Retaining device for medical containers having reinforcing ribs for increased stiffness and reduced deflection - Patents.com

Abstract

The retaining device configured to support the medical container includes a support plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of openings therethrough configured to receive the medical container. The retaining device also includes a plurality of chimneys projecting from the upper and / or lower surfaces of the support plate surrounding the openings, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs projecting from the support plate extending between the plurality of chimneys, the plurality of chimneys adapted to guide insertion of the medical container into the plurality of openings. The plurality of reinforcing ribs include a first end portion extending radially from a first chimney of the plurality of chimneys and a second end portion extending radially from an adjacent second chimney of the plurality of chimneys.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to European Application No. 22305201.0, filed February 23, 2022, entitled "Retaining Device for Medical Containers Having Reinforcing Ribs for Increasing Stiffness and Reducing Deflection," the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0002] FIELD OF THEINVENTION The present disclosure relates generally to a retaining device for holding medical containers, such as cartridges, barrels, prefilled syringes, stoppers, and / or prefillable syringes, in an upright position, and more particularly to a retaining device that includes a support structure, such as a plate or tray, configured to be attached to a receptacle or tub for receiving the medical container.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art Medical containers, such as cartridges, barrels, prefilled syringes, stoppers, and / or prefillable syringes, often need to be transported from one site to another site during or after manufacturing. For example, the medical containers are manufactured at a first location and then transported to a second location where the medical containers are filled with a medical fluid. As used herein, "medical fluid" can refer to a drug or another therapeutic agent used to treat a chronic or acute condition, as known in the art. Exemplary therapeutic agents include, for example, drugs, chemicals, biological substances, or biochemical substances that, when administered to a patient in a therapeutically effective amount, produce a desired therapeutic effect. In other examples, the medical containers can be manufactured and filled at the same first location and then transported to a second location for storage.

[0004] During transportation, the medical containers may be held by a holding device such as a tray, plate, and / or nest. The nest may be a plate-like tray configured to support a plurality of medical containers in an upright orientation. The nest may comprise a plurality of through-holes or openings aligned according to a predetermined row, each through-hole configured to receive one medical container. When inserted into the through-holes, the medical containers are held in an upright orientation in a direction substantially perpendicular to the nest. The nest is typically placed inside a box-shaped tub with an open top, which may be sealed with a sealing cover. Removal of the medical container from the tub may require peeling the sealing cover, removing the nest holding the medical container from the tub, and removing the medical container from the nest by sliding the medical container axially relative to the nest. Exemplary nests and tabs configured to accommodate medical containers are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 10,023,358 (the "'358 patent"), entitled "Packaging for a container," U.S. Pat. No. 10,143,793 (the "'793 patent"), entitled "Tray for positioning an elongated object, particularly a syringe body or syringe," and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0236715 (the "'715 publication"), entitled "Retaining device configured to support a plurality of medical containers, such as syringes," each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0005] Often, the medical containers are filled with medical fluids using an automated filling machine before the medical containers are removed from the nests and individually packaged. The nests may deform during filling due to the forces exerted by the automated filling machine on the medical containers and / or the nests. For example, when handled by the filling machine, the nests may bend or warp due to the weight of the multiple medical containers held by the nests. As a result of the deformation of the nests or trays, the medical containers supported by the deformed trays may not be held in an upright orientation, which may lead to some inaccuracies during the filling process and / or the stoppering process. The deformation of the nests or trays may also cause problems in transporting the filled nests or trays to different locations.

[0006] For these reasons, there is a need for nest and tray designs with increased stiffness in order to reduce deflection of the nest or tray during transport and filling. Avoiding deformation can improve the accuracy of the filling process by avoiding misalignment between the medical containers housed by the tray or nest and the automated filling machine. The retention device of the present disclosure is intended to provide such increased stiffness and resist deflection or deformation under the weight of multiple medical containers housed by the tray or nest. Summary of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the disclosure, a retaining device configured to support a medical container includes a support plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of openings therethrough configured to receive the medical container. The retaining device also includes a plurality of chimneys protruding from the upper and / or lower surfaces of the support plate at least partially surrounding the plurality of openings, where the plurality of chimneys are adapted to guide insertion of the medical container into the plurality of openings, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs protruding from the upper and / or lower surfaces of the support plate extending between the plurality of chimneys. The plurality of reinforcing ribs include a first end portion extending radially from a first chimney of the plurality of chimneys and a second end portion extending radially from an adjacent second chimney of the plurality of chimneys, where the first end portion and the second end portion are offset from an imaginary line extending between a center of the first chimney and a center of the adjacent second chimney.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an assembly configured to support a plurality of medical containers includes a tab and the previously described retaining device housed within the tab.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing the retention device described above includes injection molding or three dimensional printing the support plate, the plurality of chimneys, and the plurality of reinforcing ribs of the retention device as a single piece by a single injection molding or three dimensional printing process.

