometry"), advantageously ensures or improves vertical stackability. This results in a form-fitting connection when stacking the molded containers according to the disclosure, in particular blow-molded containers. As a result, slipping of stacked containers, which is particularly prohibitive in the pharmaceutical / medical sector, is effectively prevented.

[0047] Furthermore, as explained further below, the base recess mold segment can be advantageously designed and thus serve as a (optionally asymmetrical or symmetrical) recess for receiving an optional dimensionally stable molded handle, ie a separately manufactured, solid handle element.

[0048] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the at least one bottom-recessed mold segment can be form-fitted or configured to enable stackable molded containers, in particular blow-molded containers, to be stackable (or when stacking to form a vertical stacking arrangement according to the following second aspect of the disclosure), so as to be spaced apart from the further shoulder section (container roof) similar to the shoulder section by a gap without contact, so that only the bottom-load contact mold segments form a supporting load contact surface on the further shoulder section (container roof). Preferably, the molded container with the handle can be configured for vertical stackability and configured such that an intermediate space formed with the gap between two identical molded containers during vertical stacking is sufficiently dimensioned to accommodate the handle center section. The handle can be configured, in particular, to be flexible.The handle can be configured, in particular, to be flexible, so as to nestle and / or corrugate into the intermediate space. This advantageously ensures that the handle does not protrude or protrude from the molded container, thus also ensuring that horizontal stackability is not (sterically) impaired.

[0049] In this case, the gap dimension (in particular the minimum along an axial extent) can optionally be between preferably approximately 0.05 to 20 millimeters, more preferably between approximately 0.5 to 10 millimeters, in particular between approximately 0.5 to 8 millimeters.

[0050] Accordingly, the load contact area on the floor side is not divided / subdivided into the individual, protruding (convex) floor-load contact shape segments.

[0051] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the at least one base recess mold segment can extend (at least partially) radially. In particular, the at least one base recess mold segment can extend from an opening-side first base recess diameter of the base recess at the transition of the base surface and / or to an outer periphery of the base surface.

[0052] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the container neck can be arranged in a shoulder inner region of the shoulder section radially inner about the axial axis, in particular centrally / in the axial axis or central longitudinal axis.

[0053] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the shoulder section outside the container neck can be convexly shaped in relief with at least one shoulder-elevation mold segment (web) between adjacent shoulder-load contact mold segments. This initially serves to improve the overall rigidity of the molded container, in particular blow-molded container, and to further reduce the removable residual amount of preparation when used as intended. In this case, the at least one shoulder-elevation mold segment (web) can be shaped or configured to enable the stackable molded containers, in particular blow-molded containers, to be stackable (or when stacking to form a vertical stack arrangement according to the second aspect of the disclosure below), in order to (during stacking) be respectively complementary to the (orwith respect to the further bottom-recessed mold segment, which is similar to the at least one bottom-recessed mold segment, at a distance from it without contact, so that the load contact surface is distributed on the shoulder side between the shoulder load contact mold segments. This advantageously serves an optimization in terms of statics and strength of materials aspects and further improves / extends the (vertical) stackability with a view to being able to securely stack more than two, i.e., multiple stack layers of mold containers, in particular blow-molded containers.

[0054] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the load contact surface (load bearing surface) on the shoulder side in the shoulder load contact mold segments (troughs) can be formed flat in a cross-sectional plane of the shoulder section perpendicular to the axial axis. In other words, the shoulder load contact mold segments can be shaped or configured to form a flat standing surface or to span a standing plane (the shoulder load contact mold segments taken together) for the stackability of the stackable molded containers, in particular blow molded containers (or when stacked into a vertical stacking arrangement according to the second aspect of the disclosure below).In other words, this allows an additional / identical (upper) mold container, in particular a blow mold container, which is stacked vertically on the (first / lower) mold container, in particular a blow mold container, to stand on the latter in a similarly stable manner as on a floor level when placed directly on it, ie without stacking.

[0055] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the at least one shoulder elevation mold segment can be shape-fitted or configured to enable the stackable molded containers, in particular blow-molded containers, to be stacked (or when stacking to form a vertical stacking arrangement according to the following second aspect of the disclosure), in order to engage in a form-fitting manner (during stacking) with the further at least one bottom recessed mold segment which is similar to the at least one bottom recessed mold segment. In particular, the at least one shoulder elevation mold segment can be configured to prevent the stacked molded containers, in particular blow-molded containers, from rotating relative to one another about the axial axis. In other words, these special three-dimensional shapes orMold structures in the shoulder section and in the bottom section of the molded container, in particular blow-molded containers, that are at least partially / substantially complementary / interlocking / mechanically interacting in a molded composite, create a positive connection. This provides additional stabilization by significantly counteracting or even preventing any twisting of the molded composite.

[0056] In other words (according to the further aspect, which may be claimed independently; optional), on the one hand, there is a front shoulder surface of the shoulder section (in the case of vertical stacking: of a first / lower mold container, in particular a blow-mold container), which has a shoulder-side three-dimensional mold structure in the form of the at least one shoulder-elevation mold segment [optionally or in a preferred embodiment, with reference to the accompanying Figures 1 to 7: of four shoulder-elevation mold segments arranged crosswise around the container neck with a respective radial extension] and the shoulder load contact mold segments adjacent to this / these [optionally or in the preferred embodiment: of four shoulder-elevation mold segments, which are respectively provided or arranged on the four shoulder-side corner edges of a mold container, in particular a blow-mold container, which is substantially cuboidal with respect to the body section].are formed] (in relief), and on the other hand, a frontal bottom surface of the bottom section (in the case of vertical stacking: a second / upper mold container, in particular a blow mold container, which is identical to the first), which has a three-dimensional shape structure in the form of the at least one bottom recess mold segment [optionally or in the preferred embodiment: of four bottom recess mold segments, which are each provided or formed between two of the four bottom corner edges of the (quasi) cuboid mold container, in particular a blow mold container, in order to stand together (as viewed) in a cross-shaped arrangement] and the bottom load contact mold segments adjacent to this / these [optionally or in the preferred embodiment: of four bottom load contact mold segments, which are each provided or formed on the four bottom edges of the (quasi) cuboid mold container, in particular a blow mold container.are formed] (relief-like) forms or forms, fitted or arranged to each other in order to bring about a positive connection in the axial direction to each other.

[0057] This form fit (according to the further aspect, which may be claimed independently) advantageously serves to remove or block a degree of freedom of rotation about the axial axis or about a longitudinal central axis of the molded container, in particular the blow molded container. In other words, the shoulder-side (three-dimensional) mold surface contour or the entirety of the shoulder-side mold structure elements (in an axial direction away from the center of the molded container, in particular the blow molded container) and the bottom-side (three-dimensional) mold surface contour or the entirety of the bottom-side mold structure elements (in an axial direction away from the center of the further / similar molded container, in particular the blow molded container) [or vice versa] form a key-lock-like or plug-in system-like form fit. In this case, in particular the axial distance fit can be form-fitted oris configured such that the load contact surface does not fall within the area of ​​at least one bottom recessed mold segment or complementary shoulder elevation mold segment. This has the advantage that the load-bearing / weight load is transferred to the peripheral outer surface of the fuselage section, i.e., to material support structures provided in the sense of a wall thickness, and not to internal cavity areas [in particular, in the manner of pillars, to the optional four corners or corner edges].

[0058] In this context, with regard to the second aspect of the above disclosure regarding a vertical stacking arrangement disclosed below, it should be noted as a precaution that the person skilled in the art understands that the features disclosed with regard to the first aspect of the molded container according to the disclosure, in particular the blow-molded container, and relating to a form fit (according to the further aspect, which may be claimed independently) can be verified individually or in isolation. In this respect, these claimed features can be reproduced or verified either virtually (e.g., based on a design drawing, a CAD 3D model) or in reality (e.g., by cutting the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container, along a cutting plane falling into the body section and axially interchanged plugging of the bottom-side half onto / into the shoulder-side half).

[0059] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the bottom section can be shaped polyhedron-shaped with a corresponding plurality of corners in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the axial axis. Some or all of the corners can comprise the bottom load contact mold segments, particularly proportionally for uniform and / or symmetrical load distribution. This advantageously serves to achieve balanced statics / rigidity of the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container, as well as overall positive storage / handling properties.