[0010] Non-limiting illustrative examples of embodiments of the present disclosure are now described in the following numbered clauses:

[0011] Clause 1: A retaining device configured to support a medical container, the retaining device comprising: a support plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of openings through the support plate configured to receive the medical container; a plurality of chimneys protruding from the upper and / or lower surface of the support plate at least partially surrounding the plurality of openings, the plurality of chimneys being adapted to guide insertion of the medical container into the plurality of openings; a plurality of reinforcing ribs protruding from the upper and / or lower surface of the support plate extending between the plurality of chimneys, the plurality of reinforcing ribs having a first end portion extending radially from a first chimney of the plurality of chimneys and a second end portion extending radially from an adjacent second chimney of the plurality of chimneys, the first end portion and the second end portion being offset from an imaginary line extending between a center of the first chimney and a center of the adjacent second chimney.

[0012] Clause 2: The retaining device of clause 1, wherein the first end portion extends from the first chimney in a first direction and the second end portion extends from the second chimney in a second direction different from the first direction.

[0013] Clause 3: The retention device of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein the plurality of reinforcing ribs further comprises an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion that is not radially aligned with either the first chimney portion or the adjacent second chimney portion.

[0014] Clause 4: The retention device of any of clauses 1-3, wherein the plurality of openings are arranged on the support plate as a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

[0015] Clause 5: The retention device of clause 4, wherein the openings in at least one of the plurality of rows and the openings in at least one of the plurality of columns are equidistantly spaced.

[0016] Clause 6: The retaining device of clause 4 or clause 5, wherein the plurality of openings are arranged on the support plate in at least five columns and at least five rows.

[0017] Clause 7: The retention device of any of clauses 4 to 6, wherein the openings in adjacent rows are aligned parallel to a first axis and the openings in adjacent columns are aligned parallel to a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis.

[0018] Clause 8: The retaining device of any of clauses 4-7, wherein the plurality of reinforcing ribs comprises a primary reinforcing rib extending between a first chimney portion and an adjacent second chimney portion in the same row.

[0019] Clause 9: The retaining device of clause 8, wherein there are at least two primary reinforcing ribs between a first chimney and an adjacent second chimney in the same row.

[0020] Clause 10: The retaining device of clause 9, wherein at least two primary reinforcing ribs between the first chimney portion and the adjacent second chimney portion are symmetrical about an imaginary line extending between a center of the first chimney portion and a center of the adjacent second chimney portion.

[0021] Clause 11: The retention device of any of clauses 8-10, further comprising a plurality of linear secondary ribs extending between outer chimneys of the plurality of chimneys adjacent the peripheral edge of the support plate.

[0022] Clause 12: The retaining device of any of clauses 8-11, further comprising a plurality of linear secondary ribs extending between the first chimney and the second chimney of the same row.

[0023] Clause 13: The retaining device of any of clauses 4 to 12, wherein the support plate comprises more columns than rows.

[0024] Clause 14: A retaining device according to any one of clauses 1 to 13, in which when the medical container is fully loaded, the deflection of the support plate in the vertical direction is less than 2.5 mm.

[0025] Clause 15: The retention device of any of clauses 1-14, wherein the support plate, the plurality of chimneys, and the plurality of reinforcing ribs comprise a thermoplastic polymer, such as polypropylene.

[0026] Clause 16: A retaining device of any of clauses 1 to 15, wherein the support plate, the plurality of chimney-shaped portions, and the plurality of reinforcing ribs are integrally formed by injection molding or three-dimensional printing.