[0060] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the base section can be rectangular with four corners in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the axial axis. Some, in particular all, of the four corners can have the base load contact mold segments. In particular, four optional shoulder and elevation mold segments can be arranged in a cross shape around the container neck and radially to it, in particular merging into it (with a continuously tapering contour line) [cf. the preferred embodiment described above, with reference to the accompanying Figures 1 to 7]. In other words, the described cross-shaped or "cross-shaped" arrangement of the described mold structure elements advantageously results in a specially shaped, novel contact surface between two (identical) molded containers according to the disclosure (according to the further aspect, which may be claimed independently).In this respect, when stacked vertically, they only touch each other at the outer (particularly stable) four corners, i.e. in the shoulder section (shoulder load contact mold segment) of the lower mold container, in particular the lower blow mold container, or in the bottom section (bottom load contact mold segment) of the upper mold container, in particular the upper blow mold container.

[0061] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the base section and / or the shoulder section (essentially viewed from a base view or top view) can be shaped with mirror symmetry, in particular with point symmetry. The mirror axes can include, in particular, the diametrical lines / section planes.

[0062] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively (according to the further aspect, which may be claimed independently), on the load contact surface within at least one of the base load contact mold segments, a base mold structure element can be formed on the base side, which is concave in the direction of the axial axis or contoured towards the interior of the container, in particular (at least partially) radially, in particular in the form of a radial groove; and on the shoulder side, a shoulder mold structure element can be formed, which is contoured vice versa / complementary to the base mold structure element, i.e. correspondingly convex, in particular (at least partially) radially, in particular in the form of a radial longitudinal curvature. In particular, a radial formation or a radial course can form a formation of base and complementary / corresponding shoulder mold structure elements that extends essentially radially from or to the central axial axis of the mold container.Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the base and complementary / corresponding shoulder structural elements can extend radially from the base recess. The above-described form-lock serves as an additional locking against rotation and further increases the stability of the vertical stacking arrangement against uneven weight distribution, slipping, tipping, or toppling. In particular, at least one, in particular a pair, of the (at least partially radial) base structural elements can be matched to (or form-fitted to) the at least one, in particular a pair, of the (at least partially) radial shoulder structural elements for each corner side.

[0063] In other words, to improve the stability of a vertical stacking arrangement, the (at least partially radial) bottom mold structural elements (from above) fit / press / 'latch' into the matching radial (at least partially radial) shoulder mold structural elements (below) to form a positive fit. This advantageously creates a (vertical) locking mechanism and thus further secures a tower-like stacking arrangement against slipping, twisting, distortion, tipping, etc. of the (blow) mold containers. In other words, the aspect described above further advantageously increases the balance and stability of the (vertical) stacking arrangement. Consequently, operational safety in the clinical process for a medical user is significantly increased and the risk of accidents is reduced.This also reduces the risk of potential storage and / or transport damage to the disclosed shaped containers filled with the valuable medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation.

[0064] Furthermore, a further advantage of the above feature (according to the further aspect, which may be claimed independently) arises with regard to the thermoplastic molding process, in particular the blow molding process, for producing the molded container according to the disclosure, in particular the blow molded container. In this respect, production-related advantages also arise due to the (at least partially) radial course, which result from the aspect of good demoldability from a molding tool. Thus, the mold can have individual mold punches in the area of ​​the base section or shoulder section for easy demolding or ejection of the finished molded container. The individual mold punches can be separated along a radial line running corresponding to the (at least partially radial) base mold structural elements or shoulder mold structural elements.For example, the individual mold punches can map circular angle segments. In this way, the individual mold punches can advantageously move easily and thus at a high cycle rate with a radial movement component (i.e., superimposed on an axial movement component) for demolding or ejection. In contrast, mold structures with a tangential and / or annular profile of a body edge, which are not open, cup-shaped, or dome-shaped like the base recess, but rather groove-shaped, for example, have technical problems with regard to gluing, shrinking, etc. on the mold. These can, prohibitively for production, lead to frequent molding machine downtimes or to a high proportion of rejects.

[0065] Preferably, alternatively (or vice versa to the above feature) or cumulatively, on the load contact surface within at least one of the base load contact mold segments, a base mold structural element (e.g. longitudinal curvature) with a convex contour in the direction of the axial axis can be formed on the base side; and on the shoulder side, a shoulder mold structural element (e.g. groove, longitudinal slot) with a vice versa / complementary, i.e. correspondingly concave, contour to the base mold structural element can be formed. In particular, the shoulder mold structural element can be shape-fitted or configured to bear positively (or when stacking to form a vertical stacking arrangement according to the second aspect of the disclosure below) against another base mold structural element that is identical to the base mold structural element (orin order to ensure that the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container, rests positively on the associated base mold structure element during stacking).

[0066] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the (optional) base recess can taper, preferably in a cup-shaped manner, towards the interior of the container from the first base recess diameter on the opening side to a second base recess diameter on the base side of the inner base recess over a base recess depth. In this case, the base recess can in particular have at least one base recess shoulder at a step-like, narrowed third (or additional further) base recess diameter. This advantageously serves to stiffen the base recess. Furthermore, both the taper and the (optional) base recess shoulder advantageously further reduce the residual amount of the (valuable) medicinal and / or pharmaceutical (especially liquid) preparation that can no longer be removed from the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container. The person skilled in the art will understand that the specific three-dimensional contour orThe shape structure of the floor recess, as illustrated by way of example in the preferred embodiments shown in the figures, is not essential to the disclosure, but that equally equivalent contours or shape structures are conceivable. For example, the floor recess can be rectangular, pyramid-shaped, etc. Nevertheless, it can be seen that with regard to the overall dimensional stability / mechanical properties / load-bearing statics, there are interactions, possibly a synergistic interplay or optimum ranges, depending on the design / shape of the floor recess and the design / shape of the adjacent, particularly surrounding, relief-like floor contour surface.

[0067] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, which has / defines a radial first wall thickness in the base section, a radial second wall thickness in the body section and a radial third wall thickness in the shoulder section, can be molded from a thermoplastic material such that the first, second and / or third wall thickness: (a) is or are at most approximately 1.5 millimeters, more preferably between 0.05 and 1.2 millimeters, in particular between 0.15 and 1.0 millimeters; and / or (b) has or have a relative scatter width around its respectively associated mean value of at most + / - 150%, in particular of at most + / - 50%; and / or (c) has or have a relative scatter width around its overall mean value calculated from the first, second and third wall thicknesses of at most + / - 150%, in particular of at most + / - 50%.

[0068] Optionally, the molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, can be bias-molded from a preform (optionally having the finished container neck) with a fourth wall thickness that is thicker than the first, second and / or third wall thickness.

[0069] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the thermoplastic material can be suitable for the direct absorption and subsequent storage of the medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation during production, in particular (long-term) inertness to the preparation, and more preferably additionally selected or modified to achieve specifically optimal flow behavior in the thermoplastic state for the formation of the aforementioned features regarding the wall thickness (distribution) for the molded container according to the disclosure, in particular blow-molded containers. Accordingly, material consumption and the long-term mechanical stability / statics required for the product are optimized as mutually opposing influencing factors.

[0070] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, can have at least one rib or rib (shaped) structure, in particular running substantially transversely to the axial axis (i.e., quasi "horizontal") and extending around the body section, at least in sections, and in particular can have a plurality or formation of ribs, preferably running at least partially parallel to one another. Optionally, the at least one rib or formation / row of ribs can be designed or formed with a V-shaped profile, in particular per at least one (in particular on all) respective side surfaces / lateral surfaces of the body section (i.e., as seen from a side view of the (blow) molded body / container). More preferably, the apex of the V-shape, in particular the apex arranged centrally, can point either toward the shoulder section (i.e., upwards) or toward the base section in the manner of an inverted (i.e., upside-down V-shape).The person skilled in the art will understand that modified shapes are conceivable, for example a double V-shape, a combination of a first row of the V-shape above or below a second row of the inverted V-shape, corrugated shapes, etc.

[0071] The at least one optionally provided (stiffening) rib (or plurality or formation of ribs) is formed between a pair of adjacent recesses / rib grooves / grooves. The rib or recess / rib groove advantageously serves to stiffen / optimize the static load-bearing properties and also to improve manual handling properties, particularly with regard to the filled (blow-)molded container. In other words, the rib functions as a body mold structural element. This rib (mold) structure thus advantageously increases the stability after filling the (blow-)molded container with the preparation. Consequently, any deformation / bulging of the (blow-)molded container is counteracted, which ensures or improves its dimensional stability, particularly with regard to the desired vertical stackability and storage stability under prevailing conditions such as temperature, mechanical stresses during transport, and the like.In particular, the ribs (which are optional, i.e., essentially dispensable with sufficient wall thickness) prove particularly advantageous in the context of ideally reduced wall thicknesses, insofar as the use of thermoplastic material for the (blow-) molded container is to be further reduced. The rib (mold) structure is particularly useful when vertically stacking the molded containers, in particular.

[0072] Blow-moulded containers with several (i.e. more than two) layers are important in that the resulting, correspondingly multiplied, support-Z weight forces can be better absorbed and distributed (down to the lowest layer).

[0073] The rib is formed as a substantially uniform, (preferably continuously) circumferential, in particular (substantially or with respect to a primary extension direction) transverse to the axial axis (i.e. horizontally) circumferential elevation or convex bulge relative to the adjacent depressions / rib grooves. For example, the rib can have a (particularly respective) rib cross-section that is plateau-shaped, prism-shaped, rectangular or round, rounded, ovalized or formed according to a free contour. Optionally, some or all of the (particularly otherwise circumferential) ribs and / or the depressions / rib grooves can be interrupted by flat areas, for example in order to provide a flat surface intended for a label(ing) and / or an attachment of a film strip-shaped handle (according to an aspect that may be claimed independently) and / or for manual or robotic gripping. Optionally orOptionally, a wall thickness in the region of the rib and / or the recess / groove can differ significantly from another (first, second and / or third) wall thickness of the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container, for example by a relative deviation of more than 10%. Those skilled in the art will therefore understand that it may be expedient to determine the wall thickness(es) in the region of the rib and / or the recess / rib groove as separate values ​​or to adjust them in the blow-molding (production) process. Alternatively, it may be desirable or advantageous to determine the wall thickness(es) in the region of the rib and / or the recess / rib groove as values ​​that are essentially uniform with the other (first, second and / or third) wall thickness of the molded container, in particular the blow-molding container, or to adjust them uniformly with the other wall thickness(es) in the (blow-)molding (production) process.

[0074] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, can be provided with at least one label (in particular a label, e.g., a self-adhesive film label surface, and the like) on at least one lateral surface section and / or on a (visible) side surface, in particular on the body section. The label can optionally be applied to the ribbed mold structure, with an adhesive intended for labeling more preferably omitting the rib grooves. The label serves in a technically simple manner for (legally required) product identification and user information.

[0075] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, is closed with a closure, in particular a screw (cap) closure (with an internal thread). This advantageously serves to facilitate the manufacturing process of closing the (blow-)molded container filled with the preparation. The closure (in particular, one manufactured separately, e.g., by injection molding, which can be supplied) can be easily modified and equipped with specific functions. For example, the closure can optionally comprise additional elements such as a hinged opening and / or a pierceable membrane. This advantageously serves to facilitate convenient and / or (largely) sterile removal of the preparation. Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively (according to an aspect that may be claimed independently), a dimensionally stable molded handle can be attached to the container neck.In particular, the (dimensionally stable) handle can be made, in particular injection-molded, from a thermoplastic material (optionally different from or similar / modified, e.g., with regard to the so-called melt flow index, or identical to the thermoplastic material of the molded container, in particular a blow-molded container). In particular, the molded handle can be firmly, in particular non-detachably, attached to the container neck, e.g., by shrinking or fastening / fixing by means of a coupling device. In particular, the molded handle can have a proximal molded handle ring section (with respect to the container neck or the molded container, in particular a blow-molded container) in order to be attached (in particular non-detachably) to the container neck by means of which it can be attached. The molded handle ring section can (optionally) be formed on the inside with barb-shaped elements. The barb-shaped elements are designed to fix the molded handle to the container neck in a rotationally secure manner.This advantageously prevents detachment during manual carrying.

[0076] Furthermore, the molded handle (at its opposite end) has a distal molded handle holding portion of the molded handle), which extends (starting from the molded handle ring portion) substantially radially from the container neck. In particular, the molded handle holding portion can be formed in a T-shape or U-shape. Accordingly, the molded handle can also be referred to as a T-handle or U-handle. By (optionally) providing a handle element such as the molded handle (and / or the handle grip described below, according to an aspect to be claimed independently if appropriate) made of a separate carrier material, flexibility in handling or use of the (blow-) molded container according to the disclosure can be further improved. Furthermore, prefabrication of the separate handle element simplifies production.In this respect, it may be advantageous in certain cases, but not exclusively, from a production perspective (in terms of investment savings and so-called "economies of scale"), to purchase a separate handle element as a purchased part from a supplier specializing in handles. In this case, the at least one bottom recessed mold segment can be shaped or configured to enable stackability of the stackable molded containers, in particular blow-molded containers (or when stacking into a vertical stacking arrangement according to the second aspect of the disclosure below), so as to be spaced apart from the further shoulder portion, which is similar to the shoulder portion, by at least a minimum gap without contact. In particular, the minimum gap can exceed a maximum axial molded handle outer dimension of the distal molded handle holding portion.This advantageously serves to accommodate the shaped handle without negatively influencing or even disturbing the other (vertical) stacking properties.

[0077] A second aspect of the present disclosure (which may be claimed independently if appropriate) relates to a (particularly vertical) stacking arrangement or a stacking system comprising at least two, preferably at least three, in particular at least four, (particularly vertically or along the axial axis) stacked (identical and / or substantially similar) molded containers according to the disclosure, in particular blow-molded containers. In particular, a (combined) stacking arrangement can be provided stacked in the vertical and horizontal directions. This serves, in particular, to optimize space utilization in the area of ​​storage and transport. Insofar as the stacking arrangement / stacking system comprises the (identical and / or substantially similar) molded containers according to the disclosure, in particular blow-molded containers, in the manner of a module / building block, it is expressly pointed out that identical features and advantages result as for the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0078] Preferably, the external dimensions of the (blow) molding container, in particular of the body section, can be designed such that (in particular with regard to a vertical repeat component) multiple units of the blow molding container result in a form-fitting (stacking) connection on a transport pallet (in particular EU transport pallet, standardized sea freight / container pallet) (in particular no overhang of the molding containers, in particular blow molding containers). This has the advantage that no or only a minimally reduced free space, e.g. a transport container volume, remains unused. In other words, this results in optimal utilization of the available floor space of a standard transport pallet. In particular, the following dimensions of the molding container, in particular blow molding container, can be preferred for this purpose, for example with a nominal filling volume of approx.4.7 to 4.8 liters: a) 148 mm x 158 x 295 mm (mold container width x mold container depth x mold container height) for the EU transport pallet; or: b) 140 mm x 150 x 320 mm (mold container width x mold container depth x mold container height) for the standardized sea freight / container pallet. However, the aforementioned filling volume of approximately 4.8 liters is not to be construed as limiting; thus, further, increased or reduced, filling volumes are also claimed or possible within the scope of the present disclosure, in particular those resulting from an adaptation of application profiles of the medical / pharmaceutical preparation.

[0079] Particularly in line with current trends, further reductions in the filling volume would be conceivable, more preferably to approximately 3.8 to approximately 4.2 liters. This would result in further advantages, particularly in terms of an improved environmental balance, reduced manufacturing costs and / or due to an adjustment of the filling volume for shorter dialysis times and / or lower dialysate flow rates. To implement the above optimization tasks with regard to an optimal packaging format on a transport pallet, the following dimensions (molded container width x molded container depth x molded container height) may be preferred for a molded container with an (optionally) reduced filling volume of, for example, approximately 3.8 to / or approximately 4.2 liters: a) Molded container with a filling volume of approximately 3.8 liters: 148 mm x 158 mm x 243 mm; or b) Molded container with a filling volume of approximately 4.2 liters: 148 mm x 158 mm x 261 mm.