[0027] Clause 17: A retaining device according to any of clauses 1-16, wherein the support plate further comprises a peripheral edge extending between the upper and lower surfaces of the support plate.

[0028] Clause 18: The retention device of clause 17, wherein the peripheral edge includes at least one notch extending inwardly from another portion of the peripheral edge.

[0029] Clause 19: The retaining device of clause 18, wherein the at least one notch comprises a first notch provided in a first side of the support plate and a second notch provided in a second side of the support plate opposite the first side, the first and second notches being aligned along a first axis of the support plate.

[0030] Clause 20: The retaining device of clause 18 or clause 19, further comprising a wall extending from the upper surface and / or the lower surface and curved with respect to at least a portion of the at least one cutout.

[0031] Clause 21: A retaining device according to any one of clauses 1 to 20, wherein the support plate has less than 100 openings.

[0032] Clause 22: A retaining device according to any one of clauses 1 to 21, wherein the support plate has less than 50 openings.

[0033] Clause 23: A retaining device according to any of clauses 1 to 22, wherein the plurality of chimneys comprises a tubular wall having a cylindrical inner surface having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the opening surrounded by the chimneys, and a cylindrical outer surface opposite the inner surface.

[0034] Clause 24: The retaining device of clause 23, wherein the plurality of chimneys further comprises at least two axial slits separating the tubular wall into at least two guide tabs.

[0035] Clause 25: The retaining device of any of clauses 1 to 24, wherein the plurality of openings and the plurality of chimneys are configured to receive a barrel of a syringe or cartridge containing a fluid volume of less than 50 mL.

[0036] Clause 26: The retention device of clause 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of reinforcing ribs is curved.

[0037] Clause 27: The retention device of any of clauses 1 to 26, wherein at least one of the plurality of reinforcing ribs comprises a plurality of axially aligned angular segments.

[0038] Clause 28: A retaining device according to any one of clauses 1 to 27, wherein the plurality of reinforcing ribs are not directly connected to any of the other plurality of reinforcing ribs.

[0039] Clause 29: An assembly configured to support a plurality of medical containers, the assembly comprising a tab and a retaining device of any of clauses 1-27 housed within the tab.

[0040] Clause 30: A method of manufacturing a retaining device of any of clauses 1 to 27, the method comprising injection molding or three dimensional printing a support plate, a plurality of chimney-shaped portions, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs of the retaining device as a single part by a single injection molding or three dimensional printing process. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0041] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a retaining device for a medical container according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a top view of the holding device of FIG. 1A. [Figure 1C] FIG. 1C is a schematic diagram showing an enlarged portion of a top view of the holding device of FIG. 1A. [Figure 2A]FIG. 2A is a perspective view of another example of a retaining device for a medical container, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is a top view of the holding device of FIG. 2A. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a top view of another example of a retention device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0042] Description of the invention The following description is provided to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the described embodiments contemplated for practicing the invention. However, various modifications, equivalents, variations, and alternatives will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art. All such modifications, variations, equivalents, and alternatives are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0043] In the following description, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "side", "longitudinal", "transverse" and their derivatives refer to the invention as oriented in the drawing figures. It should be understood, however, that the invention can contemplate alternative variations and step sequences unless expressly specified to the contrary. It should also be understood that the specific devices and steps illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification are merely exemplary embodiments of the invention. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting.

[0044] With reference to the figures, the present disclosure is directed to a holding device 10, 10b, 10c for holding a plurality of medical containers, such as a plurality of cartridges, barrels, prefilled syringes, stoppers, and / or prefillable syringes, in an upright position. In particular, the holding device 10, 10b, 10c may be configured to simultaneously support a plurality of medical containers in an upright orientation during packaging, storage, transportation, and / or handling of the plurality of medical containers by an automated filling machine.

[0045] A medical container, such as a syringe, is generally an elongated structure comprising a hollow elongated barrel defining a reservoir for containing a medical fluid, a stopper located inside the barrel, and a plunger rod that moves the stopper through the barrel to expel the medical fluid through a tip, fluid port, nozzle, or needle cannula at the end of the barrel. The reservoir of the medical container held by the holding device 10, 10b, 10c of the present disclosure can contain less than about 50 mL of medical fluid, preferably about 1 mL to 10 mL. The medical container can also include a flange at the end of the barrel, which can provide a surface for positioning the user's fingers (e.g., index and middle fingers) while the plunger rod is actuated with the thumb. The holding device 10, 10b, 10c can be configured to hold fewer medical containers than most currently available trays or support plates. For example, the holding device 10, 10b, 10c may be configured to hold up to 160 medical containers, preferably up to 100 medical containers, more preferably up to 50 medical containers, such as 42 medical containers.

[0046] In some examples, the retainer 10, 10b, 10c can include protruding structures such as ribs, ridges, angled surfaces, beads, channels, grooves, and similar protrusions to increase the rigidity of the retainer 10, 10b, 10c and resist deformation of the retainer 10, 10b, 10c. In particular, the retainer 10, 10b, 10c can be configured to resist deformation when the retainer 10, 10b, 10c is used with an automated filling machine such that the retainer 10, 10b, 10c deflects downwardly no more than 2.5 mm when the retainer 10, 10b, 10c is substantially fully loaded with filled medical containers. Specifically, the retainers 10, 10b, 10c may be configured to deflect by no more than 2.5 mm as determined by finite element analysis (FEA) for the retainers 10, 10b, 10c having a thickness of 1.27 mm with 42 cavities loaded with filled 10 mL medical containers. In contrast, a conventional retainer or plate having a plate thickness of 1.27 mm and containing 42 cavities but without structure to increase stiffness was found by FEA to deflect in excess of 20 mm.

[0047] As previously mentioned, the retaining device 10, 10b, 10c of the present disclosure is configured to be placed within a container, such as a tub. Exemplary tubs are described in the '358 patent, the '793 patent, and the '715 publication referenced above. For example, the retaining device 10, 10b, 10c of the present disclosure may be placed across the open top of the tub to cover the interior of the tub. A medical container may be inserted through a through hole or opening in the retaining device 10, 10b, 10c such that a distal portion of the medical container (i.e., a portion of the medical container furthest from a portion of the device or container that is grasped or manipulated by a user) is within the tub and the sidewall of the medical container is supported by the through hole or opening in the retaining device 10, 10b, 10c.

[0048] 1A-1C show an exemplary support device 10 configured to support a medical container including features of the present disclosure. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the support device 10 comprises a support plate 12 having a first or upper surface 14, a second or lower surface 16, and a peripheral edge 18 extending around the support plate 12 between the upper surface 14 and the lower surface 16. In some examples, the support plate 12 is substantially rectangular having longitudinal sides 20 and lateral sides 22. As used herein, "longitudinal side" refers to the longer side 20 of the support plate 12 having a length L1 (shown in FIG. 1B), and "lateral side" refers to the shorter side 22 of the support plate 12 having a length L2 (shown in FIG. 1B) that is shorter than the length L1. The support plate 12 may also be square, in which case the longitudinal side 20 and the lateral side 22 are the same length (i.e., L1 is equal to L2). As shown in FIG. 1B, the substantially rectangular support plate 12 defines a first axis X1 (also referred to as the longitudinal, horizontal or x-axis) that extends parallel to a longitudinal side 20 of the support plate 12, and a second axis X2 (also referred to as the transverse, lateral, vertical or y-axis) that extends parallel to a lateral side 22 of the support plate 12.

[0049] The dimensions of the support plate 12 will be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art based on the number of medical containers that can be supported by the retaining device 10, the dimensions of the medical containers, and / or the dimensions of the tab or container to which the retaining device 10 is attached. For example, the length L1 can be 228.8 mm to 231.2 mm, and the length L2 can be 197.1 mm to 199.5 mm. The thickness of the support plate can be 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm, preferably about 1.3 mm to about 1.7 mm. In some examples, the dimensions of the support plate 12 can be determined based on published standards for prefilled syringe packaging dimensions (e.g., ISO 11040-7:2015(E): Packaging system for sterile subassembled syringes ready for filling).