[0080] Alternatively or cumulatively, multiple filling volumes are proposed to allow double or multiple use in relation to a (e.g., clinically usual or commercially available) consumption unit of the medical / pharmaceutical preparation, in particular a dialysis preparation solution (such as approximately 7.6 to 8.4, or approximately 9.4 to 9.6, or 10.0 liters, etc.). Alternatively, the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container, can be packaged ex works in a carton or other secondary packaging. In this respect, the advantage of vertical stackability would not arise during transport itself, but nevertheless during the intended use of the preparation and / or during its preparation, e.g., during a clinical procedure / material flow. For example, additional storage space is advantageously created, which saves corresponding storage capacity.

[0081] In particular, the dimensions / measurements / mold fits of the molded container, especially the blow-molded container, can be optimized and designed for application technology in such a way that the following influencing factors or technical aspects are taken into account, cumulatively or alternatively. In particular (but not limited to), all of the influencing factors can be combined and implemented in a particularly advantageous manner in a particularly preferred embodiment (see figures):

[0082] - nominal filling volume corresponding to the usual content of the medical / pharmaceutical preparation for its intended use (e.g. dialysis fluid or solid concentrate for carrying out dialysis treatment);

[0083] - vertical stackability for transport, storage, etc.;

[0084] - in particular the possibility of additional stabilisation when setting up / connecting to a device / machine unit intended / operable for the intended use of the medical / pharmaceutical preparation (e.g. to a dialysis machine);

[0085] - in particular the possibility of connection to the dimensions / dimensioning of the extraction / suction device of the device / machine unit (e.g. the dialysis machine);

[0086] - Dimensions of the base section with respect to a designated storage area for the device / machine unit (e.g., a base plate of the dialysis machine); - Base recess (“dome geometry”) to minimize the residual amount of medical / pharmaceutical preparation remaining in the container after completion of a treatment (e.g., a dialysis treatment).

[0087] A third aspect of the present disclosure (which may be claimed independently) relates to a method for producing the disclosed molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, according to the first aspect, comprising the steps:

[0088] - thermoplastic forming or molding, preferably injection molding, in particular blow molding, of a thermoplastic plastic, preferably PET, which is suitable and / or inert with regard to the medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation, in its thermoplastic flow state within a divisible molding tool designed and configured complementarily to the mold container, wherein in particular (in the case of the blow molding process) the thermoplastic plastic, preferably PET, can be presented in the form of a preform having the container neck ready;

[0089] - Cooling of the thermoplastically formed or formed container for removal / demolition in its (especially sufficiently dimensionally stable) solidified state; and

[0090] - immediately subsequent or separately subsequent attachment, in particular gluing and / or attaching, of the handle to the thermoplastically formed or shaped container.

[0091] The handle can be (provided as) a finished (i.e., pre-cut) intermediate product. For example, the handle can be provided as a purchased part. Alternatively or cumulatively, the handle can be cut to a predetermined handle length and / or a nominal length of the handle, for example, in advance of its attachment, in particular in close proximity to the removal of the thermoplastically formed or molded mold container from the mold and / or an intermediate storage or buffer station. Those skilled in the art will understand that the (film) material of the handle can be produced using all conventional processes for (multi-layer) (packaging) film production, such as blown film production, calendering, extrusion film production, lamination, Langmuir-Blodgett, thin-film processes, etc.

[0092] An optional step, which can be at least partially superimposed on at least one of the above steps, relates to filling the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container, with the medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation. A further optional step relates to closing the filled molded container, in particular the blow-molded container, preferably in the molding tool, in particular the blow-molded tool, or in a molding machine, in particular the blow-molding machine, that operates the molding tool, in particular the blow-molding tool. In this respect, the handle can be attached to the thermoplastically formed or molded and (optionally) filled and / or (optionally) closed molded container immediately thereafter or separately thereafter.

[0093] Blow molding is a process for producing hollow bodies from thermoplastics, particularly an injection, drawing, and blow-out process. Blow molding can be based on extrusion blow molding and / or stretch blow molding. In blow molding, a quantity or volume or mass unit of a thermoplastic, particularly in the form of a preform (optionally prefabricated separately as an intermediate product), is introduced and brought into its thermoplastic flow state (by heating and / or extrusion kneading). This preform is then subjected to internal pressure via a blow nozzle of the blow molding machine, thereby pressed against the mold contours of a blow molding tool to assume the desired molded body shape. The use of separately movable blow molding tool punches to achieve complex mold structures with, for example, undercuts is known.Furthermore, the blow molding process can optionally be carried out as a so-called blow-fill-seal process (i.e. including filling and closing in the container neck area still in the blow molding tool) and / or as a so-called hot-fill process. Patent document US 5,411,699, which is hereby expressly made part of the present disclosure by reference, discloses a blow molding process operated in a blow molding machine for the thermoplastic blow molding or production of blow-molded (hollow) bodies such as PET beverage bottles, wherein a separately prefabricated (injection-molded), approximately test tube-shaped preform with an external thread integrally formed on an opening is inserted into a divisible blow mold and blow-molded (out) in the thermoplastic state to form the blow-molded (hollow) body. The container neck preferably retains its original dimension and shape, i.e. of the preform, is therefore not changed during stretch blow molding.Furthermore, a subsequent hot filling step is disclosed.

[0094] Blow molding as the (preferred) thermoplastic process for producing the disclosed molded container, in particular blow molded body container, for the medical / pharmaceutical preparation based on a thermoplastic plastic / material (in particular, but not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate / PET), generally offers the advantage of increased cycle rates compared to the previous injection molding process.

[0095] At the same time, blow molding offers the additional advantage of reduced material consumption due to the significantly reduced wall thicknesses (elimination of the flow channel flow resistance that limits the minimum wall thickness in the injection molding process), which overall leads to a significant reduction in production costs and a lower environmental impact. In particular, in the thermoplastic forming or molding process according to the disclosure, in particular blow molding, the average and / or nominal wall thickness can be in the range of at most approximately 1.5 millimeters, more preferably between 0.05 and 1.2 millimeters, in particular between 0.15 and 1.0 millimeters.

[0096] In contrast, it is known that in large-scale (standard) injection molding processes, typical wall thicknesses of conventional molded containers range from approximately 0.5 mm to 0.8 mm to approximately 3 mm and more. Furthermore, the prior art for large-scale (standard) injection molding processes describes that, for example, a flow path-to-wall thickness ratio of up to 60 can be achieved. In other words, injection molding processes are more suitable for the production of robust (filled) components such as a car bumper or a transport pallet, and less so for the production of hollow (unfilled) components such as (especially thin-walled) containers.

[0097] However, if necessary or in isolated cases, thinner wall thicknesses, i.e., in the range of less than approximately 0.5 mm down to approximately 0.3 mm, can be achieved using special injection molding processes (which may be technically more complex and therefore more costly). In particular, such special injection molding processes for achieving said thinner wall thicknesses relate to so-called thin-wall injection molding (particularly based on specific mold coatings and / or specific grades of thermoplastic / material optimized with regard to solidification rheology) and / or so-called high-pressure injection molding (for example, in the range of an injection pressure above 1,000 bar, especially above 2,000 bar and more).

[0098] In other words, it is preferable to design / form the disclosed molded container as a blow-molded container or by means of blow molding, but this should not be construed as limiting. Therefore, it is conceivable that, after weighing all aspects for product design (such as long-term storage stability and / or high transport robustness of the molded container as primary packaging and / or application technology) and / or for production start-up (such as keeping investments low with a historically existing machine park at a production site, etc.), the injection molding process (standard or special injection molding) may be selected as needed.

[0099] Thermoplastic forming or molding, preferably injection molding, in particular blow molding, further has the advantage that the disclosed molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, can assume its specific, three-dimensionally complex characteristics / shapes in a technically efficient manner, such as the specific base geometry essential here (in the form of a "dome geometry" directed into the container interior) as well as the optional lateral rib (mold) structure for stiffening. The thermoplastic material / material is generally suitable for the above-described (thermoplastic molding) process for producing the disclosed molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, for the medical / pharmaceutical preparation if the disclosed characteristic features and suitability can be achieved in the course of the corresponding (thermoplastic molding) process.