[0050] The support plate 12 further comprises a plurality of openings 24 therethrough configured to receive the medical containers. The openings 24 are sized to support the medical containers in an upright position. For example, the openings 24 can be wide enough to allow the sidewalls of the medical container to pass through the openings 24 while preventing the flanges or other protruding portions of the medical container from passing through the openings 24. Thus, when the medical container is inserted through one of the openings 24, the flanges of the medical container may seat against the upper surface 14 of the support plate 12, thereby holding the medical container in an upright position. The dimensions of the openings 24 generally depend on the size of the medical container intended to be used with the retaining device 10. For example, the inner diameter D1 of the openings 24 (shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C) can be about 18.06 mm to about 19.06 mm for a support plate 12 with 42 cavities. For a support plate 12 with 100 cavities, the inner diameter of the openings 24 may be from about 12.1 mm to about 12.35 mm.

[0051] In some examples, the support plate 12 may include 100 or less openings 24, or preferably 50 or less openings 24. The openings 24 may be arranged on the support plate 12 as rows and columns. For example, the support plate 12 may include at least five rows and at least five columns. Because the support plate 12 has a rectangular shape, in some examples, the support plate 12 includes more columns than rows. As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, in one example, the support plate 12 includes seven columns extending parallel to the lateral or second axis X2 and six rows extending parallel to the longitudinal or first axis X1 of the support plate 12. The openings 24 in each row and the openings 24 in each column may be equidistantly spaced. For example, the openings 24 in a row may be spaced from adjacent openings 24 in the same row by a distance D2 (shown in Figures 1B and 1C) of about 8.9 mm to about 11.11 mm. Similarly, the openings 24 in a row may be spaced from adjacent openings 24 in the same row by a distance D3 (shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C) of between about 8.76 mm and about 11.26 mm.

[0052] In some examples, the openings 24 in the rows and columns are aligned. For example, the openings 24 in adjacent rows may be aligned along an imaginary line V2 extending parallel to the transverse or second axis X2. In particular, for a support plate 12 having seven columns and six rows, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, each row includes seven openings 24 and there is one opening 24 in each column. In other examples, the openings 24 in the rows and / or columns may be offset. For example, each row may include four openings 24. However, a row may be offset from an adjacent row such that the support plate 12 includes seven columns.

[0053] The support plate 12 may also include notches 26a, 26b extending inwardly from other portions of the peripheral edge 18. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the support plate 12 includes a first notch 26a in one of the lateral sides 22 of the support plate 12 and a second notch 26b in the second lateral side 22 of the support plate 12. The first and second notches 26a, 26b may be aligned along the longitudinal direction or first axis X1 of the support plate 12. In some examples, the notches 26a, 26b are U-shaped gaps or openings extending inwardly from the peripheral edge 18 of the support plate 12. The retention device 10 may also include a curved wall 28 extending from the upper surface 14 and / or the lower surface 16 of the support plate 12 and around at least a portion of the first notch 26a and / or the second notch 26b.

[0054] The retainer 10 further comprises tubular walls, members or ridges (referred to herein as chimneys 30) protruding from the upper surface 14 and / or the lower surface 16 of the support plate 12. Each chimney 30 is positioned to surround or partially surround one of the openings 24 and guide the insertion of a medical container into the openings 24. The chimneys 30 can include a tubular wall with a cylindrical inner surface 32 having a diameter ID1 (shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C ) substantially the same as a diameter D1 of the opening 24 surrounded or partially surrounded by the chimney 30, and a cylindrical outer surface 34 opposite the inner surface 32 having an outer diameter ODE. For example, for a support plate 12 with 42 chimneys 30, the inner diameter ID1 may be about 18.06 mm to about 19.06 mm and the outer diameter OD1 may be about 18.96 mm to about 21.06 mm, which means that the thickness of the chimneys 30 is about 0.9 mm to about 2.0 mm. The height of the chimneys 30 (e.g., the distance between the upper surface 14 of the support plate 12 and the top of the chimneys 30) may be about 17.23 mm to about 17.73 mm.

[0055] 1A and 1B, the chimney 30 is a tubular structure including a cylindrical interior surface 32 and a cylindrical exterior surface 34. In other examples, the chimney 30 can include axial slits or gaps extending through the chimney 30 that separate the tubular wall of the chimney 30 into separate segments or tabs. For example, the chimney 30 can include two axial slits (not shown) that separate the tubular wall into arcuate guide segments or guide tabs, similar to the slits and guide tabs shown in the previously referenced '715 publication.