[0100] With the thermoplastic material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the preferred embodiment of the blow-molded body / container or blow-molding process has the advantage that the thermoplastic starting material is not extruded in the form of pellets up to the blow nozzle, but can be prefabricated in the form of preforms / blanks / pre-molds, in order to then receive their final dimensions and shapes of the disclosed (blow-)molded body / container at the actual production and filling site, e.g., by means of stretch blow molding. For example, a preferred PET preform with a volume of 220 ml can hold a nominal filling volume of the (blow-)molded container of 4.7 liters after blow molding / blowing. This corresponds to more than 10 times the compression of the cargo space for transporting the starting materials to the production site or filling site with a medical / pharmaceutical preparation, especially a liquid.This advantageously supports a resource-optimized manufacturing process and an optimized supply chain, not least with a beneficially reduced carbon footprint. However, the molded container can also be produced in a direct, single-stage (thermoplastic) production process. Starting with granules or pellets and / or a similar composition of the thermoplastic material, the molded container can be directly converted into its final form. In other words, the intermediate step in the production of the aforementioned pre-molded body (such as a PET preform) can be omitted.

[0101] A fourth aspect of the present disclosure (which may be claimed independently if necessary) relates to a use of the disclosed molded container, in particular blow-molded container, according to the first aspect andZor the stacking arrangement according to the second aspect of the present disclosure for receiving andZor transporting andZor storing the medical andZor pharmaceutical preparation andZor for providing the preparation for use, in particular in a dialysis machine. In particular, a machine-receiving molded structural element of a logistically used device (e.g., automated warehousing) and / or a medically / clinically used device (e.g.,a dialysis machine). This advantageously serves to ensure optimal, slip-proof positioning of the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container, during the intended use of the preparation.

[0102] Preferably, alternatively or cumulatively, the medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation can be in the form of a liquid or solid (e.g. powdery, granular) preparation, in particular a dialysis preparation, which is concentrated with respect to at least one active ingredient or protagonist.

[0103] In summary, the present disclosure provides an innovative storage / transport container for medical / pharmaceutical liquids or solid concentrates, which is optimized with regard to essential requirements or with regard to potentially independently claimable aspects or features of the disclosure for use in the medical / pharmaceutical field, in particular for use in chronic hemodialysis / diafiltration. Significant advantages result in particular from: reduction of the required raw / base materials (first and / or second thermoplastic); (vertical) stackability without slipping, tipping, or twisting; optimal (horizontal) utilization of the footprint on transport pallets; good positioning for connection to, for example, a terminal device / peripheral device in connection with the intended use of the contained preparation (liquid / solid concentrate); usability orOptional use of the, in particular flexible, handle to improve carrying comfort (wide variation in anatomical diversity or hand sizes / shapes of the users) and for the (optional) attachment of the molded container, in particular the blow-molded container, to the end device / peripheral device. Furthermore, through optimized use of resources (in particular, a significantly reduced use of the first and / or second thermoplastic material; furthermore, due to the described logistical optimization), the environmental impact of the molded containers, in particular the blow-molded containers, according to the disclosure is significantly improved.

[0104] Short description of the characters

[0105] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like elements. In the drawings:

[0106] Fig. 1 is a side view of a molded container according to the disclosure, in particular a blow-molded container, made of a thermoplastic material, configured (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching a handle (not shown) according to a first preferred embodiment, configured to receive a medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation and for vertical stacking during transport and / or storage, wherein a partial longitudinal sectional view illustrates an optional mold structure of a base section ("dome geometry") of the molded container configured for vertical stackability;

[0107] Fig. 2a is a bottom view (from below) of a bottom portion of the molded container according to the disclosure, configured (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle grip (not shown) according to the first preferred embodiment;

[0108] Fig. 2b is a top view of a shoulder portion of the disclosed molded container, configured (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle grip (not shown) according to the first preferred embodiment; Fig. 2c is a side view of the disclosed molded container, configured (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle grip (not shown) according to the first preferred embodiment;

[0109] Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal section of a stacking arrangement of two identical molded containers according to the disclosure, configured (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle (not shown) according to the first preferred embodiment and with reference to a sectional plane AA defined in Fig. 2b, which illustrates optional molded structures configured for vertical and preferably twist-proof stackability with respect to, on the one hand, the base section of the molded container that is upper in the illustration and, on the other hand, the shoulder section of the molded container that is lower in the illustration in relation to one another or in a partially axially spaced-apart form fit;

[0110] Fig. 4 is a perspective view (partial section, obliquely from below) of the bottom portion of the molded container according to the disclosure, configured (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle grip (not shown) according to the first preferred embodiment;

[0111] Fig. 5 is a perspective side view (obliquely from above) of two side surfaces and the shoulder portion of the molded container according to the disclosure, arranged (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle grip (not shown) according to the first preferred embodiment;

[0112] Fig. 6a is a side view of a molded container according to the disclosure, in particular a blow-molded container, according to a second preferred embodiment modified from the first preferred embodiment, set up (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle (not shown), to illustrate an optional formation of a plurality of mutually parallel ribs running around a body section of the (blow) molded container, which ribs have a V-shaped profile with a central apex directed towards the shoulder section; Fig. 6b is a side view of a molded container, in particular a blow-molded body / container, according to a third preferred embodiment of the molded container according to the disclosure, modified from the second preferred embodiment, set up (orprepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle grip (not shown), to illustrate an optional formation of the ribs, which have a V-shaped course with a central apex directed towards the base section;.

[0113] Fig. 7 is a side view of a vertical stacking arrangement of, by way of example, three identical molded containers according to the disclosure in accordance with the first preferred embodiment, set up (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle grip (not shown), with a partial cross-sectional view shown in pairs analogous to Fig. 3 and with reference to the sectional plane AA defined in Fig. 2b;

[0114] Fig. 8 is a side view of a horizontal stacking arrangement of, by way of example, four identical molded containers according to the disclosure in accordance with the first preferred embodiment, arranged (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle grip (not shown);

[0115] Fig. 9 is a perspective side view (from slightly obliquely above) of a molded container according to the disclosure, in particular a blow-molded container, with the handle according to a third preferred embodiment according to the disclosure, wherein the handle is, for example, slightly obliquely positioned, mounted off-center and in the form of a film strip, and wherein the molded container, as an exemplary end product filled with a medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation such as a dialysis concentrate, further comprises an optional label and an (optional) (screw) closure;

[0116] Fig. 10 is a side view (slightly obliquely from above) of the molded container according to the disclosure, in particular a blow-molded container, according to a fourth preferred embodiment, wherein the (unfilled) molded container further comprises the handle shown in Fig. 9 according to the disclosure in a modified positioning and adjustment;

[0117] Fig. 11a is a perspective side view (obliquely from above) of a molded container according to the disclosure, in particular a blow-molded container, according to a fifth preferred embodiment, arranged (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle (not shown), wherein the molded container further comprises an (optional) dimensionally stable, in particular injection-molded, molded handle (T-shape) attached to a container neck of the molded container;

[0118] Fig. 11 b shows a partial longitudinal section of a stack arrangement of two identical molded containers according to the disclosure according to the fifth embodiment (according to Fig. 11 a), arranged (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle grip (not shown), and through the molded handle (T-shape);

[0119] Fig. 12a is a perspective side view (obliquely from above) of a molded container according to the disclosure, in particular a blow-molded container, according to a sixth preferred embodiment, arranged (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle (not shown), wherein the molded container further comprises an (optional) dimensionally stable, in particular injection-molded, molded handle (LI mold) attached to a container neck of the molded container;

[0120] Fig. 12b is a bottom view (from below) of a bottom section of the disclosed (blow-) molded container according to the sixth preferred embodiment, which bottom section is shaped and configured for vertical stackability and for receiving the molded handle (LI-mold), configured (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle grip (not shown).

[0121] Detailed description of preferred embodiments

[0122] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures. First Embodiment

[0123] Figures 1 to 5 show a blow-molded body or (blow-)molded container 100 as a disclosed molded container, in particular a blow-molded container, according to a first preferred embodiment, configured (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching a disclosed handle 113 (not shown, see Figures 9 and 10). The unfilled (blow-)molded body / container 100, which can be filled (from above) via an (optional) open container neck 70, is configured to receive a medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation (not shown; with reference numeral 2, see Figure 9 with regard to a filled end product based on the (blow-)molded body / container 100). For this purpose, the (blow-)molded body / container 100 is made of a thermoplastic material suitable for filling and storing the medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation, in particular an inert one.In other words, the (blow-)molded container is formed or (three-dimensionally) formed in a thermoplastic manufacturing or molding process. In particular, the (blow-)molded container 100 can be (blow-)molded in a technical thermoplastic grade / type, in particular in a blow-molding grade / type (i.e., according to a so-called melt flow index usable in a thermoplastic molding machine, in particular a blow-molding machine), in particular from PET.