[0056] The retaining device 10 further includes a reinforcing rib 36 protruding from the upper surface 14 and / or the lower surface 16 of the support plate 12 and extending between the chimneys 30. The reinforcing rib 36 may be positioned to increase the stiffness of the retaining device 10, and in particular to ensure that the retaining device 10 deflects downwardly by no more than 2.5 mm when filled with a medical container. The height of the reinforcing rib (e.g., the vertical distance between the upper surface 14 of the support plate and the top of the reinforcing rib 36) may be slightly less than the height of the chimneys 30. For example, the height of the reinforcing rib 36 may be about 2.0 mm to about 14.5 mm, which may be about 10% to about 83% of the height of the chimneys 30.

[0057] The reinforcing ribs 36 are angled or curved when viewed from a top view, as shown in Figures 1B and 1C. Furthermore, the reinforcing ribs 36 may be offset or spaced from an imaginary line V1, V2 extending between the center 38 of the chimney 30 and the center 38 of an adjacent chimney 30. As shown in Figures 1B and 1C, the imaginary lines V1, V2 are parallel to the axes X1, X2 of the support plate 12. The inventors have established that the inclusion of angled or curved reinforcing ribs 36 improves the stiffness of the support plate 12 compared to a conventional plate 12 that includes no ribs or straight ribs. Furthermore, the reinforcing ribs 36 may be non-branching structures that do not intersect or directly connect with other reinforcing ribs 36.

[0058] More specifically, in some examples, as shown in FIG. 1C, the reinforcing rib 36 is angled to include a first end segment or portion 40 extending radially in a first direction (indicated by arrow A1 in FIG. 1C) from the first chimney 30 and a second end segment or portion 42 extending radially in a second direction (indicated by arrow A2) from the adjacent second chimney 30. The first end segment or portion 40 and the second end segment or portion 42 are offset from an imaginary line V1 (shown in FIG. 1C) extending between the center 38 of the first chimney 30 and the center 38 of the adjacent second chimney 30. The reinforcing rib 36 may further include an intermediate segment or portion 44 between the first end segment or portion 40 and the second end segment or portion 42 of the reinforcing rib 36 that is not radially aligned with either the first chimney 30 or the adjacent second chimney 30.

[0059] 1A and 1B, the retaining device 10 includes both angled or curved reinforcing ribs 36 (also referred to herein as primary reinforcing ribs) and secondary straight reinforcing ribs 46. The primary reinforcing ribs 36 can extend longitudinally (e.g., parallel to the longitudinal direction of the support plate 12 or the first axis X1) between the chimney 30 and the adjacent chimney 30 in the same row. In some examples, there can be two primary reinforcing ribs 36 extending between the chimney 30 and the adjacent chimney 30 in the same row. Furthermore, the two primary reinforcing ribs 36 between the chimney 30 and the adjacent chimney 30 can be symmetrical about an imaginary line V1 extending between the center 38 of the first chimney 30 and the center 38 of the second adjacent chimney 30, such that one of the reinforcing ribs 36 is angled toward the center of the support plate 12 and the other rib 36 is angled toward the peripheral edge 18 of the support plate 12.

[0060] In some examples, the secondary linear reinforcing ribs 46 may extend between the outer chimneys 30 of the plurality of chimneys 30. As used herein, "external chimneys" refers to the chimneys 30 proximate the peripheral edge 18 of the support plate 12, i.e., the chimneys 30 in the row closest to the longitudinal side 20 of the support plate 12 and the chimneys 30 in the column closest to the lateral side 22 of the support plate 12. The linear reinforcing ribs 36 may also extend between a chimney 30 and an adjacent chimney 30 in the same row. As shown in FIG. 1C, the secondary linear reinforcing ribs 46 are coextensive with imaginary lines V1, V2 extending between the center 38 of a first chimney 30 and the center 38 of an adjacent second chimney 30. Additionally, the secondary linear ribs 46 are parallel to either the longitudinal or first axis X1 or the transverse or second axis X2 of the support plate 12.

[0061] As previously discussed, the positioning of the primary and secondary reinforcing ribs 36, 46 of the retention device 10 may be designed and optimized to increase the stiffness of the support plate 12. For example, some chimneys 30 may be connected to adjacent chimneys 30 by multiple primary and / or secondary reinforcing ribs 36, 46. Other chimneys 30 are connected to adjacent chimneys 30 by only a single primary reinforcing rib 36 or a single secondary reinforcing rib 46.

[0062] In the retention device 10 of Figures 1A-1C, the chimneys 30 surrounding the openings 24 of the inner row of the support plate 12 are connected together by two primary or angled reinforcing ribs 36 that are symmetrical about an imaginary line V1 that extends parallel to the longitudinal or first axis X1 of the support plate 12. The chimneys 30 surrounding many of the openings 24 of the outer rows are connected by a linear secondary reinforcing rib 46 that extends parallel to the longitudinal or first axis X1 of the support plate 12. The chimneys 30 surrounding the openings 24 of the inner rows are connected by a linear secondary rib 46 that extends parallel to the transverse or second axis X2. The chimneys 30 surrounding the openings 24 of the outer rows are connected by a single angled primary reinforcing rib 36. The retention device 10 of Figures 1A and 1B also includes ribs 48 that extend from some of the chimneys 30 to the walls 28 surrounding the notches 26a, 26b in the peripheral edge 18 of the support plate.

[0063] 2A and 2B show another exemplary retention device 10b including a different arrangement of primary and secondary reinforcing ribs 36, 46. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the primary reinforcing rib 36 includes a first end segment or portion 40 extending radially from the first chimney 30 and a second end segment or portion 42 extending radially from the adjacent second chimney 30. The primary reinforcing rib 36 is curved. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the chimneys 30 surrounding the openings 24 of the inner row of the support plate 12 are connected by two curved primary reinforcing ribs 36 that are symmetrical about an imaginary line V1 parallel to the longitudinal direction or first axis X1 of the support plate 12. The chimneys 30 surrounding the openings 24 of the outer row are connected by both the curved primary reinforcing ribs 36 and the straight secondary reinforcing ribs 46. Additionally, the chimneys 30 surrounding the openings 24 of the rows (e.g., both the inner and outer rows) are connected by secondary linear reinforcing ribs 46. The retention device 10b of Figures 2A and 2B also includes ribs 48 that extend from some of the chimneys 30 to the walls 28 surrounding the notches 26a, 26b in the peripheral edge 18 of the support plate 12.

[0064] FIG. 3 shows another exemplary retention device 10c including a different arrangement of curved primary reinforcing ribs 36 and secondary straight reinforcing ribs 46. As shown in FIG. 3, the chimneys 30 surrounding the openings 24 of the inner row are connected by two curved primary reinforcing ribs 36, which are symmetrical about an imaginary line V1 parallel to the longitudinal direction or first axis X1 of the support plate 12, as in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. Many of the chimneys 30 surrounding the openings 24 of the outer row are connected by straight secondary reinforcing ribs 46, but some of the chimneys 30 are also connected by two curved primary reinforcing ribs 36, as shown in FIG. 3. The chimneys 30 surrounding the openings 24 of the inner row are connected by straight secondary reinforcing ribs 46. The chimneys 30 surrounding the openings 24 of the outer row are connected by a single curved primary reinforcing rib 36.

[0065] The retention device 10, 10b, 10c of the present disclosure may be made from a variety of plastic materials commonly used for disposable medical packaging, containers, and / or devices. Additionally, the retention device 10, 10b, 10c may be made by a variety of forming and molding processes as known in the art. For example, the retention device 10, 10b, 10c of the present disclosure may include a thermoplastic material, preferably polypropylene, or polyester, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or other injection moldable or moldable resin material as known in the art. In some examples, the support plate 12, the chimney 30, and the primary and secondary reinforcing ribs 36, 46 may be integrally formed from the same material, such as the same thermoplastic material. In some examples, the retention device 10, 10b, 10c is formed by a single injection molding process, where the retention device 10, 10b, 10c is formed by injecting a flowable polymeric material between a first tool and a second tool in a single process. To optimize the retention device 10, 10b, 10c for injection molding, in some examples, the vertical or substantially vertical surfaces of the retention device 10, 10b, 10c, such as the interior surface 32 and / or the exterior surface 34 of the chimney 30, can include a slightly sloped surface having a draft angle (e.g., an angle of about 0.1 degrees to 4.0 degrees, e.g., 1.0 degrees or 0.5 degrees). Including a substantially vertical surface with a slight slope or draft angle facilitates removal of the molded article from the mold after injection molding. In other examples, the retention device 10, 10b, 10c can be manufactured by three-dimensional printing by processes known in the art.