[0124] With reference to the side views of Figures 1 and 2c in particular, the (blow) molded container 100 has a bottom section 20 with a frontal bottom surface 11 at one end of a body section 50. At the axially opposite other end of the body section 50, the (blow) molded container 100 has a shoulder section 80, which in its axial extension has the open container neck 70 or opens into it. The (in Figures 1 and 2c: upper) shoulder section 80 widens radially outward from a container neck diameter d-70 to merge into the body section 50 with a (substantially vertically extending) lateral outer surface 60. The container neck 70 is arranged centrally in an inner shoulder region 81 of the shoulder section 80, which is radially inner about a (central) axial axis Z.The container neck 70 can be closed with an exemplary screw cap with an internal thread as a closure (not shown; with reference numeral 90, see Figure 9 for the final product), for which purpose an external thread 75 is provided on the container neck 70.

[0125] Furthermore, the (blow) molded body Z-container 100 is designed for vertical stacking during transport and / or storage. For this purpose, as can be seen from Figures 1, 2a and 3, an (optional) base trough 30 in the form of a substantially cup-shaped indentation is initially drawn back into the container interior in the direction of the axial axis Z in the frontal base surface 11 of the base section 20 (“dome geometry”). As shown in particular in Figure 1, the base trough 30 tapers in a cup-shaped manner towards the container interior over a base trough depth t-30, starting from a first base trough diameter d-31 on the opening side down to a second base trough diameter d-32 (e.g. 0 60 mm) on the base side of the inner base trough base. Along the taper, the bottom trough 30 has a bottom trough shoulder 33 with a step-like narrowed third bottom trough diameter d-33 to a bottom trough depth t-30 (e.g. 52 mm).

[0126] The bottom recess 30 (“dome geometry”, see in particular Fig. 1 ) is specifically designed and shaped as can be seen in particular from the geometric “interaction” shown in Fig. 3, in order to accommodate the closed / closable container neck 70 of another, identical (lower in Fig. 3) blow-molded bodyZ(blow-)molded container 100 (if necessary with the closure 90 shown in Fig. 9) for the vertical stackability of the (in particular several, identical) (blow-)molded bodyZ(blow-)molded container 100.

[0127] At the same time, the bottom recess 30 ("dome geometry") reduces the residual volume remaining near the bottom surface 11 by accumulating the preparation, especially the liquid one. Consequently, a (nominal) filling volume of the blow-molded body / (blow-)molded container 100 is optimized or almost entirely guaranteed, since only small residual amounts remain in the (blow-)molded body / container 100 upon removal, for example, using a suction nozzle / lance (as in the disclosed use, for example, on a dialysis machine). Referring to Fig. 2c, the (nominal) filling volume is indicated based on a (nominal) filling height distance sF defining a desired filling height, measured from a top edge of the (blow-)molded body / container 100 (e.g., approximately 41 mm). The (nominal) filling volume of the (blow) molded body Z-container 100 can be, for example, approximately 4.7 liters.

[0128] In the following, the special mold structures on the base and shoulder sides and their functions when interacting for vertical stackability are described in more detail with reference to Figures 1 to 5. On the one hand, a specific base-side mold structure can be seen, Figures 1, 2a, 2c, 3 to 5, whereby in particular the base surface 11 outside the base recess 30 is to be noted as a relief-like base contour surface. On the other hand, in contrast to this, and complementary to a first approximation, there is a specific shoulder-side mold structure, Figures 1, 2b, 2c, 3, 5. In principle, it is conceivable to produce the special mold structure(s) or mold fit(s) (according to an aspect that may be claimed independently) using any desired, in particular thermoplastic, molding process such as blow molding, injection molding and the like.

[0129] The corresponding two mold structures, on the bottom and shoulder sides, ensure, in their interaction / three-dimensional form fit, a significant stabilization of two identical stackable / stacked (blow-)molded containers 100, 100. In particular, Fig. 3 illustrates the disclosed, special, partially axially spaced, form fit by showing a relevant section of a vertical stacking arrangement 200 of two identical blow-molded containers 100, 100 (one above the other) in a longitudinal section along a sectional plane AA defined in Figure 2b. Said form fit prevents / reduces lateral twisting and improves vertical stackability by the effect of a twist-proof / "torsion-resistant" stackability:

[0130] The bottom surface 11 outside the bottom trough 30 is formed as a relief-like bottom contour surface. For this purpose, four axially retracted bottom recessed mold segments 22 ("concave") are formed therein, alternating with / adjacent to four axially protruding bottom load contact mold segments 24 ("convex"). In other words, the bottom contour surface is contoured in a relief-like, three-dimensional manner by 4+4 mold segments alternating with respect to their axial "height plane / line." The four bottom load contact mold segments 24 protrude beyond the bottom recessed mold segments 22 located between them or protrude (toward the bottom surface 11 / toward a base surface). In other words, the four bottom recessed mold segments 22 are not part of what initially concerns a base surface of the (blow-) molded container 100.In this case, the four bottom recess mold segments 22 are flatter or shortened in relation to the four bottom load contact mold segments 24 with regard to an axial amount.

[0131] With reference to Figures 2a and 4 in particular, the respective or all four bottom recess mold segments 22 extend radially. It can be seen that (optionally) the respective bottom recess mold segment 22 extends radially from the opening-side first bottom recess diameter d-31 of the bottom recess 30 at the transition of the bottom surface 11 to an outer circumference of the bottom surface 11 (at the transition to the outer circumferential surface 60).

[0132] Insofar as the (blow) molded container 100 is essentially cuboid-shaped, with a substantially rectangular, almost square cross-section (see in particular Figures 2a, 2b, 4, 5), the bottom section 20 is formed with four corners in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the axial axis Z. An exemplary molded container width B, see Fig. 2a, can be 148 mm; an exemplary molded container depth can be 158 mm. An exemplary molded container height h-100 (i.e., total height, overall), see Fig. 2c, can be 290 mm; an exemplary molded body height h-99 (without container neck 70) can be approximately 270 mm. At the transition of the associated lateral surfaces 60, the (blow-)molded container 100 can have a rounded vertical side edge with a container edge diameter D (e.g., 0 185 mm). All four bottom-side corners, such asAs can be seen from Figures 2a and 4, each has four ground load contact shaped segments 24, which serves to ensure a uniform, essentially symmetrical load distribution.

[0133] As can be seen in particular from Figures 1, 2b, Zc, 3, 5 with regard to the shoulder-side three-dimensional mold structure, the relief-like shoulder section 80, outside the container neck 70, forms four protruding Z convex (clearly visible in the top view of Figure 2b: arranged in a cross-like manner) shoulder elevation mold segments 82 between respectively adjacent / intermediate shoulder load contact mold segments 84. In the present case, with reference to Fig. 3 in particular, for the (vertical) stackability of the stackable (blow) molded body Z-containers 100, 100, each of the four shoulder elevation mold segments 82 (in Fig. 3: of the lower (blow) molded body Z-container 100) is form-fitted or configured to be mutually complementary to the corresponding bottom recess mold segment 22 (in Fig. 3: of the upper (blow) molded body Z-container 100) during stacking and to be spaced apart without contact.

[0134] Accordingly, the load contact area (in the background of the longitudinal section plane; see also reference symbol K in Figures 1 and 2c) is divided on the shoulder side (exclusively) into the shoulder load contact shape segments 84 (flat, falling into a cross-sectional plane).

[0135] As can be seen in particular from Fig. 3, the respective or all four bottom recess mold segments 22 of the vertically stackable (blow) molded containers 100, 100 are form-fitted or configured to be spaced apart from the shoulder portion 80 of the identical second (lower) (blow) molded container 100 in a contactless manner when stacked into a vertical stack arrangement 200. The contactless spacing defines a gap dimension S. Accordingly, only the bottom load contact mold segments 24 of the (upper) (blow) molded container 100 form a supporting load contact surface on the further (lower) shoulder portion 80. Complementary to this, the load contact surface is divided into four shoulder load contact mold segments 84 on the shoulder side. The four shoulder load contact shaped segments 84 are formed flat in a cross-sectional plane of the shoulder section 80 perpendicular to the axial axis Z (see in particular Figures 1 and 5).

[0136] This means that the vertically stackable (Z) stacked (blow) mold containers 100, 100 come into contact with each other (only) at the Z axis via the load contact surface. This interaction, due to the specific mold structures, provides sufficient stabilization against undesirable relative movements. For this purpose, the four (lower) shoulder-elevation mold segments 20 are configured for stacking into a vertical stacking arrangement 200 (Figures 3 and 7) to positively engage the four bottom-recessed mold segments 22 of the same / further (upper) (blow) mold container 100 during stacking. Thus, in the vertical stacking arrangement 200, the shoulder-side mold structure and the bottom-side mold structure, and thus also both (blow) mold containers 100, 100, are locked against relative rotation (against each other) about their own (coincident) axial axes Z.

[0137] Insofar as, as already explained above, the base section 20 is rectangular with four corners, each having associated corner-side base load contact mold segments 24, the shoulder-side mold contour complementarily forms a cross-shaped arrangement of the corresponding four shoulder-elevation mold segments 82. See Figures 1, 2b, 2c, and 5, the four complementary shoulder-elevation mold segments 82 are arranged in a cross shape around the container neck 70 and each extends radially therefrom. As shown in particular in the perspective view of Figure 5, the four complementary shoulder-elevation mold segments 82 each terminate in the container neck 70 with a continuously tapering contour line. Further referring to Fig. 5, the four complementary shoulder elevation shape segments 82, as far as the opposite direction is concerned, widen into an outer surface 60 in the beginning fuselage section 50.According to the shape contour, each of the four (relatively retracted) shoulder-side corners, each of which comprises a shoulder load contact shape segment 84, is surrounded / ring-shaped with a protruding / stepped shoulder elevation shape edge 89 with a substantially rounded profile, which gives an impression similar to a suitcase corner shape.

[0138] For further anti-twist protection and stabilization in the area of ​​the load contact surface of the vertically stacked (blow) mold containers 100, 100, a pair of radial grooves 28, 28 are formed on the bottom side, see in particular Figures 2a and 4, per respective corner-side bottom load contact mold segment 24 as paired / two, convex / into the container interior (or vice versa, not shown variation: concave) contoured (at least partially radially extending) bottom mold structure elements. Complementary to this, on the shoulder side (see in particular Fig. 2b), a pair of radial longitudinal bulges 88, 88 are formed as paired / two, concave (or vice versa, not shown: concave) contoured (at least partially radially extending) shoulder shape structural elements for each corner-side shoulder load contact shape segment 84. In other words, the pair of radial grooves 28, 28 as the base shape structural elements for each corner side is or are suitable for (orThe corresponding pair of radial longitudinal bulges 88, 88 serve as the shoulder mold structural elements. In other words, for improved stability of a vertical stacking arrangement, the radial longitudinal bulges 88, 88 (from above) fit / press / 'latch' into the matching radial grooves 28, 28 (below) to form-fit against one another. This serves as a locking mechanism to further secure a tower-like stacking arrangement 200 (Fig. 7) against slipping, twisting, or tipping of the (blow) mold containers 100, 100.

[0139] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1, 2c, 4 and 5, the (blow) molding container 100 optionally has a formation of several mutually parallel (stiffening) ribs 55, 55,... with intermediate rib grooves 57, 57,... which run around the body section 50 substantially transversely / perpendicularly to the axial axis Z (ie "horizontal" rib structure).

[0140] Second and third embodiments

[0141] Figures 6a and 6b each show a side view of a (blow-)molded container according to the disclosure according to a second and third preferred embodiment, respectively [configured (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle (not shown)], which is optionally modified compared to the first preferred embodiment (with regard to the "horizontal" rib structure), for which reason reference is otherwise made to the above description: The formation of a plurality (e.g., seven) of the mutually parallel ribs 55, 55, ... extending around the body section 50 (optionally) has a V-shaped profile with a central apex. The apex of the V-formation of ribs 55, 55 can be directed toward the shoulder section 80 according to Fig. 6a or optionally toward the base section 20 according to Fig. 6b. Stacking arrangement (first embodiment)

[0142] To avoid repetition, express reference is made to the above description of the first embodiment of the molded container 100, in particular blow-molded container, and in particular to the embodiments based on Figures 1 and 3: Firstly, Figure 7 shows a side view of a vertical stack arrangement 200 of, by way of example, three identical (blow-)molded container Zs according to the disclosure 100, 100, 100, [set up (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle (not shown)] with a partial cross-sectional view shown in pairs analogous to Figure 3 and with reference to the sectional plane AA defined in Figure 2b. In contrast, Fig. 8 shows a side view of a horizontal stack arrangement 200' of, by way of example, four identical (blow-)molded containers 100, 100, 100, 100 according to the disclosure [set up (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle (not shown)].

[0143] Third and fourth embodiments

[0144] In the present disclosure, a handle 113 is provided or attached to the molded container 100, in particular a blow-molded container (see the first embodiment). The handle 113 can be provided (optionally) in a flat form or (optionally) in a fixed film strip form. In particular, the handle 113 can be glued.

[0145] The handle grip 113 forms a handle grip central section 119 running in a rounded bow shape between the two handle grip ends 118, 118 and axially beyond the shoulder section 80. The handle grip 113 is glued with its two opposite handle grip ends 118, 118 tangentially adjacent to two associated connection points P of two opposite outer circumferential surfaces 60 of the (blow) molding container 100 Z of the body section 50. The handle grip 113 is attached eccentrically with respect to the two connection points P. As illustrated in particular in Fig. 10, the handle grip 113 can be attached offset in a transverse direction from a plumb point L falling in a cross-sectional plane of the axial axis Z. The handle grip 113 is positioned obliquely to the axial axis Z at the two connection points P.In this case, a handle grip angle {90°-W} defined between the axial axis Z and a longitudinal extension line of the handle grip 113, selected as an example, is approximately 32 degrees (to the vertical).

[0146] As illustrated in Fig. 9, an exemplary end product based on the disclosed molded container 100 [configured (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle (not shown)] can be filled with the medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation 2, such as a dialysis solution or a solid dialysis concentrate, and then sealed leak-tight with a screw cap 90 as the closure. Furthermore, a flat label 95 is applied to the blow-molded container, which can be, for example, a printed / printable foil adhesive label (e.g., with a transparent foil edge) with product identification (not shown) regarding the contents and use of the contained preparation 2, etc.

[0147] Fifth and sixth embodiments

[0148] On the (blow) molding container 100, a T-handle 111 as a dimensionally stable molded handle in T-shape, see Figures 11a and 11b, or a U-handle 112 as a dimensionally stable molded handle in LI-shape, see Figures 12a and 12b, is optionally provided / providable.

[0149] The T-handle 111 or the U-handle 112 is attached to the container neck 70 in a cylindrical section provided for this purpose as the handle receiving section 78 (see Figures 1, 2c, 5). The T-handle 111 or the U-handle 112 has a proximal (with respect to the container neck 30) shaped handle ring section 115 by means of which it is attached (herein non-detachably) to the container neck 70. Furthermore, the T-handle 111 or the U-handle 112 has (at its opposite end) a distal T-shaped or U-shaped shaped handle holding section 116, which extends (starting from the shaped handle ring section 115) substantially radially away from the container neck 70. As illustrated by Fig. 11 b, which shows a partial longitudinal section of a stack arrangement 200 of two identical (blow-)molded containers according to the disclosure in accordance with the fifth embodiment and by the T-handle 111, the respective bottom recess mold segment 22 of the (in Fig.11b upper) (blow) molding container 100 be form-fitted or configured to be spaced apart from the shoulder portion 80 of the further (in Fig. 11b lower) (blow) molding container 100 in a contactless manner during stacking by at least a minimum gap dimension S which exceeds a maximum axial mold handle outer dimension G of the distal mold handle holding portion 116.

[0150] Essentially the same applies to the mold structure(s) in the case of the U-handle 112, as can be seen in particular in Fig. 12b based on a bottom view (from below) of a bottom section 20 of the disclosed (blow-) molded container 100 according to the sixth preferred embodiment [set up (or prepared as an intermediate product) for attaching the handle (not shown)], which bottom section is shaped and configured for vertical stackability and for receiving the U-handle 112.