[0066] Although examples of retention devices 10, 10b, 10c are shown in the accompanying figures and described in detail herein, other examples will be apparent to and readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative rather than limiting. The invention described herein is defined by the appended claims, and all modifications of the invention that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are embraced within their scope.

Claims

1. 1. A holding device configured to support a medical container, comprising: a support plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of openings therethrough configured to receive the medical container; a plurality of chimneys protruding from the upper and / or lower surfaces of the support plate and at least partially surrounding the plurality of openings, the plurality of chimneys adapted to guide insertion of the medical container into the plurality of openings; and a plurality of reinforcing ribs projecting from the upper and / or lower surfaces of the support plate and extending between the plurality of chimneys; Equipped with a retention device, the plurality of reinforcing ribs comprising a first end portion extending radially from a first chimney of the plurality of chimneys and a second end portion extending radially from an adjacent second chimney of the plurality of chimneys, the first end portion and the second end portion being offset from an imaginary line extending between a center of the first chimney and a center of the adjacent second chimney.

2. 2. The retention device of claim 1, wherein the first end portion extends from the first chimney in a first direction and the second end portion extends from the second chimney in a second direction different from the first direction.

3. 3. The retention device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of reinforcing ribs further comprises an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion that is not radially aligned with either the first chimney or the adjacent second chimney.

4. The retaining device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of openings are arranged on the support plate as a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

5. A retaining device according to any preceding claim, wherein the openings in at least one of the rows and the openings in at least one of the columns are equidistantly spaced apart.

6. A retaining device according to any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of reinforcing ribs comprises a primary reinforcing rib extending between the first chimney and the adjacent second chimney in the same row.

7. at least two primary reinforcing ribs between the first chimney and the adjacent second chimney in the same row; 7. The retaining device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two primary reinforcing ribs between the first chimney and the adjacent second chimney are symmetrical about an imaginary line extending between a center of the first chimney and a center of the adjacent second chimney.

8. A retaining device according to any preceding claim, further comprising a plurality of linear secondary ribs extending between the first and second chimneys of the same row.

9. The retaining device of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the support plate has a vertical deflection of less than 2.5 mm when the medical containers are fully loaded.

10. The retention device of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the support plate, the plurality of chimneys, and the plurality of reinforcing ribs comprise a thermoplastic polymer.

11. The retaining device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the support plate, the plurality of chimneys, and the plurality of reinforcing ribs are integrally formed by injection molding.

12. the support plate further comprising a peripheral edge extending between the upper and lower surfaces of the support plate; A retaining device according to any preceding claim, wherein the peripheral edge comprises at least one notch extending inwardly from a remainder of the peripheral edge.

13. A retaining device according to any preceding claim, further comprising a curved wall extending from the upper surface and / or the lower surface around at least a portion of the at least one cutout.

14. A retaining device according to any preceding claim, wherein the support plate comprises less than 100 openings.

15. 15. A retaining device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of chimneys comprise a tubular wall having a cylindrical inner surface having a diameter substantially the same as a diameter of the opening surrounded by the chimneys, and a cylindrical outer surface opposite the inner surface.

16. 16. The retaining device of any of claims 1-15, wherein the plurality of openings and the plurality of chimneys are configured to receive a barrel of a syringe or cartridge containing a fluid volume of less than about 50 mL.

17. The retaining device of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the plurality of reinforcing ribs is curved or comprises a plurality of axially aligned angular segments.

18. A retaining device according to any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of reinforcing ribs are not directly connected to any other of the plurality of reinforcing ribs.

19. 1. An assembly configured to support a plurality of medical containers, the assembly comprising: Tabs, and 13. The retention device of claim 1 housed within said tab. An assembly comprising:

20. 2. A method of manufacturing the retention device of claim 1, the method comprising injection molding or three dimensional printing the support plate, the plurality of chimneys, and the plurality of reinforcing ribs of the retention device as a single part via a single injection molding or three dimensional printing process.

Images