[0151] List of reference symbols

[0152] 2 Preparation

[0153] 11 Floor area

[0154] 20 floor section

[0155] 22 Bottom recess mold segment

[0156] 24 Ground load contact mold segment

[0157] 28 Bottom shape structural element (especially radial groove)

[0158] 30 floor recess

[0159] 33 Floor recess

[0160] 50 fuselage section

[0161] 55 rib

[0162] 57 rib groove

[0163] 60 outer surface

[0164] 70 Container neck

[0165] 75 external thread

[0166] 78 Handle receiving section

[0167] 80 shoulder section

[0168] 81 inner shoulder area

[0169] 82 Shoulder elevation shape segment

[0170] 84 Shoulder load contact form segment

[0171] 88 Shoulder shape structural element (especially radial longitudinal curvature)

[0172] 89 Shoulder elevation shaping edge

[0173] 90 closure

[0174] 95 label

[0175] 100 (blow) mold containers

[0176] 111 Shape handle (T-shape)

[0177] 112 shaped handle (U-shape)

[0178] 113 Handle grip

[0179] 115 shaped handle ring section

[0180] 116 Shaped handle holding section

[0181] 118 Handle end

[0182] 119 Handle grip center section 200 Stacking arrangement (vertical)

[0183] 200' stacking arrangement (horizontal)

[0184] B Mold container width d-31 first bottom cavity diameter d-32 second bottom cavity diameter d-33 third bottom cavity diameter d-70 Container neck diameter

[0185] D Container edge rounding diameter

[0186] G Mould handle outer dimensions sF Filling height distance (nominal) t-30 Bottom recess depth t-33 Bottom recess shoulder depth h-99 Mould body height (without container neck) h-100 Mould container height (total)

[0187] K load contact area

[0188] L plumb point

[0189] P connection point

[0190] S gap size

[0191] T Mold container depth

[0192] W Handle grip adjustment supplementary angle

[0193] [90° minus handle angle]

[0194] Z axial axis

Claims

Claims 1. A molded container (100), in particular a blow-molded container, for receiving a preparation (2), in particular a medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation, and for vertical stacking during transport and / or storage, made of a thermoplastic material, comprising: - a bottom section (20) having a frontal bottom surface (11) at one end of a fuselage section (50); and - a shoulder section (80) at the axially opposite other end of the body section (50), wherein the molded container (100), in particular with regard to the base section (20) and the shoulder section (80), is shaped and / or form-fitted and / or configured such that two identical molded containers (100) can be stacked vertically, characterized in that a handle (113) is attached to the molded container (100) with its two opposite handle ends (118, 118) tangentially abutting two associated connection points (P) of two opposite outer circumferential surfaces (60) of the molded container (100), in particular of the body section (50), in order to form a handle center section (119) extending between the handle ends (118, 118) and axially beyond the shoulder section (80), in particular in the shape of a round bow.

2. Mold container (100) according to claim 2, wherein the handle grip (113): - is at least partially flat, in particular in the form of a foil strip; and / or - is formed at least in sections from a rolled and / or corded material; and / or - is formed at least in sections using a soft, foam-like material.

3. Mold container (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the handle grip (113) is connected to the handle grip ends (118, 118) at the two associated connection points (P) glued, in particular by means of a self-adhesive layer and / or hot-melt, and / or attached, in particular spot-welded.

4. Mold container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle grip (113) is mounted off-center with respect to the two connection points (P).

5. Mold container (100) according to the directly preceding claim 5, wherein the handle grip (113) is mounted offset in a transverse direction with respect to the two connection points (P) from a plumb point (L) falling in a cross-sectional plane of the axial axis (Z).

6. Mold container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle (113) is positioned obliquely to the axial axis (Z) in each of the two connection points (P).

7. Mold container (100) according to the directly preceding claim 6, wherein a handle grip angle (90°-W) defined between the axial axis (Z) and a longitudinal extension line of the handle grip (113) is in the angular range between 10 and 50 degrees, preferably between 30 and 40 degrees, even more preferably between 25 and 35 degrees.

8. Mold container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle grip (113) is attached to the mold container (100) and is configured to bear against the mold container in a metastable state and to protrude from the mold container (100) in a stable state.

9. Molded container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle center section (119) is printable or printed.

10. Mold container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein: - the shoulder portion (80) has, in its axial extension, a container neck (70), which is closable or closed, in particular, with a closure (90); and - in the bottom surface (11) of the bottom section (20), a bottom recess (30) is axially retracted into the interior of the container, wherein the bottom recess (30) is shaped or configured to receive, in particular in a contactless manner, a further container neck similar to the container neck (70), in particular a closed one, for the stackability of the stackable shaped containers (100).

11. Mold container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom surface (11) is formed as a relief-like bottom contour surface with at least one axially retracted bottom recess mold segment (22) and with bottom load contact mold segments (24) adjacent to the bottom recess mold segment (22) and axially projecting beyond it, in particular and with reference to the directly preceding claim 10 is formed outside the bottom trough (30) as the relief-like bottom contour surface, so that the at least one bottom recess mold segment (22) is excluded from a standing surface of the mold container (100).

12. Mold container (100) according to the directly preceding claim 11, wherein the at least one bottom recess mold segment (22) is form-fitted or configured for stackability of the stackable mold containers (100) to be spaced apart from a further shoulder portion similar to the shoulder portion (80) by a gap dimension (S) in a contactless manner, so that exclusively the bottom load contact mold segments (24) form a supporting load contact surface (K) on the further shoulder portion.

13. Mold container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein: - a dimensionally stable, in particular injection-molded, shaped handle (111, 112) is attached to the container neck (70), in particular by means of a proximal shaped handle ring section (115) of the shaped handle (111, 112) is non-detachably attached, wherein a distal shaped handle holding section (116) of the shaped handle (111, 112), preferably in T-shape (111) or U-shape (112), extends substantially radially from the container neck (70); wherein in particular and with reference to the immediately preceding claim 12, the at least one bottom recess mold segment (22) is form-fitted or configured for stackability of the stackable mold containers (100) to be spaced apart from the further shoulder portion similar to the shoulder portion (80) in a contactless manner by at least a minimum gap dimension (S), wherein the minimum gap dimension (S) exceeds a maximum axial mold handle outer dimension (G) of the distal mold handle holding portion (116).

14. Molded container (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the molded container (100) has at least one rib (55) running around the body section (50), preferably substantially transversely, at least in sections, in particular a formation of ribs (55, 55,...) running parallel to one another, wherein in particular the at least one rib (55) is formed with a V-shaped profile with an apex directed towards the shoulder section (80) or the base section (20) and / or wherein in particular some or all of the at least one circumferential rib (55) and / or an associated adjacent rib groove (57) are interrupted by at least one flat region, more preferably in order to provide a flat surface intended for attachment of the handle to the two associated connection points (P).

15. Stacking arrangement (200) of at least two, preferably at least three, in particular at least four, molded containers (100), in particular blow-molded containers, stacked vertically or along the axial axis (Z), according to one of the preceding claims.

16. A method for producing the molded container (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, comprising the steps: - thermoplastic forming or molding, in particular blow molding, of a thermoplastic material, preferably PET, which is suitable and / or inert with regard to the preparation (2), in particular the medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation, in its thermoplastic flow state within a divisible molding tool designed and configured complementarily to the mold container (100), - cooling the thermoplastically formed or shaped container (100) for removal in its solidified state; - optional filling of the mold container (100) with the preparation (2), in particular the medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation, in particular at least partially overlapping one of the above steps; - optionally closing the filled mold container (100), preferably in the molding tool or in a molding machine operating the molding tool; and - immediately subsequent or separately subsequent attachment, in particular gluing and / or attaching, of the handle (113) to the thermoplastically formed or shaped, optionally filled and / or closed, molded container (100).

17. Use of the molded container (100) according to one of claims 1 to 14, and / or the stacking arrangement (200) according to claim 15 for receiving and / or transporting and / or storing the preparation (2), in particular the medical and / or pharmaceutical preparation, preferably in the form of a liquid or solid preparation (2), in particular concentrated with regard to at least one active ingredient or protagonist, and / or for making the preparation (2) available for application, in particular in a dialysis machine.

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